Water Scarcity Around The Globe New Hope, Pennsylvania — February 2021 Honors Environmental Science

The River, or Ganga, is a Ganges River Pollution trans-boundary river in Asia which How does the River in flows through and . Today, the river flows through well-populated regions of India, providing water to the India relate to Hinduism’ religion The 2,525 km river rises in the western millions of people living in these regions. The India is well-known for its exotic culture that Himalayas in the Indian state of river is also used for fishing, irrigation, and always reminds people of the beautiful , and flows south and east bathing, and it is worshiped in the Hindu traditional costume, various religious cultures, through the Gangetic Plain of North religion as the Mother Ganga. However, from amazing ancient buildings and so on. It is hard India into Bangladesh, where it empties Hindus’ perspective, science and religion seemed to be contradictory sometimes. “Ganga to believe that their water scarcity issue had into the . Because of its geographical benefits, more than 500 is our mother — drinking her water is our fate,” been so serious that the government should said Jairam Bhai, a 65-year-old food seller who million people depend on Ganges as take care of it as soon as possible, or it would held two small jugs as he waited to pour into their main source of water. threaten uncountable families. The river in the the river. “If you have faith, you are photo above is called the Ganges River. It had The Ganges River has become one of safe.“Water scarcity in India is expected to lost its original appearance and turned into a the planet’s most polluted rivers. It is worsen as the overall population is expected to brown river with garbage floating on it - full of urban , animal waste, increase to 1.6 billion by 2050,” according to The Water Project website. “To that end, global people even wade through the “garbage pesticides, fertilizers, industrial metals water scarcity is expected to become a leading water” or take a bath in it. and rivulets of ashes from cremated bodies. "The Ganges is living proof that cause of national political conflict in the future, Water scarcity in India has been getting worse and the prognosis for India is no different.” antibiotic-resistant bacteria are almost for the past few decades because of a variety Because of the deep-rooted religious belief and of reasons. Lack of governmental regulations everywhere. its wide influences, even though the technical and overpopulation contribute to the difficulties had been solved, it would be problems. Overpopulation is one of the most The river offers powerful insight into the extremely hard to let the citizens pay attention prevalence and spread of drug-resistant serious issues in India for a long period of to this serious water scarcity issue. infections, one of the world’s most pressing time. India is set to surpass as the public health problems.” Introduced by New world's most populous nation by as early as York times. 2024. What’s more, India’s largest cities have India is the home of several religions, but centralized sewage systems, complete with Hinduism is practiced by 80 percent of the underground pipes, pumping stations, and population. The water from the Ganges River treatment plants. These systems are expensive is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists. They believe that the water from to build and to operate, requiring this river can wash off sins and remove their uninterrupted power, skilled operators, and pain, and they even pour the ashes of the dead extensive maintenance and so on. As a result, into the river in order to protect the souls of most of the sewage would be directly dumped the dead, and accelerate Moksha (freedom By Maria Sun into rivers, lakes, and ponds. However, the from the endless cycle of transmigration into water problem is also intertwined with a state of bliss). Hindus believe drinking Indians’ religious beliefs. “We don’t follow water from the Ganges brings good luck, and bacteria, we don’t think about it,” said Jagdish that taking shower in the river or immersing their belongings brings purity. These Vaishnav, a 30-year-old English teacher who practices or rituals may help people feel said he swam and drank the water, where tons spiritually clean, but the pollution of the of raw sewage can be seen flowing into the water afflicts thousands with diarrhea, river. cholera, dysentery, and even typhoid each year. When people try to introduce the potential threat from a science perspective, the Hindus seem to mainly focus on the spiritual support from their mother river. “It cannot be said, it is to be felt,” said an Indian citizen who was interviewed by a VICE News reporter. ” No Downfall Brings Groundwater Depletion: The Story of Oasis Mobile California’s When surface water supplies are low, Home Park groundwater is drilled to make up the Downfall shortfall. A large aquifer under the A community of roughly 1,900 Central Valley is rapidly depleting residents, located on Torres In the last decade we have seen because they have been taking more Martinez Indigenous land, Oasis is the United States struggle to water out then they can put back in. home to low-income people. Many supply enough water to dry highly Once aquifers are depleted, the state will are farmworkers and undocumented. populated areas in the west like have no backup supplies to surface California. When there are more water. problems than solutions for water Many residents use bottled water for shortages, we start to see people Agriculture: Most of the water in drinking and cooking. But for struggle. From decreased shower California is used for farming, which, as showers, dishwashing and brushing time to increase in wildfires, many we mentioned already, produces and their teeth, they still depend on the California residents have been exports a huge amount of the country's tap. Residents usually leave the severely affected. If this goes on food. Farmers have been drilling shower with red eyes and clumps of with no real action taken, groundwater to compensate for surface hair falling out. California won’t be the only ones supply shortages. who will start to feel the effects of water scarcity. If you enjoy Figure 2: California Farm In August 2019, water monitoring detected arsenic in the park’s almonds, artichokes, olives, groundwater supply at nearly 10 pistachios, pomegranates, raisins times the legal limit. The or walnuts, be ready to say Environmental Protection Agency goodbye to all those exclusively cited, fined and ordered the park’s California grown foods. Not to owner to provide an alternative mention California grows up to supply of drinking water for 70% of the country’s greens. It Increased Population: When violating the Safe Drinking Water takes a lot of water to feed the California faced a major drought in the Act. whole country and a lot of the late 1970s, they were able to come back world. From taking five gallons of from it but back then they had fewer water to grow one singular walnut than 20 million people living in the In late May, the EPA declared the to 1,800 gallons of water for a state. Now nearly 40 million live there. water safe again but residents single pound of beef. This isn’t just remained suspicious of the tap a California issue, this is a global water. One resident said it issue. What are the Effects? sometimes came out “oily, like . butter.” After months of complaints, Damage: When Famers relentlessly the Leadership Counsel for Justice How Did This Happen? pump groundwater to irrigate their and Accountability, conducted its crops. The clays compress, roads, own tests and detected high levels of Climate Change: California bridges, and irrigation canals crack, arsenic in Oasis’s water, over eight relies heavily on snowpack each causing extensive and expensive times the legal limit. That prompted winter to resupply surface water damage. The research shows that in another EPA investigation. streams and lakes. Because of high some places the ground is sinking nearly temperatures these past winters, two inches each month. Today the arsenic problem due to climate change, snowpack continues. Even though California is at an all time low. Climate Workers Are Being Laid Off: law states that water is a right, the change has also caused increased Since farmers are unable to water their story of Oasis just shows how levels of water vapour in the crops due to the dry weather, some are difficult it is to ensure clean drinking atmosphere which makes water leaving acres of farmland unplanted and water for everyone. availability less predictable. This laborers are either losing their jobs or led to dry regions like Califnoria to facing a reduction in hours because of face more severe drought the drought. conditions than the usual geography would experience. Pollution: Excessive pumping also jeopardizes water quality, as pollutants Figure 1: Map of drought severity over accumulate in groundwater and the time clays release arsenic. It is estimated one

