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Introduction

Freshwater resources encompass naturally occurring low-salt water sources like rivers, lakes, groundwater, and glaciers, serving vital human needs such as drinking, irrigation, industry, and ecological stability. Yet, in the present world, about 1.1 billion lack consistent access to clean drinking water, and roughly 2.7 billion grapples with recurring water scarcity, vividly highlighting the crisis in freshwater availability and access.

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Reasons Behind the Crisis of Availability of Freshwater Resources:

• Growing Demand vs. Limited Supply: The world’s population is on a continuous rise, with projections indicating an increase of nearly 2 billion people over the next 30 years, leading to a surge in demand for freshwater resources, while the available supply remains relatively constant.
• Climate Change and Altered Precipitation Patterns: Climate change is causing shifts in weather patterns, leading to unpredictable rainfall and prolonged droughts in certain regions. This disrupts the natural replenishment of freshwater sources. For instance, in August 2023, India experienced an extraordinary shortfall in rainfall, amounting to 36% below the normal levels.
• Over-Extraction and Depletion of Aquifers: Many regions are over-pumping groundwater faster than it can be naturally replenished, leading to the depletion of aquifers, which are critical sources of freshwater. For instance, if current patterns persist, it is projected that approximately 60% of India’s aquifers will be in a critical state within the next two decades.
• Pollution and Contamination: Industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities release pollutants into freshwater sources, making them unsuitable for consumption and other critical uses. The World Bank reports that over 80% of wastewater in developing countries is discharged into rivers and lakes without treatment, leading to pollution.
• Inefficient Water Management: Inadequate infrastructure for water storage, treatment, and distribution, as well as wasteful irrigation practices, contribute to the inefficient use of available freshwater resources. An improperly maintained and operated automatic landscape irrigation system in a household has the potential to squander approximately 25,000 gallons of water each year.

Reasons Behind the Crisis of Access to Freshwater Resources:

• Inadequate Infrastructure: Many regions lack the necessary infrastructure to provide freshwater to their populations, particularly in rural and marginalized communities. For example, even though the Democratic Republic of Congo possesses 50% of Africa’s water resources, it lacks access to potable water.
• Economic Disparities: In many parts of the world, low-income communities struggle to afford the cost of water services. For instance, in urban slums of Mumbai, India, thousands of families are forced to rely on limited and often contaminated water sources due to the high price of clean water.
• Political and Social Conflicts: Disputes over water rights, both within countries and between neighboring nations, can lead to restricted access to shared water resources, as exemplified by the ongoing conflict between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River.
• Natural Disasters and Conflicts: Natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, and conflicts can disrupt water infrastructure, leading to restricted access to freshwater.
• Lack of Education and Awareness: Limited understanding of water hygiene and conservation practices hinder efforts to improve access to fresh water in certain communities.

Conclusion

The urgency of addressing the crisis of availability and access to freshwater cannot be overstated, considering the vital role of freshwater in sustaining life, ecosystems, and socio-economic development. By implementing the proposed solutions and fostering collaboration among nations and communities, we can strive for a future where clean and accessible freshwater is available to all, thereby ensuring the well-being and sustainability of our planet.