Water Wars in Peru
Introduction
Peru is one of the countries in Latin America, officially known as the Republic of Peru. The state borders Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The nation is surrounded by a large water body or the Pacific Ocean. Conversely, the country is home to a vital portion of the Amazon forest that impacts the general climate. The name of this country, “Peru,” is an Indian word meaning land of abundance, implying the economic wealth of this region. Just like the majority of the neighboring countries, Peru’s main economic activities are agriculture and tourism. In terms of economy, Peru is a less developed country whose economy relies on exporting raw materials to the developed countries. However, Peru is one of the leading fishing countries and the largest producer of copper, bismuth, and silver. Although the country heavily relies on agriculture, it cannot meet the high demand of the ever-growing population leading to the importation of foods staffs from other countries. Peru has the largest coast among the Latin countries. In this regard, it is evident that the country has greater access to water. Even though Peru has a large water basin, about 3 million people lack access to safe water, which intensifies the problem.
Water is a necessity not only for human beings but for all animals. Regardless of this importance, millions of people lack access to safe water for drinking while others lack water for other purposes. Water is used for many purposes, such as farming, used for household activities, used by all living things, and most importantly, drunk by human beings. Thus, water is a vital constituent of the human race. Lack of access to water is not only a problem in Peru but a major challenge in developing countries. According to WHO, water covers about 70% of the planet. However, out of the 70%, only 3% is available as fresh water as the rest is salty or out of reach. As a result, about 1.1 million individuals across the world suffer from a lack of safe water. The problem is present across the globe but elevated in sub-Sahara Africa and the Middle East.
Water crises in Africa
As compared to other continents, Africa has the highest challenge of water crises. While large water bodies surround the continent, the highest number of individuals suffers from water shortage. Many reasons intensify this problem, such as the lack of sufficient water policies, internal conflicts, corruption, and poverty. Studies show that the highest number of Africans has to travel for long distances in search of safe water. According to reports from the United Nations, about 40 billion hours are lost in the search for safe water. Based on their culture, women and children are responsible for collecting water. For that reason, these individuals face intensified challenges due to water shortage. Conversely, unsafe water has severe health consequences among users. The United Nations report showed that unsafe water was responsible for increased cases of health conditions such as cholera that were prevalent within the region. Although environmental factors play a critical role in water crisis, lack of effective leadership, and increased cases of corruption intensified the crisis. Reports show that Africa is ranked among the most corrupt continents. While most citizens suffer from lack of safe water, leaders and other influential persons in the government compromise the crisis. In a few African countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, corrupt leaders have diverted safe and clean water meant for citizens into their farms.
Water crises in the Middle East
Arab countries, especially the Middle East, have experienced many environmental challenges. As a result of these environmental challenges, water scare and lack of access to sanitary water are some of the major concerns in this continent. Findings show that the Middle East has the largest oil reserves. Consequently, these countries are some of the richest in the world. Despite the presence of this valuable resource, the climate conditions of this continent make living harsh. Besides, the continent has a large land that can effectively feed the whole population. However, the highest portion of this land is desert and, therefore, cannot be used for agriculture. For that reason, the continent is faced with an intensified food shortage due to the lack of safe water. Thus, all the food and agriculture products consumed in this region are all imported from the outside world. Although the continent has the largest share of oil, it is faced with numerous internal conflicts that intensify the water scarcity problem. As compared to other countries such as the United States, Arab countries lack adequate policies to address the water shortage problem. Many decades ago, the United States suffered from water shortage. However, the issue was quickly addressed by policies enacted by the government. The majority of the Arab countries are constantly involved in wars and conflicts. These states fight over the control of oil reserves. Due to these conflicts, the region lacks effective policies to address the problem. Addressing this problem will not only improve access to water but increase agricultural production and improve economic development.
