WATER CRISES

AROUND THE
WORLD AND
REPERCUSSION
ON PAKISTAN
SEQUENCE
 Global Water Crisis
 Availability of Water
 Water Consumption
 Pollution and Disease
 Key Facts
 Reasons of War
 Effects on Pakistan
 Baglihar Dam Project
 Principles to deal with water
 Technical Solution
 Questions
 GLOBAL WATER CRISIS
 21st Century brings the global
water crisis
 It is estimated that by the year
2025 the global water demand for
freshwater will exceed the supply
 More than one-third of the world's
population experiences serious
water problems

(UNESCO Sources No 84)

 Already one person in
five has no access to
safe drinking water

United Nations (UN) Assessment of Freshwater Resources

AVAILABILITY OF WATER
 Water covers about two-thirds of the
Earth
 The amount of fresh water is a tiny
fraction of the total amount
 Majority of the water is in the oceans
 Supply of fresh water is limited
 70 percent of the water is used for
agriculture
 Pumping groundwater is like a bank
account
Topic One
 Fresh water resources around the
world have been overused,
polluted, fought over and
squandered with little regard for
human health and ecological
consequences.
 Polluted storm water is a major
contributor to the degradation of
fresh water.
 AVAILABILITY OF FRESH WATER

 One-third of the world

experience moderate to high
water stress
 Moderate water stress levels
are when water consumption
exceeds supply by 10 per cent
 The problems are most severe
in Africa and West Asia
United Nations (UN) Assessment of Freshwater Resources
 Iceland

Suriname

UAE

Egypt
Amount of Fresh Water
Asia exhibits the largest runoff volumes and, therefore,
the highest levels of sediment discharge
WATER CONSUMPTION
 In rich countries:
 850 and 1,000 liters of water each

day
 In poor areas:
 20 and 70 liters each per day.

 Where there are no taps at all:

 2 and 5 liters

 Close to the absolute biological

minimum to stay alive
 3900

650
POLLUTION AND DISEASE
 As important as quantity is quality
 With pollution increasing, the
amount of water declines
 More than five million people die
from waterborne diseases each
year
 10 times the number killed in wars
around the globe
 HARD FACTS
 Demand for water has grown
 Flush of toilet uses the water - the
person in the developing world uses
for a whole day's
 1990 - 1995, the consumption of
fresh water rose six fold
 Water is the root of economy of any
country
 Economy of Countries, which is
based on agriculture will stand
nowhere
HARD FACTS
 Today’s rich countries will become
poor, if they have no water
 More than 2.2 million people die each
year from diseases associated with
poor water
 About 70 percent of all available fresh
water is used for agriculture
 Water will soon be moved around the
world as oil is now
 Current projections are that two-thirds
of countries will face severe water
strain by 2025
REASONS OF WAR
 “The wars of the next century
will be about water.”
By:
Ismail Serageldin
Vice-president
World Bank
REASONS OF WAR
 When the social, political and economic
impacts of water - water-related conflicts
springing up around the globe
 For example:
 Malaysia threatened to cut off supply
when Singapore criticized its government
policies
 Relations between Botswana and Namibia
have been severely strained – When
Namibian planned to construct a pipeline
to divert water
 The late King Hussein of Jordan - said the
only thing he would go to war with Israel is
water
EFFECTS ON PAKISTAN
 Water is one resource that can not be
generated
 Availibility of water for each Pakistani
In 1951 was 5300 cu/m which has
now reduced to 1000 cu/m
 The threshold of water scarcity is
1,000 cu/m per capita
 The economy of Pakistan depends on
Agriculture
 The economy of Pakistan will crumble
due to shortage of water

Ministry of Environment, Pakistan

EFFECTS ON ECONOMY
 All arab countries are suffering with
fresh water supply
 Fresh water is becoming costly
everyday
 Supply of water is directly effecting
their economy
 They will not be able to support
Pakistan due to their own reducing
economy
 Jordan
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
UEA
BAGLIHAR DAM PROJECT
 Indus Water accord of 1960
 Pakistan has exclusive right over
the Indus, Jehlum and Chenab
 Construction of Baglihar dam in
occupied Kashmir
 470 feet, 450 MW project on the
Chenab
 Design affecting the flow of water
PRINCIPLES TO PROTECT WATER
 Water belongs to the earth and
its entire species
 Water should be left where it is
wherever possible
 Water must be conserved for all
time
 Polluted water must be
reclaimed
 Water is best protected in natural
watersheds
PRINCIPLES TO PROTECT WATER
 Water is a public trust, to be
guarded at all levels
 An adequate supply of clean
water is a basic human right
 The best advocates for water
are local communities
 The public must participate as
an equal partner
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS
 New technology can help by:
 Cleaning up pollution and so making more
water useable
 In agriculture, Drought resistant plants can
also help
 Treating waste water so that it can be
used for agriculture purposes
 Desalinisation makes sea water available
 While dams and other large-scale
schemes play a big role worldwide
QUESTIONS