Empirical Analysis of Q&A Websites and a Sustainable Solution to Ensure Water-Security

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel empirical study of water-related questions from famous environment-related Q&A websites. Additionally, after a comprehensive evaluation, we explore solutions of global freshwater scarcity. Results show that in-spite of approximately constant number of water-related questions-posted from 2014–2017, the views on these questions are significantly decreasing. Prominent locations of water-related discussions are USA, Europe, Australia, and India. Most of the water-related questions discuss oceanography and water-management. Indian-users are observed to discuss solutions of their local water-related problems while no water-related discussion is observed from desalination-pioneers like Saudi-Arabia, Israel etc. Finite annual freshwater inventories are inadequate to meet stringently burgeoning human demand for water. To fathom desalination as a solution to water-scarcity by employing renewable energy, we draw a comparison of India and Saudi-Arabia and suggest desalination of sea-water as the sustainable solution for water-scarcity in regions with proximity to seas and oceans. This work also responds to myths that devoid of desalination and aims to formulate awareness in order to create a global freshwater security.