Sustainable Management of Water Resources (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)

Sustainable Management of Water Resources

Why is sustainable water management important?

• Many people do not have access to clean water

• A large percentage of water supplies are affected by pollution

• The world's population is increasing and demand for water will continue to rise

• Desalination and water transfer projects can help meet the increasing demand for water

• However, they have several disadvantages

  • Many countries, including the UK, Spain and China, have abandoned water transfer projects due to environmental and social costs

  • Water transfer can also cause conflict between countries regarding which country has the right to the water

• To ensure that water supplies will be available to future generations, sustainable water use is essential

What are sustainable water supplies?

• Sustainable water supplies:

  • Do not cause harm to the natural environment

  • Benefit local communities

  • Reduce waste

  • Can be used globally

Water Conservation

• Conservation involves reducing waste and using less water

  • Reduce leaks: it is estimated that globally, 45 million m³ of water is lost per day through broken pipes and other leaks

  • Education: to inform people why water conservation is important and encourage people to use and waste less 

  • Water meters: reduce water use as people pay for the water they use and so tend to waste less

  • Water-efficient appliances: shower heads, low-flush toilets, water-efficient washing machines, and dishwashers all use less water

  • Reduce pollution: pollution means that water cannot be used 

  • Efficient irrigation: drip irrigation reduces the amount of water lost through evaporation

Groundwater management

• Groundwater is the water stored underground in aquifers

• These can be affected by:

  • Over-abstraction

  • Pollution

• Sustainable management of aquifers by governments includes:

  • Maintaining a balance between water abstraction and recharge (either natural or artificial, from rivers and lakes)

  • Monitoring water tables and quality

• In developed countries, groundwater is usually carefully monitored and managed: although in some areas, such as California, there is increasing concern that over-abstraction is resulting in the aquifers being severely depleted

• In developing and some emerging countries, water pollution and over-abstraction are common, leading to exhaustion of aquifers in areas such as the Sahel in Sub-Saharan Africa

Recycling

• Waste water from industry and domestic use which is treated so that it can be reused

Grey water

• Grey water is the term used to describe domestic waste water

• This can be used both inside and outside the home in any situation where drinking water quality is not required, including:

  • Flushing the toilet

  • Watering the garden

  • Cleaning car

Views on Sustainable Management of Water Resources

Individuals 

• Often, people do not know how much water they use

• Individual actions can significantly reduce water waste by:

  • Choosing garden plants which are drought-tolerant and do not need watering

  • Use water-saving shower heads, low-flush toilets, water-efficient appliances and greywater systems

  • Switching off the tap when brushing teeth

  • Removal of swimming pools and hot tubs

  • Installation of water meters to monitor water use

• Not all individuals will take these actions and some may want to keep access to swimming pools and golf courses

Organisations

• Businesses may be encouraged to reduce water use and waste

  • Ensure that water from toilets and other waste is recycled

  • Rainwater harvesting from roofs

    • Marks and Spencer in the UK use rainwater harvesting in their stores to supply water to the toilets

• Installation of water meters 

• Water companies have to balance the supply of water with the demand

  • Old infrastructure and leaks can make this difficult

• Farmers may argue that irrigation is necessary, even if it is not sustainable, to ensure that crop yields are not affected

• Conservation groups will prioritise high water quality to ensure that wildlife is protected

Governments

• There are several ways that governments can achieve sustainable water use

• Most governments have policies related to water usage

• Building regulations to ensure that new houses are water-efficient

  • In the UK, all new houses have to be fitted with a water meter and dual flush toilets

  • In Las Vegas, the amount of grassed area allowed in new housing developments is restricted

• Education campaigns to encourage people to conserve water by

  • Having a shower rather than a bath

  • Turning off the tap when brushing teeth

  • Rainwater harvesting for watering the garden

Case Study: Spain

• The average precipitation in south-east Spain is approximately 365mm a year

• Most precipitation occurs in winter

• The area is one of the driest in Europe

• Agriculture uses 80% of the water available

  • 147,000 hectares of land require irrigation

• Regular droughts mean the supply of water is further reduced

• There is a water deficit as demand exceeds supply

• Tourism increases the problem:

  • Water parks and golf courses use significant quantities of water 

  • An average tourist uses between 450-800 litres per day

  • An average Spaniard uses 127 litres per day

Tagus-Segura Project

• Completed in 1978

• 60% of the water flowing into the Tagus is transferred

• A 286-km pipeline which connects for Spanish river basins Tagus, Jucar, Segura and Guadiana

• The aim was to supply Alicante, Murcia and Cartagena in the south-east to reduce the water deficit

Tagus-Segura Project

Issues

• Much of the water transferred went to tourists and leisure users, not to small-scale farmers

• Water consumption in the south-east increased due to an increase in supply

• It is estimated that 15% of the transferred water is being illegally used by leisure users, such as golf courses

• Large commercial farms are benefiting more than small-scale farmers

Ebro project

• A second water transfer project was proposed in 2001 to transfer water from the River Ebro

• This project was abandoned due to:

  • The failure and issues with the Tagus-Segura project

  • The cost

  • The threat to the Ebro delta is that the scheme would have disrupted sediment flow to the delta

Future of water management in Spain

• Spain has now moved to utilising desalinisation plants to meet the demand for water

  • Two additional plants are being built to open in 2028 and 2029

  • The estimated cost is €467 million

• Increased use of reclaimed water

  • About 62% of the water used in agriculture is reclaimed

  • Over 17% of water used in industrial processes is reclaimed

Case Study: China

Water management in China

• The average precipitation in north-east China is approximately 200-400mm a year

• Most precipitation occurs during the brief wet season

• Average rainfall has steadily decreased since the 1950s

• The main industrial areas and regions of economic growth are on the North China Plain around Tianjin and Beijing

• The main water source for the area has been groundwater:

  • Demand for water in Beijing alone is 3.6 billion cubic meters 

  • The supply of freshwater in Beijing is 3 billion cubic meters

  • There is a significant water deficit

  • The over abstraction of groundwater has led to subsidence in some areas of the city of 11cm

South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP)

• It aimed to transfer 12 trillion gallons of water a year from the south of China to the area around Beijing

• The central section was completed in 2014

• Completion was estimated to be in 2050

• It planned to link China's four main rivers: Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe and Haihe

Advantages and Disadvantages of the SNWTP

• The later parts of the scheme have not been completed due to the disadvantages

What is the future of sustainable management in China?

• The Chinese government have more recently focussed on:

  • More effective monitoring of water use

  • Enforcement of regulations regarding pollution

  • More efficient use of water in industry

  • Improved irrigation techniques 

  • Encouraging farmers to grow drought-resistant crops

  • Investment in water treatment plants

  • Building regulations to ensure that new buildings make efficient use of water

    • Rainwater harvesting

    • Water saving devices

  • Increased water prices to discourage waste