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According to this video, it talked about the water crisis in South Africa. It revealed the real life of South Africans'. The situation in South Africa reflects how hard African residents' lives are. The video is extended with a reporter recording the local dwellers' life and interviewing them to talk about their lives. The lady in Africa has to get the water from the centre of the village, and she has to save water to wash the clothes and brush teeth.

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What's at the root of South Africa's water crisis? | DW News

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Water is the core element in society anybody can not live without, from agriculture to socio-economic development, water plays a major role in everything. Water Scarcity is an ongoing problem in the world and over half of the population are forced to suffer due to it. Not only is this a rights violation, but it's also a basic need everybody deserves to have. On the other hand, contaminated water and a lack of basic sanitation are undermining the efforts to end extreme poverty and disease in the world’s poorest countries.

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This article is about Water Scarcity in Africa. A few statements and solutions are listed by the author. Author keeps the opinion of "Individuals can equally play an important role in alleviating water scarcity in Africa by adopting a more environmental-friendly lifestyle and taking actions in their daily lives to mitigate the effect of climate change and they can develop mindful practises that help safe water, one of the most important resources for life on Earth." which is really important and strong.

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The problem of -water scarcity has cast a shadow over the wellbeing of humans. According to estimates, in 2016, nearly 4 billion people - equivalent to two-thirds of the global population - experience severe water scarcity for a prolonged period of time. If the situation doesn't improve, 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030. Africa, in particular, is facing severe water scarcity and the situation is worsening day by day. Resolute and substantial action is needed to address the issue.
Water Scarcity in Africa: An Overview

Water scarcity is the condition where the demand for water exceeds supply and where available water resources are approaching or have exceeded sustainable limits.
Figure 1: You might also like: Countries With Water Scarcity Right Now Map of physical and economic water scarcity at basin level in 2007 across the African continent.
The problem of water scarcity in Africa is not only a pressing one but it is also getting worse day by day. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , water scarcity affects 1 in 3 people in the African Region and the situation is deteriorating because of factors such as population growth and urbanisation but also climate change.

Water scarcity can be classified into two types: physical and economic. Physical water scarcity occurs when water resources are overexploited for different uses and no longer meet the needs of the population. In this case, there is not enough water available in physical terms. Economic water scarcity, on the other hand, is linked to poor governance, poor infrastructure, and limited investments. The latter type of water scarcity can exist even in countries or areas where water resources and infrastructure are adequate.

As reported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in 2011, arid regions of the continent - mainly located in North Africa - experience frequent physical water scarcity, while Sub-Saharan Africa undergoes mainly economic water scarcity. Indeed, the latter region has a decent levels of physical water , mainly thanks to the abundant, though highly seasonal and unevenly distributed supply of rainwater. This region's access to water, however, is constrained due to poor infrastructure, resulting in mainly economic rather than physical water scarcity.

Figure 2: The size of Lake Chad shows a massive shrinking between 1972 and 2007.
In a 2022 study conducted on behalf of the United Nations University Institute for Water Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), researchers employed indicators to quantify water security in all of Africa's countries. They found that only 13 out of 54 countries reached a modest level of water security in recent years, with Egypt, Botswana, Gabon, Mauritius and Tunisia representing the better-off countries in Africa in terms of water security.

19 countries - which are home to half a billion people - are deemed to have levels of water security below the threshold of 45 on a scale of 1 to 100. On the other hand, Somalia, Chad, and Niger are the continent's least water-secure countries.

Egypt performs the best regarding access to drinking water while the Central African Republic performs the worst. The latter, however, has the highest per capita water availability while half of North African countries are characterised by absolute water scarcity. This again shows that Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Africa face economic water scarcity more than physical water scarcity.

