Water; the next thing we fight a war over?

[nightshade]

A friend of mine insists that the next WAR will be fought over water! I know we should all save water but is it really becoming that seriously in short supply?

[Paul mabbott]

It's happened before when there were far fewer people competing for it.
You might even say that the problems in Palestine at the moment are largely due to the Israelis extracting water from the Jordan. Everywhere people are taking more and more water out of the ground and its irreplaceable - engineers see it as just a matter of digging deeper but it can't go on forever.

However, like most problems it is caused by population increase and waste. So what we need are more contraception and fewer showers.

[artdemole]

Seen the film Water world.They say what is written about eventually comes true..

[Jonners]

But surely, as they say, what goes around, comes around. Doesn't the water cycle mean that the world's water remains fairly constant over time, in some form or another?

[nightshade]

The water from Londons bore holes (not the houses of Parliament ) has been through a lot of other peoples kidneys before you get it! the more people there are drinking, the longer it takes for it to re-enter the cycle, more industry, more household consumption the longer it takes to re-enter the recycle. On top of this once a bore hole, lake or river runs dry there will be no water to replace it, that will be it! Frightening, will we starve or die of thirst first

[Meta menardi]

I think the title should be "water: the reason for quite a few wars that are being fought".

[nightshade]

Ok

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Jonners

But surely, as they say, what goes around, comes around. Doesn't the water cycle mean that the world's water remains fairly constant over time, in some form or another?

Yes but if there is more of it in the sea or in the clouds, as will happen with climate change, there is less available for humans to drink or feed their crops with.

[Paul mabbott]

Coincidentally, there was a piece in the Guardian yesterday about how many people are reducing their water use by not taking unnecessary showers and not washing their hair.

Some appalling data such as that a high-class hotel may use 1000l per customer per day! Bad enough when you're in rainy parts of the world but think what it means in arid Africa. A few years back my sister impressed me with her awareness when she went to some wildlife hotel in Kenya. She was appalled that local people were carrying buckets of water several kilometres by hand whereas the tourists were taking several showers each day - she refused to use the showers!

[nightshade]

The thought that occurs to me now is; are we being selfish storing water in our water butts etc. which effectively takes it out of circulation. Hmm, another quandry, 40,000 Wabbers each holding onto 100ltrs. plus all the other people doing the same.
So the water companies may have a plan in allowing the massive leakages from their pipes