Water is used differently depending on the level of economic development and the main industries in a country. A study by an international water agency comp...
Question 1 Report
Water is used differently depending on the level of economic development and the main industries in a country. A study by an international water agency compared how water is distributed across sectors in two countries with very different levels of income. Table 2.1 shows water consumption data for different sectors in two countries.
| Sector | Country X (high income) / % of total | Country Y (low income) / % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 33 | 82 |
| Industry | 51 | 10 |
| Domestic | 16 | 8 |
| Total water use / litres per person per day | 580 | 45 |
Fig. 2.1 shows the percentage water use by sector for both countries.
Water is a finite resource that moves continuously through the environment in a process known as the hydrological cycle, or water cycle.
(a) State which sector uses the most water in Country Y. [1]
(b) Compare the water use patterns between Country X and Country Y. [4]
(c) Suggest reasons for the differences in water use patterns between the two countries. [5]
Answer Details
(a) Sector using the most water in Country Y [1]
Agriculture (82% of total water use). [1]
(b) Comparison of water use patterns [4]
- Country X uses far more water per person per day (580 litres) than Country Y (45 litres), roughly 13 times more. [1]
- In Country Y, agriculture dominates water use at 82% of the total, whereas in Country X, industry is the largest sector at 51%. [1]
- Country X uses a much higher proportion of water for industry (51%) compared to Country Y (10%). [1]
- Domestic use is a higher percentage in Country X (16%) than in Country Y (8%). In absolute terms, this gap is even greater: 16% of 580 litres = 93 litres per person, versus 8% of 45 litres = 3.6 litres per person. [1]
(c) Reasons for the differences in water use patterns [5]
- Country X has higher industrial water use because it has a more developed manufacturing and energy sector. Industry requires large volumes of water for cooling, processing and cleaning. [1]
- Country Y uses most of its water for agriculture because a larger proportion of its population depends on farming for food and income. Irrigation in developing countries is often less efficient (e.g. flood irrigation rather than drip irrigation), further increasing water use per hectare. [1]
- Country X has higher domestic water use because households have more water-using appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and showers, and may also have swimming pools and gardens requiring irrigation. [1]
- The much higher total consumption in Country X reflects greater wealth, better water infrastructure (piped mains, treatment plants) and higher overall water availability. [1]
- Country Y may have limited access to piped water, particularly in rural areas. Without infrastructure to deliver water to homes and factories, less is available for domestic and industrial use, concentrating consumption in the agricultural sector. [1]
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