million Californians lack clean drinking water, generally those who live in impoverished rural communities with BY ELIZABETH SULLIVAN-CROWLEY small water systems and limited

budgets. Arizona in Crisis: Day Zero Not everything is bleak According to Leslie Meyers, the manager of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Is Approaching as Fast as the for Arizona residents, given office in Phoenix, “‘Farms use as much as State’s Population is that an agreement was reached 8 feet [of water] per acre per year’” and “‘Three homes might use 1 acre-foot.” Increasing between representatives of Arizona is allocated 2.8 million acre-feet different states and Native of water from the Colorado River every When you think of Arizona, American groups to sustain the year and 70% of that is used by farmers beautiful and stunning water levels of nearby Lake across the state. It is most certainly impossible to have both a booming landscapes, national parks, and Mead and prevent water population and rapidly expanding urban exotic wildlife come to mind. shortages throughout the river areas as well as a heavy dependence on With an incredibly low system. However, every agriculture that uses the vast majority of the state’s water allocation. Eventually the outside of a mitigation strategy comes with water supply will become unsustainable few urban areas, Arizona is not someone losing out. In this forcing the state’s residents to either move out or face the most severe water the place you would think case, around 500 local farmers restrictions with no running water. State suffers from an extraordinary were forced to have water cuts officials have continued to ignore the water scarcity crisis, let alone which is problematic because needs of farmers not only to produce food but to sustain their quality of life. suffers any water concerns at Arizona’s crop types take 70% Expenses for farming families in Arizona all. In fact, climate change has of the water allocation from the have increased more than 20% from resulted in snowpack from the Colorado River. Their way of 2012-17 yet the state ensures that cities and native tribes have priority access to Rocky Mountains shrinking to life has transformed into water over farmers. record lows in recent years, monitoring the water levels of resulting in the Colorado River Lake Mead to see how much downstream in Arizona water will eventually be becoming bone dry, affecting allocated to them. Local farmers and reservoirs communities especially in throughout the state. With little urban areas do not realize that Arizona’s above-ground freshwater in-state water supplies because cutting water to farmers resources only account for 18% of the state’s total water composition. With the of the state’s naturally arid decreases the crop yields that Colorado River becoming increasingly desert climate, the state is the state including urban unreliable and groundwater being rapidly currently facing a crisis unlike residents as well as residents depleted, the state is facing an impossible scenario (Arizona Water Facts). anything seen in modern nationwide consume. Farmers history. Per the National are displaying urgency by For the future, farmers must Drought Mitigation Center’s digging deeper for adapt or face permanent unemployment within the state’s borders. Given that the National Drought Monitor, groundwater, with aquifers major city of Phoenix seems to be 73% of the state was in an sinking further and further completely oblivious to the state’s dire exceptional drought the week below the surface. and imminent water shortages, with water availability (acre-feet) recently falling of 1/12, the worst possible type below the state’s population size, farmers of drought. Currently, state will be forced to adapt to not only a lack populations in the dry Western of water to support their seasonal crops but also a changing climate in other ways. states are skyrocketing, with The desert Southwest faces blistering Phoenix adding more residents extreme heat during summer months, and than any U.S. city in 2018. dozens upon dozens of more days per year up to 2100 are expected to see 100+ Complicating the situation even degree temperatures. Due to the need to further is the state’s rapid adapt to changing circumstances, a local transition from farming to a Arizona’s population farmer partnered with the University of Arizona to monitor the water levels of largely urban presence focused has increased steadily for different areas of crop fields to minimize around metropolitan Phoenix decades despite the state’s the water usage as well as create more equally steadily decreasing resistant crops that require little water to and the fact that agriculture be sustainable. actually uses the highest water supply, with 2018 amount of water, not urban marking the turning point in By Alexander Li areas. environmental sustainability (Arizona Water Facts). The ‘Water Mafia’ and But not all is bad.

Other Water Jordan has no rich oil or natural Challenges in Jordan gas deposits, which generally

