Water
Geography: KS3, topic 7.1.8
Water
Arguably, the most important natural resource is water. Without it human and animal life would not be possible on Earth. However, there is a limited amount of water on Earth and in many places, water stress is increasingly a problem.
Will we run out of water?
- Some people think that the planet will never run out of water because of the water cycle.
- Whilst in some ways this is true, what they mean, is that we may run out of fresh water that is suitable for our usage.
Water supply
- Another big problem is the issue of water supply.
- In many countries (like the UK), the places that receive the most rain are sparsely populated and so have a low water demand.
- In contrast, the areas that are more densely populated receive less rainfall yet need more water to meet demand.
- This involves a complex system of pipes, reservoirs and dams to solve this problem and ensure that the water is able to get to the people who need it.
Where is the world’s water?
- 97% of the world’s water is found in oceans.
- The other 3% is found in glaciers and ice caps, below the ground or in rivers and lakes.
- That means that less than 3% of the world’s water is fresh water or suitable for drinking.
Test yourself on Water
What percentage of the world’s water is fresh water or suitable for drinking?
Which is NOT used to ensure water demand is met?