25th annual World Water Day: Water shortage looms for 5 billion by 2050 without action
Published Mar 22, 2018 3:31 PM EST
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Updated Jul 1, 2019 4:13 PM EST
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March 22, 2018, marks the 25th annual World Water Day, which the United Nations started to raise awareness around the importance of water.
This year's theme is called "Nature for Water" and focuses on "How can we reduce floods, droughts and water pollution? By using the solutions we already find in nature," according to the UN's World Water Day website.
The U.N. says 2.1 billion people live without clean drinking water at home, which affects health, livelihood and education.
The United Nations World Water Development Report says that nature-based solutions can improve the supply and quality of water and reduce the impact of natural disasters.
An Indian washerman carries clothes on his head after washing them in the polluted waters of the river Brahmaputra, on World Water Day in Gauhati, India, Thursday, March 22, 2018 (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
AP Photo
The U.N.'s report recognizes water not as an isolated element but a part of the natural process that "involves evaporation, precipitation and the absorption of water through the soil."
A key focus on the study is the importance of preserving wetlands, which cover only about 2.6 percent of the planet. However, evidence has shown they play a major part in filtering toxic particles from water substances.
"There is evidence that wetlands alone can remove 20 to 60 percent of metals in water and trap 80 to 90 percent of sediment from runoff. Some countries have even created wetlands to treat industrial wastewater, at least partially," according to a U.N. press release.
“We need new solutions in managing water resources so as to meet emerging challenges to water security caused by population growth and climate change. If we do nothing, some five billion people will be living in areas with poor access to water by 2050," said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
The photo gallery below explores other major cities, besides Cape Town, that could face periods of drought and potential water crises in the future:
<section><h2>Scarcity of water threatens large cities of the world</h2><p><p>Look at the list of cities that may be affected by water shortages in the future.</p></p></section><section><h2>Sao Paulo</h2><p><p>Considered the most populated city in South America (21.7 million people), it has been showing symptoms of a severe drought since the past few years. For the year 2015, the region suffered a great drought in which they were without water for 20 days.</p></p></section><section><h3>Bangalore</h3<p><p>With a population of 1,300 million people, the city is trying to improve its aqueduct system to prevent a period of greater drought. According to a report published by the BBC, 85 percent of the lakes in the city do not have water suitable for consumption. The biggest challenge facing the Indian city is the unbridled demographic growth.</p></p></section><section><h3>Beijing</h3><p><p>According to the World Bank, by 2015 40 percent of surface water was contaminated in Beijing. The city is home to 20 million inhabitants.</p></p></section><section><h3>Mexico City</h3><p><p>Mexico City imports over 40 percent of its water from other regions of the country, and they do not have an efficient wastewater management system.</p></p></section><section><h3>Cairo</h3><p><p>Known mostly for the Nile River, the city of Cairo has unbridled levels of industrial waste that end up in river deposits. The UN mentions that it is the city with the most deaths due to water pollution in the world and foresees a major crisis for the year 2025.</p></p></section><section><h3>Jakarta</h3><p><p>Jakarta, a coastal city of Indonesia, is already experiencing sea level rise, causing 40 percent of the city to suffer from constant flooding. Half of its 10 million inhabitants do not have access to a sewerage system.</p></p></section><section><h3>Moscow</h3><p><p>Moscow's problems with access to water date back to the Soviet Union era. Between 30 and 60 percent of its water is not drinkable.</p></p></section><section><h3>Miami</h3><p><p>The tropical climate of the region limits the amount of precipitation in the area. Due to the increase in sea levels, the scarce water resources that the city has are being salinized, becoming unfit for human consumption.</p></p></section><section><h3>Istanbul</h3><p><p>Istanbul suffers periods of drought practically every summer and its reservoirs have been reduced by at least 30 percent. It is estimated that by 2030, the city will suffer a significant water crisis.</p></p></section><section><h3>London</h3><p><p>A recently published article made visible the pollution levels of the European capital. Despite the high levels of precipitation in the area, they do not have an efficient water channeling system. The local authorities foresee that there could be a serious shortage by the year 2040.</p></p></section><section><h3>Tokyo</h3><p><p>Seventy percent of Tokyo's supplies come from surface water, which has caused the city to renew its infrastructure to maximize the collection of rainwater. The city has 30 million inhabitants.</p></p></section>
