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The Global Water Shortage
Adapted from: http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/dec99/Feature2.htmWater Resources Research Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona
1. When most U.S. citizens think about water shortages — if they think about them at all — they
think about a local problem, possibly in their town or city, maybe their state or region. We don't
usually regard such problems as particularly worrisome, sharing confidence that the situation
will be readily handled by investment in infrastructure, conservation, or other management
strategies. When water feuds arise, e.g., between Arizona and California, we expect them to be
resolved through negotiations or in the courtroom.
2. But shift from a local to a global water perspective, and the terms dramatically change. The
World Bank reports that 80 countries now have water shortages that threaten health and
economies while 40 percent of the world — more than 2 billion people — have no access to
clean water or sanitation. In this context, we cannot expect water conflicts to always be
peacefully resolved.
3. Consider: More than a dozen nations receive most of their water from rivers that cross
borders of neighboring countries viewed as hostile. These include Botswana, Bulgaria,
Cambodia, the Congo, Gambia, the Sudan, and Syria, all of whom receive 75 percent or more
of their fresh water from the river flow of often hostile upstream neighbors.
4. In the Middle East, a region marked by hostility between nations, obtaining adequate water
supplies is a high political priority. For example, water has been a controversial issue in recent
negotiations between Israel and Syria. In recent years, Iraq, Syria and Turkey have exchanged
verbal threats over their use of shared rivers. (It should come as no surprise to learn that the
words "river" and "rival" share the same Latin root; a rival is "someone who shares the same
stream.")
5. More frequently water is being likened to another resource that quickened global tensions
when its supplies were threatened. A story in The Financial Times of London began: "Water, like
energy in the late 1970s, will probably become the most critical natural resource issue facing
most parts of the world by the start of the next century." This analogy is also reflected in the oft-
repeated observation that water will likely replace oil as a future cause of war between nations.
6. Global water problems are attracting increasing attention, not just at the international level,
but also within the United States, in its popular press, in natural resource journals and as the
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 1
subject of books. Former Sen. Paul Simon from Illinois recently authored Tapped Out: The
Coming World Crisis in Water and What We Can Do About It. A book for the general, non-
specialized audience, Simon's publication sounds an alarm about the approaching crisis.
"Within a few years, a water crisis of catastrophic proportions will explode upon us — unless
aroused citizens ... demand of their leadership actions reflecting vision, understanding and
courage."
7. A prime cause of the global water concern is the ever-increasing world population. As
populations grow, industrial, agricultural and individual water demands escalate. According to
the World Bank, world-wide demand for water is doubling every 21 years, more in some
regions. Water supply cannot remotely keep pace with demand, as populations soar and cities
explode. World population has recently reached six billion and United Nation's projections
indicate nine billion by 2050. What water supplies will be available for this expanding
population?
8. But population growth alone does not account for increased water demand. Since 1900, there
has been a six-fold increase in water use for only a two-fold increase in population size. This
reflects greater water usage associated with rising standards of living (e.g., diets containing less
grain and more meat). It also reflects potentially unsustainable levels of irrigated agriculture.
9. In addition, water quality is deteriorating in many areas of the developing world as population
increases and salinity caused by industrial farming and over-extraction rises. About 95 percent
of the world's cities still dump raw sewage into their waters. As a result of these phenomena,
many countries suffer increasing desertification.
10. Climate change represents a wild card in this developing scenario. If, in fact, climate change
is occurring — and most experts now agree that it is — what effect will it have on water
resources? Some experts claim climate change has the potential to worsen an already gloomy
situation. With higher temperatures and more rapid melting of winter snowpacks, less water
supplies will be available to farms and cities during summer months when demand is high.
11. A technological solution that some believe would provide adequate supplies of additional
water resources is desalination. Some researchers fault the United States for not providing
more support for desalination research. Once the world leader in such research, this country
has abdicated its role to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Japan. There are approximately 11,000
desalination plants in 120 nations in the world, 60 percent of them in the Middle East.
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 2
12. Others argue that a market approach to water management would help resolve the situation
by putting matters on a businesslike footing. They say such an approach would help reduce the
political and security tensions that exacerbate international affairs. For example, the Harvard
Middle East Water Project wants to assign a value to water, rather than treat rivers and streams
as some kind of free natural commodity, like air.
13. Other strategies to confront the growing global water problem include slowing population
growth, reducing pollution, better management of present supply and demand and, of course,
not to be overlooked, water conservation. As Sandra Postel writes in her book, Last Oasis,
"Doing more with less is the first and easiest step along the path toward water security."
