The Global Crisis of Water Depletion and Contamination, Part 4 of a Multi-part Series

Lake Chad, once one of Africa’s largest freshwater lakes, was equivalent in size to El Salvador, Israel, or Massachusetts. However, due to a warming climate, decreasing rainfall, and increasing demands from a growing population, Lake Chad has been shrinking dramatically over the last several decades. It’s estimated to have lost about 92 percent of its original size. As of April 2024, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria were hosting more than a million affected individuals, including internally displaced persons, returnees, and refugees. In Ghana, the country’s three northern regions are experiencing severe deprivation. Alarmingly, one in 10 children fails to reach the age of five. More than nine million people lack access to safe drinking water. Like many African nations, Ethiopia grapples with water depletion, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to clean water. A study by Water.org revealed that only 42% of the population has access to a clean water supply, and a mere 11% of that number enjoys adequate sanitation services. “Waterborne infections account for about 80% of the children under five who visit this place. They have symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.”

In major South African cities, taps are running dry while villagers rely on unsafe water sources. Over half of the dams and rivers surveyed in the country are contaminated by sewage. Residents are now working to transform one of Johannesburg’s largest rivers. It’s an initiative to restore this waterway, which has been choking on rubbish for years and has raw sewage flowing into it. According to a recent United Nations report, increasing global water depletion is exacerbating conflicts and undermining stability. Therefore, access to clean water is vital for fostering peace. The vast majority of this water is used to grow animal-people feed crops. The world needs to stop using this essential resource for raising animal-people livestock and instead focus on developing organic fruit and vegetable farming.