Ecology & Safety, Volume 9, 2015

Abstract: Probably our greatest global challenge is the shortage of water, because this affects food and energy production. Many places in the world just don't have enough water. This is partly due to climate change, but especially due to increasing urbanization. Cities are growing at staggering rates, and to find water requires travelling further and further away from the densely populated areas. This is not a sustainable situation. With the growing urban demand, groundwater levels are sinking, and this not only means that water supplies are drying up, but that the water quality is deteriorating, due to chemical changes in the soil layers.