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Part 4 The Main Sources of Water For Human Use
Part 4 The Main Sources of Water For Human Use
USE
Fresh water is often very visible on the Earth's surface as lakes, rivers and
swamps. This is called surface water. Rivers, and sometimes lakes, are major
sources for human use.
However, Figure 4.1 shows that there is a lot more water in the ground, known
as groundwater. Vast quantities of water are stored in the spaces of porous
rock (limestone or sandstone). Such a store is referred to as an aquifer.
In regions of the world
where insufficient water is
present from both surface
water and groundwater
sources, other solutions to
water supply have to be
found. One of the most
common of these is to use
salt water from the sea.
This water is made safe for
human use (potable) by
Figure 1 Desalinisation plant
removing the salt. This is
carried out in a desalination plant.
KEY TERMS
Water that infiltrates the ground may
accumulate in porous rocks such as
Surface water: water in lakes, rivers
and swamps
sandstone and limestone. These stores of
water are called aquifers. The global quantity
Groundwater: water in the soil, and
in rocks under the surface of the
of water in aquifers is relatively large, about
ground 30% of all fresh water (see Figure 4.1).
Aquifer: water stored in porous
Aquifers fulfil a very significant proportion of
rocks under the ground human water needs. The most common way
Potable: safe to drink
in which water is obtained from aquifers is to
sink wells into them. A well can be dug by
Desalination: the removal of salt
from water
hand or bored into rock with machinery. If
the water in the aquifer is not under
Reservoir: an artificial lake where
water can be stored
pressure, it has to be raised to the top of the
well. This can be done by simply lowering a
Service reservoir: a reservoir in
which potable water is stored
bucket on a rope or with a hand-operated
pump. This would usually be the method
Water tower: a type of reservoir
where potable water is stored for
used in LEDCs. In MEDCs, some form of
immediate use motor-driven pump is more likely to be used.
Cistern: a vessel in which water,
If the water is stored under pressure, the
usually potable, is stored, forming a aquifer is referred to as an artesian aquifer.
type of covered reservoir
Water from a well sunk into an artesian
Well: a hole bored or dug into rock aquifer (an artesian well) will rise to the
to reach the water stored there
surface without the need for a pump.
Figure 2 Diagram showing multiple aquifer types.