The Water Crisis

Cristiana Osan
Introduction
In this lesson, students will become aware of the importance of water in our lives, the difficulties
many people face to get access to water and some solutions.
Aims

• to raise awareness about the role of water

• to use all the skills in an integrated way
• to use vocabulary related to water crisis correctly
Level
CEFR B1 and above
Materials

Pre-watching
Slips of paper with individual questions. You may need to make 2 copies of the set of questions
depending on the number of students in your class.

1. What do you know about the access to fresh water around the world?

2. Do you think there is a water crisis in the world? Why/why not?

3. Is water an important resource? Why/Why not?

Reading
This is the full reading text. On the learners’ worksheets the text is divided into 3 parts.

Water is vital. Between 55 and 60 per cent of the adult body is made of it and every living cell
needs it to keep functioning. In normal conditions, the human body can on ly survive three or
four days without water. We need water to stay alive, yet there are billions of people all over the
world who do not have access to safe drinking water.

World Water Day

The first World Water Day was celebrated in 1993. It was first proposed at the United Nations
(UN) conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has been
celebrated annually on 22 March since then. Every year the UN releases its World Water
Development Report on or around this date. Each year has a different theme, looking at things
like the role of clean water in the world of work, ways to stop wasting water, finding ways to
supply water to underprivileged groups and so on.

Safe water is a human right

Clean drinking water is fundamental. But it is also vital for sanitation and hygiene. It is estimated
that more than 700 children under the age of seven die every day from illnesses linked to
unsafe water and poor sanitation. The right to water and sanitation was recognised as a human
right by the UN General Assembly in 2010. However, there are still at least 2.1 billion people
around the world who live without safe water in their homes. These include rural communities,
people who have been displaced due to war and local conflicts and areas where climate change
is making water more and more scarce.

The problems facing communities without water

Apart from the obvious health issues, a lack of accessible clean water means that people –
often women and children – spend hours every day walking to and from distant water supplies.
This means they don't have time to dedicate to work, studies and other domestic duties. The
search for water becomes their main occupation. And people who are not able to walk to get
their own water are particularly vulnerable.

For many people, access to water has become increasingly difficult due to increased demand
for a finite resource. According to figures released by the UN, around 4 billion people – nearly
two-thirds of the world's population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one
month of the year. It is believed that by 2030 as many as 700 million people worldwide could be
displaced by intense water scarcity.

What are the solutions?

There are many charities working on creating sustainable supplies of clean water at a grass-
roots level for different communities around the world, and this important work needs to
continue and to expand. But the fundamental problem of increasing demand for a limited
resource can only be addressed by more efficient use of water, especially in industry and
agriculture. Waste-water recycling, capturing rainwater, more efficient irrigation techniques and
reforestation are all examples of how water can be used more efficiently.

What we can do to help

As individuals, what we can do to help is support charities, raise awareness, take part in the
World Water Day events that are happening all around the world and, of course, be careful with
how we use water in our own lives. Visit the UN World Water Day website to find out about an
event near you. Follow #worldwaterday on social media and help spread the word about this
incredibly important issue.

Reading text: British Council LearnEnglish, World Water day

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/magazine/world-water-day
Lesson plan
Lead-in (5 minutes)
Ask learners to write down the actions for which they have used water today. Then tell them to
compare lists and to add points to their lists with a partner. Ask them to start thinking together
about other things or activities that require water. A few pairs present their lists while the other
pairs listen carefully so that they could add only new things, without repeating any of the points
already mentioned.

Pre-watching (5 minutes)
Split the class into 3 groups. If you have too many people in a group, divide each group into two
again. You should end up with 3 or 6 groups. Select a question from the set presented in
Materials for each group. If you have 6 groups, each question will be given to two groups. Give
the learners a couple of minutes to discuss and agree on an answer to their questions. Then
ask the group(s) with question 1 to present their answers. Repeat the procedure with questions
2 and 3. Ask learners to remember the number of the question as they will be used for grouping
later.

Watching (10 minutes)

Tell learners they will watch a video and they will need to answer the questions from the
previous activity afterwards.
Video: British Council LearnEnglish Teens, The world water crisis
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-zone/world-water-crisis

Go through the questions and make learners aware of how much they have learnt with just one
video. Ask them if they have ever heard about the Water.org foundation.

