Jacob Schewe et al., scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, claim that climate change can pose threat to freshwater security in Asian developing countries (3247). Carolyn Payus, a postdoctoral fellow in the field of Environmental Science from the National University of Malaysia, assents to the idea that climate change decreases freshwater levels in Asian developing countries. Payus provides an example of the Northeast Monsoon that caused the water level of the major dam for the specific drought period from September 2018 to July 2019 to fall greatly, recording 86.3% for the percentage of days that are at a critical freshwater level in Borneo island countries (1135). This is important as the falling freshwater level of the dam suggests the quantitative stain on the water that people can directly access for drinking, and practicing agriculture. Anil Kumar Misra, who earned a doctoral degree at the University of Lucknow in the hydrogeology area, also agrees with the direct correlation between climate change and water stress. Misra’s research on the possible impact of climate change in the future suggests that the temperature increase of 1.4-5.8 °C in Sub-Saharan Africa would cause rainfall to drop by 10% around 2050 (158). Considering that rainfall directly impacts agriculture, this elaborates on how temperature increase can lead to quantitative water stress that can even threaten the procurement of food, the human necessities in Sub-Saharan Africa regions (Guido et al.). Because climate change in both Asian and African developing countries triggers quantitative water stress that affects the quality of life, considering the environmental cause of water stress remains crucial.
Eutrophication occurs when a lake or stream becomes over-rich in plant nutrients and produces an excessive number of algae (“Water Stress”). According to Zorigto Namsaraev, a scientist at the largest interdisciplinary laboratory Kurchatov Institute in Russia, 28% of current lakes in African developing countries are considered of poor quality due to algae-induced eutrophication (285). Sha Lou, a researcher from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, and her colleagues, consent with Namsaraev’s point on how eutrophication degrades water quality. They further explain that the scum of decomposed cyanobacteria, a type of bacteria that generates blue-green algae bloom, covered the intake of the waterworks in the northern part of Taihu Lake in China and resulted in eutrophication that created a strong odor to decrease the water access. Thus, they note that this quality-related water stress caused approximately two million people to live without drinking water for at least a week. In other words, this shows how qualitative deterioration is leading to quantitative water stress, as the quality deterioration negatively impacts the overall water supplies. Richard D. Thomas, the author of Drinking Water and Health, further elaborates on the impact of eutrophication. Thomas claims that eutrophication with cyanobacteria produces different kinds of toxins that can produce adverse effects on nervous system development (106). For example, a type of cyanobacteria called Microcystis, which was produced by an algal bloom, produced toxins that account for liver and colorectal cancer in China, 1972 (Bláha et al.). This study points out that if the water is causing health concerns, the water is qualitatively insufficient for human beings, and that it can be considered quality-induced water stress according to the definition. Therefore, the environmental aspect should be considered to fully address eutrophication-induced water stress that can lead to human health concerns.
Writer: Grace Jun
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