Why is water unevenly distributed, and how can growing demand for water be managed?
Key Idea 6.3: water resources and their management, the global pattern of water supply and demand, the causes of water surplus and water deficit (scarcity and stress), the impacts of an inadequate water supply, and the strategies used to manage water resources sustainably.
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.3 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: the global pattern of water supply and demand, the causes of water surplus and deficit, the impacts of an inadequate water supply, and the strategies used to manage water resources sustainably.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers Key Idea 6.3 of WJEC Unit 2: water resources and their management. You need the global pattern of water supply and demand, the causes of water surplus and water deficit (scarcity and stress), the impacts of an inadequate water supply, and the strategies used to manage water sustainably.
The global pattern of supply and demand
The causes of water shortage
The impacts of an inadequate water supply
Managing water sustainably
Try this
Q1. What is the difference between water surplus and water deficit? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. A water surplus is where supply is greater than demand (a wet area with plenty of water); a water deficit is where demand is greater than supply, leading to shortages.
Q2. Explain one sustainable way to manage water demand. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Fitting water meters charges people for the water they actually use, which encourages them to fix leaks and waste less; this reduces overall demand and makes the existing supply last longer without building costly new infrastructure.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC Unit 2 (Theme 6)4 marksDescribe the causes of water scarcity in some parts of the world.Show worked answer →
A short data-response describe question. Reward described physical and human causes.
Physical causes. A dry climate with low and unreliable rainfall, high evaporation, and few rivers or stores of groundwater mean some areas simply have little water.
Human causes. A growing population, more farming (irrigation) and industry, pollution of water sources, and overuse all increase demand and reduce clean supply.
Top marks. A mix of physical (climate) and human (population, farming, pollution) causes.
WJEC Unit 2 (Theme 6)6 marksExplain how water resources can be managed sustainably.Show worked answer →
A short explain question (levels marking). Reward developed strategies that secure supply without harming the future.
Increasing and storing supply. Dams and reservoirs store water, water transfer schemes move it from surplus to deficit areas, and desalination turns seawater into fresh water (though it is expensive and energy-hungry).
Reducing and saving demand. Reducing leaks, recycling water, efficient irrigation, water meters and education cut waste and make supply last longer.
Top band. Explain both increasing supply and reducing demand, and note which are most sustainable.
Related dot points
- Key Idea 6.1: measuring global inequalities, what development means, the economic and social indicators used to measure it (GNI per head, the HDI, birth and death rates, literacy and life expectancy), the limitations of single indicators, and the global pattern of development (the development gap and the LIC, NIC, HIC classification).
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.1 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: what development means, the economic and social indicators used to measure it, the limitations of single indicators, and the global pattern of development including the development gap and the LIC, NIC and HIC classification.
- Key Idea 6.2: the causes and consequences of uneven development at the global scale and within one low-income country (LIC) and one newly industrialised country (NIC), the physical, economic, historical and political causes, the consequences of uneven development, and the strategies used to reduce the development gap.
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.2 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: the physical, economic, historical and political causes of uneven development, its consequences within a LIC and a NIC, and the strategies used to reduce the development gap.
- Key Idea 6.4: regional economic development, the changing economic structure of a country (primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors), the causes of regional inequality within a country, the role of transnational companies, and the strategies used to reduce regional differences.
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.4 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: the changing economic structure of a country, the causes of regional inequality, the role of transnational companies, and the strategies used to reduce regional differences in development.
- Key Idea 1.3: the drainage basins of Wales and the UK, the drainage basin as an open system (inputs, stores, flows and outputs), the storm hydrograph and the factors affecting it, the physical and human causes of river flooding, and the hard and soft engineering used to manage flooding.
A focused answer on Key Idea 1.3 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 1: the drainage basin as an open system, the storm hydrograph and the factors affecting it, the physical and human causes of river flooding, and the hard and soft engineering used to manage it.
- Key Idea 8.2 (Theme 8): managing environmental challenges sustainably, the meaning of sustainability, strategies to reduce resource use and waste (reduce, reuse, recycle), the move to renewable energy and sustainable living, and the role of individuals, governments and international agreements.
A focused answer on Key Idea 8.2 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2 (Theme 8): the meaning of sustainability, strategies to reduce resource use and waste, the move to renewable energy and sustainable living, and the role of individuals, governments and international agreements.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Geography (Wales) specification (3110) — WJEC (2019)