WATER: America's Achilles Heel

Most Americans are clueless about their water. Too few of us know where our precious water comes from; what kind of shape the delivery system (pipes, wells, storage tanks, etc)is in; have a clue about possible contaminents or vulnerability of nearby surface and/or groundwater resources.

This lack of knowledge is criminal and puts the future of our nation at risk.

According to the EPA, 36 states will face a water CRISIS in the next 10 years under normal rainfall conditions. Under drought conditions, the number jumps to 46!
Even though most areas of the nation have recently experienced plentiful rain and snow fall, groundwater basins from New Jersey and Maryland through Las Vegas to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley are declining because water is being pumped out of them faster than it can be or will be replenished.

Desalination (taking salt and minerals out of sea water or non-potable "brackish" water) is EXPENSIVE and the process is an energy hog. Plus, ocean desal produces 100% marine mortality - any living thing sucked up into the machinery dies. PLUS Plus, where do you put the waste stream? If you dump the salt and minerals back into the ocean, you eventually change the PH of the area. Ask the folks in Dubai and elsewhere how the number and concentration of their fish species have changed since large scale ocean desal plants were built on their coasts.

We at Wankissima believe that water is THE ISSUE of the 21st Century ... and will far surpass the importance of oil, diamonds and gold together. Of course, we can all survive quite well without oil, diamonds and gold - but a human being in reasonable shape can only last 2-3 weeks without water.

Sadly, the water picture in other parts of the globe is even more dire than here - perhaps as many as a billion people have no daily access to enough clean water for the most rudimentary drinking and sanitation needs.

For thousands of years, the peoples of the world have fought bitterly over wealth, land, religion and yes, water. In the 21st Century, the desperate and increasing need for water for the Earth's billions of people will further buckle already strained water resources and infrastructure. So, now what?

Wankissima will continue to outline this issue and provide what we feel are some practical and reasonable solutions. In the meantime, FIND OUT WHERE YOUR WATER COMES FROM!