Water Scarcity is our world today is a combination of many factors. Global Climate change, Population, Urbanisation, Surface Water Pollution and Ground Water Pollution are some of the major factors contributing to our lack of Water. 2.1.1 Climate Change Climate Change in our world today has a large effect on our water supply. The change in temperature has effect rain patterns around the world which has affected our water supply significantly. These changes in our environment, among others, have created a water scarcity in our world today. The main cause of our climate change, Namely Global Warming, is a result of accumulated greenhouse gasses which have created the Greenhouse Effect. Water vapour, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Chlorofluorocarbons are the main gasses which contribute to this effect. They are the product of our human activities that are now built into our everyday life. Industrial factories, Transportation methods, and overpopulation of our World have contributed to this effect in the most significant way. The greenhouse effect has is warming our planet and so changing our environment. [A blanket around the Earth, NASA] Due to the rising temperatures, some areas are experiencing more precipitation, others less. The ice caps are busy melting and raising our sea levels which in turn is contaminating our fresh drinking water with the saline solution of our oceans. Climate change modelling exercises consistently indicate the many of the worlds major river basins may experience more severe droughts and floods in the future. South Africa is particularly venerable due to our need for rain water in the agriculture sector and water recourses for livelihoods, our limited recourses for adaptation and lack of institutions to regulate river and stream flow. [Science Scope, Chapter 3, Aug 2009, Climate change and our water Resource, Dr. Gift Manase] Due to the changes in our climate it has made it increasingly difficult to establish trends in our rainfall. [Mary and Majule, 2009]. The climate change will result in a shortage of fresh drinking water, with developing countries such as South African Being heavily impacted.[Rabie, 2008]. Rabie (2008) also suggests that with water cycles intensifying, dry countries getting drier, South Africa being classified as a Semi Arid country, the scarcity in water can produce a number an impacts such as: Disease Xenophobia Air pollution Forest fires Economies to name a few.
2.1.2 Population South Africa has a population of about fifty million people, where approximately fifty nine percent (59%) live in urban communities (Tornqvist & Ofverstrom, 2008). According to Statistics South Africa (2011) trends in the South Africa population indicate significant growth in the future years, increasing the demand for water. In addition, Gauteng remains the most over populated province in South Africa. Mundia (2007) agrees that the rapid growth of population increases the demand needed and thus stresses water supply to a critical level. 2.1.3 Urbanisation According to Tornqvist and Ofverstrom (2008) Urbanisation has slowly been growing over the last five years. Furthermore, Urbanisation can contribute to governments efforts of relieving poverty and high rate of unemployment. However, the growth of urbanisation contributes to the growth of important sectors namely agriculture and domestic households, two of the largest consumers of South Africas water. 2.1.4 Surface water pollution The increase in population and water pollution is a trend found in South Africa and is expected to grow (Tornqvist & Ofverstrom, 2008). In addition, this trend is likely to compromise the reliability of surface water in many regions around South Africa; even more so in regions where over population occurs such as in Johannesburg suburbs. The results of water pollution are linked with many water associated diseases that can be fatal to human beings (Anthony, 2007). 2.1.5 Ground water pollution According to Ewart (2011) water supply in Johannesburg is further impacted by the acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage is the result of mass exposure of mining by-products such as iron pyrite and heavy metals (Ewart, 2011). In addition, the exposure of the metals underground are contaminating underground water supplies, the reactions of metals with ground water will cause health risks when consumed for domestic purposes. If surface and ground water cannot be relied on, water sustainability in particular for residential households should be focused towards rainwater.
2.2 Impacts of Water Scarcity on Health 2.2.1 Infectious Diseases
A problem with water shortage is that people are forced to consume contaminated water. at present 1.1billion people have little choice but to use potentially contaminated and harmful sources of water [Centre for disease Control and Prevention, Coping with Water Scarcity, 2010]. The situation is worse in developing countries, South Africa, as we lack the resources to fix the problems associated with contamination. Common diseases in contaminated water include: 2.2.2.1 Diarrhoea Diarrhoea is caused by micro organisms living in untreated water. It cause a person to lose both water and electrolytes which leads to dehydration and sometimes death. It is the most important problem directly related to clean drinking water and sanitation. About 4 Billion cases around the world cause 1.8 milling deaths and 1.6 million are children under 5 years of age. 2.2.2.2 Arsenicosis Long- term exposure to low concentrations or Arsenic in water can lead to skin keratosis and cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder and kidney. Millions of people around the world are in danger of this as they are reliant and water contaminated with arsenic, sometimes from natural sources, and do not have safe clean drinking water. 2.2.2.3 Cholera This is an acute infection of the intestinal tract stemming from Cholera infected water. It causes severe attacks of diarrhoea and can quickly lead to dehydration and death. It is a worldwide problem but can be treated effectively with access to clean drinking water and sanitation techniques.
2.2.2.4 Flourosis This is a bone disease cause by ingestion of high concentrations of fluorine in untreated water. It is associated with genetic problems in children whose parents were exposed to it. Poor bone structure and weak spines are some of the symptoms. This in endemic in 25 countries around the world. 2.2.2.5 Intestinal Worm This is a parasitic worm which leads to diarrhoea, malnutrition, anaemia and retarded growth. It is spread by water running by infected soil. The soil becomes infected by human faeces from people who are already infected and so is spread very quickly. About 400 million school age children are infected by Roundworm, Hookworm and whipworm. 2.2.2.6 Guinea worm disease People contract this disease by drinking water which contains the worms larvae. It causes debilitating ulcers. About 50000 cases are reported in Africa annually. 2.2.2.7 Bilharzia This disease is caused by a parasitic worm which lives in certain fresh water snails, water itself (where it can live for up to 48Hours) and in human hosts. They cause infection of the bladder, lungs, kidney and intestine. About 200 million people are infected and around 20 million suffer severe consequences. 2.2.2.8 Trachoma This is an eye infection caused by unclean water and poor sanitation practices. About 6million people around the world are blinded by it. 2.2.2.9 Typhoid This is a fever associate with drinking contaminated water and causes dizziness, headaches and loss of appetite. About 12 million people are infected around there world 2.2.1.10 HIV/AIDS A hygienic environment, clean water and adequate sanitation are key factors in preventing opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS. AIDS infected people are more susceptible to water related diseases than health people and become sicker from the infections than people with a healthy immune system. As more people are forced to ingest water contaminated with many of the above disease, the infection rate with increase and spread and at more rapid rate than they already are. Almost all of the above mentioned diseases can be prevented and treated with access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities.
[UNICEF-Common water and sanitation-related Diseases, July 2010] References
DWAF, 2005. Ground Water Resource Assessment (GRA) phase 2 Kruger, AC, 2006. Observed Trends in Climate Change and Daily Precipitation Indices in Southern African Mike Lockwood, Solar Change and Climate, December 2009 Schulze, et al.2005. Climate Change and Water Resources in Southern African: Studies on Scenarios, Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation. WRC report 1430/1/05. Chapter 9, p152 United States Global Research Program, Climate Change Impacts Cambridge University Press, 2009 UNICEF. Common water and sanitation-related Diseases July 2010