Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Global Freshwater Crisis




The vata (airy) planet Saturn in Virgo has precipitated a Water Crisis. Let
us see what are the solutions. ( Yesterday Mumbai reported a severe water
crisis, like Hyderabad. More bad news are coming in ).

Water is only a finite resource, even though it is universally assumed that
global supply is infinite. Only 2.5 % of the global supply is freshwater.
The rest is seawater, inacessible in ground water, ice caps and soi. This
supply is limited.

Rainfall is only renewable source of freshwater and per year the global
supply is just 50,000 cubic km. Per year global population is increasing by
85 million. Hence the availability of freshwater per head is fast
decreasing. The whole planet is overpopulated, with more than 6.5 billion
people.

That limited source of freshwater is polluted, diverted and depleted by
foolish humans. ( " Lord, what fools these mortals be", said Shakespeare ).
More than one billon people lack access to safe, drinking water. UN says 31
countries face water stress and scarcity. The water stress countries are
UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, Israel, Mexico etc.

By 2025, when the earth will be populated by an additional 2.5 billion
people, 70% will be living in conditions of serious water shortage and 30%
will be living in conditions of acute water scarcity.

A great warning has been given by the World Resources " The world's
thirst for water is likely to become one of the most pressing resource
issues of the 21st century. In some cases, water withdrawals are so high,
relative to supply, that surface water supplies are literally shrinking and
groundwater levels are being depleted faster than they can be replenished by
precipitation".

In the Arab world, use of ground is three times than groundwater recharge.
Saudi is running towards depletion in the next 50 years. Africa's aquifers
are non-recharging and the current depletion is estimated at 10 million
cubic meters. Water tables are falling everywhere in India. Mexico is water
scarce. In Bangkok overpumping has taken its toll. Northern China has eight
regions of water scarcity. Beijing suffers from a massive water crisis.

Reports from Mumbai that the city has only water for a month, if there are
no rains. Cause for alarm and despondency

Water Cycle or the Hydrologic Cycle

Due to transpiration and evaporation, water molecules form clouds and rains
fall to the earth as precipitation.

This transipration and evaporation normally comes from plants, rivers,
lakes, lagoons, water basins or water reservoirs. If the earth's surface is
paved over, then there will be reduced water to evaporate.
Divesting the earth of wells, lagoons, lakes, rivers which are water
reservoirs can only mean that there will be less evapotranspiration and
hence less precipitation or rains !

The causative factors for Water Bankruptcy

The destruction of the natural habitat
Destruction of water reservoirs like wells, ponds etc
Destruction of forest, flora and fauna
Groundwater mining
Contamination of Aquifers
Massive urbanisation
Diminishing water capital
Earth's hot stains ( dried up regions ) contributing to the impasse.

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