AICE Environmental Management: Managing Water Supplies Vocabulary

Water Security and Sanitation

• Water security: the ability to access sufficient quantities of clean water to maintain adequate standards of food, manufacturing, sanitation, and sustainable healthcare
• Sanitation: the provision of clean drinking water and sewage disposal

Causes of Water Insecurity

• Climate Change and Rainfall Changes
  • Warm air holds more moisture, leading to larger and more frequent storm systems
  • Flooding erodes topsoil, pollutes water supply, and affects ability of soil to support plant growth
  • Decreased predictability of rainfall and water availability
• Natural Disasters
  • Droughts and flooding can lead to destruction of water points and sanitation facilities
  • Earthquakes and volcanoes can damage infrastructure and water stores
• Pollution Events
  • Can occur from single point or long-term misuse of a water resource
  • Example: Woburn, Massachusetts industrial spills (1969-1979) led to increased cancer incidents
  • Fertilizer/agricultural pollution can cause eutrophication
• Aquifer Pollution
  • Groundwater can contain high levels of elements like iron, fluoride, uranium, or arsenic
  • Fracking for oil can push pollutants into the groundwater
• Salt Water Intrusion
  • Over-abstraction of water from aquifers can lead to contamination of ground water by salt water
• Population Growth and Changes in Land Usage
  • Increases demand for water for agricultural, domestic, and industrial uses
  • Population growth can also increase pollution risk
  • Urbanization replaces natural reservoirs with impermeable landscapes
• Population Growth – Pressure on Aquifers
  • Over-abstraction can lead to aquifer depletion and reduced water table levels
  • Fall in water table affects flora and fauna, and increases drought severity
• Competing Demands from Agriculture, Industrial, Energy, and Domestic Sectors
  • Conflicts arise over access to water resources
• International Competition
  • Upstream countries can control water flow, affecting downstream countries
• Inequality of Water Availability
  • Water-rich and water-poor regions experience different levels of insecurity
  • HICs vs LICs: HICs typically have better access to clean water
  • Urban vs Rural: urban populations usually have better access to clean water
• Mismanagement of Irrigation
  • Can lead to human-driven drought conditions, pollution, and salinization
• Farm Runoff
  • Contains chemicals and fertilizers that can lead to eutrophication, turbidity, and toxic water pollution
• Sanitation Mismanagement
  • Lack of sanitation can lead to water pollution, disease transmission, and food insecurity

Impacts of Water Insecurity

• Crop Yields, Livestock, and Food Shortages
  • Inadequate water supply affects food security
• Illnesses Related to Contaminated Water
  • Diarrhea and cholera can result from contaminated water
• Poverty
  • Lack of water access exacerbates poverty, disease, and economic instability

Strategies to Manage Water Security

• Managing Water Security
  • Strategies vary in scale from individual to government policy
  • Key principles: water is an economic, social, and environmental resource; policies should focus on managing supply and demand
• Sustainable Extraction and Improved Supply
  • Piped supply, artisan wells, boreholes, gravity-fed schemes, reservoirs, and dams are methods for managing water supply