by Tom Chernitsky

Created on: July 30, 2009   Last Updated: July 31, 2009

There are few, if any, resources on earth more valuable to human survival than water. Ironically, few resources are more taken for granted by most either.

Since the advent of indoor plumbing, which provided a seemingly endless supply of fresh water directly into our homes, we have forgotten the monumental quest involved in obtaining fresh water. When we turn on the faucet, shower, or even garden hose, there is little thought as to where the water comes from, and the fact that the supply may not be endless.

Even though children are taught at a very young age that sea water is not a source of usable water for most purposes, it's a lesson that is easy to forget. With 71% of the earth covered by water, it's easy to get a false sense of security when the globe we studied as children is covered with so much blue. Surely water is water, and eventually there will be a way to filter the salty sea water into something we can use, right?

When we look further, the fact is that only about 1% of the water on earth is actually drinkable. The sense of security is quickly evaporating. Then consider the fact that this fresh water is not evenly distributed amongst continents or countries, and the situation becomes even more pressing. For example, Great Lakes alone hold 20% of the world's available fresh water, leaving the United States with a decided advantage in the race for water.

The long term solution to the water crisis is one that will make most Americans cringe. Water usage must be governed at a level far above the individual. The ease in which the average American can obtain fresh water has created a mindset that simply cannot be changed by simply stressing the importance of conservation.

Droughts in the past have resulted in the deaths of millions of people, particularly on the African continent. While the world watched, little was actually done, as is evident by the fact we watched the suffering not for a week or a month, but for years. What should have been done was not simply shipping desperately needed drinking water to these nations.

These events should have led to the implementation of world wide conservation mandates to be prepared for when the next shortage occurs. Individuals do not do this. A drought in Africa is quickly forgotten by those who stand under a stream of hot water for ten minutes every morning.

Furthermore, the dispensation of water should not be overseen by one government alone. The disproportionate availability of fresh water around the world has the potential to lead to major conflicts between nations, and this must be addressed before it happens. Countries are on a never ending quest to secure natural resources and raw materials.

Fresh water should not be lumped into the category of oil, coal, or gold. It is not something that simply provides an advantage to one country over another. It is necessary for life, and should be treated as a something to be shared equally by all.

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