Pre-reading (5 minutes)
Read the instructions from the worksheets with the learners. They need to rearrange the letters
to create words that match the definitions.
Answers:
Without the education, possessions, money or social advantages that the average person has =
underprivileged

The system that moves dirty water and waste away f rom where people live = sanitation

Keeping clean to prevent illness = hygiene

To f orce someone to leave their home, of ten because of war or natural disaster = to displace

Dif f icult to find or get = scarce

Able to be easily hurt or attacked and in need of special care = vulnerable

Involving the ordinary people in an organisation or a society = grass roots

Tasks relating to home, house and f amily = domestic duties

Reading (15 minutes)

This is a jigsaw reading. First, tell learners to get into the 3 initial groups (those who had
question 1 in pre-watching form group 1, those with question 2 - group 2 and those with
question 3 – group 3). Give them the worksheets with their corresponding number. Tell them to
read their text, agree on the most important points in it and then write a summary together . All
the members in the group need to write down the same summary.
When they all have their summaries, regroup them in smaller groups so that in each new group
there is a member from the previous groups (1, 2, and 3). They have to present their summaries
to get an overall understanding of the text.
Post reading (5 minutes)
Learners need to work together in their small groups of 3 to find the numbers missing from the
sentences.
Key

1. The adult body is made up of 55-60 per cent water.

2. World Water Day takes place on 22 March.

3. It is estimated that over 700 young children die each day due to illnesses connected to unsaf e

water.

4. Around 4 billion people suffer water shortages f or at least one month of the year.

5. By 2030, about 700 million people may be displaced due to water scarcity.

6. The right to water and sanitation became recognised by the UN as a human right in 2010.

Action planning (5 minutes)

Ask learners to choose whether they work alone or in groups on one of the topics:
1. Do some research on the situation of running water and sanitation in Romanian schools.
Present your findings to the whole class.
 2. Present some ways in which we can use water responsibly.
3. Bring arguments supported by facts and figures for the statement: ‘Bottled water
companies do not produce water. They produce plastic.’

Worksheet 1
1. Pre-reading
Put the letters in order to create words that match the definitions:
1.Without the education, possessions, money or social advantages that the average person has =

R V U N P I L G ED D ER I E

2.The system that moves dirty water and waste away f rom where people live = N I T S A I O N
A T
3. keeping clean to prevent illness = G E N I E H Y
4. to f orce someone to leave their home, of ten because of war or natural disaster = to S P A C E
D I L

5. dif ficult to find or get = C E A R C S

6. able to be easily hurt or attacked and in need of special care = B L U V L N E R A E

7. involving the ordinary people in an organisation or a society = grass O T R O S

8. tasks relating to home, house and f amily = T I O M D E S C duties

2. Reading

In your group, read your fragment and together decide on a short summary. All the members of
your group need to write down the summary.

Water is vital. Between 55 and 60 per cent of the adult body is made of it and every living cell
needs it to keep functioning. In normal conditions, the human body can only survive three or
four days without water. We need water to stay alive, yet there are billions of people all over t he
world who do not have access to safe drinking water.

World Water Day

The first World Water Day was celebrated in 1993. It was first proposed at the United Nations
(UN) conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has been
celebrated annually on 22 March since then. Every year the UN releases its World Water
Development Report on or around this date. Each year has a different theme, looking at things
like the role of clean water in the world of work, ways to stop wasting water, finding ways to
supply water to underprivileged groups and so on.
 3. Post-reading
Work together to fill in these sentences with the numbers from the text.

22 one 700 2030 4 billion 55-60 2010 700 million

1. The adult body is made up of _____ per cent water.

2. World Water Day takes place on _____ March.

3. It is estimated that over _______ young children die each day due to illnesses connected to

unsaf e water.

4. Around _________ people suf fer water shortages f or at least _________ month of the year.

5. By _________, about _________ people may be displaced due to water scarcity.

6. The right to water and sanitation became recognised by the UN as a human right in _______ .

4. Action planning
Ask learners to choose whether they work alone or in groups on one of the topics:
1. Do some research on the situation of running water and sanitation in Romanian schools.
Present your findings to the whole class.
2. Present some ways in which we can use water responsibly.
3. Bring arguments supported by facts and figures for the statement: ‘Bottle d water
companies do not produce water. They produce plastic.’
Worksheet 2
1. Pre-reading
Put the letters in order to create words that match the definitions:
1.Without the education, possessions, money or social advantages that the average person has =

R V U N P I L G ED D ER I E

2.The system that moves dirty water and waste away f rom where people live = N I T S A I O N
A T
3. keeping clean to prevent illness = G E N I E H Y
4. to f orce someone to leave their home, of ten because of war or natural disaster = to S P A C E
D I L

5. dif ficult to find or get = C E A R C S

6. able to be easily hurt or attacked and in need of special care = B L U V L N E R A E

7. involving the ordinary people in an organisation or a society = grass O T R O S

8. tasks relating to home, house and f amily = T I O M D E S C duties

2. Reading
In your group, read your fragment and together decide on a short summary. All the members f
your group need to write down the summary.

