And not a drop to drink

Water, Water, Everywhere

Distribution

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11435522

BBC Water Scarcity MapPublished September 29th, 2010

Distribution

AAAS 2000

Water Budget

Demo

What do you rely on the available freshwater for?

How would your list differ if you were in a LEDC?

Water Budget

Distribution of the World’s Glaciers

Access & Excess

1.1 Billion people live without clean drinking water 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation 1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal diseases

3900 children die everyday from waterborne diseases Daily per capita use of water in residential areas:

-350 litres in North America and Japan-200 litres in Europe-20 litres in Sub-saharan Africa (or less)

Over 260 river basins are shared by two or more countries, mostly without adequate legal or institutional arranegments

Quantity of water needed to produce 1 kg of:-wheat: 1,000 L-rice: 1,400 L- beef: 13,000 L

Personal Choices

1 kg of beef requires 13,000 L of water

200 L of water represents the daily per capita use of a person in Europe.

13,000 L /200 L/day = 65 days

Therefore it would take 65 days of the water requirements for a European to produce 1 kg of beef.

That’s a lot of water.

You’re telling me.

Conflict – Colorado River

Originates in the Rocky Mountains Draining into the Gulf of California

Dams provide flood control, recreation, and hydroelectric power 30 million people use the water

Water rights determined long ago Las Vegas & Nevada are thirsty!

Conflict – Colorado River

Conflict – Colorado River

7 states share the Colorado river

Droughts, overuse, and climate change are threatening supplies

Colorado is little more than a trickle before entering the Gulf of Mexico.

Conflict – Colorado River

Las Vegas, Nevada, needs more water than it is allotted

Other states will let Las Vegas drill for underground water

Drilling threatens the area’s ecology and people

Headed for Nevada’s Supreme Court

Conflict – Israel & Palestine

http://youtu.be/hH4OKho3550

http://www.waterfootprint.org/WFP_files/Img/IsraelWaterMap.jpg

Explain the water “system” on Earth with respect to storages and flows.