Global Water Mapping, Requirements, and Concerns over Water Quality Shortages

Abstract

Water is a blessing and reason forsurvival on earth for human beings. Without water, it is not difficult to live on earth, but it is impossible. Water fulfills domestic, drinking, agricultural, and industrial requirements and makes everything useful for us. Unfortunately, rapid increase in population, unplanned agriculture practices, and industrial sector have become a serious issues for environment and for future needs. Water will be a very important issue for next generations to face. Safe water access up to 50−100 liters per day for drinking and sanitation is a right of every human being, recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in July 2010. Approximately, six billion people may suffer from scarcity of clean water by 2050. The agriculture sector is the largest consumer of freshwater around 70% followed by industry and domestic of 19 and 11%, respectively. The global demand for water is gradually increasing by 1% per year. Global demand for water is predicted to increase by 55% between the years 2000 and 2050. Existing global water demand has been projected to about 4600 km3 every year and estimation may increase up to 20−30%, in range of 5500−6000 km3 every year by 2050.