means that operations like The water supply of Jordan, one desalination would be much too of the world’s driest countries, is expensive. But teamwork could steadily decreasing at an possibly help with that. In 2013, incredible rate. The United Jordan’s total water demand far outpaces it’s actual an agreement was signed water resources. /Jordinian Ministry of Water and Nations defines any nation with a Irrigation between Jordan and Israel to mean annual water supply below build a water desalination plant 500 cubic meters per resident to that would desalinate water from be experiencing ‘absolute the Red Sea, pump it to Jordan nonexistent. Climatologists can’t (where Israel would buy half of it scarcity.’ Jordan’s annual water predict rainfall or weather patterns in at cost), and send the excess supply is 150 cupid meters per order to help take advantage of brine into the Dead Sea. Although them unless they have data. The resident.While the country’s this could be beneficial, population approaches ten current monitoring is for the future scientists. environmentalists have pushed million, estimates show that back, fearing damage to Jordan’s water supply can only Part of the population boom is the organisms in the Red Sea and support two million people. sheer number of immigrants that potential disturbances to the Because of this predicted have come into Jordan. There are ecosystem of the Dead Sea. As population boom, the government currently 750,000 registered such, the project has been refugees in Jordan, and that number encouraged expansion of the postponed many times, but does not include those that have scientists believe it could be a agriculture sector, which overall gained citizenship or are temporary solution to stave off only exacerbated the water unregistered. According to Ali Jordan’s impending ‘day zero.’ problem. Approximately 45% of Subah, secretary-general of the water use is attributed to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, “All In addition, Jordan’s 2008-22 agricultural sector. the refugees came from an area that is rich with water, and they’re not national water strategy was used to rationing water.” So, in supposed to limit the amount of Much of Jordan’s water comes addition to the sheer number of free water given to farmers, stop from it’s aquifers, which in the excess people refugees comprise, over-pumping groundwater, and past would have been naturally they also use more water than the use the water more efficiently. Joran has achieved some of its recharged by the scarce but average Jordanian. goals, but the main one of existent rainfall. Climate change In addition to all of these other reducing over-pumping has made has made rainfall much less things, the infrastructure in Jordan is no progress as of yet. predictable, and so just as Jordan also at fault. As much as half of the continues to over pump it’s municipal water supply is lost into If Jordan can’t get its water act aquifers, the rate at which they the sand through leaky pipes. One together, it could perhaps face estimate states that the amount of war. Researchers have recharge could reduce by up to water lost each year could satisfy 37%. Jordan (and the Middle East the basic needs of 2.6 million speculated that an awful drought in general) is one of the regions people. In rural areas, the water sparked the Syrian civil war in most affected by climate change, supply is so inconsistent that many 2011 by creating crop failures and increasing the amount of people but we aren’t quite sure why. people rely on tankers of water controlled by tanker operators or the in cities. This fact is highlighted Marwan Al-Raggad, a Jordanian ‘water mafias.’ These people keep by the unrest the government is hydrogeologist says “Fifty years water prices high, no matter the currently facing in rural areas. If from now, we’ll be pumping from quality of the water. Because of this, Jordan continues on its current the bottom of the aquifer.” The murmurs of political unrest spread path, it will have devastating water shortage isn’t just throughout the community, and consequences. some threaten to take on the theoretical. It could come to pass government. This was only added to in the very near future with rumors of corruption in the Because Jordan realizes this, it is water sector. Up to two-thirds of By Adam Mohn now one of the most monitored Jordan’s boreholes are illegal, but water-scarce areas in the world. government connections keep While that is good for the future, it groups from facing punishment. doesn’t help that many previous records are unspecific or . The sources they were planning to Tokyo’s Water Shortage A system designed by local farmers take from were several eastern was the “water-sharing” method. This Threatens Thirsty Growing Japanese dams such as the Tone system was designed to aid in the River, the Sagami River, and the Population distribution of water, with a structure Arakawa River. According to Water is a critical foundation of life to be able to periodically use the