Seventy percent of the earth is covered in water.  However, as a human race we can only use three percent of it – because the rest is salt water - to meet our water needs.  The rest is hidden away, unavailable for our use. When a shortage of it arises, heavy problems emerge.  
Why do we need water for our bodies? Well, it makes up seventy percent of an adult’s weight, regulates temperature and gets rid of body waste.  Without it, we could suffer loss of concentration, headaches from the dehydration and may as far as kidney stones too.

Water scarcity, in definition, is the lack of sufficient water resources to meet water needs within a particular region.  Droughts can cause water scarcity in that period of time and maybe for even longer since factors such as fish migration can decrease in some areas, causing algae to bloom to then make the water green. Even climate change contributes to this since rainfall patterns are changing.  South East England has the highest population in England which means water scarcity is more likely to occur.  

Last year, United Nations carried out a World Water Development Report in which numerous studies had been cited to show a positive correlation between “investments in the water sector and economic growth” - UN-Water: Publications detail.  Estimates indicate that loss in water supply systems were of up to about 25% in London (the Thames in 2014). - The United Nations World Water Development Report 2016: WATER AND JOBS Facts and Figures.


Leaking is a very common cause of water shortages as well as dry winters and higher water demands.  This can cause the government to introduce ideas such as the hosepipe ban in 2012.  This was a ban restricting the outdoor use of water supplies, mostly affecting the irrigation of lawns.  That would count as a level one response.  A second level response would build on that and prevent actions such as filling up swimming pools, for other than for medical purposes, the cleaning of windows or washing cars as examples.  


The average person uses around 150-160 litres of water per day.  A five minute shower takes up 45 litre; a bath, eighty; a full load in the washing machine, fifty to one hundred and twelve to twenty just to run the dishwasher.  We use a lot more than we ever expected and to continue to go on like this, we will run out of this resource very soon.  


A possible solution to heavier future shortages is desalination – the process of turning salt water into drinking water.  This would be a good idea since we are on an island.  However, it is a very expensive and power – hungry process.  There is even the challenge of knowing what to do with all the remaining salt too.  Would it be dropped back into seas?

 
However, there are some actions you can take in your very own household to minimise wastage of water and even save substantial amounts of money.  

  • Do not completely fill the kettle up, to reduce electricity costs too
  • Choose energy efficient devices such as the dishwasher and washing machine
  • Only run a full load of clothes in the washing machine
  • Take a shower instead of a bath (prevent from using power showers though)
  • Do not leave the tap running while brushing your teeth or shave
  • Wash your car with a bucket and sponge if it needs to be washed
  • Fix any leaky taps
  • Grow your grass a little longer in the summer as it can survive in the dry weather.
  • There’s no need to water large trees and shrubs unless they start to wilt
  • Collect rainwater and use a watering can instead of a hose where possible
  • Water plant roots, not leaves since high levels of evaporation occur from the leaves.

Additti Agrawal