Overview
Troubled Waters: The Illusion of Abundance
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Water, ancient and timeless, is one of our most precious and vital resources. Every day we depend on and interact with water in a myriad of ways: industry, agriculture, development, recreation and human consumption. Can you remember even one day that you did not use water in some way? Think about how much water you use in one day and multiply that by the 6.2 billion people in the world today. When we turn on the faucet, we expect water in return. What would you do if nothing came out?
In answer to the urgent need to educate our citizens on the issues and implications of our water scarcity crisis, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington designed and produced an environmental educational project on natural resource management and conservation, Troubled Waters: The Illusion of Abundance. The goal of the project is to raise awareness and educate the public on the water scarcity issues we all face.
The project’s main objective was the production of a one-hour educational documentary (see documentary description below) for PBS on the topic of water scarcity. Troubled Waters premiered on North Carolina public television on October 8, 2003. (Check the UNC-TV Web site for schedule of additional airdates, www.unctv.org)
The second objective of the project was the construction of this educational Web site, accessible to citizens, educators and students alike. This Web site delves deeper (than time constraints allowed for the documentary) into the concerns and consequences of water scarcity. In addition to curriculum activities, transcripts are provided from the twenty-two experts we consulted, as well as a list of excellent books, articles, periodicals and videos on the subject.
The documentary and Web site are intended to have a tremendous educational and motivational impact on millions of citizens now and in years to come.
Troubled Waters
About the Educators' Resource Web Site
Written to complement and expand on the information and issues presented in the educational documentary Troubled Waters: The Illusion of Abundance, this Web site is designed so that it can be used independently from the video as a means to gain a greater understanding and deeper knowledge of this water crisis; both the natural systems, human history and influence that has brought us to this brink. This resource offers history, scientific information, balanced perspectives and challenging experiences that will result in informed and proactive decision-makers and problem-solvers for today and tomorrow.
The Troubled Waters Educators' Resource Web Site is divided into five sections: Overview, Documentary, Curriculum Activities, Resources and Issues & Solutions.
Overview
You are currently in the "Overview" section, which summarizes the Project: this Web site and the educational documentary video. We’ve provided an in-depth look at what prompted this Project: the need to inform and educate.
Documentary
The "Documentary" section is where you will “Meet the Cast” and "Meet the Documentary Team." We have also included the “Read the Script” as a way for you to review the information and facts presented in the documentary, as well as to give you the whole story as it was told. You’ll even be able to “View Video Clips” from the documentary, as well as “Order the Video.” The experts consulted for the documentary provided more information than we could possibly include the hour-long program. Yet, we feel this information is so valuable, included in this Web site is a section called “Read Interview Transcripts.” It not only includes links to the transcripts from those in the documentary, but all the other experts we consulted as well. Our hope is that through these transcripts you will gain the full benefit of their knowledge and a better understanding of the world situation. Sandra Postel, Director of the Global Water Policy Project, passionately and eloquently speaks about the current water crisis and how endemic water scarcity problems are spread around the globe. Former Senator Paul Simon addresses the assessments provided by the CIA, military intelligence and other agencies about where the world’s water problems will be in fifteen years. North Carolina Governor Mike Easley had to deal with tragic losses to the state’s agricultural industry during the drought of 2002. He shares some of those problems, as well as talking about the controversial issue of interbasin transfers. Tom Leahy, Water Resources Manager for the City of Virginia Beach, provides a highlight into the history of that area’s rapid population growth and the strain it has put on the community’s water supplies, as well as their relationship with North Carolina. John Morris, Director for the Division of Water Resources of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources explains important terminology and consequences related to dwindling water supplies. We spoke with many other experts and officials from city managers to the US Army Corps of Engineers, all told there are twenty-two interviews for your review. Each interview exemplifies the need to work together, now, to collaborate on solutions.
