CONCLUSIONS - Hydrogeology: Objectives, Methods, Applications - page 309

Conclusions
1 WATER AS AN ENTITY
Water is an undissociable whole. Necessary to life, its absence is disastrous,
but, inversely, fl oods are the most common natural disaster and have
created over 5 million victims since 1850. Surplus versus defi cit, water must
be managed. And yet, integrated in an endless cycle, the water in aquifers
cannot be dissociated from the springs and rivers it feeds. In France, the
1992 law on water took into account this oneness of water. But in order
to ensure good management, it is necessary to understand this entity to
highest possible level, and much remains to be done in order to gain this
understanding. In this period of questioning with respect to global warming,
we could not insist more on the necessity of a global approach.
2 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF WATER
Population growth estimates for the coming century are alarming. According
to predictions, the number of inhabitants could reach 9 billion in 2050. And
although space is suffi cient for agriculture to feed this population, major
question arise: how to guarantee drinking water and water for agriculture,
when today 1 person in 5 does not have access to drinking water, and every
day 10,000 children die of diarrhea caused by unclean water?
In arid regions, the traditional management of water often cemented
society. The construction of infrastructures, the distribution of water,
and the maintenance chores concerned everyone, and customary rights
instilled rigorous management. Deep wells and pumps destabilized these
societies. Water, traditionally a common good, has become a product of a
central power, or a good reserved to those disposing of the fi nancial means
to have access to it. The problem becomes crucial for poor countries. In
addition, in 1900, 90% of the population lived in rural areas, near water
resources. In 2000, 50% of the population lives in cities, and it is probable
that in 2100, 90% of the population will be in cities. And yet, in densely
populated zones, where sewer systems do not exist or do not work well,
the water is too polluted to be drinkable. The Nile delta is an example: