GLOBAL RESOURCES ANALYSIS


DANGERS | WATER SHORTAGES


There are four possible reasons for water shortages: Droughts (as in absence of enough rain), increased use (more agriculture, more people, more prosperity), pollutions (upstream located industries) and contaminations (no sewage, direct sewage dumps, sewage over supply dumps in times of heavy rains and total floods that contaminate clean water supply -like is happened in New Orleans-). Water is equal in importance to food; it's even the most important/needed food type. Water is also important in terms of hygiene and thereby for personal happiness and social structures. Water shortages will lead to severe societal turbulence and drifting of the populations of complete area's/regions. New research shows that there are offshore underground sweet water reserves under the sea nearby any costal area. These certainly will be explored, but because this is an one time supply, the investments will be write down in very short time, making this water not cheap. The best way to fight water shortages is decentral solutions based on roof rain water cleaning/storage, waste water purification/recycling and limited surface and groundwater use.


Author: Gijs Graafland


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