The Current Water Crisis in Rural NSW

This article discusses the severe water shortage in rural New South Wales (NSW) and its effects on the local communities. It explores the causes of the crisis and the measures being taken to address it. The article also provides information on the global warming phenomenon and its causes and effects.

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CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE AND MANAGEMENT
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The current water crisis in rural NSW
New South Wales is a state located in southern Australia, well known for its National parks and
coastal cities. The State is bordered by Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south and South
Australia to the west (Troy, 2018). The NSW coast borders the Tasman Sea to the east. The
population of New South Wales by the end of 2018 was 8,023, 700, which was accounting
31.96% of the Australian population. The greater parts of New South Wales experiences semi-
arid to the arid climate. The annual rainfall ranges from 150 to 500mm in most parts of NSW.
Greater parts of rural New South Wales are currently experiencing severe water shortage, with
the supply of water being limited to the critical needs, there are no new allocations for the
majority of the rural commercial users specifically the irrigators and the current records low
inflows to the major storages. Across NSW agricultural activities accounts for approximately
80% of water use depending on the current conditions such as drought (Briggs, 2011).
The rural area across New South Wales are facing acute water shortages as rivers winter, dam
levels dive and now the majority of the rural NSW drilling bores and some of the areas are
trucking water due to the severe drought which is being experienced in the greater parts of the
NSW. Among the most severely hit area are the White Cliffs and Wilcannia on the lower Darling
River.

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Fig 1: Cooling off amid extreme heat in the Barwon-Darling River near Bourke in January.
Majority of the rural areas in NSW have been forced to depend on borehole water. According to
(McTavish, 2013)there is an acute water crisis in the substantial amount of NSW. The figure
below is the so-called the Northern Wet season which starts from October to March and it
brought in very little rains to ease the drought which is being experienced in the rural NSW.

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Fig 2: Northern Wet season, October to march
Effects of the water crisis in rural NSW
The mass fish kills which took place in Darling river near Menindee has already drawn national
attention and has driven two scientific investigations to carry out research on the possible effects
of the water crisis. From the studies carried out, more fish kills are likely to occur and the local
communities will continue to struggle unless it starts raining. For White Cliffs and Wilcannia,
the ‘substantial water shortage’ is due to lack of surface and groundwater (McTavish, 2013).
The local rural files have expressed their fear of running out of the water to fight the fires in case
they break out in facilities such as hospitals. Also, many homes in rural NSW may also soon lose
raw water supply for flushing their toilets (Briggs, 2011).
Measures in place

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Majority of the rural areas in NSW are currently running on level six restrictions which limit the
shower time to 3 minutes a day and limits washing clothes to two loads a week per household.
The government is also trying to come up with a permanent solution to this predicament. There
is a plan for setting up of a national program that will help re-establish the vegetation along
every river and stream throughout NSW. The idea is estimated to be achieved by around the year
2050.
The long-term gains will include:
o There would be a significant improvement in the quality of water from all the sources
possible
o There would be a reduction in the chemical loads and the leaching of salts into the
rivers and streams
o There would be a significant reduction in the salinity risks close ton many rivers and
streams
o There would be a substantial increase in vegetation cover around NSW and it’s rural
o There would be a significant improvement in the distribution and abundance of a
wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitat.
RISE OF GLOBAL WARMING AROUND THE WORLD
Global warming refers to the gradual increase in the overall temperatures of the earth's
atmosphere which is generally attributed to the greenhouse effects which is as a result of
increased levels of CFCs, Carbon dioxide and other pollutants (Singer, 2018). From the studies
carried out, the Earth has been warming from the South Pole to the North Pole. Since 1906, the

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global mean surface temperature has increased by more than 0.9 degree Celsius (1.6 degrees
Fahrenheit) in the sensitive Polar Regions the average increase is more than 0.9oC.
Causes of global warming
Human activities are the main causes of global warming since the mid-twentieth century, mostly
because of:
i) Fossil fuels
The widespread use of fossil fuel is the main cause of global warming, This is because as gas,
coal, and oil burn carbon dioxide is produced which is the most essential greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere. Also in the process of burning this fossil fuels, nitrous oxide is produced (Hawken,
2016).
ii) Deforestation
Due to the global population increase, human beings have been forced to clear some of the
forested areas to create room for agriculture and other human activities such as industrialization.
The exploitation of forests has a great impact on climate change. Trees are known to control the
climate through the absorption of Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
iii) Intensive farming
Intensive farming is another cause of global warming, the utilization protection fertilizers, and
products together with the ever increasing number of livestock. The wastes of sheep and cattle
contain methane, the agricultural fertilizers generate nitrous oxide emissions (Victor, 2015).
iv) Mining

