Water consumption and usage are irregular across the globe. There is a severe demand, unlike previous times, to improve water supply and implement fair strategies that ensure adequate water supply to all social groups. Water sustainability must also be promoted on global platforms since it has become a concern worldwide.
Limited Water Reserves
There are no unknown water sources. The entire water volume is present on earth. It is the form of seas, oceans, rivers, lakes, underneath the soil, and ice caps. However, not all of it is accessible. Therefore, the natural processes of rain and the presence of river streams are the only water access points. This is a very bitter reality for land-locked countries.
Less rainfall in drought or dry weather sessions or seasonal high temperatures evaporates the water quickly, leaving little for human access. Moreover, when there is less rainfall, less water is available for national use. This is not the case with areas that experience high rainfall.
Polluted Water
Assuming a particular vicinity receives a high amount of rainfall, the present air, soil, or ground pollution will make it impossible for human use. In less developed areas, sewage pipes cross water supply pipes and give rise to water-borne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.
In rare cases where mining is close to water pools, extractions of metal ores and raw stones increase uranium, sulphuric, and arsenic content in the water. This pollutes the nearby streams, rivers, and even seas, causing human and aquatic life to die. Oil ship breakage and factories releasing harmful content into water pools do not help the situation.
Infrastructure Facilities
Water pipes are the safest way to provide clean water for domestic and industrial usage. Sealed pipes protect the pipe from pollutants, and viral organisms present underneath the ground. Another form of water supply is water pumps which are primarily present in rural areas.
However, some locations do not have a reliable water supply system. A limited infrastructure limits water supply significantly, and this can only be fixed with public assistance and national governing bodies. Transmitters can be installed in pumping stations or water stations that communicate any irregular performance or unique content in water to utility bidders.
Hydropolitics
It is a new term for most of us. When politics and politicians heavily influence water issues, it is termed hydropolitics. Political interventions considerably harm the water supply. A prime example of hydropolitics is the River Nile which touches nine countries before falling into the Mediterranean Sea.
Countries, nations, or provinces must refrain from turning water supply into a political issue. Water remains a source of conflict between nations, leading to wars and civil unrest.
Recommendations
Water must be distributed across areas based on population density rather than the income of residents. There is zero room for discrimination when it comes to water supply policies and water price regulation. Moreover, regulating authorities must also introduce strong controls to monitor water usage diligently and eliminate any discrimination or unfair practices.