Water Use and Management

• WHO – 1,000,000,000+ people lack access to fresh water

• 10,000,000+ people die annually from water-related diseases

Global Water Use

Residential Water Use

Water Treatment

• Performed to remove pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and toxins from water

• Water is treated to become potable – suitable for drinking

Drinking-Water Treatment

Industrial Water Use

Industrial Water Use

• Most water used in industry -used to cool power plants.– pump water from river or a

lake– carry water through cooling

tower– return water to river or lake.

• Returned water is warmer than the source, but is clean and can be reused.

Agricultural Water Use

Irrigation

• Provides crops with water from sources other than precipitation.

• Techniques:– Shallow ditches– Overhead sprinklers • Most water evaporates before reaching plant roots

Water Management Projects

• Designed for areas with inadequate surface water

• Provide water to dry areas.• Ex. SRP allows people to live and grow crops in

desert areas.– Provide water– Generate electric power

Water Diversion Projects

• Divide rivers into canals to supply water to arid regions.

• Ex. Colorado Watershed

Dams and Reservoirs

• Dam - structure built across a river to control a river’s flow.

• Reservoir - body of water that forms behind a dam.– Used for drinking water, irrigation, recreation, and

industry.

Dams and Reservoirs

• Hydroelectric dams use the power of flowing water to generate electrical energy.