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Eventually countries will become so desperate for freshwater that they will take by force what they need to sustain their citizens. War for water will be inevitable.

A water shortage is coming and the writing has been on the wall for years. The United States Government projects thirty-six states will face water shortages in the next five years. There is a fifty percent chance that by the year 2021 Lake Mead will be gone. The man made reservoir and its sister Lake, Lake Powell provide the drinking water for cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego. The Lakes were only half full last month.

There is currently no contingency plan to provide water to these three major cities. The runoff from the Rocky Mountains that feeds the reservoirs is being affected by climate change. The West Coast is not alone-water shortages in Florida and Georgia have already hit. It is speculated that the United States uses 148 trillion gallons of water each year-that is 500,000 gallons per person.

The water shortage is worldwide. Forty percent of the world does not have adequate sanitation facilities. In 2003 millions of people throughout the world lived without clean water. The United Nations predicted that in fifty years there will be a worldwide water crisis. Severe water shortages will affect four billion people worldwide by the year 2050.

Whether the water shortage is being caused by rising temperatures, population growth, drought, waste, pollution, or urban sprawl its affects will be felt everywhere. Once the water crisis strikes-the world be divided into nations with freshwater supplies and nations without it.

Today nations who remain concerned with only petroleum or other global commodities-risk allowing the superpower of tomorrow to overtake them. The nations that can secure and ensure drinking water for their regions will be wealthy. However any freshwater these nations horde will also become the new oil fields. If nations go to war over oil-and we all know that they do-it is very likely they will also go to war when the water shortage of 2050 occurs. Why? Because oil is essential-it heats our homes-and fuels our transportation but water, is necessary for life.

Bibliography:

Vergano, Dan. Water shortages will leave the world in dire straits, USA Today

Wineke Bill. U.S. water shortage deserves attention, Wisconsin State Journal February 24, 2008

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