FACTORS EFFECTING WATER AVAILABILITY

Created by: AliceTaylor13
Created on: 02-06-18 20:59

Physical - climate

- Most places rely on rainfall, which feeds lakes+rivers, for their water supply.-Hot climate=water lost from lakes/rivers due to evaporation.-Climate change is altering amount of rainfall in places. - Many areas are getting drier=droughts.

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Physical - geology

-Rain falls on impermeable rock(e.g.clay)=it cant soak in=flows off into rivers and lakes=easy to get water from. -Rain falls on permeable rock(e.g.sandstone)=flows through them=form underground water stores (aquifers)=harder to get to.

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Economic/social factors - over-abstraction

-More water is being used than is being replaced. - Caused by pop. growth+economic development, improvements in sanitation/personal hygiene (e.g.more showers), high demand from businesses,such as tourism/recreation (e.g. golf courses in arid region).

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Economic/social factors - pollution of water sources

-E.g. in rivers+groundwater. - Reduces amount of clean water that is available. - Major problem in rapidly industrialising countries, where lots of industrial waste is dumped into rivers without being treated. - Human/animal waste contamination.

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Economic/social factors - limited infrastructure

- Rapid urbanisation=water pipes+sewers cant be built quickly enough to supply the pop.+prevent sewage from contaminating the supply.

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Economic/social factors - poverty

- Water providers charge a fee for supplying water to homes. - People who are too poor to pay for it have to find other sources of water, which may not be treated to make them safe to drink.

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Physical - geology

Back

Card 3

Front

Economic/social factors - over-abstraction

Back

Card 4

Front

Economic/social factors - pollution of water sources

Back

Card 5

Front

Economic/social factors - limited infrastructure

Back

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FACTORS EFFECTING WATER AVAILABILITY