geo

• Water surplus- an area which has more water than the people living in the area need to drink= water security (low population density, high rainfall) 
• Water deficit- an area which has less water than the people living in the area need to drink it =- water insecurity (high population density, low rainfall) 
• Factors that affect if an area experiences a water surplus or deficit: 

  • population density  
  • level of precipitation. 
• Water demand in an area is determined by: 

  • The number of people living in the area 
  • The population density in an area 
  • The income of people in an area 
  • The amount of farming and livestock rearing in an area 
• The supply of water in an area is determined by: 

  • The amount of rainfall in an area 
  • The amount of groundwater  
  • Other water sources available such as desalination plants by the sea 
• Reasons for water consumption increasing: 

  Economic development: 
• Economic development


  1. People's income rises

  2. Change in preferences
• As economy develops


  Increased living standards increases demand in food and meat
• Increased demand in food and meat

  Increases the water consumption
• People demand more clothing and manufactured products

  Increases water consumption because manufacturing industry uses more water
• Rising population:  

  World contains 5.2 billion more people than 70 years ago leading to a growing demand in food which requires water to grow the crops and rear livestock. Also, water is drunk by people, livestock and used for washing and manufacturing which all increases as the population increases. Global population expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 
• Increased living standards


  People can afford goods which use more water like dishwashers
• More dishwashers used


  Increases water consumption
• More energy consumed


  More water used to cool power generators and power stations
• Factors effecting availability of water: 

  Physical: Climate, Geology

  Economic/social: Pollution of water supply, Over-abstraction, Limited infrastructure,
• Factors effecting availability of water: 

  Physical: Climate, Geology

  Economic/social: Pollution of water supply, Over-abstraction, Limited infrastructure,
• Desert biomes


  Have a low amount of rainfall (under 250ml)
• Pollution of water supply

  Water that has been polluted cannot be drunk by humans, so it is important to prevent pollution
• Hot biomes


  Lose a lot of water due to evaporation
• Over-abstraction


  Caused by a rising regional population and increase in demand in water. It is when more water is being consumed than it is being generated by natural processes.
• Desert and hot biomes

  Have a low availability of water as they have high temperatures and low rainfall
• Limited infrastructure


  • Countries with bad aqueducts, dams or reservoirs have less water availability as well as nations with no water treatment facilities or desalination plants.
• Climate change


  Can worsen the risk of drought over time
• Poverty


  People in poverty do not have access to clean running water. To have access to clean water in the UK, you need to pay £415 a year approximately.
• Mexico


  • Has a water deficit because of its high temperature and low rainfall
• Permeable rock


  Rainwater flows through it and collects under the rock, it can go several hundred metres under the rock making it hard to access
• Impermeable rock


  Water does not enter the rock making it more accessible because the groundwater is collected in aquifers on top of the impermeable rock
• Impacts of water insecurity: 

  Waterborne disease and water pollution

  Low food production

  Low industrial output

  Potential for conflict

  Advantage: 

  Investment in infrastructure to ensure reliable supplies may create jobs 
• Waterborne disease and water pollution- If people have no access to clean water, they consume dirty water (water that contains pathogens or chemicals- polluted water). Dirty water consumption can cause waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. A lack of clean water can kill people, cholera kills between 20 000 to 140 000 people a year. 

  = prevent people working, deaths of family members to waterborne diseases may reduce the earning power of the family 
• Low food production- Lack of water to irrigate farms causes less food production which can cause starvation and famine thus killing the population. Doubling the amount of water that crops can receive increases the crop production from 1000kg/hectare to 7000kg 

  = less crops may lead to higher prices, lower income for farmers 
• Low industrial output- Manufacturing and energy production requires water, 10% USA’s water consumption is used to generate energy. If a country faces water insecurity, they are unbale to produce enough electricity to power the country so factories may need to be shut down. 

  = job losses and slow economic development 
• Potential for conflict- when countries with water insecurity share the same water sources as rivers/aquifers which can trigger conflicts.  A country may try to improve its water security by takin more water from a river which may reduce the water security of countries downstream e.g. Afghanistan uses Helmand River which borders Iran, threatening water security in north Iran. This can cause water conflict.  
• Strategies to increase water supply: 

  Increasing water storage, dams, reservoirs:

  Desalination:

  Diverting water supplies
• Increasing water storage, dams, reservoirs: Networks of dams, reservoirs and aqueducts are used to transfer water in the UK; Birmingham gets water from Wales, Manchester from Lake District, London from River Thames upstream of Teddington. Water is trapped behind a dam and forms a reservoir full of water, the reservoir eventually builds up a stockpile of water for when it is most needed. HOWEVER some land must be flooded to store water in a reservoir. 
• Desalination: desalination plants extract salt from sea water and provide drinkable fresh water. Desalination can happen by boiling seawater and separating the water from the salt or filtering the sea water in a membrane. This is usually done in places with water deficit (Africa and Middle East- Saudi Arabia is one of the largest users of desalination to get clean water). 97% of the world’s water is sea water making this method useful. 
• Diverting water supplies: Water can be transferred from one area to another by diverting water supplies, it is usually moved from an area of surplus water to an area of deficit water. Aqueducts and canals can help water flow to different areas. HOWEVER gravity means that the water has to be transferred from a higher ground to a lower ground. 
• Moving towards a sustainable future: 

  Water conservation: using less water. 

  Groundwater management: prevents over abstraction and pollution. 

  Recycling: taking water that has been already used, and using it again 

  Grey water: a type of recycled water 
• Water conservation


  Using less water
• Groundwater management


  1. Prevents over abstraction

  2. Prevents pollution
• Educating people


  1. Have shorter showers

  2. Turn off taps when not in use