ABSTRACT
Water is the most unique of all Earth’s natural resources. Water security is becoming a global concern threatening the survival of mankind. While in some regions there is an abundance of clean water, there are other places where people are without access to clean water, on the brink of life and death—according to UN figures, at present, more than 800 million. Increasingly, in areas with water scarcity, interstate skirmishes erupt for the possession of its sources. The situation in such arid regions and in areas with water shortages becomes more complicated when there are problems of water quality.
Water security is an overarching conceptual framework that articulates the desirability of balancing competing land- and water-use practices. It takes a broad look at all demands placed upon water, including quality, quantity (including climate change and allocation), aquatic ecosystem health, human health, risk, and adaptive governance. Water security demands a greater priority for water. As such, it is a broad concept of integrated water management that balances resource protection and resource use. Setting a goal of water security could enable decision-makers to effectively assess and mediate between conflicting demands for water use and minimize potentially adverse impacts from land and water management practices.
This chapter includes the concept and objectives of water security and water security threats and describes the main sources, causes, and types of water pollution. This work also presents detailed information about water pollution control, which includes description of some modern devices and methods used around the world to get effective results. Special attention has been directed to security of domestic water and groundwater protection methods. In addition, modern treatment methods are covered in this chapter.
