Causes of the Water Crisis
The story of life is the story of water. Without water, there would be no life on Earth as we know it and no human society. Water is essential, not just for basic life support but also for agriculture, industry, and recreation. Despite the critical importance of water to every living organism, one in four people do not have access to clean drinking water [2].
The causes of clean water scarcity are complex and varied. In most affected regions, a combination of poor climate conditions, poverty, and political issues has led to this challenge.
01
Climate
Many regions have a lack of water accessibility due to their semi-arid or arid climates. As a consequence, people often have to walk long distances to the nearest water source.
Additionally, climate change is exacerbating water scarcity in already arid regions. For example, in Ethiopia, a country where a relatively high percentage of deaths are due to unsafe water sources, the already arid climate is becoming drier and hotter, with average temperatures 1°C hotter than they were in 1960 [3]. Precipitation in the country is highly variable, making long-term trends difficult to determine, but it has been shown that the incidence of drought has increased and the rains in the central and northern areas have become even more unpredictable, endangering water sources for agriculture and human consumption [3].
02
Poverty
Poverty is a major cause of poor water accessibility around the world. A lack of money prevents the construction of adequate sanitation facilities and water treatment and transport infrastructure. As a consequence, people are often forced to travel great distances to access improvised, untreated water sources. Furthermore, these countries often lack well-funded medical care for those who contract water-borne diseases.
03
Political Instability
Political instability and controversy exacerbate poverty and access to clean water for many communities. Armed conflict in many areas makes it even harder for people to have safe access to the water sources they do have. Additionally, in Africa especially, water rights are particularly contentious, as almost 66% of Africa’s river basins are shared by more than one country, introducing an extra challenge in how they fairly allocate water among themselves [4]. Agriculture has also been shown to have negative impact on water for consumption, as farmers exert pressure on governments for water rights [5]. Corruption in government can keep communities in cycles of poverty where there is little chance of improving their living conditions.
