The Water Crisis - Questions

Greater efficiency in water use is needed to meet the growing demands of a changing world 1. Which word means: using things without waste? __________ 2. Which word means things asked for or needed? __________ 3. T, F or NG? Peoples water usage has been increasing? __________ 4. People of which country mentioned use most water? __________ 5. People of which country mentioned use least water? __________ 6. What two things will make water usage go up? _______________ _______________

A Water usage per person has been on an upward trend for many years. As countries and their citizens become richer, the amount of water they use quickly increases. Annual water usage in the USA, for example, is about 1,700 cubic metres per person, four times the level in China and fifty times the level in Ethiopia. In the 21st century, the world's limited supply of renewable fresh water is having to meet the demands of both a larger total population and increased individual consumption. The only ways to resolve this problem in the longer term are to charge more and to save more.

7. What two things must be done to solve the problem? _______________ _______________

B About 70% of the world's fresh water is used on farms, so improvements in irrigation could be the most effective way of saving water. At present, up to 50% of water used in agriculture is wasted. Simple changes could improve the rate substantially, but, unfortunately, this is difficult to do in developing countries due to a lack of money and an untrained workforce. C. After agriculture, industry is the second biggest user of water. In monetary terms, it is sixty times more productive than agriculture. However, some industrial processes use vast amounts of water. For example, production of 1 kg of aluminium might require 1,500 litres, that's 1,500 kg of water. Paper production uses a great deal of water too. Though new processes have greatly reduced the amount of water used, a lot

8. T, F, NG? Most fresh water is used for agriculture. __________ 9. T,F,NG? Half of the water used on farms is wasted. __________ 10. If they had more __________ and educated __________ poor countries could save lots of water. 11. Which word means making things. __________ 12. Which word means growing things. __________ 13. Which uses the most water? __________ 14. Is production of aluminium an industrial process or an agricultural process? __________

more reductions need to be made. D In rich countries, water usage has gradually been slowed down by three things: use of modern technology, recycling and by increasing the price of water. In the USA, for example, while industrial production has risen four times since 1950, water consumption has actually fallen by more than a third. Japan has also improved its use of water in manufacturing processes. Japanese industry now recycles more than 75% of the water it uses. In contrast, industrial water consumption in developing countries is continuing to increase sharply . With domestic and agricultural demands also increasing in these countries, it is very difficult for water supply systems to keep up. F Another way to cut back on water consumption is simply to prevent leaks and other wastage. In some of the biggest cities of the Third World, more than half of the water entering the system is lost through leaks in pipes, dripping taps and broken installations. Even in the UK, losses were estimated at 25% in the early 1990s because of the failure to maintain the national water system, which in many parts of the country is over 150 years old and badly in need of repair. In addition, millions of tons of water are simply flushed away into rivers or the sea. The modern approach is to see used water as a resource which can be put to good use - either in irrigation for farms or, after careful treatment, as recycled water for use in the home. Singapore, for instance, has spent heavily on used water treatment. Treated, recycled water accounts for most farm irrigation there and is even recycled back into domestic systems for drinking. 15. Where has water usage actually fallen? __________ 16. Which word means using more than once. __________ 17. Rich countries have reduced water usage by using new technology, making people _________ more money, and __________ water.

18. Which word means places where water can escape from pipes etc. __________ 19. T,F,NG: The UK is Britain. __________ 20. T, F, NG: In Britain just 20 years ago they lost about a quarter of water through leaks etc! __________ 21. T,F,NG? The UK has a good modern water system. __________ 22. In which country are they really good at recycling water? __________ 23. Which word means sending water to land to help crops grow. __________

G Another way of conserving water resources involves better management of the

24. Which word means all the things around us,

environment generally. Interference with the ecosystem can have a severe effect on both local rainfall patterns and water run-off. Forest clearings associated with India's Kabini dam project reduced local rainfall by 25%. This reduction in rainfall has been seen in several other parts of the world where large-scale deforestation has taken place. This is because grass and trees act as a sponge which absorbs rainfall and feeds it slowly into the ground. Removal of the trees means that rainfall runs off the top of the land, increasing erosion instead of being gradually fed into the soil to renew ground water. H Global warming is bound to affect rainfall patterns, though there is considerable disagreement about its precise effects. But it is likely that, as sea levels rise, countries in lowlying coastal areas will be affected as seawater mixes with ground water. Other countries will see changes in rainfall which could have a major impact on agriculture. Some countries will benefit and others will suffer. In broad terms, it is thought that rainfall zones will move north, meaning even less rain will fall in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

especially the natural things. __________ T,F,NG? Cutting down trees can make it rain less. __________ 25. What two things mentioned help protect water supplies? __________ __________

26. What phrase means average temperatures going up? __________ __________ 27. T,F,NG? Some countries might get salt water in their fresh water? 28. T,F,NG. All countries will suffer because of rising temperatures. 29. In which direction will the rain go? __________ 30. How many regions mentioned will get less rain?