Major Causes of Water Scarcity

The major causes of water scarcity are given below:

Climate Change

Naturally, climate change is a major cause of water scarcity around the world. Due to deforestation, the temperature of the surrounding area increases. In sub-Saharan Africa, 80 percent of land is falling due to climate change-induced drought and the sea level rise is making fresh water sources salty. That means, that water is no longer suitable for human consumption.

Waste of Water

Water wastage is a major cause of water scarcity. For example, rooftop tanks overflowing, keeping the faucets open for no reason, etc. Apparently these may seem like small things, but when combined, they can cause major water wastage. According to the information provided by water management experts, 30-40% of water in a city is wasted in this way. Approximately 90,000 gallons of water are wasted worldwide in this way.

Lack of Information on Water

Lack of information on water also contributes to water scarcity. The UN water report failed to collect any data on water use from 3 billion people. And those people live in areas where the other factors on the list are also having an impact. That means, there remains a fear that these people are not drinking clean water. And when all the world’s rivers, lakes and usable water information is available, it will be easier to solve water problems.

Lack of Infrastructure

Many countries lack the necessary infrastructure to properly utilize water resources. This prevents clean water from reaching those who need it most. Granted, in many cases such infrastructure is costly to set up. But the need for water is more.

Natural Disaster

A UNICEF report shows that 75% of natural disasters from 2001 to 2018 were water-related. As there are droughts, there are also floods. Floods destroy or pollute many sources of clean water. This not only causes people to lack clean drinking water, but also increases the risk of various water-borne diseases such as diarrhea.

The Refugee Problem

This is also a cause of water scarcity. As refugees seek refuge in different parts of the world, the areas have become densely populated. As a result, there is an additional impact on the water source or infrastructure in these places. Many times people cross the border due to war or some other reason and take refuge in neighboring countries. It was found that the place where they have taken refuge, there is already a climate problem or water shortage.

Popular Increase

The another important cause of water scarcity is rapid population increase. Rapid population increases may cause water scarcity or water shortage. Due to increasing population, the demand of water is more than the supply of water.