Causes of Water Scarcity in Africa

Human activities, which result in overexploitation and global warming, are the main culprit for the water scarcity in Africa. Overexploitation is the main contributor to physical water scarcity. A 2018 report published by the Institute for Security Studies stated that more than 60% of South Africa's rivers are being overexploited and only one-third of the country's main rivers are in good condition. Lake Chad - once deemed Africa's largest freshwater body and important freshwater reservoir - is shrinking because of overexploitation of its water. According to a 2019 report , for this reason alone, the water body of the lake has diminished by 90% since the 1960s, with the surface area of the lake decreasing from 26,000 square kilometres in 1963 to less than 1,500 square kilometres in 2018.

You might also like: Why We Should Care About Food Security
The underlying cause for overexploitation can be further broken down to the increase in water demand, driven by the rise in population growth and rate of urbanisation.

Population in Sub-Saharan Africa is growing at a rate of 2.7% a year in 2020, more than twice that of South Asia (1.2%) and Latin America (0.9%). Meanwhile, the population of Nigeria - a country in West Africa - is forecasted to double by 2050. As for the rate of urbanisation, according to the United Nations , 21 out of the 30 fastest-growing cities in the world in 2018 are deemed to be in Africa. Cities such as Bamako in Mali and Yaounde in Cameroon have experience explosive growth.
You might also like: 10 of the Most Endangered Species in Africa
The booming population will inevitably lead to more food demand, a faster rate of urbanisation and an rise in industrial activities, all of which require abundant water supply.

Climate change and global warming - mainly caused by an increase in human and commercial activities - equally contribute to water scarcity in Africa. As a report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa found, a 1C rise in global temperatures would result in a reduction of runoff - excess rainwater that flows across the land's surface - by up to 10%. Another study stated that the declining trends of rainfall caused by global warming will continue in North Africa, limiting groundwater recharge and exacerbating groundwater depletion. Although in areas closer to the equator, a soar in precipitation will likely occur as a result of global warming, the increased potential evapotranspiration - the combined loss of water through the plant's process of transpiration and evaporation of water from the earth's surface - and drought risks in the majority of the continent still outweigh the increased rainfall in these areas.

Consequences of Water Scarcity in Africa

Water scarcity is expected to affect the economic condition, the health of citizens as well as ecosystems in Africa.
You might also like: One Woman's Mission to Fight Water Scarcity in Africa
In economic terms, the agriculture sector is likely to be hampered under severe water scarcity. Agriculture is one of the most pivotal economic sectors for Africa, employing the majority of the population. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, it accounts for nearly 14% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As the sector that relies on water the most, agriculture is already heavily impacted by water scarcity and the situation is expected to further deteriorate, leading to other issues such as food shortages and, in the worst cases, famine.

Not surprisingly, water shortage is an immense threat to human's health. In times of water scarcity, people are often forced to get their water supply from contaminated ponds and streams. When ingested, polluted water results in widespread diarrhoeal diseases including cholera, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, other gastrointestinal viruses, and dysentery. Quality of healthcare services in many African countries is low, with only 48% African people having access to healthcare. The poor system has made diarrhoeal diseases life-threatening and in many cases even fatal.

A study published in 2021 found that severe diarrheal disease accounts for about 600,000 deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority being children and elderly. Diarrheal disease is the third-leading cause of disease and death among African children under the age of five, a situation that public health authorities blame on poor quality of water and sanitation.

Lastly, water shortages jeopardise ecosystems and contribute to a loss in biodiversity. Africa is home to some of the most unique freshwater ecosystems in the world. Lake Turkana is the world's largest desert lake, while Lake Malawi hosts the richest freshwater fish fauna in the world, home to a staggering 14% of the world's freshwater fish species. If not tackled, water scarcity will disrupt and likely terminate freshwater and marine ecosystems in the continent.

Solutions to Water Scarcity in Africa

Remedies for water scarcity are observed on a local, national, and international scale.

Local communities are taking adaptation action. Many opt for drought-tolerant crops instead of crops that require large amounts of water, a strategy to mitigate both water scarcity and food insecurity. Conservation or regenerative agriculture is also introduced to help infiltration and soil moisture retention through mulching and no-tillage approaches. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Ethiopia have all adopted such techniques in recent years.

