Sat Jul 21, 2012, 11:56 AM

Swede (27,081 posts)

Vast aquifer found in Namibia could last for centuries

A newly discovered water source in Namibia could have a major impact on development in the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa.

Estimates suggest the aquifer could supply the north of the country for 400 years at current rates of consumption.

Scientists say the water is up to 10,000 years old but is cleaner to drink than many modern sources.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18875385?splash

8 replies, 852 views

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Vast aquifer found in Namibia could last for centuries (Original post)	Swede	Jul 2012	OP
USA to find a reason to go to war in Namibia in 3....2....1....	kestrel91316	Jul 2012	#1
'At current rates of consumption'	earthside	Jul 2012	#2
Constant consumption does seem a questionable assumption n/t	HereSince1628	Jul 2012	#6
and Monsanto is already sending plane loads of toxic chemicals	russspeakeasy	Jul 2012	#3
I hope this is recognized as a public - not corporate - resource. n/t	Jim__	Jul 2012	#4
here come the water wars! at least the discovery is public. the corporations are massing. eom	ellenfl	Jul 2012	#5
More like with the south.	Igel	Jul 2012	#7
that's what i fear.	ife62995se	Jul 2012	#8

Response to Swede (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 11:59 AM

kestrel91316 (45,434 posts)

1. USA to find a reason to go to war in Namibia in 3....2....1....

Gotta help them "develop" that water resource (aka let Nestle or some other multinational rob the people of their precious, finite, nonrenewable resource).

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Response to Swede (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 12:03 PM

earthside (4,642 posts)

2. 'At current rates of consumption'

Ah ... there's that phrase that trips-up human beings over and over and over again.

When do we (as a species) in the 20th and 21st centuries ever restrain ourselves to 'current rates of consumption'?

If there is a new abundant resource discovered, it seems to be our duty to exploit it and use it up as fast as possible.

My prediction is that most of this water will be gone in less than a hundred years.

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Response to earthside (Reply #2)

Sun Jul 22, 2012, 07:18 PM

HereSince1628 (26,670 posts)

6. Constant consumption does seem a questionable assumption n/t

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Response to Swede (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 12:07 PM

russspeakeasy (5,737 posts)

3. and Monsanto is already sending plane loads of toxic chemicals

to equalize the quality of their water to ours.

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Response to Swede (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 01:36 PM

Jim__ (8,618 posts)

4. I hope this is recognized as a public - not corporate - resource. n/t

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Response to Swede (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 01:58 PM

ellenfl (8,290 posts)

5. here come the water wars! at least the discovery is public. the corporations are massing. eom

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Response to ellenfl (Reply #5)

Mon Jul 23, 2012, 12:58 AM

Igel (17,562 posts)

7. More like with the south.

It's the same issue in other countries.

If you live in the north then resources in the west, south, center, and east are certainly the nation's and should be shared in the spirit of brotherhood without making a profit or stinting. Resources in the north, on the other hand, are special and they must be husbanded either for sole use of northerners, or to bring the greatest possible return for the day when the resource is used up.

Replace "north" with geographic area of choice. East, west, province, center, area inhabited by clan X or area inhabited by ethnicity Y. What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine.

Vast aquifer found in Namibia could last for centuries

1. USA to find a reason to go to war in Namibia in 3....2....1....

2. 'At current rates of consumption'

6. Constant consumption does seem a questionable assumption n/t

3. and Monsanto is already sending plane loads of toxic chemicals

4. I hope this is recognized as a public - not corporate - resource. n/t

5. here come the water wars! at least the discovery is public. the corporations are massing. eom

7. More like with the south.

8. that's what i fear.