La Habana, Dec 20.- The volume of usable water in the world is declining due to intense droughts and other problems related to climate change, according to Ibrahim Plaza, a specialist at the Cuban Business Group for Hydraulic Use.
In an interview with Prensa Latina, Plaza pointed out that according to international sources, 0.003 percent of the usable water in the planet is underground.
He added that according to scientific forecasts on climate change, the elevation of sea levels will decrease the amount of groundwater on a few islands in the coming decades.
A recent study indicates that 80 percent of the world's aquifers are used in a sustainable way, but this is offset by strong over-exploitation in some key areas.
Plaza also talked about the results of a project in Cuba, which is aimed at strengthening the management of groundwater and the control of saltwater intrusion in the provinces of Artemisa, Mayabeque and Havana.
The project was developed thanks to existing cooperation between specialists from the National Institute of Water Resources and the Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA).
This project is supported by a donation from JICA of approximately US $ 4 million for the training of Cuban personnel in Japan and in Cuba, as well as the acquisition of modern technology instruments and equipment bring used in the field.
The cooperation program has allowed a union of the experiences of two islands - Cuba and Japan - in the management of groundwater, for the sake of conservation and maintenance of water resources, said Plaza.