A recent NASA study has found that 21 of the 37 largest aquifers in the world are being depleted much faster than they can be refilled. This is worrying, since most of the water we use for consumption and growing crops comes from aquifers. We're already seeing a rise in food prices due to the drought in California. Further water shortages could spell disaster for our food system.
Global Water Crisis
But, what's more worrying is that the situation is likely to get worse. As many regions are having more frequent and severe droughts, they draw more from the aquifers, depleting the supply at a faster rate.
The depletion of water around the world, while alarming, shouldn't come as any surprise. Every Little Drop, an organization devoted to water conservation, said that between 1900 and 2000, worldwide water use increased six-fold, and the UN expects the situation to get “considerably worse” by 2030.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch reports that water scarcity is our biggest problem worldwide.
At present, droughts are happening on every single continent in the world, save Antarctica, reports the Global Drought Information System. In the US, drought-stricken California is currently drawing 60% of its water from aquifers.
What are you doing to prepare for water shortages? Let us know in the comments.
Drought is more difficult to detect and it can last longer compared to other weather occurrences. However, it does not mean you cannot plan for a water crisis and take the appropriate measures to help protect yourself from the effects of shortage. That is right, this weather-related phenomena is something you can prepare for.
Knowing where your supply comes from can help you figure out what you can do to mitigate the impact of water crisis. For example, the water supply may be from groundwater or from surface water such as river.
There are many ways to prepare yourself for water crisis, and these include the following:
- Dig ponds or reservoirs to collect water in the event that it does rain.
- Have buried cisterns to overcome the effects of evaporation that go with drought situations.
- Collect 55-gallon drums to store treated water, which are viable when your tap runs dry or the water source gets contaminated.
- Prioritize the water usage in your home like drinking, bathing and food preparation. These are more essential than watering the lawn.
- Find leaks in your property and fix them. Leaky water pipes can easily waste huge amounts of water.
The key to dealing with a water crisis always has been storage. Storing water can make a difference between a good harvest and crop failure, as well as life and death.
