Scientists were able to find out that on the earth at present more than 97.5% of all water reserves are in the seas and oceans. This fact confirms the shortage of fresh water, which is only 2.5% of the world's reserves.
Urgency of the problem
More than half of unsalted water is in the “frozen” form in polar caps and mountain glaciers. In addition, about 24% is located in groundwater. Analyzing this situation, we can conclude that on our planet there is a serious shortage of fresh water.
As an accessible and inexpensive source, one can consider lakes, rivers, in which no more than 0.01% of the world's water reserves are concentrated.
Since it is of particular importance for the life of living beings, we can confidently say that moisture is a precious treasure of the Earth.
The cycle in nature
Water is in constant motion. After evaporation from the surface of water bodies, it accumulates in the atmosphere. At that moment, when the steam concentration becomes maximum, a transition to a liquid or solid state occurs, sediments replenish the reserves of lakes and rivers.
The total amount of moisture on our planet remains unchanged, it simply passes from one state of aggregation to another.
Of the total amount of precipitation, only 80% is directly in the ocean. What happens to the 20 remaining percent that falls on land? With their help, a person replenishes water sources.
It turns out that the moisture that remains on land has the opportunity to get into the lakes (rivers), to drain into the reservoirs. In addition, it can seep into the soil, replenish reserves of soil sources.
Freshwater deficiency occurs due to a disruption in the connection between groundwater and surface water. Both sources have certain advantages and disadvantages.
Surface sources
The problem of shortage of fresh water is associated with geological and climatic factors. From a climatic point of view, the frequency and amount of precipitation, as well as the ecological condition in the region, are important. The precipitation brings a certain amount of insoluble particles: pollen of plants, volcanic dust, fungal spores, bacteria, various microorganisms.
Industrial emissions
The problem of fresh water shortage partially arises from the fact that the ocean contains a variety of salts. In sea moisture there are anions of chlorine, sulfate, cations of potassium, calcium, magnesium. Their “contribution” is made to the atmosphere and industrial emissions. They have organic solvents and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, which are the main cause of "acid rain." Negatively affect its quality and chemicals that are actively used at present in agriculture.
Geological factors
These include the structure of the riverbed. If it is formed by limestone, then the water is hard and clear. If the bed is granite, then the water is soft. Turbidity is given to it by suspended particles of inorganic and organic origin.
Soil sources
Solving fresh water scarcity is a serious problem that deserves a separate study and consideration. For example, partly the issue can be resolved through groundwater. They are formed as a result of seepage of melt water into the soil. It dissolves the organic matter of the soil, saturated with molecular oxygen. Clay, sand, and calcareous layers are deeper. They filter organic compounds, the water is saturated with trace elements and inorganic salts.
The quality of soil sources is influenced by several factors:
- the quality of rain moisture is determined by acidity, salt saturation;
- fluid status in an underwater tank;
- the specificity of the layers through which it passes;
- geological nature of the aquifer.
The reasons for the shortage of fresh water can be explained by the fact that groundwater contains magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, as well as an insignificant amount of manganese cations. They form salts along with bicarbonates, carbonates, chlorides, sulfates.
In the “oldest” soil sources, the concentration of salts is so high that they have a salty taste. The shortage of fresh water on the planet makes us look for technologies for cleaning groundwater sources. High-quality life-giving moisture is located in the deep limestone layers, but it is expensive.
Water value
Why should a person look for ways to solve the shortage of fresh water? The reason is that this fluid is rightly called the basis of life on Earth. In itself, it does not have nutritional value, but without it, the existence of living organisms is impossible.
In plants - up to 90% of the water, and in the body of an adult it is about 65%. In individual organs, its amount differs significantly:
- in bones up to 22%;
- in the brain - 75%;
- in blood up to 92%;
- in muscles 75%.
Discussing how to solve the problem of fresh water shortage, we note that it is an excellent solvent for many chemical compounds. It can be considered the environment in which the processes of life are carried out.
Main functions
It moisturizes the air during breathing, helps regulate body temperature. It is she who delivers oxygen and nutrients to different cells of the human body, protects vital organs, removes waste and waste from the body.
For the existence of a living organism, a constant and definite water content is important. With a change in its amount, salt composition, there is a serious violation of the processes of assimilation of food, blood formation. Without fresh water, there is no regulation of heat exchange with the environment.
A person suffers seriously due to a decrease in fresh water; he is able to spend only a few days without it. Reducing the amount of water in the body by 10-20% is a serious threat to life.
