Paper Proposal

Cassie Bence

Mr. Zarwell

Global Scholars Seminar

January 16, 2012

Water Depletion 

Statement of purpose

            I am hoping that my research will help me to understand why water is depleting so fast in some regions over others to where people and whole communities have to travel to bad quality rivers and use that water for daily purposes including drinking. My research will demonstrate the reason why the subterranean waters are rising in some areas and lowering in others. I want to find out why in some villages the sewage pipelines are being connected to the main water lines forcing the villagers to drinking nothing but the dirty water. I hope my research will talk to how the lives of people are stressed from water depletion which is ultimately making them trek miles for many hours to obtain clean water from a neighboring well. I hope to demonstrate with my research how life straws can help people in the villages where they have no other choice than sewage water to drink from. My have two main research questions that relate to each other: Why are the water tables dropping worldwide? How successful are efforts to provide sufficient potable water in developing countries such as Africa and India?

Background and Rationale

            I am interested in water depletion and what its affects are to the world because I hear about it all the time on commercials, and have always wondered what the underlying cause is to certain places running low on water. I realize that since their nations are far behind ours in means of their pre-industrial/industrial compared to our post- industrial nation that they have fewer resources to help these villages out; but why are these villages loosing water in wells for the first place? I visited Africa in second grade, yes a long time ago, but I do remember driving on the back roads during our safaris and seeing people walking with buckets on their heads. I asked my mom what they were doing, when our driver started telling us that these villagers have to walk 7 miles a day to the nearest well to get water for their animals and family. I was so confused and sad but didn’t think much of it then. I now look back at those pictures and wish to learn more about water and how it affects others than me.

Significance

            This topic is very important to me because I believe I want to go on and be an engineer and get into the program ‘engineers without borders’ and be developing water ways and water purification systems for people who need this kind of help in their community. Even though the water issue is mainly in third world countries, the U.S. could hit a water depletion stage sometime in the future and by educating people with what is happening to others around the world right now we will know how to solve the problem. We all need to be educated on how we as humans do certain things that alter the subterranean sea levels and affects others drastically when we don’t even realize it. I want to educate others and make them aware to the defining crisis of our century, the depletion of water.

Field Component

            This is not realistic or possible unless I am sponsored to take a trip to Africa and India to study the water in those regions.

Bibliography

 1. Pearce, Fred. When the Rivers Run Dry: Water—the definition. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 2006.

2.  Bessong, Pascal, Johnm Odiyo, Justice Musekene, and Abera Tessema. “Spatial Distribution of Diarrhoea and Microbial Quality of Domestic Water during an Outbreak of Diarrhoea in the Tshikuwi  Community in Venda, South Africa.” Journal of Health, Population anad Nutrition. 27.5 (2009): 1-8. Web. 15 jan. 2012. http://search.proquest.com/docview/202994755?accountid=285

3.  Mincer, Jilian. "Product Design (A Special Report); Water, Water Everywhere...The LifeStraw looks simple; But it has the potential to save many live." Wall Street Journal [New York] 23 Jun 2008.n.pag.Web.15 Jan 2012. http://search.proquest.com/docview/399011954?accountid=285

4. Thompson, Ginger. “Water Tap Often Shut to South African Poor.” New York Times. N.p., 05,29,2003.Web.10 Dec 2011 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/29/world/water-tap-often-shut-to-south-africa-poor.html?scp=1&sq=water%20tap%20often%20shut%20to%20African%20poor&st=cse

5. “Groundwater Depletion Rate Accelerating Worldwide.” Targeted News Service [Washington D.C.] 23 sep 2010, n. pag. Web. 15 jan. 2012. http://search.Proquest.com/docview/753782712?accountid=285

6. Ilemobade, Adesola A, J R Adewumi, and J E van Zyl. "Framework for assessing the viability of implementing dual water reticulations systems in South Africa." Water S.A,. 35.2 (2009): n. page. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. http://search.proquest.com/docview/218703632?accountid=285 

7. Anonymous, . "one Solution to Water Supply Problems Lies in The Rocks." Civil Engineering: Magazine of South African institution of Civil Engineering. 16.6 (2008): 2-4. Web. 9 Feb. 2012. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/221164467?accountid=285>;.