Water Scarcity
The Pressing Issue Few Know About
What exactly is water scarcity and how does it impact our world?
Water scarcity refers to a lack of access to safe/ sufficient water. There are two types of water scarcity, physical, and economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity can be defined as the situation where there is not enough water to meet the demand for water. Economic water scarcity happens when there is enough water, but the financial means to access this water is lacking. Water scarcity impacts our world by damaging entire ecosystems, causing wetlands to disappear, it causes health issues, and it damages countries economies who's industries rely on water such as agriculture. According to the United Nations Water Development Report in 2024, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, 3.5 billion people lack access to safe sanitation water, and up to 1.4 billion people have been affected by droughts from 2002-2021.
What is being done about this issue?
There are agencies such as the EPA(United States Environmental Protection Agency), WWF(World Wildlife Fund), and the USAID that are helping to protect wetlands, raising awareness to this issue, help access clean water, and the protection of aquatic resources. The most sustainable solutions for this problem includes creating new water conservation technology, recycle wastewater, improve water harvesting systems, and climate change mitigation.
What industries are impacted by water scarcity?
- Agriculture
- High temperatures and drought can lead to poor sanitation which will effect crops, livestock and forage due to the fact that they will be more prone to diseases, resulting in food shortages.
- Specialty crops such as fruits, tree nuts, and vegetables, are more likely to be effected by droughts and will experience more of an economic loss.
- Crop failure and pasture loss is a direct result of water scarcity, and will effect food security.
- Agriculture is a major contributor to America's economy, and in 2024 it contributed around $140.7 billion dollars.
- Energy Production
- Water scarcity is directly linked to a loss of hydroelectric energy production.
- Power plants require water for the cooling process, with a lack of water, power plants have to be shut down.
- Manufacturing
- Water is used for many things including fabrication, processing, washing, diluting, cooling, and transporting goods.
- Water is also used in the production of food, paper, and chemicals.
- In the textile industry, water is used for washing and dying.
- In paper mills, water is used for cooling, and pulping for the making of paper.
- Water is used for food processing and beverage production.
- Mining
- Water is used in many processes such as dust suppression, extracting lithium, ore processing, and equipment cooling.
- Mining contributed around $105 billion dollars to America's economy, with water scarcity on the rise, America's economy will be hurt in the process.
- Aquaculture
- Fish farming is dependent on water quality.
- Freshwater and seawater are needed to ensure habitats and ecosystems are maintained for growing fish and other marine organisms.
- Construction
- Water is used for processes such as mixing concrete, dust control, equipment cooling, and sanitation.
How does water scarcity impact people on a day to day basis?
Explained | World's Water Crisis | FULL EPISODE | Netflix
Conclusion
In conclusion, water scarcity is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed as it affects our world both physically and economically. Water is a basic human necessity needed for survival and if humans cannot access uncontaminated water severe consequences will arise. By prioritizing sustainable water use, and bringing awareness to this issue, we will be able to combat this problem of water scarcity.
Works Cited
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“Drought and Agricultural Impacts.” Drought.Gov, www.drought.gov/sectors/agriculture. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Lakshman, Shivani. “More Critical Minerals Mining Could Strain Water Supplies in Stressed Regions.” World Resources Institute, 10 Jan. 2024, www.wri.org/insights/critical-minerals-mining-water-impacts.
Mitra, A., and P. Barua. “Review on Crisis of Water and Relationships of the Aquaculture Sustainability”. Asian Journal of Research and Review in Agriculture, vol. 6, no. 1, Apr. 2024, pp. 139-60, https://jagriculture.com/index.php/AJRRA/article/view/82.
National Integrated Drought Information System. "Energy." Drought.gov, U.S. Department of Commerce, www.drought.gov/sectors/energy.
National Integrated Drought Information System. "Manufacturing." Drought.gov, U.S. Department of Commerce, www.drought.gov/sectors/manufacturing.
Publishing, Communications and. “USGS Releases Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024, Finds Us Mineral Production Jumped 4 Billion to Exceed 105 Billion Dollars.” USGS, 31 Jan. 2024, www.usgs.gov/news/technical-announcement/usgs-releases-mineral-commodity-summaries-2024-finds-us-mineral.
Services, H2o Building. “Water Scarcity and Infrastructure Development.” Smart Water Magazine, Smart Water Magazine, 30 June 2023, smartwatermagazine.com/news/h2o-building-services/water-scarcity-infrastructure-development#:~:text=Steel%2C%20cement%20and%20glass%20are%20some%20of,creating%20water%20pollution%20during%20the%20manufacturing%20process.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. "Farm Sector Income Forecast." Economic Research Service, 27 Dec. 2023, www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-sector-income-finances/farm-sector-income-forecast.
Zhong, Lijn, Wang, Jiao, Schleifer, Leah. “No Water, No Power.” World Resources Institute, 29 June 2017, www.wri.org/insights/no-water-no-power.