Finite Supply of Water
Finite Supply of Water
Published: October 22, 2009
Lee Scheffler of West Newton, Massachusetts, writes:
Marilyn: Your comments about wasting water didn't include an important point. (September 20, 2009) Any water system has both a finite supply and a finite capacity. If average demand (the aggregate rate of water use) exceeds either limit, the options are severely limited and expensive. Increasing the overall amount of fresh water (e.g., via desalinization of sea-water, rain-making, chemical reactions) is just not feasible on these large scales. So getting more water means taking it from elsewhere in the ecosystem. Diverting someone else's water supply are fighting words. And expanding water-system capacity means massive public works and land "taking" by the government.
Waste-avoidance in this case means limiting demand by eliminating unproductive uses. Limit evaporation with underground reservoirs and underground or drip irrigation. Fix leaks. Eliminate or limit uses that contribute less to the quality of life. Calling it "waste" may use our "waste not want not" ethos to motivate us to do these right things.
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