Question

(i) Give the reasons for water scarcity.
(ii) Mention a few steps to conserve water.

Answer 1

(i) Water scarcity is the lack of availability of water resources to meet the increasing demand for water.
The reasons for water scarcity are:
1. Less rainfall leads to a reduction in the groundwater level, which in turn affects the farmers who depend on groundwater for watering their crops.

2. Less than 1% of the total fresh water on the Earth is accessible to us. Polluting these freshwater sources further reduces the amount of consumable freshwater.

3. Poor farming practices like repetitive cropping culture results in the loss of soil moisture and nutrients. This can result in an increased demand for water.

(ii) Water conservation refers to the preservation, control and development of water resources, both surface and groundwater, and prevention of pollution.

Some of the steps to conserve water:

1. Repairing leaking taps and pipes

2. Taking short showers

3. Turn off the tap while brushing

4. Reusing the wastewater from kitchens in watering the plants, etc.