Curriculum Activities
Primary to the Web site are the "North Carolina Curriculm-Based Interdisciplinary Activities for Students and Educators." These lessons are also of interest to concerned citizens. In the "Curriculum Activities" section you will find lessons developed by UNCW graduate students in the Masters of Science in Instructional Technology (MIT) Program. Not only are they MIT graduate students, but each of the developers is also a classroom teacher in the North Carolina Public School System.
The lessons span a variety of subjects related to water scarcity, quality and management and are geared toward middle and high school levels. There are also dynamic learning activities geared for grades six through twelve, a time during students' lives when their curriculum includes the study of environmental sciences and related subjects. Perhaps more importantly, it is a time in a young adult's development when social consciousness begins to mature and the accountability of human activity is examined for its merit and consequences. Today's students are keenly aware that the world’s natural resources are under stress and could be highly degraded or lost during their generation in the absence of planned preservation, conservation and proactive management. Five educational objectives were established for this Web site, together creating a foundation to enhance student awareness, understanding and proactive response to water issues and solutions.
Students will demonstrate:
Knowledge of Natural Processes and Systems — An essential building block in the foundation of water literacy is an understanding of how water “works” - the hydrological cycle, so essential to human life. Students must be able to discover and understand this process and apply scientifically based information and concepts when addressing situations in which biological and ecological systems are in danger of failing and/or being depleted.
Ability to Investigate and Analyze Environmental Problems — Closely related to the knowledge of natural processes and systems is the scientific ability to investigate and analyze environmental problems using a variety of techniques such as applying basic science, math and technology skills utilizing scientific methods.
Knowledge of Human Processes and Systems — In addition to scientific information, fully understanding this subject depends upon grasping the relationship, influences and impact between water, or lack thereof, and political, educational, economic, human and social processes and institutions. It is important to comprehend how individuals or groups decide and direct the use and management of natural resources and human development. Recognizing feelings, values, attitudes and perceptions at the heart of societies who are water-reliant is an essential step in realizing how people will (or will not) approach responsible solutions.
A Sense of Personal Responsibility — Citizens who understand the importance of water in all realms – history, science, art, language, biology, economy, ecology, wealth, warfare and welfare -- go beyond concept and fact-based learning to develop an understanding that what individuals and groups do can make a difference. People who are not only educated, but personally responsible are motivated and empowered to act on their own informed conclusions to resolve existing and impending problems. Beginning at an early age, students can begin to think about what quality of life means to them and how they can work within their schools and neighborhoods to achieve it.
Skills for Resolving Issues — Citizens who can investigate, analyze and understand environmental and human processes and systems can identify, define and evaluate an issue on the basis of evidence and diverse perspectives. They are able to consider the implications of possible solutions and arrive at their own informed conclusions on water/water scarcity problems. Ultimately, they possess the scientific knowledge, social ideals and civic skills to implement proactive solutions in their neighborhoods and perhaps region, state and nation.
Resources
As we compiled the research for the documentary, we soon began to realize how much we also needed to educate ourselves about water scarcity, especially the terminology used. Therefore, we compiled a “Glossary” of terms, along with their definitions, to help us along the way. The terminology is prevalent throughout the documentary and throughout our experts’ transcripts. This glossary proved to be an invaluable tool; for that reason, we have included a link to it in the Resource section of this Web site to assist you with your exploration and expansion of knowledge about water scarcity.
Also included in the Resource section, are links to “Articles”, which includes abstracts, journals and reports, as well as “Books and Publications” for those interested in more in-depth knowledge or doing further research into water scarcity. There’s even a link to sites and information specifically on “Dams and Reservoirs."
