The Future of Water

- By CompassMedia

According to Fortune magazine, water is the oil of the 21st century: "the preciouscommodity
that determines the wealth of nations." The CIA estimates that by 2015, access to drinking
water could be one of the main reasons for international wars.

According to all available information, the world faces an imminent water crisis. Theworld's
current population of six billion people is expected to swell to nine billion by2050. The United
Nations estimates that if we continue to use water at today'srates, the world will face severe
water shortages by 2025.

Worldwide , we are taking so much water from our rivers that in some , barely any water
reaches the sea . The Colorado River , once powerful enough to carve theGrand Canyon , is
now being siphoned to supply water to several states in theAmerican southwest . Likewise ,
the mighty Nile and Yangtze rivers are reduced to atrickle before reaching their seas .

But wait! If two thirds of the Earth's surface is covered with water, why don't wehave enough
water to drink? Of all the water in the world, only 1 percent can be usedin homes and in
farming. The rest of the water is either salt water or is frozen inpolar ice. So, shouldn't global
warming release some of that water? In fact, globalwarming will make the situation worse.
Now, water is released gradually from ice andsnow into rivers and lakes. If global warming
melts the ice and snow, all of the waterwill be released at one time, and most of it will go into
oceans and seas.

While some people see the water crisis as a humanitarian issue, others see it as aneconomic
one. We all need water, and some companies are set to make a healthyprofit from the
situation. In the Bolivian town of Cochabamba, the government gave a40-year contract to a
single water company. Shortly after receiving the monopoly, the company raised water prices
drastically. Local citizens revolted. Finally, thegovernment was forced to cancel the contract.

Denmark is one country that is taking action to protect water for the future . TheDanish
government has a ten - step program to ensure the quality and quantity ofwater . For one
thing , 170 pesticides have been banned because these poisons leakinto the water supply . In
tandem with this step , organic farming is being promoted . Organic farming does not use
harmful chemicals . Additionally , other steps are being taken to protect important aquifers .
Aquifers are large areas of stone undergroundwhich hold and filter water . They are essential
for maintaining a healthy , naturalwater supply . Former United States Environmental
Protection Agency chief , Christie Whitman, warned that water quality will be " the biggest
environmental issuewe face in the 21st century ."
 Reading Quiz

Teatle : The future is water Course: I03

Student : Joseph Mendoza Gonzales

1. What surprised me about the story?

In this history, the surprise was about the use of the water and how this resource
will can to be . the main reazons for international wars.

Other point was also, about the increase of the people in the world, from six
billion until nine billion by 2050.

2. What i didn’t like about the story?

I didn’t like when the history says: “some companies are set to make a healty
profit fron the situation”. Actually, we should toghether such as brother, and
study the way of face this problema, because the wather is the elementary
resource to all people.

3. What i knew about this topic?

I knew about the an inminent water crisis because i can to see in everywhere the
bad use of the wather. For example when someone washes the hands, mostly
they live the pipe open and so the wather is wasted.

4. What i learned about this topic?

I learn troutgh this topic, about the sabe of the wather, because the current
population in the world will increase of great way that this resource will could
be missing. So now, i think it is our responsability, that the wather should be
administered of the better way for everyone.