Recurring Dry Spells Fuel Water and in Tokyo, Japan, a source for limited resources of water given to Worries in Tokyo by Kayla Ritter, 70% economic stability and growth. In them. The downside of the water of Tokyo’s water resources come from cities with well-known fish markets sharing method is the amount of nearby rivers, lakes, and melting that are a main source of income, the expensive equipment and labor force snowfall--the rest come from problem of water insecurity is needed to properly maintain it. groundwater. The Tokyo Metropolitan common. Droughts and bad water However, this method of irrigation and Government intended to solve the quality are the main reasons for water control is expensive to maintain over contamination with E.coli Tokyo, Japan's water shortages. With and would leave the company at risk Bacteria without causing flooding water insecurity related to these of losing even more profit. Proving infamous Olympic competition sites. shortages comes instability of that limited water causes economic However, due to COVID-19, the livelihood, which is “defined as havoc for both Tokyo city and large Olympics were not able to occur as adequate and sustainable access to corporations residing in it. planned. income and resources to meet basic What is the Tokyo Metropolitan needs, which include adequate Government looking forward to setting access to food, potable water, health in place in regards to water facilities, educational opportunities, conservation? Tokyo has already housing, time for community declared a construction proposal in a participation and social integration” district that has continually struggled (Frankenberger et all, The household with water poverty, Sumida. For the livelihood security concept.). With landmass of Sumida, a proposed plan overpopulation, an additional crisis of covering 90,000 square miles of faced by the Japanese population, a Ryogoku Kokugigan Arena with troubling dynamic is produced. well-constructed basins to collect The water shortage has impacts that rainwater. The water could be used for range from household cleanliness to nonpotable water tasks. Another idea agricultural worries. Having a that is still considered an extremely shortage of clean water resources controversial and unlikely long-term placed a huge strain on the once solution for Tokyo’s forgoing water comfortable life in the city of Tokyo. crisis, which is Cloud Seeding. The lack of water caused families to Essentially what Cloud seeding does lose the ability to properly cook meals, Heavily populated cities of Japan are is inducing rainfall. The factor that while additionally threatening the more susceptible to serious arid makes this route highly unreliable cleanliness of their homes. climates. This sets a massive strain would be the unknown amount of on the fishing industries in these busy water that could come from the cities, including Tokyo. Without water, ‘artificial’ showers. most of our industries would not be Tokyo’s water shortage has caused able to function because their wealth numerous threats to Japanese depends on it. There would no longer citizens whose livelihood depends on be enough potable water to be able to an efficient water supply. With the host as many tourists, that Tokyo expected fluctuation of precipitation, regularly receives. The top source that new tactics of water collection are in keeps Tokyo as wealthy as it is--the plans to be implemented by the immense amount of tourism that feeds government. This preparation should their economy. be the top priority to Tokyo’s Pie chart: showing the “troublesome” Tokyo has been suffering from Metropolitan government. If Tokyo issues that would be faced by a droughts every couple of years since continues down this path of typical family. Major problems with the early 1960s. Ever since the first inconsistent water supply and improper irrigation systems and the warnings, it became the new norm to unnecessary water spending, the inability to cook meals for family units. see less rainfall and snowfall in the future of this city is in grave jeopardy. The picture to the right of the chart: city. Additionally, the temperature This image is of people inspecting the would fluctuate frequently and create quality of the “water-sharing” perfect conditions for lengthy droughts By: Jojo Pineda-Angon equipment, along with an image of the and arid conditions with increased actual “water-sharing clock.” temperatures. There were attempts Multiple agricultural industries were made to combat the weather and also left with immense shortages in water shortage. In 2019, the local water forcing them to either reduce or Metropolitan government sought to completely halt production. Water is a raise water levels for Tokyo and other driving tool of agricultural adaptation surrounding areas in time for the 2019 by Japanese farmers. Olympics. A sinking city that’s running out of water Not only will they help modernize the city’s infrastructure, but they will also replenish the depleted groundwater in the Mexico