14. Ultimately, however, an awareness of the global water crisis should serve to put our own
water concerns in perspective. Whether our current activity is evaluating Arizona's Ground
Water Management Act or, at a more personal level, deciding whether to plant water-conserving
vegetation, the wiser choice would likely be made, if we are guided by an awareness that water
is a very scarce and valuable natural resource.
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 3
The Global Water Shortage – Exercises
Exercises adapted from Esti EisenbergPre- and post-reading exercises by Zhanna Burstein, Minna Lipner, and Anna Lyubman
I. Pre-Reading 1. Of all the water in the world, how much is fresh water?
a. Slightly less than half
b. About 20%
c. Only 3%
Now that you know the answer, what conclusion can you reach based on this
statistic?
___________________________________________________________________
2. Study the map below. What change in global water resources does this map
represent?
Which regions will be particularly affected by this change?
*Water Withdrawal: The removal of water from some type of source for use by humans. The water is later returned some period of time after it is used. The quality of the returned water may not be the same as when it was originally removed.
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 4
3. In many noun phrases in this article, the noun “water” is used to modify another
noun. Translate the phrases below into Hebrew.
____________________________
______________________
________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
II. Global Reading Skim the article by reading the first sentence in each paragraph.
This article discusses several different aspects of the global water shortage. Which
paragraphs discuss each topic below? (NOTE: The topics are not in the order of the text.)
Topic Paragraph(s)
a. Causes of the global water shortage
b. Water as a source of political tension
c. Ways to overcome the global water shortage
d. Conclusion of the text
e. Contrast between views on local and global water shortages
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 5
water quality
water security
water shortage adequate water supplies
water feuds
water resources
water concerns
growing global water problem
water conservation
III. Close Reading Questions
1. What attitude do most Americans have to local water shortages?
(Circle the correct word.)
They view them as a MAJOR / MINOR problem.
Quote from the text to support your answer.
Par. #: ____________
Quote: _____________________________________________________________
2. Why are investment in infrastructure, conservation, and management strategies
mentioned in paragraph 1?
a. to show how local water problems cause serious concern among U.S. citizens
b. to present possible ways to settle local problems of water shortages
c. to explain the factors that cause water feuds between different U.S. states
d. to demonstrate that conflicts over water often have to be resolved in court
3. According to paragraphs 1-3, what is the difference between local and global water
conflicts?
While local conflicts are usually solved in a ____________________________ way,
global water conflicts may involve ______________________________________.
4. What problem do Botswana, Bulgaria, and Cambodia have?
They share water with ________________________________ (ONE WORD) countries.
5. What idea do the examples in paragraph 4 illustrate?
They show that water in the Middle East has great ___________________________
importance.
6. In what way are water and oil similar?
They both have the potential to _________________________________________.
7. a. Why does the writer mention Sen. Paul Simon’s book?
To show that ________________________________________________________
b. According to Sen. Paul Simon, what may prevent a water crisis?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. What factors are responsible for the growing global water shortage?
Read paragraphs 7-10 and list as many answers as you can.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 6
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9. On what basis do we know that population growth is not the only reason for the
increased water demand? (Circle the correct answers.)
Because the growth of the POPULATION / WATER DEMAND is greater than the
growth of the POPULATION / WATER DEMAND.
10. Fill in the cause-effect chart below based on paragraph 9.
a. ___________________
_____________________
b. over-extraction
The quality of the
water is poor.
11. Which two phenomena related to climate change lead to reduced water resources?
a. _________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________
12. List the solutions to the water shortage discussed in paragraphs 11-13. Give the
solutions, not examples.
a. _________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________
d. _________________________________________________________________
e. _________________________________________________________________
f. _________________________________________________________________
13. What is the purpose of the statistic at the end of paragraph 11?
To show that:
a. there are many desalination factories in countries around the world
b. the number of desalination plants all over the world is insufficient
c. desalination is an inadequate solution for the reduced water supply
d. the U.S. no longer provides enough support for desalination research
14. What is the writer’s conclusion?
The writer concludes that the most critical factor in dealing with the water shortage is
_________________________________. (ONE WORD)
IV. Noun Groups _____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 7
I. Underline the head noun in the noun groups below. Then translate the phrase into
Hebrew.