Similar to most of the developing countries, Peru is faced with an intensified water shortage. The problem is intensified within the nation’s capital, which is documented as the second largest city desert. Peru’s capital known as Lima is at constant risk of water shortage, and the problem is expected to intensify in the next few years. Based on the high number of residents, a large volume of water is needed for diverse use. It is estimated that the population of this city will increase by double in the next ten years. For that reason, much water will be needed by this high population. According to reports, the city receives less than an inch of rain per year. Besides, the city relies on three rivers for potable water. Although the three rivers are vital for providing water, the water provided by these rivers is associated with numerous health conditions. Apart from the shortage of water, the city is characterized by poor drainage that contaminates water provided by the rivers. The problem intensifies water wars in Peru.
Similar to most other countries, it is the role of the government in collaboration with other stakeholders to provide potable water to its citizens. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and the majority of the European countries, it is sorely the government’s role to provide water for the citizens. The practice is also evident in other African counties such as Kenya and South Africa. Despite the willingness of Peru’s government to provide safe and clean water for its citizens, the process is compromised by the lack of adequate resources. As noted earlier, Peru is a low-income country with a high rate of poverty and economic development. The majority of the citizens live below $2 per day. Besides, the government lacks adequate finance to improve access to safe water for the citizens. For that reason, the role of water provision is facilitated by private sectors where the residents are forced to pay for the water. In Peru, about 1.5 million people live in homes without adequate running water. The available water is delivered through the use of water tracks, and the residents have to pay for the water. According to reports from the country, the prices of water in Peru are high as compared to most other Latin countries. Additionally, the provided water is commonly contaminated at the sources or during delivery. Commonly the water is untreated as the suppliers cannot afford the high cost of treatment. The middle class and the poor suffer more as they cannot provide this commodity’s high price. While compared to other countries such as the United States, the residents also pay for water. However, there are distinct variations of the sale in the United States and Peru. The practice intensifies Peru’s water war.
In Peru, water is a vital law resource for agriculture and crop cultivation. Indeed, crop cultivation and agriculture is the core of the economy in most of the developing countries. However, their sustainability heavily relies on the presence of water, climate, and adequate land. Peru is one of the largest countries in South America. Additionally, the country has a high number of residents who are vital in the workforce. Thus, the country has adequate resources essential for crop production and agriculture. For the last many years, agriculture was one of the main economic drivers. However, the practice of agriculture has been adversely altered by lack of water. According to reports from the National Authority Water of Peru, lack of water has intensified poverty rates in this country. For that reason, the management authority has initiated a few projects to manage water from river Pisco, which is a vital resource of the country. Conversely, climate change has intensified water shortage for the last few years. Reports from the National Management Authority show that Peru’s tropical glacier is melting at an alarming rate. The glacier is a vital source of Peru’s water. However, with the current melting rate, it is anticipated that in the next few years, the country will suffer adversely due to the destruction of the only freshwater reservoir. Besides, this melting will produce fresh floods that have severe impacts on water storage infrastructure. Despite government interventions to avert the situation of agriculture in this country, the country lacks adequate finance for massive irrigation projects. Currently, the majority of the farmers in Peru have changed their economic activities from farming. As a result, the country continues to suffer from a high poverty rate intensified by the lack of food.
Causes of water in Peru
Like most developing countries, there are many reasons for the increased water shortage in Peru. Among the most common causes of water shortage in this region are climate changes, ineffective government policies, non-effective water management skills, deforestation, industrial and human waste, increased corporate privatization, corruption, exploitation of natural resources, and increased rate of urbanization.
Urbanization
Urbanization is one of the leading causes of water scarcity in Peru and other developing and developed countries. According to a recent finding from South America, the region has experienced a high rate of immigration to the urban centers than any other decades. The majority of immigrants are young individuals who seek employment in the increased number of industries in urban centers. The practice is similar to other developing countries, such as those in sub-Sahara Africa. The direct result of the increased number of people during the urbanization process is the high demand for commodities such as water and food. In Peru, the government had initially installed piped water for the citizens living in the city. However, the rapid increase of people in this region has resulted in water scarcity due to the high consumption rate. Consequently, the town lacks inadequate safe water vital for survival.
