Water crisis- A crucial issue to concern

Water pervades all aspects of human development and human freedom. Water security is an integral part of this broader conception of human security. In broad terms water security is about ensuring that every person has reliable access to enough safe water at an affordable price to lead a healthy, dignified and productive life, while maintaining the ecological systems that provide water and also depend on water. When these conditions are not met, or when access to water is disrupted, people face acute human security risks transmitted through poor health and the disruption of livelihoods and vulnerability.

While the world's population tripled in the 20th century, the use of renewable water resources has grown six-fold. Within the next fifty years, the world population will increase by another 40 to 50 %. This population growth - coupled with industrialization and urbanization - will result in an increasing demand for water and will have serious consequences on the environment.

Worldwide, over a billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and approximately one-third of the world’s population lives under water stress. Water stress results from an imbalance between water use and water resources. Water stress causes deterioration of fresh water resources in terms of quantity (aquifer over-exploitation, dry rivers, etc.) and quality (eutrophication, organic matter pollution, saline intrusion, etc.)
Humans use water in many ways, and we typically classify water use by three major use groups: agriculture, industry, and urban use. These are generally considered the three principal consumers of water, with most water consumed by agriculture for the production of food. However, there is also a fourth group; ecosystems also have water needs and requirements. Each river and lake requires a certain amount of water to continue to exist, and plants and animals require water for their survival too. This fourth need is often overlooked as we work to meet the immediate day-to-day water needs of humankind. However, its importance is becoming apparent as rivers are suffering from reduced flow or no flow before they reach the ocean, and fresh water dependent ecosystems are being compromised. Ultimately, our sustainable future on Earth is linked to the health of Earth’s ecosystems.

Currently, per capita availability of freshwater is decreasing and contaminated water is still the greatest environmental cause of human sickness and death.Water resources are being threatened by increased consumption, increased pollution, and increasing population. These threats are likely to become worse during our lifetimes and those of our children. Specifically, we will have to be concerned about:
• Surface water and groundwater availability
• Surface water and groundwater quality
• Water related diseases
• Water availability for irrigation and food production
• Water for urban use, drinking, and sanitation
• Water for industry, to make the things we need

• Damming of rivers: the benefits versus the ecological and human costs Changing climate/weather patterns
• International problems/violence caused by water stress and water-related ecosystem damage

By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s people are expected to be living in water stressed countries. Most of these people will live in Asia and Africa where water-related diseases are endemic and increase every year. Over 5 million people now die annually from water related diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, and schistosomiasis (bilharzia). In addition, trachoma, a highly contagious eye disease, blinds many more.
Population growth creates an obvious threat to what little remaining water is left for human use. Africa and Asia are currently the most water stressed areas, and since these two continents also have the greatest population growth, their already severe water stress will likely continue to increase. This explosion of water stress will be caused by increased personal water usage as a result of a 40 percent population growth in these countries, increased water use in irrigation for food production (17 percent), and increased water use in industrial production.
Global economic growth is both expected and hoped for because poverty is rife across the world, but under current trends, economic growth, coupled with population growth, will lead to drastic increases in the demand for natural resources, including water. Growth in agriculture, industries and energy producers will greatly increase water demand. In addition, as people's standard of living increases, they tend to use more water in
dishwashers, washing machines, swimming pools, car washes, etc. The resulting competition for water could be devastating for many people.

Since the 1990s, international efforts to improve water policy have increased, especially through growing recognition of the social and economic value of water. Water councils and global organizations are meeting and passing resolutions to protect water resources. The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) set such resolutions at the Second World Water Forum in 2000. The Vision sets out targets: (1) to cut “the proportion of people without access to hygienic sanitation” in half by 2015; (2) to cut “the proportion of people without access to adequate quantities of affordable and safe water” in half by 2015; and (3) to “provide water, sanitation and hygiene for all” by 2025.

In 1998, the International Network of Basin Organizations met and emphasized the need to (1) facilitate the exchange of accurate and harmonized information among riverine countries; (2) promote consultation at all levels, especially within pertinent international institutions and mechanisms; (3) and define medium-range priority action programs of common interest to improve water management and decrease pollution. In the 2000
Ministerial Declaration on Water Security in the 21st Century, the environmental ministers from several countries met and set out a declaration on water needs in the new millennium: (1) to meet the needs of people who lack access to safe water and sanitation, (2) to secure the water supply for food, (3) to protect ecosystems with sustainable water resources, (4) to share water resources among bordering countries including the correct governing of water, (5) to value water, and (6) to manage future risks regarding water
(World Water Forum 2000). Technology has also been developed to conserve water through drip irrigation and low flow toilets. In theory, farmers can change irrigation practices and each of us can change our daily domestic water needs, but the technology is often too expensive or otherwise not available for those who need it most.