Access to water is an ongoing issue for the entire world. Having the proper methods to minimise water shortages and their impacts is critical for the reliability and safety of the water supply of the global population.
According to a report published recently by the World Economic Forum in conjunction with the World Resources Institute, at least 50 per cent of the world’s population live under highly water-stressed conditions for at least one month of the year. That represents about four billion people.
The report showed that 25 countries are particularly vulnerable, mainly in the Middle East and North Africa. These are places where low rainfall is experienced against a background of high demand from domestic, agricultural, and industrial use. In these regions, 83 per cent of the population is exposed to high water stress. Some South Asian countries are in similar situations, with 74 per cent of the population being exposed.
Even a short-term drought puts these places in danger of running out of water. The situation is getting progressively worse. By 2050, the report estimates that at least an additional 1 billion people will live with high water stress.
As most of the vulnerable countries experience relatively hot climates, evaporation from open water bodies is a significant cause of water loss, but its impact isn’t generally appreciated. As a rough rule of thumb, every single degree increase in average daily temperature will increase daily evaporation by about 2 millimetres.
For example, if the average daily temperature increases from 28 to 33 degrees Celsius, daily evaporation will increase from about 5 to 10 millimetres. This may not seem to be much, but it equates to a loss of 10 litres for every square metre of water surface. These figures are based on averages from various sources, and every situation is different, depending on the ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed, and other factors.
What products can help?
WaterGuard GOLD is a unique liquid produced by Aquatain Products Pty Ltd to reduce evaporation from water bodies. It could potentially play a role in alleviating water shortages around the world.
The product self-spreads across the surface, forming a very thin film that limits the escape of water vapour. Such an approach supports a range of activities and industries that seek to minimise evaporation losses.
As well as for public water supplies and farm dams, WaterGuard GOLD is particularly relevant to mining companies operating in dry areas with low water availability, such as Chile and Australia.
Other challenges
Many mining operations in Africa also suffer from water stress. Still, they have an additional problem that can be solved by another innovative liquid from Aquatain Products Pty Ltd. The problem is malaria, and the product is Aquatain AMF.
Like WaterGuard GOLD, this product also forms a thin film, but its purpose is to kill mosquitoes with its non-toxic action. The Aquatain AMF film reduces the surface tension of the water, preventing the immature mosquito larvae from attaching to the surface to breathe. This causes them to drown.
Malaria kills more than 700,000 people in Africa each year, and mining companies recognise their responsibility to protect their employees and families from the disease.
For more information, visit https://aquatain.com/
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