Safe water is a human right

Clean drinking water is fundamental. But it is also vital for sanitation and hygiene. It is estimated
that more than 700 children under the age of seven die every day from illnesses linked to
unsafe water and poor sanitation. The right to water and sanitation was recognised as a human
right by the UN General Assembly in 2010. However, there are still at least 2.1 billion people
around the world who live without safe water in their homes. These include rural communities,
people who have been displaced due to war and local conflicts and areas where climat e change
is making water more and more scarce.

The problems facing communities without water

Apart from the obvious health issues, a lack of accessible clean water means that people –
often women and children – spend hours every day walking to and from distant water supplies.
This means they don't have time to dedicate to work, studies and other domestic duties. The
search for water becomes their main occupation. And people who are not able to walk to get
their own water are particularly vulnerable.

For many people, access to water has become increasingly difficult due to increased demand
for a finite resource. According to figures released by the UN, around 4 billion people – nearly
two-thirds of the world's population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one
month of the year. It is believed that by 2030 as many as 700 million people worldwide could be
displaced by intense water scarcity.

3. Post-reading
Work together to fill in these sentences with the numbers from the text.
22 one 700 2030 4 billion 55-60 2010 700 million

1. The adult body is made up of _____ per cent water.

2. World Water Day takes place on _____ March.

3. It is estimated that over _______ young children die each day due to illnesses connected to

unsaf e water.

4. Around _________ people suf fer water shortages f or at least _________ month of the year.

5. By _________, about _________ people may be displaced due to water scarcity.

6. The right to water and sanitation became recognised by the UN as a human right in _______ .
4. Action planning
Ask learners to choose whether they work alone or in groups on one of the topics:
1. Do some research on the situation of running water and sanitation in Romanian schools.
Present your findings to the whole class.
2. Present some ways in which we can use water responsibly.
3. Bring arguments supported by facts and figures for the statement: ‘Bottled water
companies do not produce water. They produce plastic.’
Worksheet 3

1. Pre-reading
Put the letters in order to create words that match the definitions:
1.Without the education, possessions, money or social advantages that the average person has =

R V U N P I L G ED D ER I E

2.The system that moves dirty water and waste away f rom where people live = N I T S A I O N
A T
3. keeping clean to prevent illness = G E N I E H Y
4. to f orce someone to leave their home, of ten because of war or natural disaster = to S P A C E
D I L

5. dif ficult to find or get = C E A R C S

6. able to be easily hurt or attacked and in need of special care = B L U V L N E R A E

7. involving the ordinary people in an organisation or a society = grass O T R O S

8. tasks relating to home, house and f amily = T I O M D E S C duties

2. Reading
In your group, read your fragment and together decide on a short summary. All the members f
your group need to write down the summary.

What are the solutions?

There are many charities working on creating sustainable supplies of clean water at a grass -
roots level for different communities around the world, and this important work needs to
continue and to expand. But the fundamental problem of increasing demand for a li mited
resource can only be addressed by more efficient use of water, especially in industry and
agriculture. Waste-water recycling, capturing rainwater, more efficient irrigation techniques and
reforestation are all examples of how water can be used more efficiently.

What we can do to help

As individuals, what we can do to help is support charities, raise awareness, take part in the
World Water Day events that are happening all around the world and, of course, be careful with
how we use water in our own lives. Visit the UN World Water Day website to find out about an
event near you. Follow #worldwaterday on social media and help spread the word about this
incredibly important issue.

3. Post-reading
Work together to fill in these sentences with the numbers from the text.
 22 one 700 2030 4 billion 55-60 2010 700 million

1. The adult body is made up of _____ per cent water.

2. World Water Day takes place on _____ March.

3. It is estimated that over _______ young children die each day due to illnesses connected to

unsaf e water.

4. Around _________ people suf fer water shortages f or at least _________ month of the year.

5. By _________, about _________ people may be displaced due to water scarcity.

6. The right to water and sanitation became recognised by the UN as a human right in _______ .

4. Action planning
Ask learners to choose whether they work alone or in groups on one of the topics:
1. Do some research on the situation of running water and sanitation in Romanian schools.
Present your findings to the whole class.
2. Present some ways in which we can use water responsibly.
3. Bring arguments supported by facts and figures for the statement: ‘Bottled water
companies do not produce water. They produce plastic.’
Extra resources
You can suggest these to the learners if they are interested in the topic or you can use them to
develop other lessons:
The whole site Water.org is worth exploring but the section on Water Crisis is particularly
interesting:
https://water.org/our-impact/water-crisis/