Recently, California experienced its most significant persistent drought period. The occurrence threatened the agricultural industry and human health. Unfortunately, water scarcity is a rising global issue.
Water conservation is essential to humanity’s and the global ecosystem’s longevity. Environmental scientists and engineers developed methods of extraction and filtration, limiting the exploitation of natural resources. Before evaluating the water scarcity solutions, we must examine the origin of the problem.
Climate Change and Water Scarcity
Over 2.1 billion individuals lack access to safe drinking water. Climate change is a driving factor of rising water scarcity rates. As humans emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, they produce and trap excessive quantities of heat in the environment.
Rising global temperatures disrupt consistent weather patterns. It causes an increased frequency of natural disasters, higher evaporation rates and enhanced precipitation periods. When hurricanes and other disasters strike, they contaminate clean water sources.
Contaminated drinking water causes illnesses like typhoid and cholera. Rising temperatures also increase the number of pathogens able to grow in drinking water. The recent El Nino period raised temporary temperatures by a few degrees Celsius.
Heat-related pathogen contamination caused a 200% increase in Peruvian children’s diarrhea. About 2.2 million deaths occur annually from this illness. If the consistent global temperature rises by one degree, an additional 320 million cases will occur.
Climate change also increases rainfall in some regions while leaving others ridden with drought. Warming temperatures expand evaporation rates fueling water displacement. Without adequate humidity and plentiful water sources, agricultural areas and natural habitats suffer.
Water Pollution
Clean water is a human right, necessary for environmental and human health and vitality. Climate change-causing actions affect the purity of global water supplies. The fast fashion industry is notorious for exploiting natural resources.
Nearly 70% of lakes and rivers in China are polluted. The textile industry dumps 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater into the sources, causing adverse health effects. Young children living in nearby communities suffer from long-term health problems caused by exposure.
Polluted waters also affect global ecosystems. Synthetic fertilizer and pesticide runoff pollute the ocean with nitrogen and phosphorus. The excess elements promote algal blooms.
Algal blooms deplete oxygen in aquatic regions, generating uninhabitable zones. Dead zones cause marine species death, decrease coastal communities’ access to food and degrade the aquatic ecosystem.
Clean-Up Time
Fortunately, technological advancements allow communities to source and filter clean water. New technology ensures humanity’s access to essential resources, maintaining optimal health conditions. Reclaiming and treating wastewater is an effective method for refilling reservoirs.
Many struggling regions convert wastewater into a clean and drinkable resource. The extracted liquid filters through a high-grade purification system. Sophisticated devices can produce over 25 million gallons of pharmaceutical-grade water for drinking and medical use.
Environmental engineers also developed a system that extracts water from the air. The Zero Mass Water device converts condensation into potable water. It uses solar energy to heat localized air, collecting the off-put in a 30-liter chamber and infusing it with minerals and ozone.
Access to clean drinking water helps protect human health. Hydration is essential for body temperature regulation, joint lubrication, infection prevention, organ functionality and more. With access to clean water, we can prevent death and illness.
The natural resource also aids in external health protection. Hand washing is crucial for germ removal and disease prevention. Throughout the pandemic, we witnessed the importance of handwashing to human health, preventing the spread of fatal illnesses.
Clean Water Commitment
We have the technology to ensure the global community’s clean water access. Impoverished regions may lack the necessary funds for extraction and filtration systems establishment. Financially secure nations may come together and support international clean water development.
Protecting environmental and human health helps the U.S. uphold its commitment to the Paris Agreement. We may additionally prevent climate change’s water effects and pollution by adopting sustainable practices. When the world works together, a brighter and greener future is possible.
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