LO: To understand the consequences and risks associated with water insecurity.

Why are there people

suffering around the world?
1 million people are still without access
to clean water around the world. Many of
these people line in 30 or so developing
countries where the root cause is
poverty; others live in areas of physical
scarcity where only technology and
capital investment can overcome the
shortage or unreliability of supply.

The problem of water insecurity is therefore

related to three major factors
Availability - having not only a water supply
but a water distribution network.
Access - freedom to use, or income to buy,
water in a particular location.
Useage - entitlement to, and understanding of
water use and health issues.
 Water poverty

In 2002, the Centre for

Ecology and Hydrology
published the first water
poverty index (WPI). It is an
assessment of the degree of
water shortage and the
subsequent water insecurity
problems. Scores can
generally be correlated with
GNP per capita, with Canada
having the highest score of
78 and Ethiopia

1) Cut out the water poverty graph and stick it into your book
2) Annotate the variable to show what they mean
3) Explain what the index is showing for the USA.
 Homework 1

Use the following water poverty index data to produce your own radar graph ( all data should
be on one graph).

1) Describe the
variations in the
WPI for these
countries t
different levels of
development.
2) Suggest physical
and human
reasons for the
WPI variations
shown
Global water scarcity

What is this map showing?

1) Annotate your map to

show the reasons for
their type/level of
water scarcity. Don’t
forget the water
secure areas too.

Challenge: Explain the

reasons why they face that
level of scarcity. Think
about physical/economic.
Can you give specific
examples?
 Water price

The price paid for water has an impact on the level of water scarcity.

I would expect a strong I would expect a negative

correlation between income correlation between income
and the price paid for water and the price paid for water
 Water price

It is actually very complex. The price of water is

determined by different factors Use the cards to make notes on how the price
1) The physical cost of obtaining the supply of water is determined,
2) The degree of demand for the water
3) Infrastructure
4) Who supplies the water
 Privatisation of water

Neo Liberal view 1970s and 1980s - Water

should be privatised and people should pay
for what it cost to capture, treat and provide
it. With privatisation there is a view that
profit could and should be made.

The World Bank in tandem with with the IMF

developed Structural Adjustment Programmes
which claimed it would help developing countries
to overcome debt issues. As part of this the
privatisation of utilities, including water was seen
as essential.

If conditions were tough especially physically

what would happen to the price of the water?
 Privatisation of water - Bolivia
Watch the clip and read through the
article. Make notes on the following:

What was Bolivia like and why did

privatisation of many services and
utilities occur?

Who privatised the water in Bolivia?

What impact did the privatisation have

on the people of Bolivia?

What happened as a result of the

privatisation, how did the people
react?
 Water supply and human well being

There is a major link between water supply and

human well being.

Read the news article on water borne

diseases. Use this along with pages 58 -59
and make notes on how water supply can
affect human well being.
 Complete the following exam question
Homework 2
 Water and economic development

Water plays a major role in the economic development of a nation.

Agricultural Irrigation, Green revolution, dietary revolution,

Industry Heavy industry, rapid industrialisation, Biofuels

Use pages 55 - 57 to make notes on the issues relating to water and economic
development. Make use of the key terms that are above, you need to cover these
factors.
The Aral sea - an example of using water to economically develop with
catastrophic consequences.
The Aral sea - an example of using water to economically develop with
catastrophic consequences.
 The Aral sea - an example of using water to economically develop with
catastrophic consequences.
Homework 3
Watch the clip, read the Geo factsheet on the
Aral Sea and carry out own research

Write notes under each of the following

headings.

What has led to the shrinking of the Aral Sea?

What were the environmental effects caused

by the shrinking of the sea?

What economic problems were caused by the

shrinking of the sea?

Complete the conflict matrix to show the

views of different stakeholders. Choose three
different pairs that disagree with each other
and explain why they disagree with each
other.