Is water scarcity still an empty threat?

Water is, without a doubt, one of the most important natural resources that Mother Nature
has generously offered to mankind. It is considered the foundation of life of all living things,
humans as well as non-human creatures. However, these days, there has been an ongoing
discussion about whether or not to treat water scarcity as a real threat. Some people are
convinced that water amount is still sufficient to satisfy humans need. Nevertheless, recently, the
world has witnessed signs and researches that prove water shortage no longer remains an idle
threat, given its scarce quantity and how freshwater demands slowly exceed availability.
In order to realize how our water resource is the danger of running out, it is necessary to
understand the concept of water scarcity. Water scarcity (or water shortage) is, in general, is
either the lack of enough water or the lack of access to safe water. So far, two types of water
scarcity have been studied, which are economic scarcity and physical scarcity. As we use water
constantly in our daily lives, we might sometimes take this precious resource for granted. It is
hard to imagine water being something that we desire and have to strive for. But unfortunately, in
some developing countries, finding a reliable source of safe water is often time consuming and
expensive. This case is known as economic scarcity, in which water can be found yet it requires
more resources and financial background to do it. In addition to this, in other areas, the lack of
water is an even more profound problem. There simply isn't enough. That is known as physical
scarcity.
Even though this fact may surprise many people, it is worth stating from the outset that
freshwater is naturally rare. Two-thirds of the earths surface is covered by water, yet most of it is

salt water found in oceans. Freshwater comprises only 3 percent of the total, and unfortunately, a
large proportion of this is unavailable for use because it is frozen in ice caps and glaciers or
locked away as soil moisture. Besides the fact that how scarce our water resource is, it is also
divided differently throughout the globe. Surprisingly, while some people believe a lack of rain is
the culprit, water scarcity occurs even in areas where there is plenty of rainfall. In other words,
water shortage is inevitable and it can be a serious problem to any countries. According to World
Health Organization, almost one fifth of the worlds population (about 1.2 billion people) lives in
areas where the water is physically scarce.
In addition to the argument about whether or not water shortage is a real problem,
population growth and economic development are two of the main reasons for causing
freshwater run short. The global population is now growing at a rate of round 1.14% per year.
Needless to say, freshwater is indispensible to most of humans daily activities such as drinking,
bathing, cooking or cleaning their houses. The water resource is limited, yet the population keeps
growing, that means the amount of water available for each person will be reduced. Therefore, as
the world population is increasing, so is the continual demand on freshwater. Not only the
number of humankind is gradually rising but their way of using water is also unacceptable. Some
people waste water by keeping the taps running while brushing teeth or washing hands.
Throwing their trash to river is also one of the habits that directly and negatively affect water
quality. Obviously it is a human right to get access to freshwater, but who gives human the rights
to damage the worlds most precious resource and keep asking for more of it?
The idea of how water is running out bit by bit is also supported by the fact that economic
development has been taking place throughout the world. As a result, there is more and more

demand for agriculture, aquaculture and industry purpose. Vietnam would make an excellent
example to prove this point. My country is one of the richest agricultural regions in the world as
well as a top producer and consumer of rice. Yet agriculture has the largest burden on water
resources in Vietnam as 80% of total water production has been used to meet agriculture purpose
only. What is more, those economic activities also take parts in polluting the water resources. As
for our neighbor, China is regarded to be an outstanding country with growing industry, yet the
water is badly polluted. 60% of the countrys rivers suffer from pollution to such an extent that
they cannot be safely used as drinking water resource. What is the point of owing rapid economic
development while not being able to afford such a basic human right?
Despite how critical water scarcity has become, some people who still do not treat it as a
threat might argue that technology can address this problem by providing more water supply.
Desalination, for instance, is the process of turning salt water from the oceans into drinkable
water by removing some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water. This has been
proved to be effective yet it takes too much time and money to proceed. Only countries with
sufficient financial background can afford, while reality shows that most of the countries that
suffer from water shortage also have to deal with poverty. Therefore, desalination cannot be
depended on as an escape from water scarcity.
In conclusion, water resource is a valuable asset to mankind. Unfortunately, we are now
facing water shortage due to its naturally rare quantity as well as increasing demands from
population and economic development. If remained unsolved, it will cause damages that
humanity can never make up for. In the meantime, as governments and community organizations

make it a priority to deliver adequate supplies of quality water to people, each individual can join
hands by learning how to use conserve and protect water effectively in their daily lives.
(990 words)

Reference List
David Lewis Feldman (2012). Water. Polity Press
Sahisna Suwal.WATER IN CRISIS VIETNAM http://thewaterproject.org/water-incrisis-vietnam
Yong Jiang (June 17th, 2009). Chinas water scarcity. Journal of Environmental
Management, p 385-396