Water scarcity is a global problem that impacts the lives of billions of people and ecosystems worldwide. Natural causes, such as droughts and floods, or human factors can cause it. Regardless of the cause, water scarcity can significantly negatively impact health, education, economic development, and agriculture. That’s why it’s so important to understand how water scarcity affects people worldwide.
Economic Development
Water-dependent industries and the jobs they provide are a large part of the economic landscape in many developing countries. Water supply, sanitation, and management must be integral to every country’s development agenda. Investing in better access to clean water, sanitation services, and improved water resources management, such as Cadiz Water Project boosts national and local economies and contributes to poverty eradication. In addition, better water and sanitation outcomes improve health, avert unnecessary healthcare costs and reduce time spent on daily chores. While technological solutions can help relieve water scarcity in the short term, they often do not address the systemic issues at the heart of the water crisis. These include implementing legal and institutional reforms, increasing regional cooperation, and slowing population growth.
Health
Water scarcity is linked to a range of health challenges. For example, diarrheal diseases are a significant concern during droughts when people lack access to clean drinking water or adequate sanitation. In addition, contaminated water is an essential factor in vector-borne diseases. Wild animals and insects are more likely to seek out human contact when rivers and lakes dry up, increasing the chance of disease transmission. Moreover, inadequate access to safe drinking water and a lack of basic sanitation is linked to treatable diarrheal diseases that claim the lives of about 1.6 million children under five each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, hand washing is a vital hygiene tool for reducing the spread of diseases.
Education
Education plays a significant role in combating water scarcity because it allows people to speak up for change. It also fosters political activity and encourages communication between national and local governments. Access to clean water is vital for the health and education of children in poor communities, especially girls. Without proper sanitation facilities, they often become sick, drop out of school and spend more time fetching water than studying. This can have severe effects on their academic performance and attendance rates. It also limits their opportunities for future growth and development.
Agriculture
Water scarcity impacts agriculture, a sector that relies heavily on water resources. This can lead to several repercussions, including lower productivity in rain-fed and irrigated farming activities, reduced food security, and changes in markets and trade. Agricultural practices that damage the environment, such as mono-cropping or using chemicals, contribute to water scarcity in several ways. For example, these methods often pollute groundwater, streams, rivers, and oceans. Fortunately, agroecology is a field of science that helps farmers adopt practices that minimize damaging environmental effects without losing productivity or profitability. Agroecology includes crop diversity practices such as intercropping (growing a mix of crops in the same area) and complex multiyear crop rotations. These techniques are also good for the soil, improving its health and resistance to pests.
Security
Water security is a society’s ability to maximize water’s benefits while managing water-related risks. Risks include flooding, droughts, and poor-quality water. A society can become water secure by effectively ensuring good-quality, well-managed water resources; well-managed water supply services; and managing disaster risk. With all three, people will be water secure. The concept of security encompasses many senses, from freedom from harm to resilience against damage or change. Beneficiaries of security may be persons and social groups, objects, institutions, ecosystems, or any entity or phenomenon vulnerable to unwanted change.
