Indeed. Now read why and how our global water supplies are under pressure.Aussie wrote:Water is a finite resource, in the sense that no more is available now than there was millions of years ago. So, use of it will be under great pressure as populations expand and industry needs explode.
We all drink re-cycled water.......recycled and recycled and recycled, and....etc etc etc etc.
Water: Precious and finite resource
Improved farming techniques and greater water use efficiency are the keys to food security for a growing world population...
Looking 30 years into the future, FAO estimates that feeding the world's population will require 60% more food. Most of that increase will have to come from intensified agriculture, supported by irrigation. But water is already scarce in many countries, and competition for water from industrial and domestic users continues to grow. So where will we find the water to grow the crops that feed the world?
FAO says the answer lies in improving agricultural productivity and water use efficiency. By using better seeds, boosting soil fertility and implementing other improved agricultural techniques, farmers produce higher yields and obtain the greatest gains from precious water supplies. And, through more efficient irrigation methods and enhanced water harvesting, water is put to its best advantage. Thanks to these advances, it is possible to generate the additional food needed with only 14% more water. At the same time, however, efforts will also needed to provide users with fair and equitable access to water, and to address environmental concerns - irrigated agriculture yields two to three times as much as rainfed lands, but can also cause salt build-up in soil and groundwater. And the overuse of water in one area can deprive people of access in another.
Agriculture: primary user of water. Agriculture is by far the largest user of water, claiming almost 70% of the total amount withdrawn globally. It takes a remarkable amount of water to produce crops - one to three cubic metres to yield just one kilogram of rice, for example. As population grows, water needs for agriculture can only increase. But supplies are already limited. An FAO study of 93 developing countries indicates that a number of water-scarce nations are already withdrawing water supplies faster than they can be renewed. Ten countries are in a "critical state", meaning that agriculture accounts for more than 40% of total withdrawals of renewable water resources. Another eight are "water stressed" - satisfying the needs of agriculture requires them to withdraw more than 20% of that total.
Read more here: http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0210sp1.htm
