Providing Fresh Water to Arid Regions in the World Essay

An investigation on the feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh wet to arid regions in the serviceman.Located in a semi-arid zone, southern Africa is one of the thirty driest countries in the world with limited wet supply resources, which are unevenly distributed. In this country, five million people of the tribe demand no access to safe drinking peeing and nearly fifteen million lack basal sanitation. The lack of drinking piss is a serious problem, since there are more than 1.6 million children low five years whom die every year worldwide.(the water project 2012). This report allow rate the feasibility of different techniques for providing drinkable water to South Africa. It will withal present different options fit for arid regions, looking to improve their water resources comparing them, and wherefore concluding by pointing out which is the nearly feasible and efficient technique.BACKGROUNDFrom apartheid to epidemics much(prenominal) as aids or t uberculosis, South Africa has experienced several(prenominal)(prenominal) disasters. Now it has to face a new crisis an abundance of drinkable water. In fact there is several reasons to explain this water crisis. Firstly, the climate change has affected the water supply as rain has lead increasingly scarce. For instance in Durban the dams are 20 per cent lower than at the start of 2010. (the water projet) Moreover, the problem of pollution rages in fact, mining plants in South Africa throw all their harmful and radioactive waste in African rivers. They dump highly toxic substances such as mercury, arsenic and atomic number 92 in the river, as it is toxic and reacts violently with water, once in it the water will be contaminated. The water will therefore have a highly acidic pH of 2.2 (pH level close to that of a lemon). For instance, Wonderfontein Spruit River, one of the largest rivers in South Africa is extremely polluted due to the 50 tons of uranium mining plants have dumped into the river. Likewise, Lake Robinson, a fishing lake, has today a uranium concentration of 16mg/L due to toxic waste (the guardian). consequently more than 1.6 million people die each year.(waterwise2012)DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS1. Setting up tidal power plants to purify water which could be installed in the Atlantic Ocean, located next to South Africa these tidal power plants derive their efficacy from the force of the tide. With this process, when the water is raised vital force is produced, the water could then be filtered through a filtering system (reverse osmosis). Through this, these plants will non only produce energy from a renewable energy source, but also filter the polluted water. (inventors.about.2012) 2. Excavation of a groundwater is some other resolvent to provide a fresh water supply. This resource, which makes up 15 per cent of the drinkable water in South Africa, represents an important source of water. It can provide water to more than 400 cities (water.dwa.go v). In over 90% of the country, it occurs in hard rocks, which have no pore spaces, and it is powered by the percolation of rainwater (Anthonyturton). This is acquired by drilling a bore, which is then fitted with a pipe into the aquifer, pumping the water to the surface (gwd, 2012). In addition, it is high quality water, as a layer of clay that acts as a filter protects it.3. touchstone and monitoring water qualityis also a great way to make sure the water in the country are usable. It helps limit and suppress the release of toxic and radioactive waste into the rivers of Africa. The presidency must put in place measures prohibiting any discharge that whitethorn contaminate the water. To achieve this, the political sympathies must find an alternative solution for the toxic waste dumped into the rivers such as collection shopping mall set up in order to collect the waste and possibly even recycle the waste. If this is done, then many of the rivers and lakes in South Africa will b e sightly again and could become a clean water resource once again.COMPARISON AND VIABILITY OF THE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS1. Setting up power plants is a nonher solution that could be used. The tidal power plants provide an almost inexhaustible meter of water, thus sufficient not only for the entire population but also for its agricultural and industrial sectors. Moreover, since these plants use renewable energy and non-polluting, it reduces the concentration of pollution added to the water. However, the implementation of these tidal power plants is expensive and therefore need investment from the giving medication and organizations, which might not be able to provide (Elmelech 2006). However, the invention of new nanotechnology can reduce expenditures and farm the installment. (Polyzou 2010) 2. Excavation of groundwater The groundwater does not pollute as easily as other water sources.Indeed, according to Carr and Neary it may take years to be able to pollute the reserves groundwat er. However, the ground has disadvantages as the amount of water, which is not renewable. In fact, the majority of groundwater has been charged over the previous periods, in different climates. As fogy fuels were created under conditions that have not existed for a long time, this freshwater fossil is considered non-renewable. Thus, once aquifers have declined they will cease to be a resource because they will not charge in the future. (groundwater.org) 3. Monitoring or beat water quality developenacted anti-pollution measures is a solution that doesnt require great expenditures. Indeed, water already exists and is eager not to be polluted, to be drunk. But in a developing country, analogous South Africa, the corruption, which is everywhere, prevents the compliance with these measures.CONLUSIONTo conclude, the water crisis, which rages in South Africa, is due to human activities. To cope, the country has several alternatives such as set up power plants, excavation of a groundwater or monitoring or measuring water quality. All these options, which have the same aim to provide fresh water, present advantages but also inconveniences. In one hand, the reserve of groundwater may be out of stock due to the growth of population and the insufficiency of water. However, on other hand, the installment of tidal power plants can be a surprisingly costly project. The best solution seems to implement protocol against pollution of fresh water, as its effective, practical, and not an expensive way.REFERENCES1. The water system Project.(2012).Water In Crisis Spotlight South Africa.online procurable at http//thewaterproject.org/water-in-crisis-south-africa.php Accessed 24 November 2012.2. Waterwise.(2012).Water Wise Causes of Water Pollution. online in stock(predicate) at Accessed 20 November 2012.3. gwd. (2012). Ground water division of GSSA. Online Available at http//www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/153332/UMCCC_Groundwater_Factsheet.pdf . Acce ssed 23 November 2012.4. Bellis.M. How Tidal Power Plants Work. online Available at Accessed 11 November 2012.5. Woodford.A and Rosewarne.P. (2012). HOW MUCH GROUNDWATER DOES SOUTH AFRICA HAVE?. Online Available at http//www.anthonyturton.com/admin/my_ documents/my_files/SRK_Woodfood_How_much_Groundwater_does_SA_have.pdf Accessed 16 November 2012.6. Polyzou.E. Willigness to pay for drinking water quality improvement and the the influence of social capitall. Online Available at http//www.liv.ac.uk/libraby/e-books.htlm Accessed 12 November 2012.7. Elimelech.M.(2005). The global challenge for adequate and safe water. Online Available at Accessed 10 November 2012.8. Carr,G. and Neary.J (2008).water quality for ecosystem and human health. Online Available at http//www.unep.org/gemswater/Portals/24154/publications/pdfs/water_quality_human_health.pdf Accessed 18 November 2012.9. Groundwater.org.what is the groundwater?. Online Available at http//www.groundwater.org/kc/whatis.html Accessed 17 November 2012.10. Dwa.gov. Background of the NORAD Assisted Programme on the Sustainable Development of Groundwater Sources under the Community Water and Sanitation Programme in South Africa. Online Available at http//www.dwa.gov.za/Groundwater/norad.aspx Accessed 17 November 2012.