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7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida

seven reasons In: 7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

seven reasons In: 7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

EcoWatch has an eye-opening article which follows.  It speaks of the world, it speaks of India, but if you listen you will see it speaks of Florida and  the Santa Fe River and it speaks to Rick Scott, Don Quincey, and Ann Shortelle.

Take a quick look– we have climate change right here; we have more (too many) people, more demand;  yes, our groundwater is being depleted by order of those named (plus others of their colleagues); yes, we have abysmally inadequate infrastructure, when it rains, our sewage goes into the Gulf or other water; yes, we waste water, look at Jacksonville;  yes, one partial but mighty solution is to CHARGE for water.
So indeed, this article speaks to Florida in every single item.  Listen to the words.  Also you might try telling your legislative representatives and your water district managers.  They would like to hear from you.

Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life: once taken, it cannot be brought back-


Aug. 26 2917<

7 Reasons We Face a Global Water Crisis

By Leah Schleifer

Droughts in Somalia. Water rationing in Rome. Flooding in Jakarta. It doesn’t take a hydrologist to realize that there is a growing global water crisis. Each August, water experts, industry innovators and researchers gather in Stockholm for World Water Week to tackle the planet’s most pressing water issues.
What are they up against this year? Here’s a quick rundown on the growing global water crisis.
1) We’re Changing the Climate, Making Dry Areas Drier and Precipitation More Variable and Extreme

Climate change is warming the planet, making the world’s hottest geographies even more scorching. At the same time, clouds are moving away from the equator toward the poles, due to a climate-change driven phenomenon called Hadley Cell expansion. This deprives equatorial regions like sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central America of life-giving rainwater.

In: 7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Paradoxically, climate change is also increasing precipitation in other areas, and people who live near rivers and streams have the most to lose. Currently, at least 21 million people worldwide are at risk of river flooding each year. That number could increase to 54 million by 2030. All countries with the greatest exposure to river floods are least developed or developing countries—which makes them even more vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. This summer, extreme flooding submerged over a third of Bangladesh, claiming more than 115 lives and affecting 5.7 million citizens.

2) More People + More Money = More Water Demand

It’s a simple equation: As populations increase and incomes grow, so does water demand. The world’s population, now at 7.5 billion, is projected to add 2.3 billion more people by 2050. How can the planet satisfy their thirst? Growing incomes also exacerbate the water problem, because of the water-intensive products—like meat and energy from fossil fuels—that richer populations demand.

3) Groundwater Is Being Depleted

About 30 percent of Earth’s fresh water lies deep underground in aquifers. And it’s extracted daily for farming, drinking and industrial processes—often at dangerously unsustainable rates. Nowhere is this more evident than India, which guzzles more groundwater than any other country. 54 percent of India’s groundwater wells are decreasing, meaning that water is used faster than it’s replenished. Unless patterns shift, in 20 years 60 percent of India’s aquifers will be in critical condition.
Unlike an incoming hurricane or a drained lake, the naked eye cannot see when groundwater reserves in aquifers are declining. Global water supplies are susceptible to this hidden and growing threat.

In: 7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

4) Water Infrastructure Is in a Dismal State of Disrepair

Having enough water to go around is only the beginning. That water also needs to be transported, treated and discharged. Around the world, water infrastructure―treatment plants, pipes and sewer systems―is in a state of disrepair. In the U.S., six billion gallons of treated water are lost per day from leaky pipes alone. Built infrastructure is notoriously expensive to install and repair, meaning that many localities ignore growing infrastructure issues until disaster strikes, as it did in California earlier this year.

5) And Natural Infrastructure Is Being Ignored

In: 7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Heavy machinery removing trees in EcuadorFlickr / CIFORHealthy ecosystems are “natural infrastructure” and vital to clean, plentiful water. They filter pollutants, buffer against floods and storms, and regulate water supply. Plants and trees are essential for replenishing groundwater; without them, rainfall will slide across dry land, instead of seeping into the soil. Loss of vegetation from deforestation, overgrazing and urbanization is limiting our natural infrastructure and the benefits that it provides. Forested watersheds around the world are under threat: watersheds have lost up to 22 percent of their forests in the past 14 years.

6) Water Is Wasted

Although it’s true that water is a renewable resource, it’s often wasted. Inefficient practices like flood irrigation and water-intensive wet cooling at thermal power plants use more water than necessary. What’s more, as we pollute our available water at an alarming rate, we also fail to treat it. About 80 percent of the world’s wastewater is discharged back into nature without further treatment or reuse. In many countries, it’s cheaper to receive clean drinking water than to treat and dispose of wastewater, which encourages water waste. This brings us to the next issue:

7) The Price Is Wrong

Globally, water is seriously undervalued. Its price does not reflect the true, total cost of service, from its transport via infrastructure to its treatment and disposal. This has led to misallocation of water, and a lack of investments in infrastructure and new water technologies that use water more efficiently. After all, why would a company or government invest in expensive water-saving technologies, when water is cheaper than the technology in question? When the price of receiving clean water is closer to its actual service cost, efficient water use will be incentivized. And on the flip side, the poor often end up paying disproportionately high prices for water, stunting development.

It’s Not Too Late

Amidst these seven deadly water sins, there is good news: governments, businesses, universities and citizens around the world are waking up to water challenges, and beginning to take action. Each year brings more solutions—like using wastewater for energy, using restoration to bring water back to dry topographies, and monitoring groundwater levels more closely. However, even the best solutions will not implement themselves. Along with fresh water, political will and public pressure are critical resources in ensuring a sustainable future for all.

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1 Comment

  1. My favorite part of Leah Schleifer’s article, ‘7 Reasons We Face a Water Crisis in Florida’ is: “It’s not too late….each year brings more solutions….however…even the best solutions will not implement themselves…” I believe it is time for us to begin to recognize and implement the best solutions…..and to try to inspire others to also help implement the best solutions.

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