How can we practice sustainable development for water?

Question

Please answer :)

Answer 1

Three terms define sustainable development: economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity. Water can be considered a scarce resource if it´s difficult to find or if quantities found are also scarce.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Investments in water following a Harrod Domar model

I=µK

S=sY

dI/dt=µ(dK/dt)

dS/dt=s dY/dt

In equilibrium according to Keynes:

dI/dt=dS/dt

Plugging equations

µ(dK/dt)=s (dY/dt)

(dK/dt) / (dY/dt) =s/µ

That´s mean that investments in water per year have to be increased at a determined rate that will vary if GNP grows more or less. µ is the accelerator of the investment and s is the marginal propension to save.

ENVIROMENTAL QUALITY

Economists can say that water comes mainly from rivers and lakes and if we want to preserve nature, chemical industries and others that poison waters must be technological ready to minimize second effects. Investments traditionally are carried out in places where benefits in the long term are higher, mainly near industrial regions or urban centers. But one can never forget that investments include the transportation of the water and the necessary treatments.

Water respects Archimedes principle and a  way to save money is to know everything about geographical locations, damms, rivers and methods to clean water. Some techniques are also more adequate than others.

SOCIAL EQUITY

Sometimes some regions are forgotten when plans are developed to install running water in houses. In poor countries this inconvenient is solved, building public structures in the center of the villages at a lower cost.