Globally safe and fresh water has already been threatened by pollution with economic growth expected to be halved by water contamination alone, according to a recent World Bank report. Climate change just adds to the problem.
And dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is making freshwater more scarce. A study by Australia based Connected Water Initiative Resource Centre says that DOC increase upto 54 percent is happening because of increased temperatures. This makes water less potable and harmful for human beings.
Some 90 years back, a British surgeon general Dr Robert McCarrison started out with some work which is still relevant. He mapped out the tough terrain of South Asia and made a first kidney stone map of the region. His findings still hold true. A kidney belt stretches from Western India to Pakistan, clearly marking out a stone belt. Globally, similar trends remain of high temperature and kidney stone correlation.
Studies indicate that temperature increase affects chances of kidney stone worsening. Further, poor water availability, contamination and poor water hydration of the kidneys causes worsening of the kidney stone problem. This is just one dimension linking climate change, human health and water contamination.
About the author: Dr Sunderrajan Krishnan is the Executive Director of INREM Foundation, a research organisation that works on public health, water and environmental issues.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of India Water Portal.