What happens when demand for water exceeds supply?

What happens when demand for water exceeds supply?

1. Cost of water may increase where demand exceeds supply

2. Decrease in crop yield - reduction in food and therefore food prices increase impacting poor people more

3. May revert to using unclean water - increased illness and disease

4. import water

5. Could cause conflict and fighting over access to water

6. Overabstraction - lakes and rivers dry out e.g. Aral Sea

7. Case study - Aral Sea

   • water diverted to grow cotton crop in USSR
   • Loss of fishing industry as Sea dried up
   • Water in sea became toxic due to increased salt conc and run off from fertilisers
   • Out migration
   • collapse of primary industry
     • loss of jobs & income
   • Death

8. Case study: Lake Chad

   • Drying up - contributing to desertification in the region
     • Lower crop yields
       • less money & jobs
     • water prices increase so poorest dont have access