Several governments are also taking steps to tackle water scarcity across the continent. For example, the government of Namibia financed the construction of a urban wastewater management in the capital Windhoek, significantly improving the management of water resources and thus lowering the risk of water scarcity.

International organisations also lend a helping hand in times of water scarcity. In recent years, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) promoted several initiatives and implemented innovative financing model to alleviate this pressing issue. In regions in eastern and southern Africa, UNICEF is cooperating with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and other international agencies and organisations to evaluate and implement bankable projects in a blended financing mode, particularly targeting the urban areas. For example , the European Union donated €19 million for the construction of water supply systems in the Eswatini's cities of Siphofaneni, Somntongo, and Matsanjeni. Similarly, the DBSA contributed about €150 million to the construction of the Lomahasha Water Supply. Booster pumping stations as well as reinforced concrete reservoirs are also constructed with the support of international actors.

Conclusion

All in all, the water scarcity problem in Africa is likely to exacerbate under the ever-increasing water demand and rise in global temperatures. Tangible action from all parties is constantly required to tackle this massive problem. Individuals can equally play an important role in alleviating water scarcity in Africa by adopting a more environmental-friendly lifestyle and taking actions in their daily lives to mitigate the effect of climate change and they can develop mindful practises that help safe water, one of the most important resources for life on Earth.

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Water Scarcity in Africa: Causes, Effects, and Solutions | Earth.Org

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Africa is facing severe water scarcity and the situation is worsening day by day. Resolute action is needed to address the issue.

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Some key terms include

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Lack of Basic Sanitization.

Child Morality

Unclean Water

Sustainability

Insufficient Water Supply

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Sustainable: Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Communicable Disease Agents: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and helminths (worms)

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In this video, they explain how people in Ghana do not have access to clean water and even less resources to access clean water. However, it also introduces a startup project which filters waste water, such as ones used to flush toilets and clean dishes, trying to save every single drop of water that can be saved. Moreover, they are planting a large amount of water wells which can be used to access clean drinking water.

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How Sub-Saharan Africa is facing a water-scarcity crisis | DW News

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In this article, they explain various key facts such as

1. Four billion people — almost two thirds of the world’s population —  experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year.

2. Over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate.

3. Half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by as early as 2025.

4. Some 700 million people could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

5. By 2040, roughly 1 in 4 children worldwide will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.

Which really shows how much we take lightly of such issue when a lot of the world is facing it on a day to day basis.

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As the factors driving water scarcity are complex and vary widely across countries and regions, UNICEF works at multiple levels to introduce context-specific technologies that increase access to safe water and address the impacts of water scarcity. We focus on:

Identifying new water resources: We assess the availability of water resources using various technologies, including remote sensing and geophysical surveys and field investigations.

Improving the efficiency of water resources: We rehabilitate urban water distribution networks and treatment systems to reduce water leakage and contamination, promoting wastewater reuse for agriculture to protect groundwater.

Planning for urban scarcity: We plan for future water needs by identifying available resources to reduce the risk of cities running out of water.

Expanding technologies to ensure climate resilience: We support and develop climate-resilient water sources, including the use of deeper groundwater reserves through solar-powered water networks. We also advance water storage through small-scale retention structures, managed aquifer recharge (where water is pumped into underground reserves to improve its quality), and rainwater harvesting.

Changing behaviours: We work with schools and communities to promote an understanding of the value of water and the importance of its protection, including by supporting environmental clubs in schools.

Planning national water needs: We work with key stakeholders at national and sub-national levels to understand the water requirements for domestic use and for health and sanitation, and advocate to ensure that this is reflected in national planning considerations.

Supporting the WASH sector: We develop technical guidance, manuals and online training programmes for WASH practitioners to improve standards for water access.

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Addressing the growing lack of available water to meet children's needs