Avoiding an apocalypse as a world without water draws nearer

With 2021 fast approaching, a world without water looms ever closer for us all.

Every region faces the same threat. There is limited access to renewable fresh water sources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and more than 60 percent of the population has little or no access to drinkable water, according to weforum.org. And then there’s Europe, where water scarcity is a mounting issue for many European nations as droughts rise in number and become more severe.

Water scarcity and climate change are formulating a perfect storm, one that threatens life as we know it. Incidents perceived as forces of nature could be contained in a different reality, and solutions once readily available to us are becoming further out of reach due to water depletion.

In November 2019, the Australian government declared a state of emergency, with one of the most devasting bushfire seasons on record quickly wreaking havoc across all states, reported theverge.com. Within three months, an area the size of South Korea had burned. The country held its breath for rain amid a continued drought – the lack of water adding more fuel to the flames.

And one year prior, the eyes of the world were on South Africa’s second most populated city, Cape Town, as a multi-year drought engulfed its water supply. Although ‘Day Zero’ never came to pass, residents narrowly avoided experiencing the water supply being switched off and having to queue for daily rations. However, the threat of such adversity will arise again – and next time, we may not be so lucky.

A bleak future

These examples alone paint a bleak picture for the decades to come. So what will the future look like in a world without water?

Fast-forward to 2045 – without widespread action to save more water and safeguard our future – the scenario may be incomprehensible. Should current consumption persist and long-standing negligence endure, the world may be much different. Across all continents, governments may be enforcing water restrictions – gardens unable to be watered, swimming pools empty, water cutting out while washing dishes, prices of bottled water soaring at exponential rates.

In this world, restaurants, stadiums, and areas are also closed. Streets are lined with queues of people awaiting their daily rations, parents unable to fill the bathtub for their children. Worldwide sport has stood still, school trips canceled, and zoos empty – species extinct because of water shortage. Food supplies are short; crops destroyed and plant and animal life struggling to survive.

Admittedly, this does sound apocalyptic – but this is a potential future that awaits. The warning signs are before us, the point of no return edging closer. The time is now for action, and with it comes cause for hope and a window to avert disaster and achieve a sustainable future.

The role of innovation

At present, non-revenue water (NWR) is one of the most pressing and persistent problems contributing to water scarcity. Pumped and produced yet subsequently lost or unaccounted for, NRW results from faulty metering, poor data gathering, or leakage. Because it never reaches its final destination, the water is not used or paid for, affecting local economies, resources, and consumers.

The need to manage NRW has become a priority, and governments worldwide are now devising and rolling out strategies to build and power smart cities with digital solutions capable of efficiently managing and distributing water. Smart water networks can treat, monitor, and distribute water safely, mitigating water strain by reducing NWR losses. Moving forward, they will utilise real-time data to identify previously unmeasured low-flow water, pinpoint leakage points, highlight areas susceptible to structural weakness, and ultimately restrict NRW, and safeguarding our water.

There is limited access to renewable fresh water sources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Crucially, the benefits for consumers will include improved service and performance and reduced energy consumption. Innovative digital solutions such as smart metres and pressure sensors can also spot water system discrepancies and dispel potential issues – reducing NWR, wasted consumption. The Sensus FlexNet communication is a prime example of how consumers can reduce their reliance on manual meter readings. The capabilities of related solutions improve consumers’ overall service – providing reliable data, fast transmissions, remote management, and scalability.

What can we do to help?

There are examples that can inspire us to learn, take action, start saving more water, and safeguard our future. Our corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, Watermark, works with non-profit organisations on sustainable development projects that provide education and protect safe water resources for communities worldwide.

Employees and stakeholders are encouraged to make a difference by volunteering their time, providing expertise, donating technology and product, and making monetary donations. We too can support the program, and also take simple steps at home such as checking for leaks, taking shorter showers, installing flow restrictors, and turning off the water while brushing our teeth and washing their hands.

The future apocalyptic scenario of a world without water is a real possibility. But with a newfound sense of urgency to take action and start saving water – together with innovative digital solutions and technologies yet to emerge – we can divert this disaster by some distance and secure a sustainable future.

Francois Frigaux, is regional sales director, Middle East & North Africa, at Sensus, a Xylem brand