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O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/13 · May/June 2011 · Q525 Marks

(a) Study Fig. 7, a newspaper article about water shortages in the state of Maharashtra, in India (an LEDC). OVER 1000 VILLAGES DEPEND ON TANKERS OVER 1000 villages in the state have to depend on tankers for their water supply as their wells have dried up. The number of villages depending on tankers has nearly doubled since last May when 670 villages depended on tankers for water. Nearly 1143 villages now depend on government and private water tankers. The worst-affected part of the state is Marathwada where 584 villages draw water from tankers. The situation is likely to worsen in Marathwada — a drought-prone region — considering the rainy season is still about a month away. According to rainwater harvesting consultant Ajit Gokhale, low ground water levels are not the only reason for the increasing use of water tankers. “The heat and evaporation rate have increased. So, even if people do take measures to conserve water, the situation is not improving," said Gokhale. Of the 1071 tankers supplying the villages, only 407 are government tankers while the rest are private. Some villages get their water supply from rivers and streams but these are polluted. Fig. 7 (b) Study Photograph D (Insert), which shows part of the water treatment works at Yola in Nigeria (an LEDC), along with Fig. 8, a flow diagram. [Figure 8.0 (Flow diagram showing water treatment process at Yola, Nigeria, from River Benue to domestic and industrial use)] Fig. 8 (c) Water may be polluted by human activities. For a named example which you have studied, describe the causes and effects of pollution of a river, lake or sea area. Example chosen ..........................................................................................................................

  1. (a)(i)Name the part of the state of Maharashtra where over 500 villages depend on tankers for their water supply.[1]
  2. (a)(ii)State two other ways by which villages in Maharashtra obtain their water. 1 2[2]
  3. (a)(iii)How do the following cause water supply problems: A Drought, B Increased evaporation, C River pollution?[3]
  4. (a)(iv)Suggest methods which could be used to reduce water shortages.[4]
  5. (b)(i)Describe how the water from the River Benue is processed at Yola water treatment works.[3]
  6. (b)(ii)Explain the benefits to local people of the water treatment works.[5]
  7. (c)Water may be polluted by human activities. For a named example which you have studied, describe the causes and effects of pollution of a river, lake or sea area. Example chosen ..........................................................................................................................[7]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2011). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [1] (a) (i) Marathwada
  2. [2] (a) (ii) wells; rivers/streams;
  3. [3] (a) (iii) A. wells run dry/less rain fallen than water used/more demand for agriculture reduces supply for people or other uses/not enough/much rainfall; B. Surface supplies/rivers/lakes will dry out/water cannot be used if it is lost/water is lost; C. People cannot use river water/river water carries disease/people will use other sources more quickly;
  4. [4] (a) (iv) Methods such as: dam/reservoir building; desalination plants; more boreholes/wells/underground; cloud seeding; water treatment/purification; water supply infrastructure/pipelines; transfer water from wet areas to areas where there is a shortage; conserve water/or examples of methods to max 2/rationing; teach skills/educate people about how to purify water/how to conserve; tanks on roof of houses (to collect water)/water butts; import water from other countries; etc.
  5. [3] (b) (i) Ideas such as:- water pumped into treatment works/water pumped from river; water pumped through pipes/by electricity; chemicals added to water (or examples to MAX 1); sediment allowed to settle.
  6. [5] (b) (ii) Positive effects such as: income from sale of treated water; employment/ in construction/operating plant(DEV in terms of type of job or in terms of improving quality of life); clean/safe water available/more water available/water more accessible/so it can be used for drinking/domestic purposes(DEV) ; reduction in diseases (or examples); (DEV if state water borne diseases)/ death rates lowered (DEV); hence less money spent on hospital care; etc.
  7. [7] (c) Levels marking; Level 1 (1–3 marks): Statements including limited detail describing causes and/or effects of water pollution. (e.g. sewage; waste/rubbish dumping; kills fish; beaches covered in oil etc.); Level 2 (4–6 marks): Uses named example. More developed statements describing causes and/or effects of water pollution. (e.g. waste chemicals released from factories; oil spills from tankers; types of species killed/mutations; impacts on aquatic food chain etc.); (NB MAX 5 if no named example); Level 3 (7 marks): Uses named example (e.g. North Sea). Comprehensive and accurate statements describing causes and effects including some place specific reference. (e.g. Toxic waste from industries along the Rhine enter the North Sea; fuels are dumped/tanks washed out from cargo vessels/oil tankers, diseased seals are washed up on beaches around the Wash in Eastern England etc.)

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About this question

Topic
The natural environment, O-Level Geography (syllabus 2217). Structured question, 25 marks.
Source
O-Level Geography, May/June 2011 Paper 1 Variant 3, question 5.

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