The future of water Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The future of water - Research Paper Example The creator was aware of the importance of water on human life and he gave us great oceans, rivers, streams etc. Moreover he has kept a large stock of water at the underground also. But, unwise human activities and exploitation has spoiled water resources and the world is currently facing drinking water shortages. According to former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, â€Å"access to safe water is a fundamental human need and therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity† (Water as a human right). The shortage of drinking water is big problem all over the world. Most of the drinking water resources were contaminated because of heavy industrialization and the usage of powerful chemicals and fertilizers for maximizing agricultural yields. Many people believe that another world war is on card for controlling the fresh water sources. Even the recent Iraq war also suspected as a deliberate attempt by US to exploit the fresh water resources of Iraq rather than the publicly declared objectives. Water pollution affects not only the humans, but also the plants and organisms living in water, land and air. This paper analyses the future of water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that approximately 45 percent of assessed waters nationwide do not fully meet water quality standards. This means these water bodies do not meet the basic goal of the Clean Water Act – that they be safe for uses like swimming, fishing, or as a drinking water source. The EPA projects that $388 billion will be needed from 2000 to 2019 to address the nation’s clean water infrastructure problems (All Dried Up, How Clean Water is Threatened by Budget Cuts p.2). The above statistics clearly outlines the severity of the drinking water scarcity problem facing by United Sates at present. The problem with respect to drinking