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Does Climate Change Affect the Quantity or Quality of Water?
The main climate change consequences related to water resources are increases in temperature, low dissolved oxygen, high turbidity, increasing evaporation, shifts in precipitation patterns and snow cover, and a likely increase in the frequency of flooding and droughts. in many areas, increased water temperatures will cause eutrophication and excess algal growth, which will reduce drinking water quality and its availability. The quality of drinking water sources may also be compromised by increased sediment, toxic contaminants, bacteria, or nutrient inputs due to extreme storm events. Speaking on increased temperature resulting in Warmer weather causes more water to evaporate, allowing the air to hold more water. This sets the stage for heavier rainfall and flooding, which decreases the quality of our water and increases health risks. So, as consequence, we can say that the quantity of water does not change in response to climate change but its quality is what that will get changed.
What is the water Footprint?
The water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. Besides household use, it represents the amount of water used to produce the goods and services we consume. The global water footprint is estimated to be 9 trillion tons per year. That's almost 300,000 tons of water a second. The factors that affect water footprint are:
- Total volume of consumption, which is generally related to the gross national income of a country.
- Water-intensive consumption patterns such as high consumption of meat.
- High consumption of industrial goods.
- Climate. In regions with high evaporative demand, the water requirement per unit of crop production is relatively large.
- Water-inefficient agricultural practice.
The water can be consumed either directly or indirectly. Direct water use is when you turn on a faucet or a hose for water. Some examples include brushing teeth, showering, flushing the toilet, washing a car, or watering a garden. Indirect water is needed to produce, grow, or manufacture the items we use every day. This water is necessary for producing steel for your car, growing cotton for your jeans, and processing your hamburger meat.
What is the Largest Percentage of the World’s Freshwater Withdrawal Between Agriculture, Domestic and Industrial?
Globally, over 69% of freshwater is used for agriculture. But the industrial sector accounts for 19% while only 12% of water withdrawals are destined for households and municipal use. By 2050, feeding a planet of 9 billion people will require an estimated 50 percent increase in agricultural production and a 15 percent increase in water withdrawals.
In the Agricultural Sector: Water is mainly used to grow crops as irrigation.
In the Industrial Sector: Probably every manufactured product uses water during some part of the production process. Industrial water use includes water used for such purposes as fabricating, processing, washing, diluting, cooling, or transporting a product.
In the Domestic Sector: Of course, some of the most important uses for water are at our homes. Domestic water use is water used for indoor and outdoor household purposes, and all the things we do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, brushing our teeth, watering the yard and garden, and even washing the dog.