There is a global fresh water crisis and it is only getting worse. Life as we know it on Planet Earth cannot survive without water; humans need water for health and in order for their bodies to function optimally; agriculture needs water in order to feed the global population; industry needs water; energy plants need water; animals and plants need water.
What is being done to find a solution to the impending global water crisis? Is enough being done? Water is a Human Right yet there are still billions of people across the world that do not have access to fresh water and hygienic sanitation.
We need to come up with new solutions, including:
Energy Efficient Desalination Plants
Desalination was punted as the best solution a few years ago, and many countries jumped on the bandwagon but found that desalination is energy-intensive and very expensive. These two factors have also meant that developing countries could not afford to install desalination plants.
Saudi Arabia has recently come up with a solution though; solar-powered desalination plants, which could work well in arid, water-scarce countries like Sub-Saharan Africa and India. Britain has opted for a different approach with small-scale facilities for agriculture.
Holistic Management of Ecosystems
Holistic management of resources means taking a practical, common-sense approach to overseeing natural resources; it takes into account economic, cultural, and ecological goals as each facet is related to and influences the others.
Good examples of holistic management of resources is when communities operate sewage treatment plants and pursue partnerships with clean energy producers to use wastewater to fertilize algae and other biofuel crops. These crops will then soak up nutrients and purify wastewater, saving on pumping and treatment costs.
Improved Distribution Infrastructure
Poor and aging infrastructure is resulting in massive water losses and is devastating to human health and to the economy. Pipes burst on a regular basis, old pipes leech heavy metals into the drinking water, sewage treatment systems regularly overflow and malfunction, and this all diminishes the quality of life, wastes resources, increases costs, and allows preventable water-borne diseases to spread among vulnerable populations, especially children.
Get water cooler rental and water cooler delivery from Living-Water.
