AQA GCSE Geography (8035) · Spec 3.2.3.3
Water
Read the notes, then try the questions. Each one is marked the moment you press Check, and shows the right answer and why.
Key ideas
- Water surplus means supply is greater than demand. A water deficit means demand is greater than supply. Water insecurity means people cannot reliably get enough safe water.
- Causes of water insecurity include low rainfall, a growing population, pollution and limited infrastructure such as pipes, treatment works and reservoirs.
- Ways to increase supply: dams and reservoirs, water transfers, desalination and groundwater use. You need a case study of a large-scale transfer scheme.
- Sustainable water use includes conservation, reusing grey water and local schemes such as sand dams.
Key terms
- Water deficit
- Demand for water is greater than the supply.
- Water insecurity
- Not having reliable access to enough safe water.
- Water transfer
- Moving water by pipe or canal from where there is plenty to where it is short.
- Desalination
- Removing salt from sea water to make fresh water.
- Grey water
- Lightly used water from sinks and showers, reused for toilets and gardens.
- Infrastructure
- The physical systems, such as pipes and reservoirs, that store and carry water.
Common mistakes
- Using water insecurity and water deficit as if they are the same. A deficit is about demand and supply. Insecurity is about people's access.
- Saying grey water can be cleaned and used for drinking. It is reused for toilets and gardens.
- Writing that limited infrastructure just means a country is poor. It means pipes, treatment works and reservoirs are missing.
Exam tip
Use your large-scale scheme to give named detail on benefits and problems. In a 6-mark question, link each fact to an advantage or disadvantage and reach a judgement.
Free practice questions
6 questions, 11 marks. Answer, then press Check. The marking guide explains how the marks are worked out. Nothing is saved.
- Question 1 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
What does a water deficit mean?
- Question 2 · Fill the gaps[2 marks]
Water ___ means demand is greater than supply; water ___ means people lack reliable access to enough safe water.
Word bank: insecurity · deficit · surplus
- Question 3 · Matching[3 marks]
Match each term to its meaning.
- Question 4 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
What is grey water?
- Question 5 · Sort into groups[3 marks]
Sort each strategy into the correct group.
Building a dam and reservoir
Reusing grey water
Desalination plant
- Question 6 · Put in order[1 mark]
Put this chain of water insecurity impacts in order, starting with the cause.
Use the arrows to put these in the right order, first at the top.
- 1People are too ill to work or go to school
- 2Waterborne disease spreads
- 3A river is polluted by untreated sewage
- 4People drink the untreated water