Last weekend, Jessica Yu’s new water documentary “Last Call at the Oasis” took us on tour of the impacts water scarcity is creating around the globe, from the parched pastures of Australia’s farmlands to the sewage-polluted banks of the Jordan River. This film shines a much-needed light on the various water challenges we all now face at a critical time. The numbers alone are eye-opening.
If current water usage trends continue, by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population — or 5.3 billion people — will be vulnerable to water shortages. What many here in the U.S. may not know is that we are far from immune to water stress. One need look no further than Texas, where a record-breaking drought last year created massive water shortages that significantly impacted the state’s water supplies, agriculture and industry.
Although the world’s water supply works in a continuous cycle of consumption and replenishment — we are currently using more at a faster pace — and nature is not able to keep up. It’s no longer enough to conserve water during droughts, or to turn off the tap while we brush our teeth. Water reuse must be part of the long-term solution.
The time has come to look past the “yuck factor” that some associate with treating and reusing “used” water, rather than drawing from our shrinking fresh supplies. The water used in today’s morning shower shouldn’t disappear down the drain, but rather find new life to feed crops or produce electricity.
Source: GreenBiz.com
By Jon Freedman