Water Pollution - Assignment Example

The increasing global population and water pollution due to rapid industrialization has resulted in water shortage in various regions of the world. The situation is alarming in the arid regions of the world which includes the desert regions of Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, because these region lack considerable rainfall, do not have underground water resources. The small amount of river water present is also not present throughout the year. The magnitude of the problem is increasing because of the lack of awareness among the general public of these areas about the sustainable and economical use of water. This report discusses the situation of water supply crisis in one such region i.e. Qatar and a few solutions to the problem and methodologies for providing water are also discussed. 2. Background The problem of water shortage is not due to global warming but is more due to the increase in population and the wastage of water by a large number of people throughout the world. More 20% of the world population does not have access to clean drinking water. The United Nations water program has set a target, in Millennium Development Goals, of supplying 85% of world population with safe drinking water by the end of 2020. But with the increasing population and increased wastage and pollution of water this target cannot be achieved before 2030. The third edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR3) presented in the fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul in March 2009, various issues have been identified as the cause of the water shortage in the world, particularly in the arid regions. These issues include unplanned urbanization, rapid population growth, industrial waste contamination, floods, climate change, and water scarcity. With the highest rates of per capita water use Qatar has to devise new and innovative methodologies to ensure continuous supply of water for its industries as well as household use. 3. Water Supply Options The various options which can be utilized for supplying water in Qatar include wastewater treatment for reuse, desalination of sea water, the use of Qanats. The salient features and the application of the various alternative methods with respect to Qatar is discussed separately in the following paragraphs. a. Wastewater Treatment and Reuse A large quantity of water is used for household washing purposes. This water which can be reused after proper treatment is normally wasted and thus contributes to the problem of water shortage particularly in the arid regions of the world. Qatar being one such region can also utilize its wastewater for fulfilling the increasing demand of water in the country. Wastewater does not only fulfill the increasing water demand but it is also very effective in controlling water pollution and various water-borne diseases particularly in countries like Qatar where people are unaware of the hygienic procedures through which they can stop water pollution. Wastewater reuse has is being practiced in various countries for providing fresh water resources. Qatar generates more than 2 million cubic meters of waste water in the form of household and industrial waste (Gleik, Cooley and Morikawa, 2008). Out of which about 35% can be treated and reused. Doing so will fulfill 50% of the household demand of water in Qatar. The cost per cubic meter ($0.49) is also lower as compared to the water obtained from desalination (2$ per cubic meter). Moreover wastewater treatment also resolves the issue of water pollution because the water is treated and reused instead of discharging into land which pollutes land and underground water resources. Another advantage of the reuse of wastewater is the localized nature of water supply system because the wastewater generated by a certain locality can be treated and reused by the same locality. This resolves the complicated issue of supplying water to long distances. b. Desalination of Sea Water Desalination is the removal of the salt and minerals from sea water by the application of various processes. The desalinated water is fit for human consumption and use in irrigation and agriculture. 99.9% of the water supplied in Qatar is through the desalination of wastewater. This has been a very effective way of supplying water to the arid country but it has certain disadvantages which have forced the Qatar government to think of alternative methods for supplying water. The major disadvantage of desalination is the large amount of energy consumed by the various underlying process involved in this process. Another important concern is the pollution caused by dumping the harmful chemicals involved in this process into the seawater. Large amount of brine are also discharged into seawater which causes marine pollution and is a big threat to marine life in the area. Most importantly the process of desalination is very expensive as compared to other energy efficient and hygienically safer methods of water supply and purification. c. The use of Qanats A qanat is a system of water supply consisting of an underground tunnel connected to the surface by a series of shafts. The water in a qanat is flows under gravity from an aquifer which is higher in elevation, usually the mountainous regions to the surface of plain regions which are lower in elevation. A considerable amount of water is lost by evaporation when water is transmitted from reservoir to various localities in open channel. Transmitting water in metallic pipes is also not possible because the high temperatures in desert regions result in the deformation of the pipes. There are various locations in Qatar where a system consisting of underground tunnels can be employed for water supply and transmission. The aquifer system in Qatar has been heavily exploited for agricultural purposes over the last two decades but certain aquifers still have a considerable amount of water which can be supplied using a Qanat system. The aquifers in Rus and Umm Er Radhuma can be utilized for supplying water to nearby regions. This method is also not very reliable and can only server a minute population of Qatar. Cost Cost though not of prime importance for oil rich state like Qatar, is still an important parameter while deciding the type of water supply and provision system to be used. The cost per cubic meter for wastewater treatment is $0.49 while for desalination is $2 per cubic meter. The overall water demand of Qatar is 1.4m cubic meter per year. For the establishment of a new setup of wastewater treatment plants to meet 25% of the demand 3.9bn dollars is the estimated expense while the running cost for one year will be 0.68m dollar which is lesser than 3.46m dollar in case of desalination. So the initial cost of wastewater treatment is more but it is a more economically feasible solution in the longer run. Conclusions and Recommendations There are various technologies which can be utilized for supplying water in the arid regions of the world. Qatar currently faces water shortage due to scarcity of water and rapidly increasing population and is totally dependent upon desalination of sea water for its water resources. The issue of water shortage can be resolved by employing efficient and environment friendly techniques like Wastewater reuse and aquifer water. The method of wastewater reuse also resolves the issues of high energy consumption which is involved in the treatment saline seawater and it is the most economical alternative for water supply in Qatari scenario. Moreover the general public of the country should also be educated to minimize the loss of fresh and drinkable water. This can be done by initiating awareness programs which will highlight the disadvantages of wastage of water and the detrimental effects of this process to global sustainability and environment. References Alsharhan A. S. (2001) Hydrogeology of an arid region: the Arabian Gulf and adjoining areas, New York: Elsevier Gleick P. H., Cooley H. and Morikawa M. (2008) The Worlds Water 2008-2009: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, Washington DC: Island Press Saunier R. E. and Meganck R. A. (2009) Dictionary and Introduction to Global Environmental Governance, London: Earthscan Zereini F. and Hatzl H. (2008) Climatic Changes and Water Resources in the Middle East and North Africa, Berlin Heidelberg: Springer Lorey D. E. (2003) Global environmental challenges of the twenty-first century, USA: Scholarly Resources El Mallakh R. (1985) Qatar: energy & development, USA: Routledge   Read More