Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the average daily water usage of an American?
What is the average daily water usage of an American?
What was the water consumption reduction in Cape Town during the 2015-2018 drought?
What was the water consumption reduction in Cape Town during the 2015-2018 drought?
from 21 gallons/day to under 10 gallons/day
More than 1 billion people globally suffer from water scarcity.
More than 1 billion people globally suffer from water scarcity.
True
How many gallons of water are used to produce 1 pound of pork?
How many gallons of water are used to produce 1 pound of pork?
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Which country provides 60% of its water needs through desalination?
Which country provides 60% of its water needs through desalination?
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What term defines the water used to produce goods we consume?
What term defines the water used to produce goods we consume?
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Oceans hold 90% of Earth's water.
Oceans hold 90% of Earth's water.
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What is the residence time for water in the atmosphere?
What is the residence time for water in the atmosphere?
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How much fresh water is found in lakes, rivers, and streams compared to groundwater?
How much fresh water is found in lakes, rivers, and streams compared to groundwater?
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What separates the saturated zone from the unsaturated zone in groundwater?
What separates the saturated zone from the unsaturated zone in groundwater?
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Study Notes
Water Quality Concerns
- Americans are concerned about water quality despite generally rating their own water as good
- High-profile contamination events in Flint, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey have raised awareness of water safety issues
Daily Water Usage
- The average American uses 80-100 gallons of water daily
- Contaminated water is linked to over 3.5 million deaths annually
- Over 1 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water
Water Scarcity and Droughts
- Most of the Earth's water is unusable (saltwater, ice, atmospheric water, or in living organisms)
- The Cape Town drought (2015-2018) resulted in severe water rationing, with residents reducing their daily water consumption from 21 gallons to under 10 gallons
- Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of droughts globally
Embedded Water
- The production of goods requires significant amounts of water, known as "embedded water"
- Producing 1 pound of pork uses 500 gallons of water
- One pound of potatoes uses 100 gallons of water
- One gallon of beer uses 700 gallons of water
Industrial Water Usage
- US industry used 15 billion gallons of water per day in 2015
- Desalination in Israel provides 60% of the country's water needs
Aquatic Ecosystems
- Human activities are damaging aquatic ecosystems
- Freshwater ecosystems are declining faster than ocean habitats due to pollution and overuse
Human Water Loss
- A typical person loses 2-3 liters of water daily through sweating, breathing, and waste excretion
Water Movement on Earth
- Water constantly moves between Earth's major reservoirs: atmosphere, ocean, land, and ground
- All water reservoirs together form the Earth's hydrosphere, a closed system that recycles water
Atmosphere's Water
- The atmosphere contains about 0.001% of Earth's total water
- The average residence time for water in the atmosphere is about 10 days
- The Earth's surface receives about 500,000 cubic kilometers of precipitation per year, which is 43 times the volume of Lake Superior
Ocean as the Largest Reservoir
- Oceans hold 97% of Earth's water with a residence time of about 3,000 years
Freshwater Distribution
- 80% of Earth's freshwater is frozen in ice and snow
- Groundwater is the largest reservoir of liquid freshwater
- Groundwater forms when precipitation infiltrates the ground and accumulates in aquifers, moving slowly, often less than 1 foot per year, with a residence time of hundreds or thousands of years.
- A small amount of fresh water is found in lakes, rivers, and streams
Groundwater Formation
- Groundwater forms when rainfall infiltrates the ground and accumulates in aquifers
- The water table separates the saturated zone below from the unsaturated zone above
- Rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds may be extensions of the water table
- In arid regions, the water table may lie deep, causing ephemeral streams to flow only intermittently
The Water Cycle
- Water moves between Earth's major reservoirs: atmosphere, ocean, land, and beneath Earth's surface through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff
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Description
Explore the pressing concerns regarding water quality and scarcity in America and around the world. This quiz covers topics such as daily water usage, the impact of contamination events, and the challenges posed by climate change on water resources. Test your knowledge on embedded water and its implications for production.
