According to AllAfrica, a news source spanning across the African continent, central towns in Namibia are predicted to run out of water by September of 2016. Three main dams are suppliers of water to the town, and unless it rains, the town will run dry. These water shortages would affect households, businesses, and the economy greatly. Namibia has been in a severe drought and unfortunately, there is little rainfall predicted to save this situation. To fix this crisis developmentally, the towns must reduce consumption and build underground water resources. Saving water by 20% could prolong water presence for another six months. Also, recycling water from sewages could ensure water usage for a longer period of time. Besides reduction, building underground taps could also prevent this shortage. Since majority of the water loss is due to evaporation, moving it to an underground aquifer would prevent this. These ideas directly relate to the idea of sustainable development from the module. Sustainable methods are being created to prevent shortages.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201601130754.html

Another water crisis has been occurring right here in the United States. A common discussion in the news lately has been about the lead water in Flint, Michigan. As a cost-cutting measure, Flint began getting its water from the Flint River rather than Lake Huron. As a result, residents began experiencing high levels of lead pouring from their tap. The lead water has led to skin lesions, hair loss, high levels of lead in the blood system, vision loss, memory loss, and psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities in children. It is predicted that this problem will affect residents for years. Daily household tasks such as bathing, cleaning, and washing cannot be done without lead infiltrating their systems. To fix this massive problem, Flint will need more funding for mental health services. Since the lead is affecting many people psychologically, mental health services will be needed. Funding will also need to go towards switching the water source back to Lake Huron. Water is a natural resource, making this another example of sustainable development.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/health/flint-michigan-water-investigation/

These are two separate examples of global water crises. While Namibia is experiencing a shortage of water, Flint is experiencing contaminated water. I’m from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and I am privileged enough to never have to worry about water. As opposed to these locations, I have never dealt with a water shortage or contaminated water. Although I have never experienced them, I think these two scenarios prove that it is not impossible. Water is finite, and if contaminated or depleted, it is not easy to fix. In order to advance development where I live and perhaps prevent situations like this from happening, I think it is important to keep our water clean and safe. In Flint’s case, switching the water source to the Flint River was a disaster due to the high lead levels in the water. Had that river been uncontaminated to begin with, the switch would not have been so catastrophic. In Namibia’s case, although we don’t get our water from local dams, reducing water use is still important.  Examining location in a study like this is important because of the differences in Earth’s richness. Like the module explained, some areas are poorer and more prone to drought–like Namibia–and some are richer. I am lucky to live in an area that doesn’t have to worry about water shortages.