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In the modern world, many nations greatly depend on metallurgical industries and mining.
Minerals and metals are in most cases the raw materials used in the manufacturing,
transportation and manufacturing industries. From the extraction of the minerals to delivery and
marketing of the mineral and metals, this accounts for almost 5% of all the greenhouse gases
which are emitted.
v) Overconsumption
Overconsumption of resources also plays Avery important role in global warming.
Overconsumption leads to overexploitation of natural resources such as forests which
accumulation of greenhouse gases thus global warming.
The figure below shows the main sources of greenhouse gases.
Fig 3: sources of greenhouse gases.
The figure below is an illustration of the greenhouse effect.

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Fig 4: Greenhouse effect
Effects of Global Warming
There are many effects which are associated with global warming and they include;
i) Effects on biodiversity
The gradual increase of the surface temperatures and climate disorders disturbs the overall
ecosystem, whereby it modifies the conditions and leads to the recycling of plant
productions. The overexploitation of resources and climate change is slowly changing the life
habits and migratory cycles of animals (Houghton, 2017).
ii) Effects on oceans

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Ice and permafrost are melting at high rates at the poles due to the gradual increase of surface
temperature, this leads to an increase in the sea level at a faster rate. The high amount of
carbon dioxide which is produced leads to acidification of the water bodies this poses a lot of
danger to the coral reefs and seashells.
iii) Effects on human beings
Global warming has adverse effects on human beings. Climate change and global warming
greatly affect the global economy. Global warming is greatly shaking health, social and
geopolitical balances in different parts of the universe. The Scarcity of resources like energy
and food has greatly given rise to new conflicts in different parts of the world. The rising sea
levels and frequent floods are causing population migration.
iv) Effects on the weather
For many years now, climatologists and meteorologists around the globe have been watching
the effects of global warming on phenomena and the effects are very massive such as there is
the increased intensity of drought and increased number of natural resources such as
hurricanes, wildfires, and storms.
The figure below shows the effects of global warming.

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Global warming prevention
i) Use of renewable energies
Doing away with fossil fuels is one of the ways through which Global warming can be
prevented and controlled, the available alternatives are the use of renewable energies such as
wind, biomass, and soil.
ii) Water and energy efficiency
The production of clean energy is very essential, but reducing the energy consumption of
water and energy by the use of more efficient devices such as LED light bulbs, the innovative
shower system is less costly and at the same time.
iii) Sustainable transport

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Promoting carpooling, electric mobility and public transport can greatly help in the reduction
of carbon dioxide emissions hence reducing the chances of global warming (Letcher, 2013).
iv) Sustainable infrastructure
There is need to construct new low energy buildings and to renovate the existing structures in
order to minimize the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the buildings as a result of
lighting, hot water systems, and air conditioning systems.
v) Sustainable forest and agriculture management
Promoting better utilization of natural resources by campaigning against massive
deforestation as well as making agricultural greener and more efficient should be given high
priority.
vi) Responsible consumption and recycling
Adopting responsible consumption practice is very essential, be it regarding food, clothing,
cleaning and cosmetic products. Finally, recycling is required to deal with wastes.

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References

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Briggs, A. (2011). Water Shortages: Environmental, Economic and Social Impacts. Sydney:
Nova Science,
Hawken, P. (2016). Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse
Global Warming. London: Penguin Books Limited.
Houghton, J. (2017). Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. London: Cambridge University
Press.
Letcher, T. M. (2013). Managing Global Warming: An Interface of Technology and Human
Issues. Sydney: Elsevier Science.
McTavish, J. (2013). Water Security: Principles, Perspectives, and Practices. Chicago:
Routledge.
Singer, S. F. (2018). Unstoppable Global Warming. Chicago: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Troy, P. (2018). Troubled Waters: Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities. Auckland:
ANU E Press.
Victor, D. (2015). Global Warming Gridlock: Creating More Effective Strategies for Protecting
the Planet. Texas: Cambridge University Press.