Water Under Threat

Water has been described as 'the oil of the 21st century' with rapid population growth, climate change and pollution conspiring to make it the resource over which wars may be fought in years to come. But does water have a price? Is it a right or a need? Increasingly, water is viewed as a commodity whose function is to generate profits. In this book, Larbi Bouguerra argues that instead we should view it as a common good of humanity. Water has an exceptional cross-cultural symbolic value and its use raises enormous questions about our lifestyle, our ethics and our relationship to nature. Bouguerra makes a powerful case for a society that is more economical with water and manages it openly and democratically, as a global resource.

Access to clean, fresh water is vital for all humans, but in many parts of the world, getting water is not as simple as turning on the tap. Contaminated water, especially in impoverished areas, kills millions of people a year, while warming oceans, Arctic melt, and disappearing rainforests are a threat to the environment. This book shows how humans use water and how we can help preserve it in the wake of these threats. Statistics and fact boxes help readers understand various issues related to water, from drought and flooding to desalination and pollution.

Population growth, urbanisation and economic growth in general, all exert pressure on water resources through increased demand and pollution. Water is essential for life and it's supply for safe drinking water, food, health and the environment needs to be secured. This 57 page summary with CD-ROM provides the status of water resources across the continents of Africa and Asia for major rivers, lakes and groundwater basins. The joint Africa-Asia study is intended for managers, planners and other key decision-makers in water resources management and governments.

This assessment of threats to freshwater availability in Canada is presented against the backdrop of a limited natural resource, not always located in the right place and increasingly under stress from human & other influences. After a brief overview of the history of water management & use in Canada, each chapter details the current status, trends, knowledge, and program & information needs for each threat. The first six chapters cover threats from water allocation, diversion, & export; dams, reservoirs, & flow regulation; droughts & floods; municipal water supply & urban development; and manufacturing & thermal energy demands. The next three review threats from land use practices & changes in agriculture, forestry, mining, and petroleum production. The following five chapters review threats resulting from climate variability & change in groundwater resources, rivers & streams, lakes & reservoirs, wetlands, and the cryosphere. The final chapter discusses integrated & cumulative threats to water availability.

This Book includes selected papers that has been published in the Water journal Special Issue (SI) on Water Supply and Water Scarcity. Moreover, an overview of the SI is included. The papers selected for publication in the SI include review and research papers on water history, on water management issues under water scarcity regimes, on rainwater harvesting, on water quality and degradation, and on climatic variability impacts on water resources. Overall, the issue identify and highlight the main challenges in water sector, and particularly in management and protection of water resources and in use of alternative (non-conventional) water resources, especially in areas with demographic change and climate vulnerability in order to achieve sustainable and secure water supply. Furthermore, general guidelines and possible solutions for an improved and sophisticated water management system are proposed and discussed, such as the adoption of advanced technological solutions and practices that improve water-use efficiency and the use of alternative water resources, to address the growing environmental and health issues and to reduce the emerging conflicts among water users.

"The report, 'Make It Safe: Canada's Obligation to End the First Nations Water Crisis,' documents the impacts of serious and prolonged drinking water and sanitation problems for thousands of indigenous people--known as "First Nations"--living on reserves. It assesses why there are problems with safe water and sanitation on reserves, including a lack of binding water quality regulations, erratic and insufficient funding, faulty or sub-standard infrastructure, and degraded source waters. The federal government's own audits over two decades show a pattern of overpromising and underperforming on water and sanitation for reserves"--Publisher's description.

This work provides those involved in water purification research and administration with a comprehensive resource of methods for analyzing water to assure its safety from contaminants, both natural and human caused. The book first provides an overview of major water-related issues in developing and developed countries, followed by a review of issues of sampling for water analysis, regulatory considerations and forensics in water quality and purity investigations. The subsequent chapters cover microbial as well chemical contaminations from inorganic compounds, radionuclides, volatile and semi-volatile compounds, disinfectants, herbicides, and pharmaceuticals, including endocrine disruptors, as well as potential terrorist-related contamination. The last chapter describes the Grainger prize-winning filter that can remove arsenic from water sources and sufficiently protect the health of a large number of people. - Covers the scope of water contamination problems on a worldwide scale - Provides a rich source of methods for analyzing water to assure its safety from natural and deliberate contaminants - Describes the filter that won the $1 million Grainger prize and thereby highlighting an important approach to remediation

As the sustainability of our natural resources is increasingly questioned, Canadians remain stubbornly convinced of the unassailability of our water. Mounting evidence suggests, however, that Canadian water is under threat. Eau Canada assembles the country's top water experts to discuss our most pressing water issues. Perspectives from a broad range of thinkers � geographers, environmental lawyers, former government officials, aquatic and political scientists, and economists � reflect the diversity of concerns in water management. Arguing that weak governance is at the heart of Canada's water problems, this timely book identifies our key failings, explores debates over jurisdiction, transboundary waters, exports, and privatization, and maps out solutions for protecting our most important resource.