Another aspect of this Resource Guide involved a search for those who were already aware of the water scarcity situation and working towards solutions. We found quite a few organizations willing to share the knowledge they have gained as a result of their efforts and research. We have only tapped the surface; there are many more out there to explore, but we feel this is an excellent foundation. We’ve included “Organizations” around the world, across the nation and at home; they are there to help all of us. For instance: The Business for Social Responsibility is an international organization that provides information, tools and training, as well as advisory services on how corporations can assume social responsibility as an integral part of their business operations, or the national Sustainable Communities Network, which links citizens to resources to create a healthy, vital, sustainable community, or The Conservation Council of North Carolina, a statewide lobbying organization speaking out on behalf of North Carolina’s environment. The “Who’s Water Wise” link showcases examples of people, places and organizations that have already found ways to save and are spreading the word about conserving water. To enhance our expertly written Curriculum Activities is a special link called “Educators' Tools," which will lead you to many sites with additional information, reference materials and curriculum ideas for the educator. As well as activities available for classroom usage, it includes fun sites for children from K- 12.
Issues & Solutions
In
order to clarify both the “Issues &
Solutions” on water scarcity, we have included a link that isolates
each of these topics. For example, you will be able to further explore the “Issues”,
such as aquifer depletion, overpopulation or salt water intrusion to name a
few. Follow the link to “Solutions”
for information on aquifer storage and recovery, desalination, conservation,
and more. Each issue and solution is clearly defined and contains quotes from
our experts to provide an example. Also included are additional links to Web
sites for each, as a means to enhance the definitions.
Today,
the world is potentially on a course that could result in permanently damaging
irretrievable natural resources, human quality of life and economic prosperity.
The challenges we face will only be effectively confronted with a citizenry
that is eager to become educated and actively pursue solutions. This begins
with training in critical and creative thinking skills. The abilities and skills
to comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information of all types
are essential to creating a future that offers societal, cultural and individual
success. Rapid changes in our use and management of water are affecting the
quality of life, as well as the economic prosperity we have envisioned for our
lives and for future societies. A questionable legacy of health and financial
prosperity are at risk as human activities pollute, overuse and degrade our
essential natural resources.
New perspectives will need to be developed and effective
strategies implemented to turn the tide on these inevitabilities. It is our
sincere hope that this resource Web site will lend some ideas and educational
experiences to help students and citizens become informed and participatory
stewards of our world today and tomorrow.
Troubled Waters
About the Educational Documentary Video
2,500 gift copies of the video were sent to public schools and libraries across the state to foster the education of our citizens, regardless of age.
“What oil was to the 20th century, water will be for this century.” This quote from Colonel Alexander of the US Army Corps of Engineers serves to sum up the world water scarcity situation. UNCW's fifth public television documentary, Troubled Waters: The Illusion of Abundance, narrated by UNCW Chancellor Emeritus, Dr. James R. Leutze, dispells the illusion that freshwater is infinitely abundant. Water is a finite resource. With population growth, overuse and uneven distribution, the need to conserve and observe our use of water is more important than ever. Despite the daily increase in demands, many parts of the world have already surpassed their limit. As the population grows, that demand will only amplify. The documentary explores the issues and implications of our current water predicament from a global, national and regional perspective.
The program opens with the clear message that while water seems to be everywhere, and in fact covers most of the globe, the amount of water accessible to humans is less than two percent and it’s finite--limited in quantity. Yet, water is vital to life itself for humans and all living things; we can only live about one week without it, whereas we can live about a month without food. In order to protect our future and those of future generations, we need to develop a new water ethic, but more importantly, everyone on the planet needs to collaborate and participate in better planning and conservation measures.
Documentary Summary
Water covers two thirds of our planet, however only two
percent of it is consumable. The rest is salt water, unfit for human consumption.
With the rate of population and economic growth in the world today, that two
percent will soon be stretched beyond its limit. And of the freshwater, two
thirds is locked up in glaciers and permanent snow cover. What is available
in lakes, rivers, aquifers (ground water) and rainfall run-off, is now increasingly
coming under pressure from several directions at once. Even in countries where
there is water, oftentimes they lack the resources to access the water or to
purify and make it drinkable. In fact, 1.1 billion people lack clean water at
present and 2.4 billion-lack access to proper sanitation. Perhaps the most startling
statement about water quality came from former Senator Paul Simon: “The
United Nations says 14 thousand people die a day because of poor quality water;
easily preventable deaths. Ninety-five hundred of them are children."
