World's water supply

[kwicky]

With the threat of global warming leading to sparse water supplies throughout the world, water is becoming as scarce as oil. We have plentiful supplies in the North and in Scotland. Why don't we capitalise on this by exporting the stuff...we could even bottle it first?

[Loosehead]

Don't be a muppet all your life, 70% of the globe is covered in water!

[kwicky]

loose n' head where have you been hiding. A third of the planet will experience water shortages by 2025. Read this if you are not convinced.

http://www.solcomhouse.com/drought.htm

[jake-the-peg]

You have a good point but you're spoiling it with overly dramatic language.

Oil is a finite resource water is not.

The scarcity is in fresh water in particular areas and in large enough quantities.

The problem with exporting water is that it's value per Kg is low which makes the infrastructure costs too high to be economically viable..

As in towing Icebergs to Saudi Arabia etc.

[Loosehead]

The point is, and I think Jake can see, that if it becomes an issue there is plenty of water about and if necessary de salination would be used. Before that though I think that it would become more viable to build various water linkages for example Wales and Svotland have more than they know what to do with, it may be necessary in the next 50 years or so to creat some sort of water grid so the surplus runs into English reserviors. The rest of the work will have similar opportunities. At the moment transporting water in bottles is not economically viable.

[jake-the-peg]

I think the cost of constructing pipelines and pumping would be prohibitive.

Most parts of the UK seem to get sufficient water during the year. I'd think more reservoirs like this one will be the solution in the UK.

http://www.theoxfordtimes.net/display.var.1104 845.0.reservoir_biggest_of_its_sort_in_uk.php

Trouble is with all the public inquiries it's 13 years away!

[Mortartube]

If you do sell it, you can maximise your profits by diluting it before you bottle it.

[StreetEndBoy]

The amount of water on the planet is exactly the same as it ever was and ever will be. It may just be in different areas than it used to be!

[gen2]

You can keep your transport costs down by desiccating it before export and then reconstitute the product on arrival.

[Llamatron]

Dehydrated water?
I think there's a gap in the market there.

[mjhunt59]

Precipitation in most places would increase so its likely in less densely habitated areas that they will collect and sanitise their own rain water. What is evident is that rather than climate change, population growth is the biggest problem as populations around the world are increasing faster than they can source new water supplies.

[kwicky]

Lets look at the price of oil before any taxes.

A barrel of oil at current prices is $72 or converted is approx �40.

A barrel of oil contains 42 gallons or approx 168 litres
Therefore 1 litre of oil costs us 24p.

I suggest this price is below the price of good quality bottled water from the supermarket.

Therefore bottled water is more expensive than oil!

[brachiopod]

Whaaaat?

Excellent logic, there kwicky.

Compare one in the form of an extracted raw material with the other in the final form of a final consumer product.

I'd love to hear where a litre of unleaded and a pint of 20/40W engine oil figure in your equations......

[kwicky]

The problem is not just the quantity of water, much of it in the wrong place, but the purity for drinking. How many times have you been on holiday, even close to home, where you are advised not to drink the local water. Add to this countries such as India and the Far East one realises that there is a genuine need for good clean water.

[brachiopod]

These bloody foreigners and their non drinkable water, eh?

Not like in good old Britain, where we invest money and energy into purifying billions of gallons of water to an extremely high standard so that we can flush sh�t down the toilet.

Do you not think that this may be part of the problem?

[whowhatwhy]

it's a similar situation for food production. Theoretically we, as a planet, produce enough raw food products every year (calorifically speaking) to feed every person on the planet many times over. The problem is the fact that we can only produce the food and hence have a surplus within, the environmentally & topographically favourable areas where they are grown. This of course is no use to the starving billions around the globe every day who happen to live thousands of miles away from our surpluses.

Transportation becomes the issue...transportation cost money...money requires government / global backing which requires moral and political will power. Which all eventually requires that the 'haves' are forced to give something up for the 'have-nots'....which all results in a simple problem having an endlessly complex solution. We are after all slaves to human nature.

The same with water. As a few people have pointed out, we will eventually be forced to implement a national fresh water grid...it's the only logical way to readdress the distribution problem we face in the UK. I also agree with you, in that I feel that fresh, clean water and the ability to deliver it to where it is required, will become a much more valuable commodity over the next 100 years than say, crude oil.

[whowhatwhy]

Another great labour government initiative! Give Britain back our public services and stop putting short term gain in front of long term investment. Oh, except schools, private schools are bad aren't they labour?! Okay, sorry but there isn't a 'politics' topic yet!

[brachiopod]

Yes, whowhatwhy, a great Labour initiative - Tony Blair has got so much to answer for - especially considering the Water Act 1989 � Privatisation (that paved the way for the privatisation), and the subsequent share offer in November of that year took place a whole 8 years before Labour actually came to power.

I'm no fan of Labour myself, but do try not to look too much of an ignorant, "everything is Labour's fault", Blair-Basher..

Oh, and finally, there is a Politics topic - it's a sub-topic of News.

[whowhatwhy]

Hey brachiopod: I don't have to be a 'Blair Basher' as you put it. I didn't even mention him...indeed I think he's the best Labour PM since, well ever. And I not a fan of any political affiliation. Neither is this the forum to get into debates about politics, my point being; Labour has permitted the sale of more of the UK's services and industries to overseas investors than any other government, and I don't see them implementing any long term plans when it comes to important infrastructure, such as a nations water and energy supply that would result in us being able to maintain any control over services that should be government controlled (IMHO). You are obviously a little sensitive over 'Blair' or 'Brown' issues ;o)

Thank you for pointing out so clearly that there IS a politics sub-topic.