Paragraph 1
1. management strategies _____________________________________
Paragraph 3
2. rivers that cross borders of neighboring countries viewed as hostile
_________________________________________________________________
3. the river flow of hostile upstream neighbors
_________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 5
4. the most critical natural resource issue facing most parts of the world by the start of
the next century
_________________________________________________________________
5. the oft-repeated observation that water will likely replace oil as a future cause of war
between nations
_________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 6
6. natural resource journals _____________________________________
Paragraph 7
7. ever-increasing world population _____________________________________
8. industrial, agricultural, and individual water demands
_______________________________________________________________
Paragraph 8
7. increased water demand _____________________________________
(cf. increasing water demand _____________________________________)
8. greater water usage associated with rising standards of living
_______________________________________________________________
9. potentially unsustainable levels of irrigated agriculture
_______________________________________________________________
Paragraph 9
10. developing world _____________________________________
11. salinity caused by industrial farming and over-extraction
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 8
Paragraph 10
12. climate change _____________________________________
Paragraph 11
13. approximately 11,000 desalination plants in 120 nations in the world
___________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 12
14. a market approach to water management
___________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 13
15. population growth _____________________________________
V. Post Reading Activities 1. Read the following report on water shortage in Israel. What factors have contributed to the
Israeli water crisis?
Water Shortage in IsraelIsrael is now in the middle of one of its worst water crises ever. The contributors to
Israel's water crisis include:
Increased water consumption - largely due to population growth;
Decreased water supply - following four drought years, with the most recent drought
(2007/8) especially severe.
Closure of drinking water wells - past pollution led to the closure of drinking water
wells and to the inability of pumping some 80 cubic meters of water per year.
Water scarcity and decreasing water quality mean that there is a need for greater water
efficiency and conservation in Israel. In recent years, major water saving campaigns
have been introduced to increase awareness of the need for water conservation and to
reduce consumption in the society.
2. People consume water for a great variety of purposes. Name a few examples.
___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 9
3. The following diagram represents the proportion of fresh water usage in Israel.
Predict which part of the diagram corresponds to each purpose below. For each
purpose, write the appropriate percentage.
Laundry and cleaning
Toilet flushing
Shower and bath
Drinking, cooking and dishwashing
Gardening
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 10
4. Water Saving TipsEvery person can take part in the effort to protect and conserve water sources, thus
preventing the deterioration of this important natural resource.
Read the water conservation tips in the table below and match each tip with its
explanation.
TIPS EXPLANATION____ 1. Put water saving devices
on all faucets. a. This can be done by using irrigation computers or switching to water saving plants.
____ 2. Use "smart" hot water faucets.
b. We may lose large amounts of water from water leaking from damaged pipes.
____ 3. Use a dual flow toilet. c. This will prevent liters of cold water from coming out of the faucet before the hot water begins flowing.
____ 4. Conserve water in the garden.
d. We can gain a free fresh water resource if we redirect rainwater from urban areas like streets and sidewalks (where it is wasted) to home gardens and public parks (where it can be effectively used).
____ 5. Use rainwater. e.. These substances may pollute the ground and groundwater.
____ 6. Report water pipeline leaks to city officials.
f. This will help to reduce water flow from the faucet.
____ 7. Report fuel and dangerous material leaks.
g. This will save water in flushing.
What additional water saving tips can you think of?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 11
5. Additional ReadingRead the article about water conservation in Israel and answer the questions that follow.
How Grandma Rachel Conserved WaterBy Amiram Cohen, From Haaretz, February 13, 2011
Today, it is clear that attempts at scare-mongering and preaching to the public have not helped in conserving water. Perhaps this is because our society does not resemble the one that Grandma Rachel lived in.
1. Grandma Rachel, may she rest in peace, once had a solar water boiler on the roof of
her home. Before showering in the morning, she would place a bucket underneath the
hot water faucet. While waiting for the hot water to emerge from the faucet, she would fill
up the bucket with the cold-lukewarm water that was available for the time being. She
would then use that water to rinse the toilet, wash the floor, clean the dishes that piled
up in the sink, and water the plants on the porch.
2. "Nobody is going to tell me how to conserve water," she would angrily say when
watching a television broadcast about the decreasing water levels of the Kinneret. If
everyone would simply use the cold water that comes out before hot water began
flowing from the faucets, the country would save a million of buckets worth every year. "I
would completely forbid the use of Jacuzzis," she said.
3. Grandma Rachel was wrong. Before the water in the shower heats up, some two to
six liters of cold and lukewarm water go down the drain, depending on the floor one lives
on. It is possible to conserve between 300-400 million buckets of water nationwide, the
equivalent amount of water consumed by a city with a population of 250,000.
4. According to statistics published by the Knesset's research division, nothing has been
done in the last decade to save water in either the municipal or household sectors,
despite the fact that the growing problem of decreasing water supplies was known to all
the relevant decision makers, as well as to the public. Today, it is clear that attempts at
scare-mongering and preaching to the public have not helped in conserving water.
