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Global fresh water shortages

  • Will take place on January 01, 2020
  • Quoted on December 30, 2007
  • Countdown Expired
  • Votes 10
  • Chance 80.0 %
  • Influence 442

Water will be in the twenty-first century what oil was in the twentieth century. Global fresh water shortages and drought conditions are spreading in both the developed and developing world. In response, the dry state of California is building 13 desalination plants that could provide 10%-20% of the state's water in the next two decades. Desalination will become more mainstream by 2020.

By

William E. Halal

Source

Technology's Promise: Highlights from the TechCast Project

Semantic Analysis

fresh water, global fresh, water shortages

Comments

I don't think we have 11 years left on this one... maybe 5.

Dan

Desalination is just an energy problem. So we'll have plenty of fresh water, unless there's some kind of shortage of energy.

...hmmmm

David MacInnis

Right now the entire human population on the planet uses about 1% of the fresh water supply available.
There will be no fresh water shortage.
More likely than that will be a pollution problem rather than water shortage. The challenge will be keeping industrial waste/contaminants/pharmaceuticals out of our water supplies.
Another problem that will become acute is waste disposal. This is especially true in developing countries with exploding populations. (no i dont mean muslims with bombs strapped to them, I mean rapid birth rates!) In many countries sewage is still just dumped into the ocean or other bodies of water with little or any treatment. Certain areas of China are becoming so poluted from industrial discharge that they are no longer safe for human habitation.

Jet City

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  • Submitted byAishia