With the world population continuing its excessive growth, the scarcity of drinkable water in the world is becoming a preoccupying concern.
According to an article released by the National Geographic News, “[T]o more than two billion people in the world, fresh, pure water is more valuable than gold.”
According to the United Nations, “[D]espite the fact that 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is consumable water and three-quarters of that is locked up in glaciers and permanent snow cover. Only 0.3 percent of the water is surface water, found in rivers and lakes. The rest is buried deep in the ground.”
In different areas around the world, the global water shortage is reaching severe magnitudes. For instance, reports from the United Nations Children’s Fund state that in Africa, Asia, parts of the Middle East and many developing countries, the lack of “the world’s most precious liquid” is responsible for about 80 percent of illnesses and deaths.
It is significant to mention that this alarming conflict does not simply limit itself to Third World countries. The most recent Global Environment Outlook (GEO-3) report reveals that perhaps half the people in the world could be living in severely water-stressed areas by 2032.
There is more water being used than what can actually be replaced by natural intervention, like rain. In Arizona, for example, millions of cubic meters of groundwater are being removed from aquifers — about twice the amount being restored by recharge from rainfall. In European countries such as Spain, there are currently hundreds of aquifers being overexploited.
The global water crisis is such a serious and frightening matter that many scientists, journalists and politicians have even speculated that it could spark World War III — a brutal scarcity of this vital liquid could potentially provoke a world combat for survival.
Without a doubt, the implementation of water- conserving strategies must be immediate. This responsibility, however, should not only be ascribed to governments, corporations or other institutions.
There is plenty of information that can assist anyone who desires to help improve this situation. For instance, by visiting the Arizona Department of Water Resources Web site, the viewer can learn commercial and domestic ways to preserve water, save money and, most importantly, contribute to improving the world water shortage situation.
Indisputably, the time has come for all the inhabitants of this planet to reconsider their position in this world. Every single individual is responsible for doing what is in his or her hands to prevent a terrifying destiny from coming into fruition. Now the question is: Will humans dare overlook a reality that can potentially cause the extermination of the human race?
Reach Brenda at blflores@asu.edu.
