Transboundary Water Resources

Global Water Resources

Only this portion is renewable

Total = 1,386,000,000 km3 Fresh = 35,029,000 km3 (2.5% of total)

Global Water Cycle

Principal sources of fresh water for human activities

44,800 km3

Global Water Availability

Population and Water Use

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Withdrawal (km3/yr)

Population (million)

global freshwater use is ~4000 km3/year~10% of the renewable supply (44,800km3/year)

Global Water Withdrawal

Global Water Use

Water Supply and SanitationIn 2002

1.1 billion people lacked access to improved water sources (17% of the global population)

Of those, nearly two thirds live in Asia (733 million people) In sub-Saharan Africa, 42% of the population is without

improved water2.6 billion people lacked access to improved sanitation

(42% of the world’s population) Over half of those live in China and India (nearly 1.5 billion

people) In sub-Saharan Africa, sanitation coverage is only 36%. In developing countries, 69% of rural dwellers lack access

to improved sanitation, as opposed 27% of urban dwellers.

Water Supply and SanitationDiarrhoea (WHO 2004)

1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera); 90% are children under 5, mostly in developing countries

88% of diarrhoeal disease is attributed to unsafe water supply, inadequate sanitation and hygiene

Improved access to water supply and sanitation can reduce diarrhoea morbidity Water supply: 6% – 25% (108,000 – 450,000 people) Sanitation: 32% (576,000 people) Total: 1.026 millionhttp://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/burden/en/index.html

Poverty and Development> 1 billion people live in extreme poverty (< $1 a

day) Sub-Saharan Africa - > 15 of every 100 children die before the

age of 5 Kenya - fertilizer costs > 2x what it costs in France or the U.S. Ethiopia - so deforested that rural households cannot use

manure as fertilizer because they need it as cooking fuel.

In 2002 developed countries promised to give $210 billion (0.7% of GNP) in ODA to end poverty2005 - gave $107 billion (U.S. $28 bln)*2008 – gave $120 billion (U.S. $26 bln)2015 – need $195 billion

http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/resources/fastfacts_e.htmhttp://stats.oecd.org/qwids

* $4.3 bln for WSS

Challenges & U.S. ResponseWhat’s the problem?

Lack of capacity Competing interests Decentralization

It’s not all about water It’s also about: political will, governance, and globalization

Senator Paul Simon “Water for the Poor Act” 2005 Recognizes importance of water and codified the

internationally agreed goals (MDGs)

Objectives of U.S. strategy Increase access to, and effective use of, safe water and

sanitation

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/125643.pdf

International River BasinsOver 40% of the world lives in a shared basin (263 of ‘em)

GEO-3: GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK http://www.unep.org/GEO/geo3/english/fig154.htm

Water Wars? No.Harbingers of conflict

that should be considered: Unilateral development Internationalized basin No / ineffective

institutions General animosity Downstream hegemony

Some warning signs:Large scale development Rapid changesCivil unrest

Water in the International ArenaWe continuously read about the threat of "water wars" in

the press, where one country is likely to use military force to achieve its objectives of water use.  

Several international groups have warned of the threat of a "water crisis" looming in the coming century.

Several area of the world are regularly mentioned as having tense negotiations over shared river basins: Jordan, Ganges-Bramaputra, and Tigres-Euphrates.

In US, shared water resources with Canada and Mexico are now under increased scrutiny and negotiation resulting from the environmental side agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In EU, multiple water “directives” are being implemented across 25 nations.

Domestic Water UseSurvival = 5 L/dayDrinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation =

50 L United States = 250 to 300 L (Includes yard

watering) Netherlands = 104 L Somalia = 9 L

100-600 L/c/d* (high-income) 50-100 L/c/d (low-income) 10-40 L/c/d (water scarce)

* L/c/d = liters per person per day

Water Stress IndexBased on human consumption

linked to population growthDomestic requirement:

100 L/c/d = 40 m3/c/yrAssociated agricultural, industrial & energy

need:20 x 40 m3/c/yr = 800 m3/c/yr

Total need:840 m3/c/yrabout 1000 m3/c/yr

Water Stress IndexWater availability below 1,000 m3/c/yr

chronic water related problems impeding development and harming human health

Water sufficiency: >1700 m3/c/yrWater stress: <1700 m3/c/yrWater scarcity: <1000 m3/c/yr

Water Service Level & HealthService Level Access Measure Needs Met Level of Health

Concern

No access (< 5 l/c/d)

More than 1000m or 30 minutes collection time

Consumption – cannot be assured; Hygene – not possible

Very High

Basic access (> 20 l/c/d)

Between 100m and 1000m and 5 – 30 minutes collection time

Consumption – should be assured; Hygene – handwashing and basic food hygene possible, laundry/bathing difficult

High

Intermediate access(~50 l/c/d)

Water delivered through tap on-site (< 100m and 5 minutes)

Consumption – AssuredHygene – all basic needs assured

Low

Optimal access(> 100 l/c/d)

Water supplied through multiple taps continuously

Consumption – all needs met; Hygene – all needs met

Very Low

Howard, G. and J. Bartram, Domestic Water Quantity, Service Level and Health, Report WHO/SDE/WSH/03.02, World Health Organization, 2003

Water Stress (m3/person/year)