Year 5
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Year 6
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Year 7
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ENVIRONMENTAL
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SOCIAL
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Water is a natural resource, it is renewable.
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Because of the Water Cycle, every drop of water that was here with the dinosaurs is still here now.
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When rain falls to the ground, some flows over the surface into waterways and some seeps into the ground. Any seeping water moves down through soil and rocks that are permeable; that is, they have pores that allow water to pass through them.
Groundwater is then held within aquifers (water holding rocks) in the ground. These work like sponges, they hold water in the tiny holes between the rock particles. An artesian aquifer occurs between impermeable rocks, and this creates great pressure. When a well is bored into an artesian aquifer, water often gushed out to the surface. |
GLOBAL GROUNDWATER
2% of the Earth's water is held in groundwater, and about 1.5 billion people rely on groundwater for their survival. Some groundwater is fresh and can be used for drinking. Other groundwater can be brackish or even saltier than the sea. |
TROUBLED WATERS
For many years now, more and more water has been taken out of the ground. People believed it was unlimited, but it is now in danger of running out in some areas because of the large number of wells pumping water from underground. |
WHO USES THE MOST WATER?
Each person uses 1240 cubic meters of water each year. This includes drinking, washing and all the water used to produce the clothes they wear, food they eat etc. Some countries that consume the most amount of water are the United States and Thailand. Others that consume least are Peru, Somalia and China. |
WHAT IS WATER USED FOR?
Most of the world's water is used in agriculture, to grow food for the world's increasing population. Some countries use more water in agriculture and industry, while other countries use more water in their households for domestic use. The map below shows us the main uses of water in the world. |
WATER NEEDS
Each year every person needs; - 1000 litres of drinking water - 100,000 litres for other personal needs - 1,000,000 litres to grow all their food Water stress occurs when there is not enough water to meet these needs. Around 1.1 billion people do not have enough access to water. The reasons for this include people living where there is not much rainfall, too much water being used for agriculture and industry, and water being too polluted. By 2025, it is estimated that 2 billion people will be living in regions where there is not enough water. |
THE WATER CARRIERS
People who do not have water at home have to travel to get water, and the burden usually falls on women who carry the heavy load on their head or back. For some people, the trip to a water supply and back can take hours each day. The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is six kilometres. The average weight they carry is 20 kilograms. |