In
early August, Thomas Fuller's words, "We never know the worth of water
till the well is dry," became
abundantly clear for 500,000 greater
Toledoans. Last week, USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy referenced the
Toledo incident in a speech in front of 18,000 water professionals saying, "It's 2014,
folks, 2014, in the most prosperous nation on Earth. Yet for two full days,
thousands of families couldn't access life's most basic necessity. Now this is
what one would call a wake-up call."
(Source: 13abc.com)
Water: Essential to
life and economic prosperity. Don't think so? Try living without it. Think
about industry. What industry would exist without water? Almost every major
city was founded where it was due to access to water. Not only did ancient Rome
have a god of fresh water and the sea—Neptune—but
they also had a goddess of the sewers—Cloacina.
(An aside: Cloacina was also the protector of sexual intercourse in marriage. Perhaps
Romans recognized both reproduction and proper disposal of wastewater were
equally vital for the human race?)
(Source: sewerhistory.org)
Yet, despite
water’s undeniable value, the average U.S. citizen only pays about $2.75 a day
for water and wastewater service for his/her family. (Reference: http://alwtr.us/10lAZE2, http://alwtr.us/1pGfXVs) That is probably about
the same as what that person pays for cell phone service.
That said, this blog
is not about wanting you to feel good about the price you pay for water
service. This is written to encourage you to do your part to protect what is
essential to life—your water. Here in Northeast Ohio, that means protecting Lake
Erie and all its tributaries, but our actions combined can make a big impact
beyond our region, too. Your part goes beyond proper fertilizer application and making sure your
mower blade is not set too low. It goes
past buying water- and energy-efficient fixtures and appliances, irrigating
only when necessary, and using sound watering
principles. Your part really starts with using the power of the purse—buying
products that protect or improve the environment, as well as supporting
companies who do the same. Your part means asking yourself if you really need
to buy bottled water, which consumes a lot
more water to produce than each bottle actually contains. Add to that the unrecoverable
fossil fuels consumed and pollution emitted by the trucks that bring that water
to market, the plastic bottles that will end up in landfills (still around 70% of those sold), and the
energy consumed to store and sell that water… then ask if that bottled water is
really worth it. Your part also includes a more active role in the political
process—voting for politicians that support clean water and making sure those
politicians make and pass laws that do just that.
