Polski
In recent years, the whole world has been facing a water crisis as a consequence of various phenomena, such as climate change, population growth and water pollution. One of the factors exacerbating the water crisis that is often overlooked, but which is particularly relevant in large cities, according to a recent study conducted by Uppsala University, is the overconsumption of water by the wealthiest. Garden pools and significant water use contribute to the problem.
“The urban water crisis may be caused by unsustainable consumption patterns of privileged social groups,” researchers in Nature Sustainability.
Garden pools, frequent car washing, watering plots of land are all factors driving the crisis
In an article published a few days ago in Nature Sustainability, the researchers compared the water consumption of the rich part of society, for purposes such as garden pools, watering lawns and washing cars with other factors that deplete water resources. They conducted their study in Cape Town, but noted that the results apply to all cities with equally high social disparities.
They developed a model to analyze the domestic water consumption of the city’s residents in order to understand how it breaks down according to the distribution of different social classes. The study included five groups, from people living in mansions with large gardens and swimming pools to the poorest people living in shacks on the outskirts of town. The analysis was conducted both before and during the drought.
Conclusions of the study
Researchers have concluded that the rich are responsible for exacerbating urban water crises around the world. Representing only 13.7% of Cape Town’s population, the elite and middle-income groups used more than half (51%) of the water used by the entire city before the drought. Lower-income households make up about 62% of the city’s population, and they drew only 27% of the water.
This increased consumption was mainly due to non-essential activities, while lower status groups used water mainly for basic needs such as drinking and hygiene. The results also indicated that during the Cape Town drought, all groups reduced their water use. However, those with lower incomes were more likely to experience problems accessing this resource. As the rich left garden pools empty and reduced the amount of water used for watering, poorer residents had to cut back on bathing, laundry and cooking.
“Our forecasts show that this crisis could worsen as the gap between rich and poor grows in many parts of the world. Everyone will suffer the consequences if we don’t develop equitable ways to share urban water,” predicts Professor Hannah Cloke of the University of Reading in the UK, co-author of the study.