Climate change
Indeed, climate change has become a major concern among most developing and developed countries. Climate change is influenced by the high rate of burning fuel that releases carbon dioxide, a vital greenhouse gas. The gas present in the atmosphere leads to the depletion of the ozone layers that protect the earth from sun rays. Consequently, the ozone layer is destroyed, leading to penetration of sun rays. The penetration of the sun rays leads to increased temperatures or global warning leading to the melting of ice and glaciers. As noted earlier, the melting of glaciers in Peru is a current common problem that is threatening access to safe water. There are many problems associated with the global warming that leads to climate change. As a result of climate change and ice melting, most of the developing countries experience either extreme drought or floods. The practice also compromises government efforts to provide water to the citizens.
Ineffective government policies and corruption
One of the main hindrances of access to water and other developments is corruption and ineffective government policies. Corruption is a severe problem in the majority of developing nations. Indeed, it is documented as the main reason for the lack of water access in Africa. The practice is not different in Peru and other countries in Latin America. Although large water bodies surround the country, the government lacks effective policies that can avert the problem. In Africa and other developing countries, the resources required to address water shortage problems are utilized by a few individuals in government. Similarly, the Peru government uses money donated by international organizations such as WHO and the United Nations Organization for the wrong purpose. Many years ago, the United States suffered from water shortage. Indeed, the country lacks potable water sources while less than other countries such as Peru, India, or others in Africa. However, the government was able to address the problem within a short time due to effective government policies and lack of corruption. Currently, the country has adequate water for consumption and agriculture use.
Geographical factors
Apart from many made problems in water shortage, such as corruption and ineffective government policies, Peru lacks adequate resources to address the problem. According to the findings, the capital city of Peru is the second-largest desert city. Besides, a good portion of the country is located in a desert with no access to rivers or rain. Similarly, the majority of the Arab countries and those in sub-Sahara Africa are located in a desert. As a result, these countries have chronic water problems due to lack of rain and lack of rivers. Conversely, the geographical factors in this country infringe on government efforts in supplying water to the citizens.
Lack of Adequate resources
Like most developing countries, Peru is faced with severe financial problems to address water scarcity. As compared to other developed countries such as the United States and those in Europe, Peru has poor GDP and, therefore, lacks enough capacity to treat water or convert the saltwater to potable. The practice is not different in the Africa countries that are also poor. With a low economic development rate and poor GDP, these countries are faced with severe water scarcity.
How to address the problem
Many ways can be used to address the water crisis in Peru and other Latin countries. Indeed, water covers 75% of the earth. However, 75% cannot be utilized for consumption or other vital purposes. However, the salty water from the ocean and lacks can be purified and successfully converted to portable water. In Peru, the government can effectively convert the surrounding water from the ocean through purification. However, the process is expensive as it requires high resources and more capital to facilitate water treatment. In addition, Peru’s government can counter the severe water shortage by digging boreholes. Although Africa has intensified water shortage, the majority of countries have drilled boreholes to minimize the severe crises. These boreholes, however, require resources, including energy, to smoothen their operations. Thus, Peru must set adequate resources to facilitate the process.
The National Management Authority in Peru shows that high volumes of potable water are lost back to the ground. For that reason, one of the most effective ways of ending the problem of water crisis involves educating the public about the effective use of safe water. In Peru, the two most important sources of safe water are rivers and other sources. However, these rivers are heavily contaminated, compromising the safety of the water. Thus, the government must enact policies that will protect the safety of the rivers. Several findings document that vital sources of safe potable water, such as aquifers, are drying up. Besides, due to increased climate change, rainwater is steadily becoming scarce. These problems have recently evolved in Peru intensifying water wars. Thus, the government needs to educate the citizens on the importance of water conservation and recycling. In a few countries such as those in the Middle East, the practice of recycling has become common where safe water is used for diverse purposes such as drinking, washing, and irrigating.
Conclusion
The water crisis is a severe problem across many continents such as Africa, the Middle East, and countries in Latin America. The water crisis has recently intensified in Peru where the largest population currently lacks access to safe potable water. Many problems increase water shortage in this country. Climate change and ineffective government policies are the main reasons for increased water crisis in Peru. Despite the severe problem, there are many solutions to this problem. One of these solutions is investing new water conservation techniques and educating the public on importance of water conservation.