subject: Water War [print this page] With the inevitable rise of renewable energy, the days of fighting for fossil fuels are coming to an end. It comes as a relief, but the US government and several other agencies are predicting future conflicts that will be based on water access. We need to conserve water now to prevent future conflicts by updating our water infrastructure (in our homes and our municipalities) and being more conservative with our water use.
The growing world population has made water access a huge issue for developing nations. Already millions of people worldwide suffer from a lack of access to clean drinking water. As populations boom, the problem will only get worse. We can no longer squander our precious natural resources.
We are already seeing the start of water conflicts in Asia and the Middle East. Many nations are using dams to stem the flow of water downstream. They want to stop the water before it crosses the border, which is no easy tax. Water rich territories, like the Golan Heights, are already embroiled in conflict. Even if these disputes do not develop into full scale wars, the US State Department predicts they could lead to economic tension and terrorism.
In the states the cost of water is going to rise dramatically in the next 10 years. People should get leak detection inspections for their home now to avoid paying the inevitably higher rates. Also, it simply makes sense to conserve now what we know water is becoming scarce. Whole cities and states are updating their water infrastructure and getting rid of old, leaky plumbing and replacing it with more efficient systems. A water leak can result in thousands of gallons of water being wasted, something we just cannot afford in the current environment.
Eliminating leaky plumbing is important but is only one half of the equation. We need to use water more efficiently. Some eco houses use the same water 3 times. First for drinking, then the runoff is used for bathing, and the runoff from that is used for waste
management. We should be designing or buildings to use water more effectively. We should also be harnessing rainwater, looking into desalinization of ocean water and warning our allies abroad of the problem that can result from poor water management.
Through leak detection, better water management, and skilled diplomacy we can prevent the war of tomorrow. The most effective pee-emptive strike is one that eliminates the need for conflict all together.
