You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Fresh water has always been a limited resource in some parts of the world. Today, however, growing worldwide demand has made this a global problem. What are the causes of the increased demand, and what measures could governments and individuals take to respond to this problem?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
Fresh water, which is vital for the survival of humans and other flora and fauna, has always been a scarce natural resource on our planet, and this has been more acute in dried parts of the world. Due to rapid population growth and industrialisation, scarcity of this valuable resource has become a global issue. In this essay, I shall outline the main factors that have contributed to this problem and then elicit certain steps that can be taken to address this problem.
Regarding the reasons for the increasing demands for fresh water, population explosion is perhaps the most contributing factor. It is only natural that an inflated global population means more demand for freshwater – without which we can not live. Rapid industrialisation has also increased the demand for salt-free water. For instance, millions of cars are being produced every year, and a startling amount of fresh water is required in the process. Finally, urbanisation, human activities and industrialisation have polluted many natural fresh water reserves and have compounded the graveness of this issue.
As for the solutions to this intense and looming issue, strict legislation for preserving natural fresh water is required. No factories or industries should be allowed to carry on activities that poss threats to making freshwater sources polluted. Moreover, to reverse the already polluted reservoirs, the government should enact infrastructures for purification of them. More scientific experiments and research are required to convert seawater into saline-free water, which, I believe, will help in meeting the growing requirement of freshwater. Similarly, ordinary people can also contribute towards this noble cause by conserving water and also by limiting their daily household water usage. They should also refrain from performing activities that will pollute natural freshwater reserves.
In conclusion, fresh water is a limited resource without which we can not survive. This is why both the authorities and individuals should take every measure to save the already inadequate resource and find ways to purify seawater into freshwater.
[Written and submitted by – Amrita]