Question

What is the greatest risk to earths water supply?

Answer 1

The greatest risk to Earth's water supply is a combination of pollution, over-use, and limited availability. Pollution from various sources threatens water quality, while over-use and limited freshwater sources contribute to a limited supply. Uneven distribution of precipitation also leads to water shortages in certain areas.

Step-by-step explanation:

The greatest risk to Earth's water supply is a combination of factors including pollution, over-use, and limited availability. Pollution from agriculture, industry, cities, and mining threatens global water quality. Over-use and pollution of freshwater sources contribute to the limited supply of clean water that people depend on. Additionally, precipitation is unevenly distributed around the globe, leading to water shortages in arid climates and densely populated areas.

Answer 2

This question is rather subjective: the answer depends on how the question is interpreted. Many people would say climate change is the greatest risk to water supply, but the question mentions 'Earth's water supply'. It is a fact that the amount of water on Earth has not changed. Climate change is shifting climatic patterns, so some areas experience more droughts, whereas others experience more floods, but the amount of water on Earth still stays the same. My answer is therefore that pollution poses the greatest risk to Earth's water supply. Pollution decreases the amount of water we can safely use without expensive treatment. Some water pollution, such as certain toxic metals, pesticides or endocrine disruptors, simply can't be detected or treated using conventional water testing and treatment. Modern civilisation is resulting in unsustainable amounts of pollution being released into our rivers and lakes, and sooner or later, a threshold of no return will be reached, where ecological collapse will mean we won't be able to rely on these water resources for fresh water anymore.