6.3.4

Impacts of Water Insecurity

Test yourself

What are the Impacts of Water Insecurity?

Waterborne diseases, pollution, lower food production, lower industrial output, and potentially war can happen as a result of water insecurity.

Illustrative background for Waterborne diseases and water pollutionIllustrative background for Waterborne diseases and water pollution ?? "content

Waterborne diseases and water pollution

  • If there is not enough clean water to drink in a country, then people are more likely to drink dirty water.
  • Water can be dirty because of pathogens in the water or because of chemicals in the water (polluted water).
  • Cholera and typhoid are examples of waterborne diseases.
  • Cholera kills between 21,000 and 143,000 people each year.
  • A lack of clean water kills.
Illustrative background for Reduced food productionIllustrative background for Reduced food production ?? "content

Reduced food production

  • If there is not enough water in a country to water (irrigate) farms, then a country's food production will fall.
  • For high-yielding crops, doubling the amount of water that crops receive can increase cereal/crop production from 1,000kg/hectare to 7,000kg/hectare.
  • In 1998, 20% of the world's farmland was irrigated, but it produced 40% of all crops.
  • A lack of water for irrigation can cause starvation and famine in a country.
Illustrative background for Reduced industrial outputIllustrative background for Reduced industrial output ?? "content

Reduced industrial output

  • Manufacturing and energy production require water.
  • In the USA, 10% of water consumption is used to produce energy.
  • If a country does not have enough water, then it may not be able to produce enough electricity to power the country and factories may have to shut down.
Illustrative background for Potential for conflictIllustrative background for Potential for conflict ?? "content

Potential for conflict

  • When countries fight over access to water sources, we call it 'water conflict'.
  • Wars in Sudan and over the Jordan River (Israel vs Syria/Jordan/Lebanon) have been because of water.

Jump to other topics

1The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1Natural Hazards

1.2Tectonic Hazards

1.3Weather Hazards

1.4Climate Change

2The Living World

3Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1The UK Physical Landscape

3.2Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3River Landscapes in the UK

3.4Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4Urban Issues & Challenges

5The Changing Economic World

6The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1Resource Management

6.2Food

6.3Water

6.4Energy

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