Water for All : New Strategies for Overcoming the World’s Water Supply Problems

David Sedlack, UC Berkeley | 4 juillet 2019, ISTerre Grenoble

Water is a resource that is frequently mismanaged to the detriment of humanity and the natural environment. Today, cities worldwide are struggling with water security and contamination. Farmers grapple with depleted aquifers, salinized soil and severe droughts. And the earth’s ecosystems continue to suffer the consequences of water pollution and misappropriation. The growth in population and increase in wealth that will occur during the remainder of the twenty-first century could lead to unprecedented water crises if we fail to develop the willingness and imagination needed to reinvent almost every aspect of water management. There are no simple solutions to our water dilemma, but careful observation of recent successes and failures as well as knowledge about the trends that will shape the future can provide us with the tools needed to provide an ample, safe supply of water to all of the world’s water users. This talk will provide examples of some of our coming water challenges and the research and development needed to avert future water crises.