Perhaps this is because our society does not resemble the one that Grandma Rachel
lived in. She could scold her neighbors if she saw them washing their cars with a hose,
and would call city hall if she saw a leaky fire hydrant down the block.
5. But we do not need to adopt the methods of Grandma Rachel in order to save water,
not only because these methods are no longer suited to modern Israelis' way of thinking,
but also because they entirely depend on the goodwill of the average citizen.
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 12
6. There are two ways to save water: Hit people in the wallet, or take administrative
steps against them. By hitting in the wallet, we mean raising the costs of water
consumption, which is customary even in European countries with plenty of water.
Household water usage in these countries costs the equivalent of NIS 10-15 per cubic
meter, beginning with the first cubic meter. An increase in water rates would certainly
make it necessary to help those of low income. Administrative steps involve formulating
a list of rules requiring the public to use conservation-friendly faucets and devices. It may
be even necessary to have inspectors visit homes unannounced in order to make sure
that these devices have indeed been installed.
7. True, these steps are not democracy at its finest, but it is preferable to take them
rather than reach the point where in another two to three years we will be able to
examine the floor of the Kinneret from the deepest point of the lake.
Questions1. How did Grandma Rachel conserve water? Give an example.
___________________________________________________________________
2. Have the water conservation measures in Israel been effective? Yes / NoSupport your answer with evidence from the article.
___________________________________________________________________
3. According to the writer, Grandma Rachel’s methods are not suited to modern Israel.
Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. According to the article, what can be done to save water in Israel?
a. One way is to increase ______________________________________________
b. The other way is to make people use __________________________________
5. a. In paragraph 7, why does the author say "these steps are not democracy at its
finest”?
___________________________________________________________________
b. In general, does the writer approve of these measures? Yes / Noc. What is your opinion of these measures? ________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 13
6. Water Conservation and Humour
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 14
The Global Water Shortage – Vocabulary
Find and underline the following words in the text.
Word Also in par. #
Word Also in par. #
Paragraph 1 Paragraph 5
1. shortages (n.) 13. resource (n.) 10
2. region (n.) Paragraph 6
3. regard (v) 14. alarm (n., v.)
4. conservation (n.) / conserve (v.)
15. approaching (adj., v.) / approach (n., v.)
5. resolve (v.) 16. demand (v., n) 8
Paragraph 2 17. explode (v.) / explosion (n.)
6. shift (v., n.) Paragraph 7
7. threaten (v.) / threat (n.) 18. escalate (v.)
8. access (n.,v.) Paragraph 10
Paragraph 3 19. climate (n.)
9. border (n., v.) Paragraph 12
10. hostile (adj.) / hostility (n.) 20. exacerbate (v.)
Paragraph 4 Paragraph 14
11. adequate (adj) 9 21. evaluating (v.) / evaluation (n.)
12. supplies (n.) / supply (v.)
Affixes
-En = to make
Liken (para.5)
Quicken (para.5)
Threaten (para.5)
Desertification (para. 9)
Desalination (para. 11)
Exercise 1: Finding SynonymsFor each of the following words, find a word with a similar meaning from the vocabulary list.
1. lack _______________ 5. antagonistic, unfriendly ___________________
2. area _______________ 6. enough, sufficient_________________
3. consider _______________ 7. worsen _________________
4. switch, change _____________ 8. assess _____________________________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 15
Exercise 2: Cloze
Fill in the gaps with words from the following list. Use each word only once.
access resource supply alarm approach conserve threaten
border resolve demand explode escalate climate
1. Disagreements over drinking water between states __________________ peace.
2. In order to enter the Highlearn program, you need to have an __________________ code.
3. Oil is an important energy __________________.
4. The rate of inflation __________________ as a result of the economic crisis.
5. Israel has a long __________________ with both Egypt and Jordan.
6. The Ministry of Education is ___________________ by the low numbers of young
people who enter the teaching profession.
7. The shortage of organs for transplantation has reached alarming proportions. All over
the world, the __________________ is higher than the ________________________.
8. The students were excited about the ______________________ graduation day.
Soon, they'll get their diplomas!
9. This country has a moderate _____________________: the summer is not too hot,
and the winter is not too cold.
10. Due to improvements in living standards and medicine, the birth rate in this region
has ________________________.
11. One way to ___________________ an argument is to discuss the situation and
determine what has caused the disagreement.
12. Don't exercise too much now. You need to ___________________ energy for the
approaching competition.
_____________________________________________________________________________The Global Water Shortage / 16