PHC 4047 Final Exam UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Know and describe water scarcity - CORRECT ANSWER according to a growing consensus
among hydrologists, a country faces water scarcity when its annual supply of renewable freshwater is
less than 1,000 cubic meters [35,000 cubic feet] per person. Such countries can expect to experience
chronic and widespread shortages of water that hinder their development
Statistics on drinking water and poverty reduction - CORRECT ANSWER About 2.8 billion
people, more than 40% of the world's population, experience some form of water scarcity.
Access to drinking water is a continuing serious global water issue, particularly for the poor. Around
1.6 billion people have limited access to water
Poor water, sanitation, hygiene and inadequate water resourcesmanagement contribute to 50% of the
consequences ofchildhood and maternal underweight and hence child growth
Contributions to the contamination of water - CORRECT ANSWER Poor water, sanitation,
hygiene and inadequate water resources management contribute to 50% of the consequences of
childhood and maternal underweight and hence child growth. The main source of drinking-water
contamination in much of the world is the poor management of human waste.
The water cycle - CORRECT ANSWER The water cycle (or hydrological cycle) refers to the
movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth as ice, liquid water and water
vapour. It is the fundamental way in which the 0.027% of the Earth's fresh water continues to be
available for all land-living things, including humans, for food production, industry, drinking water,
the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and a multitude of other needs. The hydrological cycle works
relatively quickly above ground, but slowly beneath it.It can take only a matter of months or years to
recharge, and hence rehabilitate, surface waters, but groundwater recharge periods can be in the order
of hundreds of years.
Understand biodiversity and relationship to water - CORRECT ANSWER "Biodiversity" refers
to the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms on the Earth, and the ecosystems in which they
occur. Water and biodiversity are interdependent — a disruption in either naturally leads to a
disruption in both. Because all life depends on water, the water cycle drives how the environment
functions; put simply, it sustains life.▪ Understanding the role of biodiversity in the water cycle
enables better decision-making when formulating water policies and practices.▪ Biodiversity
underpins the ability of nature to supply drinking water by sustaining the continuous recycling of
water, through the water cycle. Forests sustain the quality of water: removing forests increases soil
erosion, which not only reduces land productivity but causes major water quality problems
downstream.▪ At least one-third of the world's largest cities obtain a significant portion of their
,drinking water directly from forested protected areas.▪ Plants, soils and animals sustain the water
cycle and play a significant role in purifying water.▪
Understand biodiversity and relationship to water pt 2 - CORRECT ANSWER Wetland plants
commonly remove high levels of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, preventing them from
reaching drinking water; many wetland plants can also remove toxic substances, such as heavy
metals, from water. Water quality and availability:▪ Invariably the root cause of water quality loss, and
in many cases decreased water availability, is a degraded ecosystem; it is often better, and more
sustainable, to solve the root cause of the problem than to deal with the consequences. Managing
drinking water for both present and future needs:▪ Increasing populations and shifting consumer needs
(not only for drinking water but also food, energy and consumer products) have major implications for
planning and can potentially undermine the sustainability of existing drinking water supplies. The role
of biodiversity:▪ Biodiversity maintains ecosystem functions and services that we need to sustain
drinking water supplies. Maintaining ecosystem integrity and functions:▪ Ecosystems supply water, so
changing the ecosystem changes water supplies;▪ The ecosystem is "natural infrastructure", an asset to
be managed wisely to meet human needs by using it to supply water more sustainably and to deal with
water quality problems (including for water purification); Physical infrastructure (e.g., dams, water-
treatment facilities) has contributed globally to improving drinking water supply, but it needs to be
planned, sited and managed in the context of the wider natural infrastructure, landscape and its
functioning. Realistic approaches:▪ "Biodiversity" approaches do not solve all problems relating to
development and drinking water. Invariably a mix of approaches is needed. But they offer intelligent
solutions - and in more frequent and significant ways than is often thought.
