Case Studies

Title: Desalination: Option Or Distraction For A Thirsty World?

Many countries that are affected by water problems such as Australia, the Middle East, Spain, the UK and US[1], are resorting to seawater desalination to provide fresh water to their country. Though this is an effective method it overall has a negative effect on the country and a world as a whole. The desalination process is expensive, calls for great amounts of energy, and emits greenhouse gases all to produce small amounts of fresh water. The desalination plants are even destroying the natural resources we have for water today such as rivers, floodplains and wetlands. By preserving these resources we will have access to fresh water while also preventing devastating events. Instead of destroying the natural resources that we do have, we should find a way to implement these rivers and wetlands to our advantage.


Title: Water Purification Down The Nanotubes: Could Nanotechnology Solve The Water Crisis?

New research is being done today about new efficient ways to filter water. Nanotechnology is “the unique chemical properties of carbon nanotubes mean that only very small molecules, such as water molecules can pass along their interiors, whereas viruses, bacteria, toxic metal ions, and large noxious organic molecules cannot.”[2] This process would provide great amounts of water to countries that are going through a drought or have little resources to fresh water. For water filtration systems to be effective, they have to be cheap, efficient, and easy to install. Billions of people in the world live without a resource to fresh water. With the continuation of research on nanotechnology we may find a way to provide every water scarce country with enough water to stop the water crisis.

Title: Researchers Address Developing Countries' Water And Sanitation Needs

Despite great efforts over one billion people in the world today live without access to sanitation facilities[3]. This problem is trying to be solved by the American Association of Advancement in Science. The processes that we are using today will simply not make results fast; it is time for new ideas on how to provide water to developing countries. Population growth and climate change play a major role in the water crisis today. They are doing research today in these smaller countries to determine why the people have little water and how to stop or even prevent the issue. Their goal is to provide water in different ways that pertain to those specific countries, because not all of their problems are exactly the same.
[1] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070621203448.htm
[2] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915105731.htm
[3] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070312151956.htm