Water is a vital part of our planet Earth. Without it, the number of negative impacts it can have is unimaginable. The southeastern states in Brazil are one of the several regions of the world affected by drought. Not having enough water for the necessary daily activities has driven people to extremes in order to obtain the water that they need. Unacceptable water supply has led to issues in the economy, low food supply, starvation of animals, reduced quality of health, loss of life and more. This raises a big concern for future water supply. The effects it has in this region can worsen and possibly spread to other areas. Eventually, the water may run out and leave people with no promising solution.
Water scarcity is a problem that is currently…show more content… In the state of Minas Gerais, diarrhea has been a major concern. It has caused a great number of sicknesses and even deaths, especially in children under the age of five. There was a calculation done in Brazil to compare the presence of children under the age of five living in homes with sufficient water supply versus homes with insufficient water supply. The results displayed a large quantity of these children living in homes with unacceptable water supply. The correlation between the lack of basic sanitation and diarrhea was clear. To prevent diarrhea and other health conditions the important factors needed are hand washing, water quality, disposal of human waste matter, and available piped water. The areas in Minas Gerais that did not possess enough money and therefore no access to a general water supply, rainwater storage, and a proper bathroom, experienced more cases of diarrhea because of the inability to maintain proper hygiene. The highest combination of inadequate water supply and sanitary sewage systems were found in Jequitinhonha, which resulted in 13.6% of children under the age of five living in these circumstances (Ferreira De Oliveira et al., 2015). Water quality and quantity from springs, wells, and general water systems in Brazil, especially in this region of the country, has not been improving for the past…show more content… A mining company collected a massive amount of waste that was blocked away from fresh water. The dam that was holding up the waste was broken, causing the chemicals and waste to overflow into Rio Doce. The events that followed were destructive. It generated a mudslide of iron ore and contained traces of arsenic, zinc, mercury, antimony, copper, and sodium hydroxide. It has polluted the water supply of about 500 million people. The mud has already spread to over 300 miles of the river. The debris in the water makes it impossible to treat the water to become suitable for drinking (Enxurrada de lama, 2015). At least three people have been reported dead and several still have not been found. Not only does this affect people, but the animals also suffer from this catastrophe. The animals that lived in the river are being found dead. Fish are jumping out of the water in search for oxygen. Turtles and ducks are being suffocated by the chemicals. The worst part of this may be that the location where Rio Doce ends at the border of the state of Espirito Santo, leads into the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is home to a multitude of aquatic life and the results can be devastating (Villela, 2015). The time and money it will take to clean up this mess is unthinkable. It will influence the lives of millions and affect the economy in the process. This pollution was considered to be an
