Water is an essential element for the survival of living organisms and, therefore, a vital natural resource. This characteristic sets water apart from other natural resources. In much of the world, we take the presence of water for granted. One thing we know for certain is that water covers three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, and the total volume of water on Earth is 1,400 million km³. Although a significant portion of our planet is covered by water, in most cases, water in its natural state is not suitable for use. From a human perspective, we can classify water into two groups: fresh water and saltwater.
Water use is concentrated on freshwater, but freshwater accounts for only 3% of the Earth’s total water supply. The remaining 97% is considered to consist of seawater and brackish water. Without desalination, brackish water is not suitable for industrial, agricultural, or domestic use. When we look at the Earth’s freshwater resources, approximately 70% is locked up in polar ice caps and glaciers, in ice and snow on mountain peaks, and in permafrost. These resources are located in inaccessible areas and cannot be used where they are found. This reduces the amount of usable surface and groundwater on Earth to 1% for our purposes. Of this 1%, 74% is used in agriculture, 15% for domestic purposes, and 11% for industrial use.
Water resources, which have played a crucial role in the development of civilizations throughout history, are still regarded today as the most important natural and strategic resources. Some 6,000 years ago in the Mesopotamian region, the Sumerians dug canals to channel the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers into their fields, thereby enabling humanity’s first transition to irrigated agriculture and ushering in the dawn of civilization.
Today, water is becoming increasingly important as an indispensable part of our lives and the global ecosystem. In addition to meeting basic human needs, water is the source of sustainable agriculture, energy production, industry, transportation, and tourism, as well as a driving force for development. Due to environmental pollution and population growth, water’s strategic importance—unprecedented in world history—will continue to rise throughout the 21st century.
Although the world’s population tripled in the 20th century, the use of water resources increased sixfold. This situation stems from the difficulties encountered in meeting the rapidly growing demand for water, as well as the expectation and concern that water shortages will escalate into water crises in many regions over the next 20–25 years. Current data indicate that this concern is not unfounded. As a result, more than one billion people worldwide currently lack access to clean drinking water, and more than two billion people do not have access to the water necessary for health and hygiene.
One of the global challenges is the unequal distribution of the Earth’s water resources over time and space. Regionally, North and South America benefit most from water, while North Africa and the Middle East have the least.
According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), people living in areas where the water supply is less than 1,700 m³ per person per year face difficulties in accessing water; regions with less than 1,000 m³ of freshwater per person per year face the risk of food production difficulties and hindered economic development; when the annual water supply per person falls below 500 m³, water scarcity sets in. At such low levels, it is difficult to meet even the most basic domestic needs. Furthermore, when classification is based on a general criterion, countries with an average annual water supply per capita of less than 1,000 m³ are considered “water-poor,” those with less than 2,000 m³ are considered “water-scarce,” and countries with an average annual per capita water supply of more than 8,000–10,000 m³ are considered “water-rich.”
Turkey’s annual per capita available water potential is approximately 1,4540 m³. While Turkey is not a water-rich country, it is also not a water-scarce one. On the contrary, unless the necessary measures are taken, it is a country likely to face water problems in the near future. The main reasons for this are rapid population growth and migration, the irresponsible use and pollution of resources, the uneven regional distribution of precipitation and resources, and the lack of long-term planning for water resources based on a holistic, watershed-based approach.
Globally, it is essential to raise awareness about the need to move away from practices that disrupt the natural balance and pollute water, particularly in order to develop water resources. Current water challenges will bring this issue more prominently to the global agenda in the near future. Therefore, it will be crucial to move toward a future with greater water sensitivity—similar to the growing environmental awareness—and more effective oversight, while preserving natural balance and water quality and ensuring greater water potential. In parallel with this conservation awareness, efforts must be made at the national, regional, and global levels to ensure socio-economic and socio-cultural development aimed at the more efficient use of water.
Sources:
Journal of Chemical Engineering, Issue 171,
www.wwf.org.tr,
Water Handbook, TMMO Chamber of Chemical Engineers,
Cemkimsan Chemistry Study Notes.