What’s Next For Water?
I was recently having a conversation with my dad about the state of the world and where we are headed in way of sources for energy and fresh water. We talked about everything from wind turbines to the different types of water treatment plants. We came to some startling realizations.
It’s alarming to realize that over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. Of that, 97% of it is too salty to drink, 2% is frozen in glaciers and ice caps, and only 1% is fresh water. 1%!!! This idea really draws big red flags for me. The world’s population is steadily increasing, including in areas where fresh water is relatively scarce. Water quality is also a serious concern with pollution, with an increase in waterborne diseases.
The fact of the matter is that we need water to sustain life. We need fresh water to raise crops and animals for food. My dad and I were specifically talking about this and trying to decide what was next for water. With water becoming more scarce, where or how, are we going to sustain life? Considering that 97% of the world’s water is salt water, the natural choice is going to our oceans and drawing out the salt, leaving us with fresh water.
Desalination plants pump salt water either from pipes dipping right into the ocean or from deep wells along the beaches or seafloors. For every 100 gallons of salt water that are pumped out, there are 15 to 50 gallons of fresh water created. Now, that doesn’t nearly sound very effective, however, I think, with the state that we are headed to, it’s definetly a start.
There are areas of the world that are already using desalination plants to supplement their water shortage. My dad and I have a feeling that these plants will be popping up more and more as time goes on and population goes up. But, then again, we could be wrong. Until then, we’ll continue our water conservation efforts and encourage others to do the same.