Why is the need for water increasing day to day? Explain three reasons.
Answers
The need for water is increasing day by day due to growing population, intensive industrialisation and urbanisation.
(i) A large population means more water is required not only for domestic but also for increasing food production. To increase food production water resources are over exploited to increase the area under irrigation and dry season agriculture. Some of the rich farmers have their own wells in their farms for irrigation to increase food production. This in turn has resulted in lowering of ground water levels which affects water availability and food security of the people.
(ii) Multinational companies are the heavy users of freshwater for power which put tremendous pressure on water resources. Morever, multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban lifestyles have not only added to water and energy needs but have further aggravated the problem.
(iii) In cities or housing colonies, they have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs resulting in over exploitation and have caused depletion of water resources in many cities.