Consequences of Water Scarcity

 

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 wetlands since 1900 and nowhere is immune: Even places like California, Florida, and Louisiana have witnessed high rates of wetlands disappearance.

Unhealthy economies and increased poverty

When water is hard to access, people will spend an inordinate amount of time obtaining it. This means people are not free to invest in education and careers, among other things, and this trickle-down impacts both individuals and their countries. For example, the World Bank estimates that water scarcity can result in GDP losses of as much as 14 per cent.

Decreased food access and higher food costs

As water becomes scarcer, it also becomes more expensive. That increases the cost of producing food crops, which then increases the cost of food in local grocery stores and markets. For example, a mere ten per cent rise in the cost of water could increase the production cost of a single orange by as much as thirty per cent. This simultaneously makes farming more difficult and decreases access to healthy food, which has ramifications for public health.

Heightened conflict

History shows that when food prices spike, so do rates of violence and social conflict. This makes sense when you consider that starving people are more willing to break with social convention if it means getting something to eat.

Higher costs for clothing, electronics and other consumer goods

The fashion and electronics industries are notorious for their astronomical rates of water use. As the water gets more expensive, it becomes more costly to create a variety of products. This could increase the difficulty in accessing clothing, phones, and more.

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