Water is essential for human life. Not only do our cells need it to function, but we also use it in many aspects of day-to-day activities: electrical power, cleaning, and recreation. In fact, the USGS reported that in 2015, 322 billion gallons of water a day were withdrawn from reserves in the United States. The largest use was for thermoelectric power, followed by irrigation, and then personal use, which totaled 90% of all water demands. Clearly, water is supporting the backbone of the United States economy and is essential to our individual lives. The question is: can we really sustain this level of water use?
State water managers are doubtful.
According to a 2014 study, 40 out of all 50 states are likely to have water shortage problems under average conditions in the following ten years. Keep in mind, the researchers assumed a continuation of normal conditions, so drought and dry spells would only make this estimation worse. And given the current state of climate change, we can only expect temperatures to rise and the Earth to dry out.
The effects of water shortages are widespread. Economically, as demand increases and supply decreases, the price will rise. State and local governments will have to undertake expensive water treatment and storage infrastructure projects in order to obtain and store fresh water, placing a burden of taxes on the residents. Water is also needed for irrigation, so a shortage could wreak havoc on agriculture, a major component of the United States economy.
The environment also suffers as water scarcity kicks in. According to the WWF, the world has lost half of its wetlands since 1900 due to water shortage issues. While most known for supporting a vast variety of animal life, wetlands also filter water, so losing them has a big impact on ecosystem health. Freshwater lakes are also at risk and can turn salty and polluted because of excessive irrigation use.
Finally, declining water supplies would have a direct impact on day-to-day life. The most concerning effects are health related, like companies looking for shortcuts to obtain cheaper water that could compromise quality and safety. Sanitation issues could also become more prevalent and spread disease if cleaning is not able to be done properly. Homeowners might not be able to water their lawns or gardens, and there could be limited access to recreational water sites like lakes and rivers.
So what is there to do about this problem?
The bad news is that a lot of the burden falls on powerful companies and corporations. Agriculture is a major issue- both in that it requires massive amounts of water for irrigation (and leaky systems can cause a lot of waste) but also because pesticides and fertilizer contribute to the pollution ruining good freshwater sources. To solve this, more green research needs to be done. Finding and subsidizing more eco-friendly farming practices will help farmers switch to environmentally sound, but also cost effective methods. For example, using sprinkler or drip irrigation as opposed to flooding and reducing tillage to limit evaporation would significantly reduce the amount of water needed. We will always depend on large crops to support a growing population, but there are definitely better ways to go about growing them.
Another big aspect of combating water scarcity comes from government efforts. Water infrastructure will need to be improved in the coming years as water shortages come into effect. For instance, increasing the storage size of reservoirs and finding better flood water collection methods are measures California and Wyoming governments are considering. In addition, cracking down on pollution to protect the current freshwater we have and putting pressure on corporations to reduce their water footprint are measures that the government could enact.
As an individual, making an impact on corporate decisions or government affairs is difficult (as always, voting and calling your representative with concerns are the best ways to make your voice heard). However, personal use is also a big source of water withdrawals. Yes, one person reducing their water consumption has a minimal effect, but the more people who start saving water in small ways, the larger the contribution will be. Taking shorter showers and turning the faucet off when brushing our teeth are measures we were taught in middle school to help the environment, but it helps to be reminded and check if we are actually doing it. Additionally, using toilets and washing machines that are built to limit water use and fixing any leaky pipes are actions any household can take to reduce their water bill and their impact on water scarcity.
Living in the United States, we are lucky to have pretty easy access to clean water. All of these issues are magnified even more for the 2.7 billion people across the world who face water scarcity or completely lack access to water. Even in our own country there are vast differences in water availability based on where you live. However, no matter who or where you are, it is extremely important to remember that we need to be careful with how we use our water or there will be major issues in the years to come.
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We can see a lot of parallels between our global water and food issues. In the food industry, the issues is not so much about a shortage of food (we have an abundance), but rather the poor distribution of that food across the world. In the United States, where we are fortunate enough to have abundant food options, we tend to unfortunately be very wasteful with it. The same can be said for water: certain regions, like Pennsylvania, receive plenty of precipitation and have an abundance of water (and tend to be very wasteful with it), whereas places like California continue to struggle with droughts. Interestingly enough, I think that an effective solution to one of these issues would also provide us with an effective solution to the other.
I had no idea that we could possibly experience water shortages in the near future. This is particularly scary, and makes me realize how much I’ve taken water for granted. Obviously there’s only so much an individual can do, but I’ll try to be more cognizant of my water usage in the future.