WATER SCARCITY

How are people reducing water scarcity?   There is some good news. One study found that water scarcity can be  significantly reduced by 2050  if we commit to making big, yet practical changes.  Developing water filtration systems It’s one thing to have access to water, and it’s another to have access to water that is safe to drink. Effective water filtration systems help ensure freshwater can be put to good use—not making us sick. That’s one of the reasons why companies worldwide are committed to developing sophisticated water filtration systems that produce purified water free from bacteria, microbes, and other contaminants, and bringing this clean drinking water to as many schools, hospitals, workplaces, and homes as possible. Promoting water stewardship It takes every community in the world to reduce the threat of water scarcity. Now more than ever, the world needs water stewards in all forms. Whether that means taking shorter showers, installing low-flo...

  What are the consequences of water scarcity? There are several ramifications tied to the water crisis, including: Lack of access to safe, clean drinking water When people can’t access clean water for drinking, agriculture, and washing, their lives are at stake. Every year  842,000 people die  from diarrhoea caused by consuming unsafe drinking water or insufficient sanitation practices. Eighty per cent of the illnesses in  developing countries result  from unhealthy water and/or sanitation systems, and one out of four deaths of children under the age of five are the result of water-related illnesses. Threatened ecosystems Water scarcity has serious effects on wildlife and flora. Especially notable is the rapid disappearance of wetlands, which reduces wildlife habitat and causes the loss of water filtration, storm protection, and flood control services typically proffered by wetlands. Collectively, the world has lost 50 per cent of all its wetland...

  Water and the global climate crisis: 10 things you should know The world needs to get water-smart. Everyone has a role to play, and we cannot afford to wait.                                                    UNICEF    Climate change is disrupting weather patterns, leading to extreme weather events, unpredictable water availability, exacerbating water scarcity and contaminating water supplies. Such impacts can drastically affect the quantity and quality of water that children need to survive. Today, climate change is felt primarily through a water change.  Millions of children are at risk . Extreme weather events and changes in water cycle patterns are making it more difficult to access safe drinking water, especially for the most vulnerable children. Around 74 per cent of natural disasters between 2001 and 2018 were water-related, ...

  FACTS AND FIGURES 72% of all water withdrawals are used by agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries. ( UN-Water 2021 ) When a territory withdraws 25% or more of its renewable freshwater resources it is said to be ‘water-stressed’. Five out of 11 regions have water stress values above 25%, including two regions with high water stress and one with extreme water stress. ( UN-Water 2021 ) 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of which 733 million live in high and critically water-stressed countries. ( UN-Water 2021 ) 3.2 billion people live in agricultural areas with high to very high water shortages or scarcity, of whom 1.2 billion people – roughly one-sixth of the world’s population – live in severely water-constrained agricultural areas. ( FAO, 2020 ) Today, 1.42 billion people – including 450 million children – live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. ( UNICEF, 2021 ) About 4 billion pe...

WATER SCARCITY Water covers 70% of our planet, and it is easy to think that it will always be plentiful. However, freshwater—the stuff we drink, bathe in, irrigate our farm fields with—is incredibly rare. Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Inadequate sanitation is also a problem for 2.4 billion people—they are exposed to diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses. Two million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone. Many of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture consumes...

 UNICEF’s response As the factors driving water scarcity are complex and vary widely across countries and regions, UNICEF works at multiple levels to introduce context-specific technologies that increase access to safe water and address the impacts of water scarcity.  Identifying new water resources: We assess the availability of water resources using various technologies, including remote sensing and geophysical surveys and field investigations. Improving the efficiency of water resources: We rehabilitate urban water distribution networks and treatment systems to reduce water leakage and contamination, promoting wastewater reuse for agriculture to protect groundwater. Planning for urban scarcity: We plan for future water needs by identifying available resources to reduce the risk of cities running out of water. Expanding technologies to ensure climate resilience: We support and develop climate-resilient water sources, including the use of deeper groundwater reserves throug...