9.6 - WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Water is a vital resource in our planet because...

  1. it maintains body temperature
  2. helps in getting rid of wastes
  3. sustains life
  4. plays an important role in our ecosystems and environmental processes
  5. helps us stay hydrated
• The industrial revolution and new technology paved the way for new sources of pollution
• The discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater as well as agricultural runoff has caused severe contamination and pollution
• Poor water conditions can result to the spread of water-borne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, etc.
• Eutrophication is when there are too much nutrients which could yield high fish and plant production but detrimental to aquatic ecosystems
• Flowchart on eutrophication

  A) nutrients

  B) faster

  C) bloom

  D) algae die

  E) die

  F) no sunlight penetration

  G) decomposition

  H) oxygen depletion

  I) dissolved oxygen

  J) ecosystem

  
• Harmful Algal Blooms have discoloration on the surface of water due to excessive growth of pigmented algae
• Poor solid waste management can cause: clogged airways (flooding), large solid wastes being flushed into oceans and marine animals can ingest plastic
• Global water crisis - little to no access to potable water
• rate of water consumption > rate of replenishment
• water shortage mostly occurs in arid or dry areas
• 3 ways to conserve water: Desalination, Recycling wastewater and efficient irrigation
• Desalination refers to the removal of salt to increase fresh water
• desalination can be done through evaporation and reverse osmosis
• recycling waste water is the cheapest way to conserve water
• greywater - gently used water

  blackwater - wastewater (toilets)

  rainwater harvesting - collecting and using rainwater
• why is efficient irrigation essential?

  to promote efficient flow of water