Water Demands

Because of population growth and economic development, water resources in many parts of the world are pushed to their natural limits.

The global population is expanding by 80 million people annually, increasing the demand for freshwater by about 64 billion cubic meters per year. Over the last 50 years water withdrawals have tripled due to population growth. 

The majority of the world's population growth in the next 40 years will be absorbed by urban areas, particularly in less developed regions. Urbanisation also leads to increased pressure on water resources as individuals become concentrated in once area.  

"Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeoprdizes both the Physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity" Kofi Annan

  • 1,000 tonnes of freshwater needed for 1t of wheat
  • 160 cubic kilometres of freshwater is removed from subterranean springs each year without being replaced 
  • Withdrawals have tripled over the past 30 years and demand for it is increasing by 64 billion cubic meters a year.
  • By the year 2025 every 2nd human being on Earth will suffer from a lack of drinking water.
Desalination plants are one way of producing water, and about 3 tonnes of sea water is required for each tonne of freshwater produced. The first problem is that in the lifecycle of any desalination plan project over half the costs for such plants are attributed to energy costs. Secondly, the issue of waste brine or salt has to be dealt with and this also contributes to wildlife issues and many plants empty the brine directly back to the sea. 

ShipEco Marine has developed a vessel which uses waste fuel sources and has the intellectual property on an onboard desalination system that prevents overboard discharge of any brine or salt.