Is there a water shortage in the world, or have we been led down the garden path by all the tree huggers.?

Question

If you tell me there is a water shortage, tell me where it has gone?

Answer 1

Your second sentence answers your question, really. The amount of water on the planet now is the exact same as always. The problem lies in the cost of cleaning and purifying water for consumption.

However, please don't tar all environmentalists as "tree huggers" since not all feel compelled to scold us for our callous overuse of water.

Answer 2

Ok first, there is plenty of water on earth, is it drinkable or use able for irrigation? No. Is there a shortage of usable water? Yes. The problem is that evaporation that results from plants in areas like the rain forest has slowed due to the increased defoliation of those areas... the result is that less water is being released into the air to be carried around the world to areas where rain is needed. Yes we still have the oceans and such but the amount of evaporation from the oceans vs. the amount from plants is exponentially less than plants. Much of the usable water is tied up in the Ice packs at the poles and only a small amount is actually in circulation for the entire populated world to use... So in a nut shell the water hasn't gone anywhere and that is alot of the problem... it used to move.

Answer 3

There isn't a shortage of water, per se, as the oceans contain plenty. However, it is all salt water. There is a severe and growing shortage of clean, drinkable water. In some places we are living off of fossil water laid down millenia ago (eg the Great Plains), in others demand from growing populations is outstripping supply.

Here's a Guardian article giving details, citing a few well known tree-huggers like Shell Oil and PepsiCo:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/water/story/0,,1851712,00.html

Answer 4

There is a shortage of clean water in some places at some times. As the population grows, more clean water is needed, but there is only so much in the world.

Some summers, we have water shortages in various cities. This is not due to loss of water, it is due to more people in the city needing more water, but no more water being available in the local lakes, rivers and wells. But it is seasonal. There is never a shortage in a wet spring, at least not in the U.S.

I grew up in California and now live in Texas and believe me, there is big bucks in the fight for water rights for places like Los Angeles. Read the history of the Los Angeles water grab from the Owens valley that turned Owens lake into a salt flat and almost did the same to Mono lake.

Answer 5

ok first, there is lots of water in the international, is it drinkable or use able for irrigation? No. Is there a scarcity of usable water? particular. the problem is that evaporation that consequences from flora in factors like the rain wooded area has slowed via extra efficient defoliation of those factors... the great result's that lots a lot less water is being released into the air to be carried all over the world to factors the placement rain is critical. particular we although have the oceans and such inspite of the straightforward incontrovertible reality that the quantity of evaporation from the oceans vs. the quantity from flora is exponentially below flora. many of the usable water is tied up interior the Ice packs on the poles and quite a small quantity is honestly in bypass for the total populated international to adhere to... So in a nut shell the water hasn't lengthy lengthy gone everywhere and that is alot of the problem... it used to bypass.

Answer 6

In many parts of the world there is a shortage of FRESH WATER, that is, water that does not contain salt. However, this problem can be surmounted through the process of desalination, which is becoming more commonplace in areas like the Middle East. With fresh water aquifers rapidly being depleted, this technology will soon be required throughout the world.

Answer 7

Dammed if I know.There is an aquifer (underground freshwater reservoir)in the western US called the Ogalalla aquifer.It has been tapped for irrigation since the 1940's,and it is disappearing.The Army Corps Of Engineers has propounded schemes for diverting large volumes of water from the Great Lakes.The problem is over-consumption,and a crumbling leaking infrastructure,not the supply.The question may become:Do we need to subsidize the existence of cities in the desert at the expense of every living thing that depends on scarce resources?Remember that Las Vegas was founded by a wigged-out gangster.

Answer 8

The water has not gone anywhere it is just not drinkable. Many rivers and stuff have become contaminated by chemicals and junk and even human poop!

Then there are places where rivers and lakes just disappear and buildings are put in there place.

Also, rivers lead to oceans and once the water hits the ocean it becomes salty and have to be desalinated for human consumption.

So.. I am with the tree huggers on this one.

Answer 9

We have trapped all the water from enjoying its natural cycle. Its in the people and pipes and tanks, products, food and frigerators. Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink. Don't you spray water on a fire to cool it down. Isnt the rain our cooling spray for the earth? The trees our reflectors from the sun. Ice caps melt, the water rises. Rays are reflected. Earth cools again. Always cycling. Is the earth getting hotter or just hotter faster. Dont worry it will cycle again. Just need to get rid of a few trillion billion extra btu's.

Answer 10

Although it might not seem so, yes. Think of the number of people there are and then to that, add all of the other creatures there are and the need for water is technically reaching a proportionate level of scarcity. In the years ahead (barring a pandemic) there will be wars for water.