Shortage of fresh water leads to the need to reduce its consumption in technical needs. The result can be an outbreak of infectious diseases, which is why it is so important to develop new ways to desalinate sea water.
Given the intensity of work, external factors, cultural traditions, a person consumes from two to four liters of water per day. According to the World Health Organization, not more than 5% of drinking water can be considered acceptable for human consumption.
Global problem
Freshwater reserves on our planet can be considered as a single resource. In order to count on the long-term development of world reserves, a clear solution to global problems is required. The shortage of fresh water is especially relevant for regions in which there are no complete and stable sources of fresh water. In a deplorable state are surface and underground sources.
The main problems that negatively affect the quality of water bodies (lakes and rivers) are associated with the following factors:
- insufficient treatment of domestic wastewater;
- weak control of industrial effluents;
- loss and destruction of catchment areas;
- misallocation of industrial enterprises;
- deforestation;
- ownerless farming.
The result is a violation of the natural balance of the aquatic ecosystem, there is a threat to freshwater living resources, which causes a shortage of fresh water on earth.
Estimating the scale of the problem
It affects the state of water bodies, the presence of pesticides in water and the construction of dams, the creation of water facilities, irrigation projects.
Erosion, deforestation, siltation, and desertification also have a negative impact on ecosystems. Such problems arise due to a lack of public understanding of the seriousness of the wrong approach to water resources. Human economic activity, organized to the detriment of nature, creates a shortage of fresh water: problems and solutions are an urgent issue that has forced mankind to reconsider its attitude to aquatic ecosystems.
Ways to solve the problem
First of all, it is necessary to develop preventive measures that will allow avoiding costly measures for cleaning, restoring, developing fresh water resources.
The water that comes from the well, the municipal water supply network, must first be cleaned to comply with hygienic standards.
Freezing
One of the ways to get fresh water can be considered freezing sea. It is this technique that is used in those regions where there is a serious shortage of fresh water bodies. What are the main disadvantages of this technology? Freezing is carried out at low temperatures, which implies significant energy costs. Due to the increase in energy prices, this method of obtaining fresh water is difficult to consider economical and rational.
Important aspects of the problem
In order to solve the problem of lack of fresh water, scientists propose a comprehensive wastewater treatment, constructing full-fledged treatment systems. Water quality can only be assessed if the results of its bacteriological and chemical analysis are available.
What are the main problems with water used by consumers? It may contain insoluble mechanical particles, rust, colloidal substances. They not only lead to rapid clogging of sewer and water pipes, but also negatively affect human health, provoke many infectious diseases.
An unpleasant aftertaste, color, smell - all this is called organoleptic indicators that can affect the quality of drinking water. Some organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, and residual chlorine can be sources of such problems.
To improve the quality of drinking fresh water, it is also important to assess its bacteriological contamination. The reason for such processes are different microbes or bacteria. Some of them can threaten people's health, therefore, despite the presence of such drinking water, it can not be consumed.
Often even the most harmless bacteria in the process of their life form organic products. When they interact with chlorine and bromine, carcinogenic and toxic compounds are obtained.
Among the factors that lead to a shortage of fresh water can be called pollution of water bodies. By it is meant a decrease in their economic significance, biospheric functions, arising from the entry of harmful substances. For example, power plants, industrial plants dump heated water into rivers and lakes. A similar process is accompanied by an increase in water temperature, a decrease in the amount of oxygen, an increase in the toxicity of impurities, and a violation of biological equilibrium.
In many regions, the main sources of fresh water are groundwater, which was previously considered the cleanest. As a result of human activities, many of these sources are contaminated. Unfortunately, their pollution is often so high that groundwater is unsuitable for drinking.
Conclusion
For various needs, humanity consumes a huge amount of fresh water. The main consumers are agriculture and industrial plants. Among the most water-intensive industries there are steel, mining, chemical, pulp and paper, petrochemical industries. More than half of all water used by industrial enterprises is spent on their needs. If you do not use high-quality purification systems that allow you to repeatedly use fresh water, then in a couple of years the shortage of fresh water will become a major disaster.
Environmentalists and chemists are conducting serious research work aimed at finding the best ways to desalinate sea water. At present, innovative methods of drinking water purification are already being applied, which make it possible to reduce its losses.
In addition, special attention is paid to the installation of complete cleaning systems in industrial enterprises. Only with an integrated approach to all issues related to desalination and purification of sea water can one count on reducing the shortage of fresh water.