World-renowned water expert Sandra Postel of the Global Water Policy Project opens the documentary with a look at how the development of cities, commerce and civilizations, all of which depend heavily on water, are also the main causes of the current crisis. She expounds on the issues of population growth, economic development, poor water quality and unequal distribution, globally, of water. She explains that many areas of the world are near or have already reached their limit, where demand is at or beyond supply.
While the documentary looks at global implications, it focuses on North Carolina’s issues, which include aquifer depletion, saltwater intrusion, overuse, transboundary conflicts, upstream/downstream issues and water quality. These are issues that every state, nation and country will soon have to face.
Throughout the ages, water has been feared, revered and
has, itself, fascinated every one of us. We
feel water’s presence everyday, from the taps we turn on, the music we
listen to, the books we read and the visions created for us. It is for this
reason we include a look at water from an artists’ perspective; water
has both awed and fascinated artists for many years -- Leonardo Da Vinci was
inspired by water, both on a scientific and artistic level. Whether stylized,
symbolic or just as a drop, water permeates the world of art, and our lives,
in a variety of mediums. Jennifer Miller, a North Carolina artist, very passionately
expresses her feelings and impressions about water as we join her on the banks
of the Eno River. She feels we have the choice to be champions, or the ones
who ruin it.
As
a way of looking at water shortages experienced internationally and nationally,
the documentary focuses on the drought conditions that greatly affected North
Carolina in the summer of 2002. Many towns competed for the same source of water
and, indeed, some towns were actually hours away from running out of water completely
and others had to truck water in to meet their needs.
The
rains experienced in North Carolina
in early 2003 quickly served to douse people’s fears and have given a
false sense of security; the drought has become a vague memory for many of the
state’s residents. Yet this rain is not enough to replenish the state’s
depleted aquifers, that won’t happen in our lifetime or our children’s.
Aquifers are all over the globe and contain one of our most valuable resources; water is right beneath our feet - something you can't see and may not even know is there! An aquifer is the essential water supply that individuals and regions draw upon in dry times. These aquifers are critical not only to the survival of six billion people, but also to the world’s agriculture and animal life. However, each year these aquifers are called upon to satisfy the increasing needs of industry, agriculture, animals and, of course, humans.
This water supply is being exhausted not only by drought, but also by human demand. The rate of recharge is not the same for all aquifers, though, and that must be considered, especially when pumping water from a well. Pumping too much water too fast draws down the aquifer and eventually causes a well to yield less and less water and even run dry. In fact, pumping your well too fast can even cause your neighbor's well to run dry if you both are pumping from the same aquifer.
It’s estimated that by the year 2025, two thirds of the world’s population, which may total eight billion people by then, will experience moderate or severe water shortages. According to Sandra Postel, Director of the Global Water Policy Project: “Water isn’t distributed evenly around the continents. Asia, in particular, has a very large imbalance between population and water. Asia has 60 percent of the world’s people, but only 36 percent of the fresh water.” In an effort to offset these shortages, some countries are building dams. In Turkey a dam is being constructed to hold back the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, China is building a dam in an area along the Yangtze River, displacing thousands of people in an attempt to resolve some of their water shortage problems. It would stretch nearly a mile across and tower 575 feet above the world's third longest river. Its reservoir would stretch over 350 miles upstream and force the displacement of close to 1.9 million people. This may be only a short-term solution however; with over a billion people each in both India and China, their water shortages will increase as the population grows.
At the same time, competition for water and water rights has already led to conflicts in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and her neighbors. Here at home, there are similar conflicts between the United States and Mexico. But, even within the borders of the United States, tensions mount. California diverted waters from lakes and rivers, including the Colorado River, to make the desert bloom with new cities and abundant crops. With the Southwest experiencing a boom, in population and growth, they have realized they require more water. Phoenix and Las Vegas have literally grown out of the desert by taking water from the Colorado River, along with cities in five other states. However, the more water taken from the Colorado River before it reaches California, the less there is for California.
