UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / 6 May 2008 -- National Drinking Water Week in the United States has begun – May 4^th. 

According to the Executive Director of the American Water Works Association, “Drinking Water Week provides a natural opportunity for all of us to pause and consider the immeasurable value that a safe, reliable water supply plays in our daily lives”.  

U.S. residents are fortunate to have access to what is often considered as some of the highest quality water in the world. 

More importantly, U.S. residents have access to one of the most plentiful resources of freshwater (4^th largest supply of freshwater in the world lies within the borders of the U.S.). 

National Drinking Water Week is an opportunity to celebrate this precious resource while reminding ourselves not to take the country’s water supply for granted.

To recognize National Drinking Water Week, water utilities across North America will join with their local communities throughout the week to celebrate and salute an “Only Tap Water Delivers” tribute. 

Via fairs, contests, public service announcements, and other events, water utilities will seek to highlight the value of tap water service along with the importance of conserving water resources.  

They will also provide information to their respective communities about the active role that residents around the country must pursue to protect the existing water supply. 

While the U.S. may have one of the largest freshwater supplies in the world, it still cannot be taken for granted.  

Already there are ample examples within the U.S. borders of drought and other water challenges including overexploited resources, and shrinking potable water resources like those provided by Lake Mead, Lake Lanier, and Lake Michigan. 

Additionally, existing water and wastewater systems are in desperate need of repair/refurbishment. 

Aging infrastructure needs to be upgraded and replaced while new infrastructure needs to be installed to address expanding communities and cities.  

According to a recently issued US-EPA report, approximately US$202.5 billion is needed to invest in the country’s wastewater systems over the next twenty years.

And US$276.8 billion is needed to invest in the country’s drinking water systems over the same period of time.

Likewise, the world cannot take freshwater supplies for granted. 

Over half of earth’s surface is covered in water; yet less than 8% of the water is actually in the form of freshwater. 

And with a bigger and bigger size population reaching out for these resources (water demand has tripled just in the last fifty years), competition for freshwater among nations and regions around the world is increasing. 

Comparable to the U.S. challenges, there are also vast examples in select regions of the world that are marred by evolving drought conditions. 

Additionally, there are regions around the world that are riddled with dwindling water supplies due to overuse and under-replenishment, and increased contamination as a result of rising industrial and agricultural waste. 

While there is no magic single solution to fix the ongoing freshwater challenges that exist around the globe, it is interesting to assess the well intended efforts that are being made by the American Water Works Association and their international counterparts to raise the visibility of the looming water crisis among consumers in all countries.

As an industry professional, I am the recipient of numerous announcements detailing initiatives implemented by associations, development banks, countries, etc. to promote the evolving world water crisis and address the 1.2 billion individuals who continue not to have regular acceptable access to potable water (along with 2.3 billion without access to proper sanitation). 

Efforts are being pursued that involve regulating the consumer use of potable water, the industrial use of water, and the agricultural use of water. 

And there are countless effective  initiatives in place that seek to install low-cost POU or community-focused technology that can improve access to water by villages and towns in developing countries.

There are also more discussions taking place on the topics of re-use, water efficiency, water conservation, water desalination, grey water resources, etc. 

And these are topics that are not only relevant in developing countries but also in the MIC and OECD more advanced countries.

However, with all these many efforts being pursued by industry players, industry associations, and development institutions, the press coverage on the growing global water crisis has been lacking. 

While there have been some notable cover stories focused on water including a U.S. News & World Report cover story almost a year ago, the issue of a looming water crisis appears to have been eclipsed by other global challenges.

Within the past eight weeks, the world has experienced World Water Day, Earth Day, and now National Drinking Water Week.  

The 16^th World Water Day came and went (March 22^nd) with little fanfare.  

Earth Day (April 22^nd) was caught up with the issues of global warming, rising energy costs, and food shortages. 

And press coverage of National Drinking Water Week so far appears to be restricted to select events in individual U.S. communities.  

The much heralded water exhibit (Water: H20 = Life) at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has not attracted the crowds that had been anticipated,  and it is lacking in solid take-away materials to encourage and foster awareness by the average individual attendee.  

There is currently a plan to “export” the exhibit to select cities around the world. 

Even the recent annual Davos meeting that took place in late January focused more on climate change, the expanding financial crisis, the food crisis, and poverty. 

While the program included sessions focused on water that involved the participation of the chairman of CH2M Hill, the chairman/CEO of the Coca Cola Company, the chairman/CEO of Nestle, and the chairman/CEO of Dow Chemical Company, the ensuing press coverage of the Davos Forum did not pick up on this critical topic.

As noted by Neville Isdell, Chairman and CEO of the Coca Cola Company, “… this is an issue which ranks next to climate change. There is a nexus between the two…however, water has gotten lost as part of the climate change debate.”  

Observes Bono (the rock star musician), “the Millennium Development Goals look like they are not going to happen, and the G-8 commitments made in 2005 look like they will not come off, and this is a scandal.”

The world population appears to be on course to improve their understanding and awareness of their carbon footprint. 

However, the challenge that now exists – to more effectively improve their understanding of their water footprint and the real financial value of water in their daily lives.

Labels: United Nations, U.N., MaximsNews WATER, water, National Drinking Water Week, United States, U.S.A., drinking water, water supply, Kathy Shandling, international development, environment, water news, water sustainability, water resource, water management, global water crisis, sustainable development

 

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