Question

Discuss reasons for the shortage of water on earth for human consumption.

Answer 1

Reasons for the shortage of water on earth for human consumption:

There is an increasing shortage of water for human consumption due to the extreme overuse of water and depletion of groundwater. The reasons are:

• Increasing population: The growing population has resulted in a growing demand for houses, offices, shops, roads, etc. As a result, open areas like parks and playgrounds are used for construction. This reduces the seepage of water into the ground. Moreover, an increased population results in a huge increase in the amount of water used daily.
• Increasing industries: Water is used in almost every stage of the production of things that we use. This puts a heavy load, especially on the freshwater ecosystem.
• Agricultural activities: Farmers usually have to depend on rain for irrigating their fields. However, erratic monsoons result in excess use of groundwater thereby decreasing the underground water.
• Deforestation: Trees have the ability to hold water. With deforestation, the number of plants decreases, hence the water keeps flowing away toward the sea and cannot be used.
• Rainfall distribution: Some places have a good amount of rain and are water-rich. On the other hand, there are deserts that have scanty rainfall.