Solutions to Depletion of Fresh Water Sarah Worley, Sidney Riess, Gabby Sandsness, Madeline Grimm, Kyle Stroh, Kaitlin Miller

Solutions can address supply and demand Reduce demand –Conservation and efficiency measures –Difficult politically in short term but necessary in the long term Increase supply –Transport water from more plentiful areas through ground pipes –Water-poor regions take water from areas too weak to support themselves causing dustbowls and destroying rural economies

Desalination makes more water What is Desalination Reverse osmosis Evaporation

Agricultural demand can be reduced Small fixes by farmers makes big differences. - lining canals, leveling fields, etc. Low-pressure sprinklers reduce water use. Drip irrigations could cut back water use in half. -Brings in more revenue Choose crops and climates carefully.

We can lessen residential and industrial water use in many ways Help Reduce agricultural water In households, reduce water use St. Petersburg, Florida and many other cities recycle water Government in Arizona and England are capturing runoff Patching leaks=more money

Economic approaches to water conservation are being debated Make water a full priced commodity –Less available, increases rich-poor gap Privatization of water supplies –Purchase water from vendors- pay 12x more Decentralization of control over water from national to local level –Irrigation systems in Mexico improved dramatically Public education –Decreases water consumption