Drinking water resources in Europe. Europe - part of the world (referred to as a continent), situated in the northern hemisphere, on the border between Eastern and Western Hemispheres, constituting together with Asia the continent of Eurasia. About 66% of Europe belongs to the catchment area of the Atlantic Ocean, 16% of the catchment area of the Arctic Ocean, and the water from the rest of the continent flows into the internal seas, of which the largest is the Caspian Sea.
• Fresh water accounts for only about 3% of all water resources on Earth, and its number is estimated to be approx. 35 million m³. Interestingly, the largest concentration of water in the form of glaciers and snow cover is in the Antarctica. Scientists estimate that 61% of all fresh water on the planet is stored there, and the remaining glaciers and snow cover are 9% of total water resources in the world. The second largest water source is groundwater that accumulate approx. 29.6%, and the river, sweet lakes and shallow groundwater accounts for only 0.4% of the volume of all freshwater.
• Most countries in the world suffer from water shortage, only a few of them are water-opulent. For example, Norway is such country which due to the relatively small population and the temperate climate is rich in water resources. The worst situation is in Africa and some Asian countries. Poland is one of the poorest countries in Europe as far as water is concerned, but what is more important the use of water is constantly growing. Averagely, 5100 m³ of this life-giving fluid falls per one person in Europe, while in Poland this number is mere 1700 m³.
• Water resources in Poland per capita are lower than in neighboring countries and much lower than the European average. Data taken from the State Council for Water Management show that average use of water in Poland per capita is circa 1700 m³ per year, and the average use of water in Europe per capita is 4560 m3 a year.
• Despite the vast amount of water on the planet, decades of unsustainable management caused that water shortages have reached crisis point in many world regions. Globally, people use more than 50 % of all renewable and accessible freshwater, while billions still lack the most basic water services. Until now, most Europeans have been insulated from the social, economic and environmental impacts of severe water shortages. But as demand increases and the global climate changes, is Europe becoming more susceptible?
• The balance between water demand and availability has reached a critical level in many areas of Europe, the result of over-abstraction and prolonged periods of low rainfall or drought. Reduced river flows, lowered lake and groundwater levels, and the drying up of wetlands are widely reported, alongside detrimental impacts on freshwater ecosystems, including fish and bird life. Where the water resource has diminished, a worsening of water quality has normally followed because there is less water to dilute pollutants. In addition, salt water increasingly intrudes into 'over-pumped' coastal aquifers throughout Europe. Climate change will almost certainly exacerbate these adverse impacts in the future, with more frequent and severe droughts expected across Europe.
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EU-wide figures for sectoral water use mask strong regional differences, however. In southern Europe, for example, agriculture accounts for more than half of total national abstraction, rising to more than 80 % in some regions, while in western Europe more than half of water abstracted goes to energy production as cooling water. These sectors also differ significantly in their 'consumptive' use of water. Almost 100 % of cooling water used in energy production is restored to a waterbody. In contrast, the consumption of water through crop growth and evaporation typically means that only about 30 % of water abstracted for agriculture is returned. Agricultural water use across Europe has increased over the last two decades, driven in part by the fact that farmers have seldom had to pay the 'true' cost of water. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) bears part of the responsibility, having in some cases provided subsidies to produce water-intensive crops using inefficient techniques. Recent reforms of the CAP have, however, reduced the link between subsidies and production from agriculture. In general, agricultural water use has now stabilized across Europe but at a high level.
• Demand for energy crops, however, has the potential to increase agricultural water use still further in future years. A range of factors influence public water demand, including population and household size, tourism, income, technology, and consumer behaviour such as buying bottled mineral water. In addition, 'leakage' in the distribution and supply networks plays a key role in determining the amount of water reaching domestic premises. Public water supply in eastern Europe has declined since the early 1990s due to the introduction of metering and higher water prices. Recent economic growth in eastern Europe is, however, predicted to reverse the overall downward trend in the future. A similar but less marked reduction in supply is apparent for western Europe over recent years, driven by the implementation of water saving measures.
• European citizens do not suffer from the devastating water shortages and poor water quality experienced in other regions of the world. In general, water is relatively abundant with a total freshwater resource across Europe of around 2 270 km3/year. Moreover, only 13 % of this resource is abstracted, suggesting that there is sufficient water available to meet demand. In many locations, however, overexploitation by a range of economic sectors poses a threat to Europe's water resources and demand often exceeds availability. As a consequence, problems of water scarcity are widely reported, with reduced river flows, lowered lake and groundwater levels and the drying up of wetlands becoming increasingly commonplace. This general reduction of the water resource also has a detrimental impact upon aquatic habitats and freshwater ecosystems.
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Less than 1% of the earth water can be used for drinking
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More than ⅓ world's population lives in areas affected by moderate or severe water scarcity (according to data of the Stockholm Environment Institute)
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Women and children from poor countries in Africa travel a daily average of 6 km carrying 20 liters of water to satisfy the most basic needs of their families
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More than 1.2 billion people have no access to fresh drinking water 75% of diseases in developing countries are water-borne. Contaminated, dirty water kills more people than AIDS, cancer or war. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), approx. 4,000 children die from diseases related to the scarcity of clean water every day.
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Every minute every 7 people die due to the poor quality or the lack of fresh water.
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20% of all surface water resources in the European Union is at risk of contamination
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In Poland, water resources per capita are three times lower than the European average. An average of 1660 m3 / year falls on one Pole, while in other European countries the average of fresh drinking water is estimated to be 4560 m3 / year per capita (according to CIEP).
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In 2006, Poland struggled with total loss of good-quality drinking water. What is more, 63% of water resources was unsatisfactory or of poor quality (CIEP, 2007)
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