elt h etacs NAC TN eile: ‘why some-ereash ee at uring the hot dry summer of 2018, the number of people visiting Ladybower reservoir in the Peak District National Park rose considerably. The reason was that the reservoir had shrunk alarmingly and as the water receded the remains of the small vilage of Derwent which had been flooded when the waters rose to fil the reservoir in 1945~ 47, could be seen again. Some of the Visitors that summer were those whose familias had lved in these very houses before the reservoir was built. This shrinkage highlights the vulnerability of the UK's water supply. Water security The UK receives an average annual rainfall total of around 885 mm, but the unequal distrioution of this rainfall car lead to a cisis over water security in some regions. In the UK's northwest, 2 high average rainfall anc law population ‘means that overall water use is low and therefore supply exceeds demend, so there is water security. However, in the southeast the opposite is true — lower average rainfall and a higher population means that demand can often outstrip supply, creating a water deficit and a hreat of water insecurity (see figures con back page). Water use in the UK has risen by 70% in the last 40 years to an average of 141 litres per person. In addition, 311 billion litres are lost each day through leakages, and more is used by ‘armers and by industry. With climate change predictions promising a rise in temperature, there is now a greater ‘need than ever for finding ways to keep water resources stable, Water transfer Water transfer schemes are one of the most expensive but effecive strategie to keep water supply in balance, These schemes are large-scale engineering projects that transfer water from a store, usually a lake or reservoir, via a system of rivers or pipes to an area of water shortage. The Elan Valley in mid-Wales has an average rainfall of 1,830 mm, Water from the area's six reservoirs travels to Bitmingham along the Elan aqueduct, a transfer syster that works without pumping stations due to a difference in gradient. t was built to support industrial growth in Birmingham and provide a reliable supply of dean water ‘0 help reduce the risk of disease. it row supplies Birmingham with a total (of 160 milion litres of water every day. Wideworld September 2019Go to wrwhoddereducation coukiwideworldextras for homework on this topic The Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs in Derbyshire supply Derby, Leicester and Nottingham inthe same way. ‘These schemes have proved very successful. The flow of water is precisely controlled in response to ‘weather pattemns and the reservoirs have proved to be a leisure attraction for recreation and tourism, providing employment and income. However, these schemes are not without their costs and compromises. They are expensive to build. Kielder Water in Northumberland supplies the industrial northeast with water. It cost £170 milion to build in the 1970s, ‘with maintenance requiring more investment each year. As we have seen at Ladybower,vilages are drowned and farmland lost in the creation of suich schemes, wn hoddereducationco.uk/widewerld ‘After the 2018 summer heatwave, the remains of Derwent village were visible at Ladybower reservair Bers Reservoir in Elan Valley, Powys A sustainable future? While there is an obvious need to conserve water, with rising water demands and increasingly warm and dry summers ahead due to Global climate change, it may be that a combination of strategies is needed, Efforts could be made to recycle water that has already been used, leakages could be prevented or repaited more efficienty, and educating the public to be more aware of water wastage could help prevent water Joss from households. In addition, ‘management measures could be improved to ensure that waste from industry, mining and fracking does not enter our waterways. Water insecurity a state of not having enough water to ‘meet everyone's needs, including sanitation, drinking, agriculture and Industry. Water security A state of having enough water forall needs. ‘A network of transfer schemes has been suggested, taking water from the north and west tothe south and east One major scheme proposed is to bring water from the vast Kielder reservoir to the southeast and London. At present the cost of such schemes is prohibitive A combination ofthese initiatives, in adkition to global efforts to reduce climate change, may be what fs needed. 21changing places 6 Figure + Water transfer schemes t in England and Wales, 3 including the line of the Wewcgstle Proposed water transfer uponyne scheme rom the Kielder reservoir, via Newark, to thes, * supply Greater London BALDER BADER yidatesborough transfer schemes |__| s=~_— The distribution of rainfall in the UK PN esenvorss mf Poctianow is unequal, as is the distribution of Pipeline population. As the requirements for DD GRouP \ WASHBURN VALLEY GROUP Newark water change and the population Deriy®™ increases, it is necessary to consider ? Auman Aa ‘ways of transferring water from / o Bimingham areas of surplus to areas ELAN ge ae * if deficit. nm GROUP’ T of deficit 7 Northampton | ¢ —@ | GRAFHAM uuwreseewvors WATER f me ABBERTON i veous an ~_8Cardi WATER Qaniin Nore Under 600 mm cp © eee 600-750 mm London’ (B 750-1,500 mm +2 wer wooo ti 1,500 mm Southampton \ a. @. ad Neweastie co Aupen Tyne j ~F ~ 9 * ¢ Piymouth \ Southeose| London Northwest East ‘West Midlands Southwest Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands ‘Wales Northeast Aberystuyth Peni Figure 2 Average precipitation in é 3 to England and Wales. The northwest has Number of inhabitants (millions) the highest average rainfall but the tion density. The region _Figure3_ Population in England and Wales. The southeast has the lowest average rainfall its water supply but the highest population —its wator supply s prone to being insecure Get fr his f Wi , with fi fi F Ton oe tsiee7030 . 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