Blue Planet

Sanitation, climate change (drought, flooding, snowpack loss), shortages, pollution, hydropower, population growth, irrigation, biodiversity

Efficient use of waterInexpensive sanitation + educationPollution Prevention

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Global ecosystem serviceGlobal ecosystem service

Precipitation

Evaporation Runoff

GroundwaterRunoff

Global access to clean waterGlobal access to clean water

Limited access in Africa, AsiaUnited Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Global threats to water supplyUNESCO, 2011: “In less than 25 years, 2/3 of

world’s population will be living in water-stressed countries.”

Global threats to water supplyUNESCO, 2011: “In less than 25 years, 2/3 of

world’s population will be living in water-stressed countries.”

Lake VictoriaLake Victoria

Nonpoint source pollution, untreated sewage

Water diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, skin diseases

East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Nonpoint source pollution, untreated sewage

Water diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, skin diseases

East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Image via: Smuchai on Flickr.com

Citarum RiverCitarum River

Image via: Sea-way.org

Indonesia

Nonpoint & point source pollution:500 factories along banks

Fish for trash, not fishSanitation and health

Great Lakes Great Lakes

United States, CanadaAuto, oil, steel, chemical

industry

Urban transportationNot the worst, but not

yet clean

United States, CanadaAuto, oil, steel, chemical

industry

Urban transportationNot the worst, but not

yet clean

Image via: Getty Images - Dennis Flaherty

Yellow RiverYellow River

ChinaChemical spills,

damming, urbanization

Provides water for millions

1/3 of the river is unusable

ChinaChemical spills,

damming, urbanization

Provides water for millions

1/3 of the river is unusable

Image via: Getty Images - ChinaFoto Press

Matanza-Riachuela River

Matanza-Riachuela River

Buenos Aires, Argentina

325,000 tons of sewage every day

Lead, mercury, cadmium, nitrates,

copper in the drinking water for 5 million

people

Image via: FJTU on Flickr.com

Lake OnondagaLake Onondaga

Syracuse, New YorkHazardous waste siteIndustrial useNonpoint source pollutants

Sarno RiverSarno River

ItalyAgricultural Agricultural and sewage runoffFloods local lands

Image via: Photos in Love on Flirckr.com

Lake Karachay

RussiaRadioactive waste dump from Mayak Nuclear Waste StorageSeeping through groundwater to the Arctic Enter global hydrological cycle

Yumana River

IndiaSpiritual river for millions3.5 billion liters of sewage per day100,000x greater than safe bathing limitsCity removes 1.1 billion liters each dayHoly leaders considering pilgrimage boycott

Technology exists- what are other limitations?

Technology exists- what are other limitations?

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter.html