Key terms
There is not enough available freshwater to meet the needs of people, agriculture, and the environment. What is this called?
Water scarcity
Name ONE region of the world where water scarcity is a major challenge.
Middle East, North Africa, parts of South Asia, parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Perth's population grows. Does this increase or decrease demand for water?
Increase.
Which Australian river system provides water for millions of Australians and supports major agricultural production?
The Murray-Darling Basin.
What is your amazing new Prac teacher's name?
Ms. Deril
A river contains plenty of water, but it has been contaminated by pollution and cannot safely be used for drinking or irrigation. What type of problem is this?
Water quality / usable water scarcity
Why are parts of the Middle East and North Africa particularly vulnerable to water scarcity?
Many areas have low rainfall and high temperatures, while populations, cities and agriculture create high demand for water.
Complete the chain:
Less rainfall → ______ → less water available for agriculture
Less water entering rivers, dams and groundwater systems.
Approximately what percentage of Australia's total water consumption was used by agriculture, forestry and fishing in 2023–24?
68%
How many dots are in a pair of dice?
42
A community has plenty of water underground but cannot access it because it lacks wells, pipes, and treatment facilities. What type of water scarcity does this demonstrate?
Economic/access/infrastructure water scarcity
Two countries experience the same drought. Country A has extensive irrigation, water storage and modern technology. Country B has limited infrastructure. Which country is likely to experience greater impacts? Why?
Country B, because it has less capacity to access, store and manage available water.
A city becomes more populated while its rainfall decreases. Why does this create a “double pressure” on its water supply?
More people increase demand while declining rainfall reduces or makes supply less reliable
Western Australia has experienced declining rainfall since 1970. Why is this particularly important for Perth?
Perth's population is growing while rainfall and streamflow have become less reliable, putting pressure on traditional water supplies.
You're in a race. You overtake the person in second place. What position are you now in?
Second place.
What is the difference between saying “there isn't enough water” and saying “there isn't enough usable water”?
Water scarcity can result from quantity or quality. Pollution can make existing water unsafe or unsuitable to use.
In some parts of India, farmers pump groundwater to irrigate crops. What happens if farmers remove groundwater faster than it is naturally replenished?
Groundwater levels fall, making water harder to access and threatening future agricultural production.
True or False:
“A country with lots of rivers cannot experience water scarcity.
FALSE.
During the Millennium Drought, approximately 20,000 hectares of acid sulfate soils were exposed around the Coorong and Lower Lakes. Why did falling water levels create a water-quality problem?
Falling water levels exposed sulfide-rich soils to oxygen, causing sulfuric acid to form. This acid could then enter waterways and damage water quality and ecosystems.
What animal has fingerprints so similar to humans that they can potentially confuse a crime scene?
Koalas.
A country has plenty of freshwater, but some communities still experience water scarcity. Give TWO reasons why this could happen.
Poor infrastructure, lack of investment, unequal access, pollution, poor water management, water being located far from where people need it.
A wealthy country and a poorer country receive the same amount of rainfall. Explain why the poorer country could still experience greater water scarcity.
Water scarcity depends on more than natural water supply. The poorer country may have less infrastructure, technology, storage, treatment and investment, making it harder to access and manage available water.
A drought causes water levels in a wetland to fall. The exposed soil produces sulfuric acid, which damages water quality and aquatic life. Explain how ONE environmental change has created multiple impacts
Drought → falling water levels → acid sulfate soils exposed → acid enters waterways → water quality declines → aquatic ecosystems and communities are affected.
Perth receives less reliable rainfall than it did historically, yet the city continues to grow. Explain TWO ways Perth has adapted its water supply to reduce its reliance on rainfall.
Desalination, groundwater, groundwater replenishment and water conservation have helped diversify Perth's water supply.
AI and data centers can require water for cooling. If a city is already experiencing water scarcity, why could the growth of data centers create another challenge?
They can create additional industrial demand for water, increasing competition with households, agriculture, and environmental needs.