“Water is life”, this popular expression has never resonated as loudly as it does today. Of Many specialists continue to sound the alarm about the scarcity of water resources in the four corners of the globe.
Alarming figures
In August 2023, the NGO World Resources Institute (WRI) delivered a rapport (Aqueduct) sobering.
Indeed, according to the organization, a quarter of the world‘s population faces very high water stress every year.
The report adds that around 4 billion people are impacted at least one month a year by this water stress. The WRI has targeted 25 countries that are in a critical situation. In this list, we find both so-called “developed” countries and so-called “third world” countries.
Faced with the dark picture drawn up by the World Institute Resources, the world must react to preserve life on Earth.
There is a close correlation between rising temperatures, drought, high demographics and increased water stress. At the start of the 2020s, we passed the 8 billion human mark.
Water resources, for their part, did not experience any variation. As a result, groundwater is under incredible pressure and the process of renewing this precious resource is disrupted.
According to the WRI report, the 25 countries currently located in the red zone consume 80% of their annual renewable water resources.
A global water crisis would be extremely problematic for the survival of terrestrial species. In addition, melting ice does not help matters, because it disrupts the water cycle, which has an impact on water reserves.
The facts don’t lie
Antarctica, considered the planet’s refrigerator, may no longer be able to perform its function due to global warming. According to sources from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Antarctica’s ice is melting at a dizzying rate, something not seen in many decades.
Faced with the urgency of the situation, experts are calling for the energy transition process to be accelerated and the consumption of fossil fuels to be drastically reduced.
In the past, the world has experienced periods of climatic upheaval with their corollary consequences. However, for some researchers, the Earth is only going through a cycle and according to them, there is no reason to worry more than that.
The media hype around the climate issue has contributed to creating an anxiety-provoking environment among public opinion, but that does not mean the situation should be minimized.
My goal is not to present myself as an alarmist of the “end of the world theorist” type. I live in a part of the world where I witness first-hand the impact of climate change on the lives of communities.
My intention is to expose real facts from reliable sources in order to propose a sum of solutions to face a serious problem (even if everyone does not see it from the same angle).
Warming of the Arctic Ocean and melting sea ice have been falsely blamed on rising CO2 and evidence of the climate crisis. whereas Arctic temperatures are due to the influx of warm water from the Atlantic, NOT increased CO2. https://t.co/ufWMlMDPZE
— Association of Climato-Realists (@AssoClimatoReal) January 21, 2024
Atmospheric water, a boon for the Earth
With the increase in the world population, global warming and economic realities in the four corners of the Earth, what can we do so that the entire world population can access drinking water?
The stock of fresh water on the Earth’s surface is 35 million km3. At the same time, it is renewed at the rate of 496 000 km3/an.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the minimum drinking water requirement is 20 liters per day for hydration and personal hygiene.
The need for water rises to 50 liters per day for all domestic uses. Given that the stock of fresh water is constant and the population is only increasing, what alternative can we put in place? Solutions exist.
We can exploit the process of water desalinationer. However, the method is complex and requires a large amount of energy to produce sufficient stocks of drinking water.
For several years, researchers and innovators have been trying to recover water from the atmosphere in order to build up fresh water reserves.
The process requires a certain number of protocols before achieving conclusive results. Researchers from the POSTECH Institute and UC Berkeley believe that the world‘s desert regions offer a unique opportunity to produce water without impacting groundwater.
Scientists have established a ingenious system that allows atmospheric water to be collected in inhospitable areas thanks to sunlight. The result is simply breathtaking.
Tests have been carried out in deserts like Death Valley. For your information, Death Valley is considered the driest and hottest region on the planet.
Temperatures can be around 60°C during the day with humidity below 7%. It is in this area that the POSTECH and UC Berkeley teams deployed their water capture system. They managed to collect 285 g of water at Berkeley and 210 g at Death Valley.
Technological innovation serving a common cause
The researchers used innovative hardware to optimize the system’s performance. These are metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs are porous materials with tiny holes of 1 to 2 nanometers.
With this particularity, MOFs can capture atmospheric water during the night. The invention is cylindrical in shape, which allows it to align perfectly with the path of the sun. Atmospheric water collected at night is condensed into potable water using sunlight during the day.
The system developed by American researchers is truly innovative. The first processes of this type required a lot of energy with steam condensation.
With this solar model, the energy cost is almost zero and it manages to capture water even in an environment with 7% humidity. This type of system offers several advantages and can be applied in all regions of the world.
The young Kenyan Beth Koiggi has also implemented a process that offers the possibility of transforming air into drinking water. The young African’s invention is also based on solar energy.
Named Majik WaterBeth Koiggi’s invention uses hydrophilic and dehydrating materials like silica gel to collect atmospheric water.
According to the young entrepreneur, the water in the air is six times higher than in all the rivers on the planet.
Tested in a NASA center, Majik Water is capable of producing up to 10 liters of filtered water per day without needing to be connected to an electricity network. More than credible alternatives exist to allow humanity to drink to its thirst.
Researchers and innovators are doing their part with incredible results. It is now up to political decision-makers to initiate a series of mechanisms, favorable to the large-scale deployment of the atmospheric water capture technique.
We must support this movement so that it can benefit the entire world population. Research must also continue to perfect the system. Thus our industrial fabric, which is very water-intensive, will be able to readjust itself in order to place less strain on water resources.
💧 Nearly 1/4 of the world‘s population does not have access to drinking water. Researchers have developed an affordable, portable water filtration system that could be a game-changer. https://t.co/JvzjlJAxVh
— Enerzine (@enerzine) January 24, 2024
A consumer society to rethink?
By judiciously exploiting the water present in the atmosphere, we allow groundwater to regenerate more easily. In addition, water resources will be less subject to the phenomenon of pollution.
According to Aquastat, which is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) database, 45% of the water used to irrigate agricultural land evaporates and can be captured. The remaining 55% is discharged into the environment as domestic or industrial wastewater.
These waters are largely made up of chemicals. There are nearly 300 million tonnes of pollutants such as nitrates, phytosanitary products, heavy metals, etc.
In areas like Europe or America, there is a chain that allows 90% of this polluted water to be cleaned up.
For the moment, Africa is far from the mark. Less than 10% of industries on the continent treat their wastewater.
During winter, due to lack of an adequate drainage system, this water mixes with household waste and ends up in rivers. As a result, populations are exposed to contaminated water which is a source of disease.
Act or…
The world has its back against the wall (it’s not pleasant to hear, but it’s a reality) and we must immediately adopt alternatives that are within our reach.
A recent study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states that if the world does not quickly initiate reforms to better manage water resources, then life will become more complicated for millions of people. worldwide.
If we sit idly by and procrastinate in discussions, by 2050 the situation risks becoming untenable.
Try to imagine the impact of a water crisis on the stability of our society. Such a scenario will cause large waves of migration with the triggering of possible conflicts.
In the Horn of Africa, we are already witnessing significant migrations due to the drying up of water resources.
So-called “developed” countries which are not necessarily faced with water stress must deal with the pollution of drinking water. Fine particles such as plastic microparticles are increasingly present in our drinks.
Undetectable to the naked eye, they can constitute a real public health issue. No doubt, the challenges differ in each region of the world, but the reality remains the same.
Water resources are under severe strain and we must find a set of means to avoid falling to the point of no return. Interesting initiatives are underway to propose solutions that will make water available to the world‘s population.
Of course, Man does not control all situations, but with his knowledge, he can turn an unfavorable situation in his favor. I want to say, the ball is in our court.