North
Carolina is not immune to the problems and issues facing the rest of the world.
In fact, we could be viewed as the world in miniature. For instance, in the
western part of our state, we have challenges with our border neighbor of South
Carolina. However, there are attempts at intrastate cooperation. 
South
Carolina is dependent upon the water flowing out of North Carolina for over
a third of its fresh water needs. The more our population grows, the more water
is needed in our own state. Currently, there are more than three-dozen municipal
water supply intakes along the Catawba River feeding cities, industries and
residents. The more water that is diverted out of the Catawba and Pee Dee Rivers,
the less there is to meet the growth needs of South Carolina. In addition, non-point
pollution, or water runoff, deposits pollutants into the river, which affects
the quality of the water that eventually reaches South Carolina.
Water
flows where its natural course goes, or where humans demand or direct it. As
is true with other states, and even adjacent countries, water shows no respect
for political boundaries. Jurisdictional disputes often arise when one area
looks to another for their water needs, as was the case between North Carolina
and Virginia over control of Lake Gaston. Virginia Beach has no fresh water
supply of its own. In the past, they bought water from Norfolk or Suffolk, however,
as the population grew in those cities, they were no longer in a position to
help Virginia Beach. Faced with inadequate supplies to meet demands, Virginia
Beach decided to build a 76-mile pipeline to import water from the Roanoke River
Basin. A 15-year legal battle ensued. Many groups, including the Roanoke River
Basin Association and Lake Gaston Association, opposed the decision because
the water was being taken by a process call interbasin transfer, meaning it
was removed from one basin and discharged into another. 
Tom
Leahy, Water Resources Manager for the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia commented:
“All told, there were some twelve to fourteen major lawsuits and some
half a dozen regulatory proceedings that formed sort of a gauntlet and Virginia
Beach had to proceed through that gauntlet one by one, working through each
proceeding and each lawsuit until we finally emerged.” Water from Lake
Gaston began to arrive in Virginia Beach in 1997, providing the city with fifty
per cent more water than it had before.
Another of North Carolina’s water challenges involves
competing economic interests, which was especially prevalent during the 2002
drought. Despite good faith efforts made by Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. in
managing the water level at High Rock Lake, area businesses experienced a serious
decline in revenue as water levels at the lake dropped 24 feet during the 2002
drought.
In fact, conditions were so dry, many residents objected to being taxed for
lakefront property, when the lake no longer existed. Some residents even considered
class actions suits. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was called in
to assess the situation and determined Alcoa should maintain water levels during
the recreational season at no less than five feet below full—except in
extreme conditions. While a stopgap measure because drought conditions could
reoccur, it satisfied businesses and residents.
Representative of many areas around the world, Greensboro,
North Carolina struggled for years without a central water supply. The city
developed innovative supply and conservation measures; still it was not enough
as they faced the drought in 2002. The construction of Randleman Dam became
very important to Greensboro’s future and the answer to their future water
needs, yet it also brought about other issues, such as eminent domain.
In some cases, people lost land that had been in their families for a hundred
years or more. However, the project was for the common good. John Morris, Director
of Water Resources for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources had this to say about the dam: “Greensboro was in dire danger
of running out of water. They had to go to some fairly heroic levels of water
conservation, as well as make some very expensive purchases of water to get
through the summer. I believe Randleman Lake will be a good regional water source
for that area and I commend them for pulling together that regional form of
cooperation.” Mr. Morris added that one of the main solutions for communities
to meet their water demands is cooperation. Six different governments collaborated
to work out a regional approach to Greensboro’s water scarcity problems,
proving that we must all work together, assist one another in times of need,
and plan for long-term solutions.
