Water Crisis

 

Water is Life

Water is an essential part of our everyday life. Though nearly 70% of the world is covered by water, only about 2.5% of it is freshwater. Even then, just 1% of the freshwater is easily accessible for human consumption, while the remaining majority is trapped in the form of ice caps or glaciers.

Water is a renewable but finite resource. While you may think the water you consume today is brand new, it has actually been around in one form or another since dinosaurs existed on earth, hundreds of millions of years ago! To learn more, please reference the Water Cycle Poster jointly produced by UN-Water and the USGS (United States Geological Survey).

When more people are competing for the same amount of resources, it naturally intensifies the competition. With the world population hitting 7 billion and keeps climbing, even our water continues to be recycled through the atmosphere and back into our cups, the number of people facing different degrees of water shortage will also increase.

Water Shortage in Hong Kong

With the growing population and rapid economic development in Hong Kong, even with a reasonable amount of rainfall, there were times when water demand exceeded its supply. The worst crisis occurred in 1963-64 when water was delivered only every 4 days for 4 hours each time. The government took different measures to conserve water and to acquire new source of supply, such as importing water from mainland China. The annual Dongjiang water supply has fed almost 70 - 80% of Hong Kong's total demand since the late 90s. In 2011, about 820 million cubic metres of water were transported to Hong Kong.

Growing up in Hong Kong, we seem to take water for granted when water flows at the flip of a switch. Although most of us might have experienced the inconveniences brought by occasional interruptions to water supply (e.g. water pipes maintenance), we are not aware of the possibility of future water shortages if we do not change our consumption habits. The amount of water people use is directly related to how accessible and how affordable it is. Affluent lifestyles make heavy demands on water.

The Hidden Water We Use

When asked how much water you use on a regular day, you will start counting the water you use for drinking, cleaning, bathing, or cooking, etc. However, if you think more carefully, you will realise that you are leaving more water footprint than you think!

Take a look at this water issue and learn about some of the water-related problems faced by the world today. Learn how you can make a difference and spread the word!