Despite the fact that 71% of the earth’s surface is covered in water, only 3% of this is freshwater. Due to the fact that the global population is rising rapidly — expected to reach a whopping 10 billion by 2050 — and that the climate crisis is slowly warming the planet, there is a real fear that there might not be enough water to go around, especially in the Global South. Thankfully, there are a variety of ways that countries can come together, especially in Africa, in order to come up with ways to combat the global freshwater crisis. Read on for five key solutions.
In this article
Appropriate Pricing
In rich countries, as water appears so plentiful, people are more likely to waste it. Some experts agree that a solution to this might be raising prices, so people are more conscious about how much water that they use. This could, of course, backfire, especially when people need it for everyday use, so it is likely that an appropriate price will need to be agreed upon which conserves as much water as possible while not hurting people’s wallets too much.
Global Approach
As the water crisis also affects wealthier countries such as the USA and Australia, it will be likely that a co-ordinated international approach will be needed for people to come together and find a solution that works for everybody. This is especially true for the nearly 2 billion people who live in regions that have been classified by the UN as water stressed. You can learn about some more Global water facts via Utility Bidder.
Improve Irrigation
An amazing 70% of the world’s freshwater is used up by agriculture. For that reason, it makes sense for irrigation processes to be improved through the better use of technology. In this sense, the farming cycle can be improved and less water will be wasted, making a huge dent in the freshwater crisis.
Recycle Wastewater
In water-scarce regions, it makes sense to try and re-use the water that you already have. This is where recycling wastewater can be a hugely important tool. This means that a lot of countries, such as Singapore, have a toilet to tap concept which recycles over 50% of their used water in order to limit imports. By reducing imports of water, many countries can then be self-sustainable, meaning that there is far more water to go around.
Limit Corporate Water Use
After agricultural use, one of the biggest offenders when it comes to wasting water are large industries, accounting for around 22 percent of all global consumption. Countries are being encouraged to set protocols in order to force companies to meet guidelines when it comes to using water in order, to make them consume this precious resource it in a more ecological way.
Additionally, the bottled water sector has come under particular scrutiny, as it often wastes a lot of water in the production process, which could require more rigorous regulation in order to save freshwater for those in need.
