Water Insecurity | Edexcel A Level Geography Exam Questions & Answers 2016 [PDF]

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3 marks

Study Figure 1, which describes two types of water scarcity.

Figure 1: Types of water scarcity

Type	Definition
Physical scarcity	More than 75% of a country's blue water flows are already used (e.g. Middle East & North Africa); ~25% of the global population
Economic scarcity	Water sources exist to meet needs, but access is limited, mismanaged or underdeveloped and many cannot afford a safe supply; ~1 billion people, mainly South Asia and Africa

Suggest one reason why some countries experience economic water scarcity even though water is physically available.

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2

3 marks

Study Figure 1, which compares water access in Ghana and the UK.

Figure 1: Water access in Ghana and the UK

Indicator	Ghana	UK
Households with piped mains water	45% (capital, Accra)	99%
Access to a safely managed water source	41%	~100%
Cost of water as a share of daily income (poorest)	20–25%	very small
Typical supply	Intermittent; many rely on water vendors	Continuous mains supply

Suggest one reason why water insecurity is greater for households in Ghana than in the UK.

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4

3 marks

Study Figure 1, which shows some causes of water insecurity.

Figure 1: Selected causes of water insecurity

Cause	Example
Over-abstraction of groundwater	Jakarta and Beijing are sinking (subsidence) from past groundwater removal
Water contamination	~90% of sewage in developing countries flows untreated into water sources
Industrial pollution	~80% of China's groundwater is polluted; 70% of rivers and lakes unsafe

Suggest one way that human activity can reduce the amount of freshwater available.

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5

3 marks

Study Figure 1, which shows trends in global water demand.

Figure 1: Pressure on global water resources

Indicator	Detail
Global population	over 8 billion
Projected rise in water demand by 2050	20–30%
Largest user	agriculture (irrigation)
Other rising uses	energy production, industry, domestic appliances

Suggest one reason why global water demand is rising faster than the global population.

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Water Insecurity (Edexcel A Level Geography): Exam Questions