water quality and availability - CORRECT ANSWER Safe, high-quality drinking water is an
essential aspect of public health. One of the most significant measures to protect the health of the
public was the introduction of chlorination of drinking water. Since the early 20th century, drinking
water chlorination has resulted in drastic reductions in waterborne infections (e.g., cholera and
typhoid) in the United States
Describe floodplains - CORRECT ANSWER Typically a flat area of land that is prone to
flooding. Streams and rivers regular overflow in these areas
Benefits include:
Highly productive wetlands■ Provide natural flood and erosion control■ Maintain high water quality■
Recharge groundwater■ Fertile soils■ Nearby rivers for use and recreation■ Flatlands for
urbanization and farming
Dangers: eadly and destructive■ Human activities worsen floods■ Failing dams and water diversion
(manmade structures interrupting natural waterflow)
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER At the international level, multiple
frameworks (often born after a major crisis) supportthe protection of freshwater systems and the
mitigation of impacts.▪ Some of the most important instruments for pollution mitigation and
, waterconservation are:▪ Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and
InternationalLakes (Helsinki, 1972), which obliges parties to prevent, control and reduce water
pollution frompoint and nonpoint sources;▪ UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses
of International Watercourses 1997(UN Watercourses Convention);▪ Convention on the Protection and
Use of Transboundary Watercourses and InternationalLakes 1992 (UN Economic Commission for
Europe Watercourses Convention - an amendmentto which, not yet ratified, opens up this convention
to states beyond the UNECE);▪ A detailed discussion of the use of international watercourse
agreements and howthey provide frameworks for sustainable water resources management,
includingimplementation of the objectives, Articles and decisions of the CBD, is provided in Brelset
al. (2008)
Understand the influences of water - CORRECT ANSWER Measuring, baseline information,
reporting, auditing, monitoring and evaluationrequirements are substantial and complex for
sustainable drinking water. Forexample, they include:○ Monitoring standards for drinking-water
quality, generally using the guidelinespublished by the World Health Organization.○ Tracking all
relevant socio-economic indicators and activities.○ Obtaining and dealing with information on
environmental trends.▪ It is a challenge to coordinate and manage all monitoring and reportingefforts
collectively to facilitate integrated information systems.▪ At the global level, the WHO and UNICEF
run The Joint Monitoring Programme(JMP) for water supply and sanitation, based largely on national
data sources.▪ The World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) monitors freshwaterissues in order
to provide recommendations, develop case studies, enhanceassessment capacity at the national level
and inform decision-making processes.
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER Supplying drinking water, no
matter how it is done, costs money.▪ Financing its provision is a major constraint in developing
countries and a majorinvestment in developed countries.▪ Better management of water often involves
getting some groups of people toalter their behaviour in order to benefit others. Payments for
ecosystem (orenvironment) services (PES) mechanisms encourage behavioural change bytransferring
payments from users to suppliers to achieve the drinking waterobjectives.▪ The classic example of this
need is within watersheds (river basins), where theactivities of people in the upper regions can be
carried down river (or throughgroundwater) to affect people living lower down.▪ The PES approach is
becoming popular as a means to finance biodiversityconservation and is implemented through several
schemes: direct publicpayments, direct private payments, cap-and-trade schemes (regulations)
andeco-certification programmes.
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER Capacity-building is essential to
influence outcomes for sustainabledrinking-water supplies.▪ Throughout capacity-building approaches
it is essential for people to understand:the water cycle and its implications for drinking water supply;
the role of naturalinfrastructure; and the need for collaboration amongst different interest groupsto
achieve common objectives.▪ Some examples of capacity-building opportunities with different
stakeholdergroups are:▪ Engineers: build capacity to understand and manage natural infrastructure and
processes aspart of engineered approaches.▪ Finance and planning: build understanding of the values
of ecosystem services andincorporating these in financial assessments.▪ Sectors (forestry, agriculture,
tourism, industry, energy): build understanding of the watercycle and ecosystem context of what a
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Know and describe water scarcity - CORRECT ANSWER according to a growing consensus
among hydrologists, a country faces water scarcity when its annual supply of renewable freshwater is
less than 1,000 cubic meters [35,000 cubic feet] per person. Such countries can expect to experience
chronic and widespread shortages of water that hinder their development
Statistics on drinking water and poverty reduction - CORRECT ANSWER About 2.8 billion
people, more than 40% of the world's population, experience some form of water scarcity.
