WATER & MANAGEMENT Chapter 4

THE DISTRIBUTION OF WATER ON EARTH

75% of Earth’s surface is covered in water
Only 3% is fresh (non-salty) and usable.
­ This is mostly locked up in glaciers/ice caps.

Less than 1% is readily available for people to use.

People directly (drinking/washing) AND indirectly use water continuously (manufactured

products).

Half of the available fresh water is found in 6 countries

­ Brazil, Russia, Canada, Indonesia, China, Columbia

Africa/Asia = burden to collect water (6hrs per day)

­ Denies women education from an early age. Reduces school attendance by 12%.
 THE WATER CYCLE
Water never increases or decreases.
Water exists in different forms.
• Rain, ice, snow, vapour.

Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Transpiration

Surface run-off, interception, infiltration,

groundwater flow, throughflow.
WHY HUMANS NEED WATER:

Domestic
• Used in the home (cooking/cleaning)
• MEDC’s use more water at home than LEDC’s
• Water can be lost in leaks. BUT NEEDS TO BE SAFE
• Animals require water (pets)

Industrial
• Cooling is important in the production of electricity.
• Substances are soluble in water, therefor it is often used. (Universal
solvent)

Agricultural
• Greatest use of water (irrigation)
• Plants need water to transport minerals food. Helps cell function.
 MAIN SOURCES OF FRESH WATER
Fresh water on Earth’s surface (SURFACE WATER): lakes, rivers & swamps

GROUNDWATER: porous rock like limestone/sandstone = aquifer

SEA WATER: needs to be treated in order to be consumed/used (desalination)

WATER FROM RIVERS

Water can be taken out of rivers by buckets,
OR through using reservoirs : artificial lakes where water can be stored. Can be created behind a dam or by the side
of a river (bank-side reservoir).

- Service reservoir (treated/safe water is stored) à water towers & cisterns

WATER FROM THE GROUND
Wells: holes dug into rock to reach the water stored there.
- use a pump/ bucket and string to get the water up.
- water stored under pressure = artesian aquifer (water just rises to the top)

WATER FROM THE SEA

Too salty to drink/use. Therefor, desalination is important!
1. Distillation
­ Water is boiled and released as vapour, leaving salt behind.
­ 10-30% efficient
­ Large amount of waste + saltwater that needs to be disposed of.

2. Reverse Osmosis
­ Salt water pumped at high pressure through very fine membranes.
­ 30-50% efficient.
­ Uses less energy than distillation.
 REVERSE
OSMOSIS

Important note:

Difference between physical

water scarcity and economic
water scarcity (p.94)
 MULTIPURPOSE
DAM PROJECTS
ADVANTAGES: DISADVANTAGES:
- electricity production (hydroelectric power) - relocation of people
- flood control - flooding land
- irrigation - disrupting aquatic animal life cycles
- tourism/leisure - altering water supply (downstream)
- provision of water - reduces enrichment of soil (downstream)
- creation of habitat - becomes redundant (siltation)
­ When sediment builds up in the dam (sinks to bottom)
- boats can access inaccessible locations.
Where to build a dam:
Needs to be in a narrow river valley.
Needs to be high up valley for HEP (Hydroelectric power) à more
pressure needed
Needs to be away from developed areas (to reduce risk of
pollution)

Are dams sustainable? (debate)

Often a solution to electricity generation (so people forget the
consequences)
(better alternative to fossil fuels)
BUT
- they are not made for long term (siltation/damage to wall/
deterioration)
- they can have negative effects on surrounding environment (esp.
fish)
 PREVENTING DISEASE:
Good hygiene

WATER-RELATED DISEASES Thorough cooking of food

Don’t wash food with contaminated water
Always wash hands
Clean cooking area frequently
Water is a good habitat for living things.
Latrines (toilet) is essential
Plants in water à photosynthesis à nutrients.

Nutrient-rich water aids bacteria growth, bacteria enters water

through sewage and poor sanitation. If the bacteria are
pathogens = diseases spread.

v Cholera Two major diseases caused by

water contaminated with human
v Typhoid faeces (water-borne disease)
 Symptoms:
- Flu-like
MALARIA 97 countries around the world
Mainly Africa/Asia - Fever & chills
- Can be fatal

Like cholera and typhoid, malaria is a water-related disease.

Caused by a microscopic organism (Plasmodium).
The organism that passes the disease needs water to breed (water-related)

­ Mosquito à Lays eggs in water à Larvae develop à Mosquitos pass malaria to humans

Mosquitos are considered the VECTOR = it carries the disease.

Rather choose to PREVENT disease than to TREAT it.
PREVENTING MALARIA
AVOID BITES FROM MOSQUITOS
- avoid being outside between dusk & dawn
­ (Anopheles - travels at night)

- wear clothes that cover most of the body (& use repellant)
- sleep under a mosquito net treated with an insecticide.
- spray inside of accommodation with insecticide.

CONTROL THE VECTOR (Governments)

- spraying insecticide inside buildings, including houses.
- drain wetland areas (remove breeding sites)
- introducing fish (predators) that eat the larvae and pupae of mosquito.
- pouring oil onto surface of water which suffocates the larvae & stops
adults laying eggs.
MANAGEMENT OF WATER POLLUTION
DOMESTIC WASTE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
Ø Sewage treatment Ø Eutrophication p.104 Ø Toxic compounds from industry
(Summarise the 8 Steps) (Summarise the process) (biomagnification)
Ø Improved sanitation Ø Pesticide & Herbicides Ø Acid rain
Ø Water treatment