Provide access to clean water
Uploaded by osamaalzoabi on Jan 12, 2014
Grand Challenges for Engineering: Provide Access to Clean Water
Introduction
By Osama Al zoubi
From the beginning of life, human beings have always faced challenges and
difficulties in their lives. However, what is unique about humans is their ability to
adapt and find solutions to these challenges. Engineering has always been the key and
the most influential element to the survival of humanity in the face of the unending
challenges.
A committee of scientists and engineers from around the world have proposed the
major 14th challenges in the 21st century in a document entitled "Grand Challenges
for Engineering." They stated that it is very important to address these challenges to
ensure a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle of the world's civilizations.
One of the challenges addressed is the challenge of providing access to clean drinking
water. In fact, with the world's rapid population growth, the demand of clean water is
increasingly becoming one of the most prominent issues in the world. I was
astonished to know that thousands of people die because of the lack of clean water.
According to the document proposed, about 1 out of every 6 people living today is
currently unable to gain access to fresh drinking water, resulting in nearly 5,000
deaths from diseases due to poor water sources, i.e.; diarrhea.
Water current situation
Water is life. It is the crucial ingredient to the sustainability of civilizations and their
prosperity. It is vital for domestic, agriculture and industrial purposes. We know that
water on Earth should be sufficient to all its creations. Water is about 70% of Earth's
surface. However, water is becoming one of the greatest challenges that may cause
wars in the near future. Water is enough in some regions while in others there is a
drought. The Earth's two poles have mountains of snow, oceans, rivers and inner
water in the ground which is sufficient if it is used and divided equally. Many efforts
to use this water has been made to develop technologies and to desalinate sea water.
Most countries around the world suffer because of the lack of water sources or the
lack of water quality which causes health diseases and consequently deaths.
Moreover, this challenge is prominent in the developing world and is a rising problem
in some modern countries. The old infrastructure in the developing world is one of the
key reasons of water shortage. It has been designed since hundreds of years and much
of it is of a poor quality which causes continuous leakage of water. This leakage may
sometimes mix with polluted water and becomes a source of contaminated...