Access to drinking water is a continuing serious global water issue, particularly for the poor. Around
1.6 billion people have limited access to water
Poor water, sanitation, hygiene and inadequate water resourcesmanagement contribute to 50% of the
consequences ofchildhood and maternal underweight and hence child growth
Contributions to the contamination of water - CORRECT ANSWER Poor water, sanitation,
hygiene and inadequate water resources management contribute to 50% of the consequences of
childhood and maternal underweight and hence child growth. The main source of drinking-water
contamination in much of the world is the poor management of human waste.
The water cycle - CORRECT ANSWER The water cycle (or hydrological cycle) refers to the
movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth as ice, liquid water and water
vapour. It is the fundamental way in which the 0.027% of the Earth's fresh water continues to be
available for all land-living things, including humans, for food production, industry, drinking water,
the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and a multitude of other needs. The hydrological cycle works
relatively quickly above ground, but slowly beneath it.It can take only a matter of months or years to
recharge, and hence rehabilitate, surface waters, but groundwater recharge periods can be in the order
of hundreds of years.
Understand biodiversity and relationship to water - CORRECT ANSWER "Biodiversity" refers
to the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms on the Earth, and the ecosystems in which they
occur. Water and biodiversity are interdependent — a disruption in either naturally leads to a
disruption in both. Because all life depends on water, the water cycle drives how the environment
functions; put simply, it sustains life.▪ Understanding the role of biodiversity in the water cycle
enables better decision-making when formulating water policies and practices.▪ Biodiversity
underpins the ability of nature to supply drinking water by sustaining the continuous recycling of
water, through the water cycle. Forests sustain the quality of water: removing forests increases soil
erosion, which not only reduces land productivity but causes major water quality problems
downstream.▪ At least one-third of the world's largest cities obtain a significant portion of their
,drinking water directly from forested protected areas.▪ Plants, soils and animals sustain the water
cycle and play a significant role in purifying water.▪
Understand biodiversity and relationship to water pt 2 - CORRECT ANSWER Wetland plants
commonly remove high levels of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, preventing them from
reaching drinking water; many wetland plants can also remove toxic substances, such as heavy
metals, from water. Water quality and availability:▪ Invariably the root cause of water quality loss, and
in many cases decreased water availability, is a degraded ecosystem; it is often better, and more
sustainable, to solve the root cause of the problem than to deal with the consequences. Managing
drinking water for both present and future needs:▪ Increasing populations and shifting consumer needs
(not only for drinking water but also food, energy and consumer products) have major implications for
planning and can potentially undermine the sustainability of existing drinking water supplies. The role
of biodiversity:▪ Biodiversity maintains ecosystem functions and services that we need to sustain
drinking water supplies. Maintaining ecosystem integrity and functions:▪ Ecosystems supply water, so
changing the ecosystem changes water supplies;▪ The ecosystem is "natural infrastructure", an asset to
be managed wisely to meet human needs by using it to supply water more sustainably and to deal with
water quality problems (including for water purification); Physical infrastructure (e.g., dams, water-
treatment facilities) has contributed globally to improving drinking water supply, but it needs to be
planned, sited and managed in the context of the wider natural infrastructure, landscape and its
functioning. Realistic approaches:▪ "Biodiversity" approaches do not solve all problems relating to
development and drinking water. Invariably a mix of approaches is needed. But they offer intelligent
solutions - and in more frequent and significant ways than is often thought.
