In our part of the globe, it is easy to take water for granted.
One of the largest rivers in North America essentially runs through our backyard, providing sustenance for many and electricity for most. Along the way, it helps power our economy and define our culture.
And then there is the world’s largest ocean – close enough to spend a day dipping your toes and still make it home in time for dinner.
Add in various other rivers and streams and lakes, and water is inexorably tied to our way of life in Clark County. And if things seem a little dry at some point, just wait – rain is coming.
All of which makes World Water Day a bit of an afterthought in these parts. Fresh, clean, abundant water is never a concern here, but perhaps it should be.
As the state Department of Ecology website says: “Washington’s growing population is putting ever-increasing pressures on lakes, rivers, marine waters, and groundwater. Fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals require clean water to survive. . . . With more people, there is more pollution than ever.”
World Water Day was Monday as designated by the United Nations, bringing attention to the life-sustaining power of fresh water. “In a world without water, food production stops, cities cease to function, economic activity grinds to a halt and greenery turns to desert,” reads an opinion article on CNN.com co-authored by Ban Ki-moon, former U.N. secretary-general.
The World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Risks Report ranks water crises as a greater risk than either infectious diseases or food crises – and water crises contribute to each of those calamities. From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, for example, hand-washing has been viewed as essential for stemming the virus; but many people do not have water for even that basic function.
According to the U.N., about 2.2 billion people on the Earth do not have reliable access to clean water. With climate change impacting water cycles, that number could grow quickly in the next few years.
That might not be a concern for Washingtonians, who are awash in water. But water crises lead to civil and political unrest, increasing the global population of migrants and refugees seeking haven in developed countries with mild climates. As areas of the world become uninhabitable, people inevitably look for greener pastures.
Locally, the larger concern is maintaining clean water while an increasing population puts added stress on available supplies.
For the first 100 years or so of the Industrial Revolution, waterways often were repositories for sludge, slurry, chemicals, toxins and other industrial waste. The modern environmental movement that was sparked in the late 1960s brought attention to the need for clean water, triggering the birth of the Environmental Protection Agency and legislative efforts such as the Clean Water Act.
With progress having been made, the issue turns to protecting and enforcing those laws, along with reducing household use of water. Simple acts such as turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, running the dishwasher or washing machine only when full and installing low-flow toilets and shower heads can, over time, conserve large amounts of water. It also can reduce your water bill.
Most of the world’s water is in oceans – saltwater not fit for human consumption and irrigation – or locked in ice. That leaves relatively little for us. Keeping that water clean and reclaiming dirty water is essential to our future. As Ban writes: “World leaders need to start planning for a world with a lot less water.”