Valley Aquifer.

Improving the cities infrastructure will be great not just when it

comes to solving the water crisis, but also to help fix other

problems that are affecting the water supply. Currently, due to

the city’s out of date and aging infrastructure, 40% of the water is

lost when people simply try to get it, which is one of the biggest For years, Mexico City has been on the eve of “Day Zero'', but factors in the water shortage. But beyond that, it would help the that day may come sooner for some than it is for others. Mexico sewage systems, and with flood control. City is home to approximately 21 million people, or 20% of the total population of Mexico, and because of its large population, there is a constant, costly strain on the city's water supply. But even though the water is running low, many citizens are unaware of the impending crisis, despite all the damage it has already done. The biggest issue right now is not the water running low, but the problems that it causes. Heavy rains and frequent flash floods cause many problems including traffic stops, and the sewage system to overflow, along with sewage pipes bursting, filling houses with dirty water. Yet despite these heavy rains and frequent flash floods during the wet One of the largest issues with the sewage system, and the biggest season, which lasts from June to October every year, the cities factor into sewage pipes bursting during floods, is all the trash aquifers are not being replenished at the same rate at which they that gets into the system, clogging it up. These clogs require are being emptied. These aquifers, when filled, support the workers to get into the drainage system and clean it out. By ground above, but due to the water levels constantly being modernizing the system, both these problems could be solved, lowered, they are no longer able to do so, and so the city has leading to less damage during floods, and, most importantly, begun to sink at about 30cm, or 12in, annually. more accessible water for the entire city. Beyond that, these aquifers, along with the city’s other natural So, while Mexico City is on the eve of their “Day Zero,” new water supplies, are predicted to dry up completely in the next initiatives will hopefully push it back long enough for the city to thirty years if nothing is done to limit water usage. start thinking about ways to continue pushing it back and, eventually, prevent it indefinitely.

By: Addy Santianni

In fact, more and more people are now trying to find solutions to the problem, and ways to get these people cleaner, more accessible water, along with solving the water crisis the entirety of the city is facing. “Therefore, we need to revise [how people get water] and understand that access to water is a human right,” says Arnoldo Matus Kramer, the city’s chief resilience officer. One way this will be done is by modernizing the infrastructure of the city’s water supply, which the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) in Mexico mobilized quickly in the start of 2020 to do.