If one looks at the Earth from outer space, as Carl Sagan so lyrically describes, it is one pale blue dot. Obviously he was making a different point, but it also captures one other important fact about our planet: That about 70 percent of it is water. However, very little of this amount is potable. According to the United States Geological Survey, much of the Earth’s water is on its surface, in the form of oceanwater. The water humans need for drinking, however, is the kind that comes from rivers, lakes, streams, and groundwater or the freshwater, which account for less than 3%. Worse, much of this is also trapped in glaciers and ice caps. Over the centuries, scientists and engineers have drawn up ways to gather water for human use, from irrigation, to daily activities as washing clothes, cooking, and bathing. But across the globe, there are different levels of access to water, and clean water supply continues to dwindle as the global population soars by the day. In fact, a report on the National Geographic reveals that two-thirds of the world’s population will experience water shortage “as a result of use, growth, and climate change.” Putting further pressure on water resources are such water-intensive human industries as livestock, grain farming, manufacturing, quarrying, and mining. Meanwhile, until today, millions of communities in Africa still face the challenge of getting clean water. There are ongoing fundraising efforts to build water wells – and not just in the remote villages! And where there is generally better access to water, it is being controlled not by the state but by corporations. In most campaigns to privatize water distribution, the message is that the government will be bad at the job. The truth is, water is a human necessity. It is therefore only imperative that we all stand for keeping it accessible to all, and away from efforts at privatization. If we are to fight for water for everyone, it involves demanding greater accountability from the government, and pushing it to take control of public utilities. This should also mean demanding the establishment of the most stringent standards where water supply is provided for industrial needs. How will the wastewater be treated? What measures are in place to minimize water consumption? How much of their operations will truly benefit the community? When the citizens are armed with knowledge and are always vigilant, protecting water resources will be an easier task.
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