Water Resources

Abstract

Fresh water is one of the basic necessities without which human beings cannot survive since water is key to the sustainability of all kinds of lifeforms. Water has multiple uses namely; nutritional, domestic, recreational, navigational, waste disposal and ecological as it is a habitat for living and non-living organisms (biodiversity) etc. And, because it is indispensable to different sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, wildlife survival, tourism and hydroelectric power generation, it is a vital factor of economic production. For many countries, most freshwater endowments encompass surface waters, groundwater, wetlands and glaciers. Surface water bodies include lakes, rivers, swamps, springs, dams and water pans dispersed within different basins. In general, people living in the vast arid and semi-arid parts of the world rely heavily on groundwater resources. Furthermore, groundwater is also an important supplementary source of water for many urban households in most developing countries. Several authors, politicians, leaders of international organizations and journalists have cautioned the world community that the increasing scarcity of freshwater resources might lead to national and international conflicts. When relating this to climate change forecasts - most of which indicate that climate change will have a significant impact on the availability of freshwater resources, on water quality, and on the demand for water - this is alarming news for humankind as it threatens human security. — Molen and Hildering [1].