Water is a highly significant component in life. Absence of water has led to more deaths worldwide than any other cause. It is estimated that one out of every six persons lack adequate clean water, and more than this number lack primary sanitation. More than half the population of the world cannot have access to clean water, which has led to increased poor health. From the world statistics, more than 5,000 children are affected by diarrhea-related complications, a statistics that can drastically reduce in the presence of sufficient water. These statistics continue to increase despite the presence of water internationally.
More than enough water has been found in most parts of the world, such as Canada, the Middle East, and Africa (The World Bank 12). Water has been contaminated by the same people who are in need of it. Economic and political difficulties have made it difficult for other people to access clean water. Contamination of water has also been through arsenic and poisonous substances present in the natural atmosphere. The present society needs fresh water, which has been found to be less than 3% of the available water. There is a need for fresh water for drinking and personal use. Agricultural, ecological, and industrial application are also part of the needs for healthy and sustainability of the planet, which may apply both salty and fresh water. However, salty water has been found to be more than fresh water, approximately 80%. To meet the needs of fresh water, it is advisable to desalinize salty water and use groundwater aquifers.
Numerous approaches are available for supplying water to meet human and ecological needs. These include digging of wells for dam constructions, recycling water by using water treatment methods, and water storage during its high season for provision in the low seasons. Engineers have repeatedly come out as providers of water by technically diverting plentiful sources to where there is inadequate water. Such diversions offer short-term relief to the surrounding regions. Water diversion does not offer full term solution to other problems, such as agricultural needs. Furthermore, this can result in political conflicts as some people may limit their choices.
There are diverse approaches of treating water for more applications. Desalination is a process that deals with extraction of salt water from seawater. This traditional method has been widespread in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia. Nations, such as Israel have relied on this method to meet a quarter of their domestic needs. Contemporary applications of desalination comprise reverse osmosis. In this approach, a membrane is used to separate salt from water. This technology is widely applied in Israel to meet most of their domestic needs. It is presently estimated that more than 12,000 plants are operational in the world. Desalination is expensive to install and calls for much energy for operation. It is thus suitable for rich countries along the seaside regions. Due to this shortage, it is necessary for scientists to develop enhanced approaches to support impoverished nations to overcome water shortages. Other methods include sewage treatment for industrial and irrigation purposes, drip irrigation, and decentralization of the distillation units. These approaches are essential to equitably distribute water. Technical solutions need be developed to address water deficiency and inequities. New methods also needs be implemented that will require low energy use. For instance, the use of nano-osmosis is an upcoming problem that will use exceptional abilities. There is a need to come up with cheap ways of distillation for removal of contaminants in the water.
Works Cited
The World Bank. Middle East and North Africa Region. Making the Most of Scarcity: Accountability for Better Water Management in the Middle East and North Africa: A MENA Development Report. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Publications, 2007