The Outlook on the Water Problem

The United Nations is dealing with the global water problem.

However, their plans and solutions for dealing with this situation continue to be questionable. A critical concept that we looked into was the conventional and the unconventional sources of water.

For years now, groundwater and rainwater have remained to be reliable water sources. It is thus
essential to preserve these conventional water resources. The UN estimates that over-reliance
on conventional water resources poses the threat of overconsumption bound to affect future
generations.

The UN also proposes the use of unconventional resources, particularly by harvesting water.

Water innovation

Three methods can be used to revolve this water problem, namely:
● Use of technology that can harness moisture from fog
● Treating water held in ballast tanks also known as ballast water
● Harnessing water from a glacier

These methods proposed by the UN may appear to be unreasonable. However, the organization has been at the forefront of achieving its Sustainable Development Goals that target to improve humanity. Achieving sustainable goals is vital in every nation across the world, and water plays a crucial role.

Political agendas worldwide are focused on how every country can be able to achieve these
sustainable goals. Experts around the world and the media are vital in fighting for Sustainable
Development Goals.

The widespread use of social media also allows for the successful spread and implementation of this plan.

The Water Crisis In-depth

The nature of water makes it among the top 5 risks globally. Its nature and impacts give it an
interconnecting factor. It has the power to affect a nation’s overall economy, people’s state of
health, and people’s living. There continues to be a rise in population globally, and with
this rise, the sources of freshwater continue to vary in different parts of the world.

For this reason, some nations are rich in freshwater sources while other countries cannot
access freshwater. The UN estimates that about 60% of the population in the world finds it hard
to access water. This figure indicates a disproportional case of supply and demand.

The rise in the impacts of Global warming continues to add salt to the injury of demand
overriding water supply. Global warming has interfered with patterns in hydrology. Arid areas
globally suffer the most from such impacts.

It is now impossible for farmers to rely on rain for farming activities leading to low agricultural
productivity. Global warming has caused severe consequences such as floods and landslides,
which destroy property and agriculture.

The UN asserts that these changes as a result of global warming interfere with traditional
human migration patterns. Despite these changes, the UN considers water an essential tool for
its sustainable development agenda. According to the UN, the most effective way of dealing
with the shortage of water supply is to develop other practices that increase water supply
globally.

Untapped water from unconventional methods provides solutions to the water problem of low
supply. The field of untapped water is still new and untested; however, the UN is at the forefront
of implementing this agenda. This plan is sustainable as its viability and safety are yet to be
determined. The available conventional water resources cannot meet water demand in arid and
semi-arid areas.

Planning and managing water resources

For this reason, the adoption of plans or schemes in planning and managing water resources
are necessary. This progressive approach involves utilizing unconventional water resources to
promote sustainable development agenda, sustain livelihoods and the ecosystem, and aid in
adapting to changes in climate.

A Look at Unconventional Water Resources

There is a need for a radical approach to unconventional water resources despite being a new
area of practice with limited research proving their viability and workability. Tapping into this new
resource may require different strategies and processes, making this technique costly or
untenable. There is also a need for management systems due to new techniques used to
harvest water and are not yet in existence.

The UN suggests the following methods:

1. Harvesting water through cloud seeding, fog, or the atmosphere.
2. Harnessing rainwater at micro-scale levels to avoid evaporation.
3. Saline groundwater and desalinated seawater.
4. The use of aquifers both from offshore and inshore formations.
5. Use of icebergs in the Antarctic and Arctic.
6. Ballast water, also identified as water held in tanks and cargo ships.
7. Reuse of municipal wastewater and stormwater.
8. Utilizing residual agricultural water.

The Applicability of Unconventional Water Resources

The applicability of unconventional water sources has yet to be proven, as there have not been
any studies to prove their viability.

There is no proof of their effects and impacts. Because of this lack of consensus, these unconventional methods may solve the water demand crisis or create room for concern.

In addition to this, there are other barriers associated with harvesting water, as previously
discussed in the last article. Addressing such barriers will require support from radical
institutions as well as policies. The UN needs help from governments, private institutions,
policymakers, and other key stakeholders to implement this plan. Science-based tools will also
come a long way in solving these barriers.

Objectives

It is essential to understand the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) before laying out the
objectives. SDG 6 states, “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all.”

The following are the key UN objectives:

• Illustrate to the reader how SDG 6 aligns with unconventional water resources
• Expand the agenda and its relation to food security, climate change, mitigation, and
• sustainable development
• Critic the viability of unconventional water resources in arid and semi-arid areas

Conclusion

A joint philosophical statement that applies in solving the water problem is “Know the destination,
and the journey will become much clearer.”