Running head: MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS

Mitigation Strategies and Solutions Thomas Sanford SCI/275 October 16, 2011 Tisha Samosky/Axia Faculty

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS Mitigation Strategies and Solutions My final project deals with the scarcity of fresh water and how it threatens our future. It

will also threaten the economy of nations and life on our planet. Without fresh water Earth would become unsustainable and uninhabitable. In this paper I will show some of the causes of fresh water shortages and depletion, effects of water pollution in our environment, and possible solutions to reach and maintain sustainability and an approximate time line. With new U.S. cities growing and emerging, also developing countries around the world, the need for fresh water to care for the people is needed. The worlds population has surpassed 6.6 billion (Holbrook, 2009) and the need and demand for fresh water is ever increasing. The scarcity of water also threatens our industries and economy. The large manufacturers need water for production such as tires which requires 518 gallons of water to make one tire, and to manufacture one 200 millimeter semiconductor, which is used to power a computer, takes 7500 gallons of ultrapure water.(Holbrook, 2009) As for water pollution there are two sources which are point sources and non-point sources. Point sources are industry, agriculture and municipal waste that cause water pollution. This is when industries dump chemicals or other toxins into streams and rivers. Agriculture is when fertilizers and chemicals are dumped into streams, and rivers due to runoff. Municipal waste is when the municipal waste treatment plants receive more waste water than it can possible treat and it overflows. According to Kranz & Kifferstein (1996), commercial livestock and poultry farming, is a source of pollutant in surface and ground water. The other source of water pollution comes from municipal waste, residents of homes release shampoo, lotions, fabric softeners, and

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS detergents into the sewage, sewage plants treat the water for reuse but flooding and runoff contaminate streams and rivers.

Farmers in semi and arid lands use irrigation technology in order to meet the needs of the ever growing population. The Axia College text, Wiley and Sons (2009), estimates the world population at 6.5 billion people. Experts estimate the whole world population to increase to 9 billion people by 2050 (Holbrook, 2009). As water demand increases for the production of food and other goods, the scarcity of water increases, about one-third of the world is expected to deal with the challenges of water shortage in this century due to population size and climate changes (Holbrook, 2009 Fresh water is drained from streams, rivers and aquifers to provide the necessary water for a successful harvest. Sixty percent of irrigation from underground water, lakes, and rivers account for the worlds highest percentage of water depletion (Wiley & Sons, 2009). In the Southwest portion of the United States these areas depend upon the Colorado River as their water source. These areas have also seen an increase in population and an increase in water consumption. The reservoirs in that area that provide the bulk of the water have decreased from full capacity to half capacity in just the last 7 years (Lall, Heikkila, 2008). Water pollution affects our fresh water estuaries, rivers, lakes, streams and oceans that are needed for agriculture, industry for manufacturing and drinking water. Pollutants also affect the ecology and living organisms in the water as Upmann Lall stated in the Journal of International Affairs, another real troubling indicator is the swift rate of aquatic environment and bio diversity (Lall, Heikkila, 2008).

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS A non-living factor that contributes to the scarcity of water is urban runoff; which is a non-point source. During the summer season when it rains, the rain goes down the downspouts and drains which goes into the rivers, streams, and lakes. The educational website Wikipedia (2010) on thermal pollution stated that the elevated temperature in water decreases dissolved oxygen which is harmful to fish, plants and other aquatic animals. Along with runoff comes the problem of farmers raising cattle, pigs, and poultry which urinate and defecate on the ground which is carried to the streams, rivers, and lakes with the runoff which causes more pollution and destruction to the fresh water supply. There were sustainability strategies formulated by Hari Srinivas that basically just touched the surface of fresh water scarcity. Mr. Srinivas outlined and created a sense of urgency in the Urban Water Strategy, which about one-half of the people in developing countries are suffering from diseases caused by infections from the consumption of contaminated water (Srinivas, 2010). Although Mr. Srinivas had some good ideas he left out some important causes of fresh water shortages and how to address the problems. The Integrated Urban Water Strategy Plan never mentioned anything about point source or non-point source water pollution or how to address it or the issue of industry. Large manufacturing companies that require and use large amounts of water for production should be responsible for treating the used water before releasing it into lakes, streams, and rivers. However Mr. Srinivas does mention in his plan about conducting water audits which is for monitoring and evaluating the program and policy performance (Srinivas, 2010).

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS The author of the program does mention an educational and awareness approach to the communities fresh waters, also a management program for the preservation of the quality and quantity of fresh water.

Action Items Research and Identify the most recent data and effects of water pollution.

Develop a national Education program about the effects of water pollution

Present educational programs to industries, farmers, politicians and communities.

Lobbying efforts with local and national politicians Introduce the concept of population control.

Address Point and Non-Point sources

Action steps Review environmental Web sites and journals. Document sources of water pollution, both environmental and health effects of water pollution. Document video interviews with researchers and facilitators. Create PSAs about Global Water Shortages for TV and Radio. Develop presentation of the effects of water pollution and how to preserve fresh water supplies. Address population growth issue; attend monthly meetings with audio and visual aids. Present facts to public about overpopulation, over farming, and availability of fresh water. Propose new restrictions on farmers and municipalities This is an idea in order to keep population at sustainable levels. This is just an informative idea and to allow people to make their own decision. Create and put into action a system to trap contaminated water and treat it before being released into streams and rivers.

Timeline 1-6 months

1-6 Months

4-7 months

7-12 months 7-12 months

7-12 months

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS My Mitigation Plan above is to show what may be a possible solution to the problem. The challenges of my sustainability plan are to get the attention of the public and politicians and create a real sense of urgency about the preservation of fresh water. Water shortage issues have not been as predominate and addressed as much as air pollution or other environmental issues, but it should and needs to be before its too late. Phase two of my plan would be to make fresh water available for countries or areas of countries that are experiencing the water shortages by having geologists test the land to see if underground water is available and drill for it. The irrigation process for supplying water will only work if it is monitored so that it is not abused and end up turning the land into useless wasteland. An added benefit will be of course that people will have access to fresh water and the educational campaign will create a fresh water movement which will push this topic to the forefront. My end result of my Mitigation Strategy Plan will be the involvement of governmental and societal support that will be required to achieve the goal of preserving fresh water, inform the public of the real problems that we face as a world and what various industries and communities can do to start the presentation efforts. The Governmental role would be to unify the world treaties and education to show the urgency and importance of fresh clean water and how to attain and sustain it.

MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS References: John Wiley & Sons (2009) Berg Visualizing Environmental Science Retrieved from University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Holbrook, Emily (2009, June) Water Everywhere..But Nothing For Business, Risk Management Volume 56 Issue 5 p20-25 Upmanu Lall, Tanya Heikkila, Casey Brown, Tobias, Siegfreid (2008, Spring/Summer) Journal of International Affairs, Spring/Summer 2008, Volume 61 no.2 Hari Srinivas (2009) An Integrated Urban Water Strategy Retrieved from http:// gdrc.org/uem/water/urban-water.html David Krantz, Brad Kifferstein (1996) Water Pollution and Society Retrieved from www.umich.edu/-gr265/society/waterpollution.htm Wikipedia (2010) Thermal Pollution Retrieved from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_pollution.