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Solutions to Depletion of Freshwater

Solutions to Depletion of Freshwater. By: Ashley Richards, Alysha Mcvay , and Lisa Burnett. Solutions, Supply & Demand:. What are our options? -Reduce the need: International agencies are funding demand based solutions. -Increase the supply:

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Solutions to Depletion of Freshwater

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  1. Solutions to Depletion of Freshwater By: Ashley Richards, AlyshaMcvay, and Lisa Burnett

  2. Solutions, Supply & Demand: What are our options? -Reduce the need: • International agencies are funding demand based solutions. -Increase the supply: • Transport through pipes and aqueducts from other areas • … However, Often times water is taken from places that cannot even support themselves on their supply.

  3. Desalination “Makes” More Water: -2 types: • Distilling: increase rate of evaporation in a particular area in order to receive fresh water • Reverse osmosis: forcing water through membranes to filter out salt

  4. Desalination “Makes” More Water: • Currently there are over 7,500 desalination facilities worldwide • Most of which are middle east and on islands with limited access to fresh water – • That being said, desalination can be very expensive… • Large input of fossil fuel energy • Generates concentrated salty waste

  5. Agricultural Demand Can Be Reduced: • By using drip and low pressure spray irrigation • Lining irrigation canals to prevent leaks • Finding ways to reduce amount of water lost to evaporation • Choosing crops to match land and climate • Selective breeding (making crops that use less)

  6. Lessen Residential Use: • Using automatic dishwashers, and low flow washing machines, toilets, and faucets • Eating less meat (meat takes more water to produce) • Watering plants and lawn at night to lessen evaporation • Homes with better plumbing • Fitting yard with plants fit for that climate

  7. Lessen Industrial Use: • Cities can find and fix leaks in the cities pipes • Educating the public • Requiring homes to upgrade plumbing • Waste treatment plants

  8. Have They Worked? • Have increased efficiency 80-90% • Has increased water savings 25-37% • By controlling water usage and waste, Massachusetts avoided a $500,000,000 river diversion scheme • Boston reduced water demand by 31% between 1987 to 2004

  9. Economic Approaches: • Economists want to use market based strategies to achieve sustainable water What are their options? • Ending government subsidies and letting water become a commodity whose price would reflect cost of extraction This would increase the gap between rich and poor

  10. Economic Approaches: • Privatization of water: Owned by private companies Done to increase efficiency but little incentive to allow equal access to rich and poor • People that are forced to buy bottled water pay twelve times more than those connected to accessible piping.

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