water quality and availability - CORRECT ANSWER Safe, high-quality drinking water is an
essential aspect of public health. One of the most significant measures to protect the health of the
public was the introduction of chlorination of drinking water. Since the early 20th century, drinking
water chlorination has resulted in drastic reductions in waterborne infections (e.g., cholera and
typhoid) in the United States
Describe floodplains - CORRECT ANSWER Typically a flat area of land that is prone to
flooding. Streams and rivers regular overflow in these areas
Benefits include:
Highly productive wetlands■ Provide natural flood and erosion control■ Maintain high water quality■
Recharge groundwater■ Fertile soils■ Nearby rivers for use and recreation■ Flatlands for
urbanization and farming
Dangers: eadly and destructive■ Human activities worsen floods■ Failing dams and water diversion
(manmade structures interrupting natural waterflow)
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER At the international level, multiple
frameworks (often born after a major crisis) supportthe protection of freshwater systems and the
mitigation of impacts.▪ Some of the most important instruments for pollution mitigation and
, waterconservation are:▪ Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and
InternationalLakes (Helsinki, 1972), which obliges parties to prevent, control and reduce water
pollution frompoint and nonpoint sources;▪ UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses
of International Watercourses 1997(UN Watercourses Convention);▪ Convention on the Protection and
Use of Transboundary Watercourses and InternationalLakes 1992 (UN Economic Commission for
Europe Watercourses Convention - an amendmentto which, not yet ratified, opens up this convention
to states beyond the UNECE);▪ A detailed discussion of the use of international watercourse
agreements and howthey provide frameworks for sustainable water resources management,
includingimplementation of the objectives, Articles and decisions of the CBD, is provided in Brelset
al. (2008)
Understand the influences of water - CORRECT ANSWER Measuring, baseline information,
reporting, auditing, monitoring and evaluationrequirements are substantial and complex for
sustainable drinking water. Forexample, they include:○ Monitoring standards for drinking-water
quality, generally using the guidelinespublished by the World Health Organization.○ Tracking all
relevant socio-economic indicators and activities.○ Obtaining and dealing with information on
environmental trends.▪ It is a challenge to coordinate and manage all monitoring and reportingefforts
collectively to facilitate integrated information systems.▪ At the global level, the WHO and UNICEF
run The Joint Monitoring Programme(JMP) for water supply and sanitation, based largely on national
data sources.▪ The World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) monitors freshwaterissues in order
to provide recommendations, develop case studies, enhanceassessment capacity at the national level
and inform decision-making processes.
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER Supplying drinking water, no
matter how it is done, costs money.▪ Financing its provision is a major constraint in developing
countries and a majorinvestment in developed countries.▪ Better management of water often involves
getting some groups of people toalter their behaviour in order to benefit others. Payments for
ecosystem (orenvironment) services (PES) mechanisms encourage behavioural change bytransferring
payments from users to suppliers to achieve the drinking waterobjectives.▪ The classic example of this
need is within watersheds (river basins), where theactivities of people in the upper regions can be
carried down river (or throughgroundwater) to affect people living lower down.▪ The PES approach is
becoming popular as a means to finance biodiversityconservation and is implemented through several
schemes: direct publicpayments, direct private payments, cap-and-trade schemes (regulations)
andeco-certification programmes.
Understand the influences on water - CORRECT ANSWER Capacity-building is essential to
influence outcomes for sustainabledrinking-water supplies.▪ Throughout capacity-building approaches
it is essential for people to understand:the water cycle and its implications for drinking water supply;
the role of naturalinfrastructure; and the need for collaboration amongst different interest groupsto
achieve common objectives.▪ Some examples of capacity-building opportunities with different
stakeholdergroups are:▪ Engineers: build capacity to understand and manage natural infrastructure and
processes aspart of engineered approaches.▪ Finance and planning: build understanding of the values
of ecosystem services andincorporating these in financial assessments.▪ Sectors (forestry, agriculture,
tourism, industry, energy): build understanding of the watercycle and ecosystem context of what a
