In Deep Water - Page 16

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Matching · Ready for C2 Proficiency Student's Book, Macmillan

You are going to read an article about water issues in different cities. For questions 1–10, choose from the sections (A–E). The sections may be chosen more than once.

Mexico City

With a population of over 22 million inhabitants, according to UN figures, Mexico City's water supply is in great demand, yet this metropolis has seen what can only be described as a water famine, with water access limited to a few hours a week for some homes during times of drought. The cause of the city's massive water shortage stems from a range of factors, such as disrepair in the pipe network which gives rise to heavy water losses. This damage is largely compacted by the fact that the city is sinking at an alarming rate. In addition to this, with an estimated 40% of its water being imported from outside the city, a lack of large-scale water recycling systems and increasing numbers of droughts brought about by climate change, access to sufficient water is becoming critically scarce. This issue continues to hang in the balance as initiatives to mitigate the problem continue to run up against issues such as shortfalls in funding.

Bengaluru

A water crisis also plagues residents of Bengaluru, in Southern India. Despite, or in fact because of, its rapid rise to become India's technological hub and its ensuing population boom, the city has stretched existing water stocks far beyond the capacity for which they were designed. This growth has also meant that, disastrously, a large number of the houses in the city do not have access to tap water, impelling some people to resort to taking what they need from the city's lake, a source which is heavily contaminated. Although consecutive governments have vowed to find a solution, some residents criticise initiatives as failing to address over reliance on groundwater, which thanks to reduced rainfall during monsoon season – largely due to climate change – is even more scarce than it was.

Cairo

The Egyptian capital, Cairo, has not escaped its share of water issues, despite being located on the banks of the River Nile, and these ripple out across the entire country. While the world-famous river is the source of 97% of Egypt's water, it is becoming increasingly polluted by untreated residential and agricultural waste, leaving it unusable for many. For Cairo, unlike other cities, relying on rainwater is ruled out as an option due to its arid climate, further narrowing down its options to existing river, lake or sea sources, using groundwater supplies and water storage. Unfortunately, climate change has meant that many of these supplies are dwindling. Efforts to solve the issues are taking shape, with a National Water Resources plan to invest $50 billion into the system in many different ways, including increasing desalination to tap into marine water.

Jakarta

For Jakarta, the issue surrounding water is even more complex. Home to around 10 million people, Jakarta stands on a slowly sinking swampy delta with 40% of the city already sitting below sea level. North Jakarta has already sunk by 2.5 metres in the last 10 years and every year the situation deteriorates, with the prospect of 95% of this district being submerged by 2050, regardless of any further climate change issues. Some buildings have been long abandoned as ground floors are filled with stagnant water, while in others, residents try to block out the creeping submergence with makeshift solutions. And despite all this, property continues to be developed to meet demand, and many residents, with a host of critical infrastructure problems to contend with, refrain from focusing too much on the dire water situation. The problems are exacerbated by rising sea levels and excessive ground use which deflates the land over time. A solution may lie in the Great Garuda, a 32km sea wall, however many experts have warned against relying on a one-dimensional approach, stating that this really should be done in conjunction with confronting overextraction of groundwater.

New Orleans

New Orleans is no stranger to harsh weather events, especially flash flooding, occurring when high tides correspond with heavy rain, which has caused catastrophic destruction of whole areas of the city in recent years. Like most flood-prone cities, it suffers from low elevation, and has fundamental flaws in its drainage infrastructure. As sea levels continue to rise, New Orleans is in an increasingly precarious position, with some experts forewarning that almost all of the city's residents may be displaced by 2050. An extensive flood protection project costing around