Upstream/downstream
issues within the state are another area of concern. Due to anticipated population
growth in the Research Triangle area around Raleigh, water usage is expected
to increase 95 percent by 2020. The B. Everett Jordan Reservoir was designed
to handle the increased needs, in addition to flood control, recreation and
wildlife conservation. However, the Cape Fear River Basin is shared from Raleigh
to downstream Wilmington as a common water source and growth is not only happening
in the Research Triangle area. As a result of these concerns, two thirds of
the water for Jordan Lake have been set aside to contribute to the Cape Fear
River’s downstream flow. Nevertheless,
Wilmington continues to be threatened not only by upstream issues, but saltwater
intrusion, which threatens both the quantity and the quality of water it receives.
This is due in part to Wilmington enlarging its harbor, which affects both the
depth and width of the river and allows saltwater to take the place of fresh
water. With more traffic on the river, as well as more industry, how will this
affect the quality of water in the Cape Fear? Is saltwater intrusion going to
spread?
Earlier, we spoke about aquifers and how important they are, but did you know groundwater supplies in North Carolina are dropping an average of five feet per year? In some areas, the drop is almost ten feet. For this reason, we also examine the larger question of groundwater and aquifer depletion throughout North Carolina. We look at areas where the state stepped in to manage water so that it was fairly distributed, and enough remained for everyone. In the Central Coastal Plain area of NC, aquifers were declining at an alarming rate. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources convened a stakeholders group and together they passed the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Rule, where the goal was to reduce aquifer withdrawals by between 25 and 75 percent over a 16-year period. Permits became required for large withdrawals from the aquifers in order to maintain control. John Morris, Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Resources had this to say, “…we have to gradually reduce the amount of water we’re withdrawing from those aquifers and that is what the permit system does. The other equally important part of the solution is that these communities need to develop other water sources that will be sustainable for their future needs.” Although the rule was necessary, this was difficult for the communities in the Central Coastal Plain, some of the poorest in NC. The rule meant many of them would have to find alternative sources of water, which can be expensive.
Another
issue that North Carolina faces is that many rural communities and small towns
throughout the state cannot afford to build new or updated water facilities
to satisfy water quality measures. The North Carolina Economic Development Center,
Inc. (Rural Center) was called upon to conduct a study of these areas’
needs. Billy Ray Hall, President of the Rural Center told us: “…we
inventoried each community’s water system and its sewer system and we
found we had an eleven billion dollar problem in terms of the cost to upgrade
our water and sewer systems to meet existing pollution standards. Now that’s
11 billion dollars!”
Although the picture created is somewhat bleak, with everyone’s participation, the future will look brighter. Many efforts undertaken in various parts of the state, across the nation and around the world serve as an example of what can be done to safeguard this precious resource. Water reuse, desalination, reverse osmosis, better water management, conservation and new water ethics are just a few of the methods utilized.
For
instance, we take a look at the joint agreement between Dare County, Nags Head
and Kill Devil Hills to provide a long-term water supply for the beaches. After
studies and discussions, they settled on desalination using reverse osmosis/membrane
technology, a process that employs the use of semi-permeable membranes for the
desalting/demineralization of water. According to Robert W. Oreskovich, Utilities
Director, Dare County, NC, “We operate at a 75 percent product recovery;
three out of every four gallons that come into the plant produce drinking water.
The other gallon washes away the minerals removed in the process.” Former
Senator Paul Simon admits this is an expensive process for general use and calls
upon governments and private companies to do more research into the process
and technology available.
Reclaimed
water is a useful conservation technology. This method not only reduces the
amount of water we draw from our drinking water source, it is also a way to
reduce the amount of polluted water discharged into streams and rivers. Because
you don’t have to treat the same quantity of water to drinking standards,
reclaimed water also saves on the cost of treating the water we drink. At the
same time, reclaimed water still has nutrient value, so it can be used for irrigation
and save on fertilizer costs because these nutrients help grow grass or crops.
Reclaimed water is currently used to irrigate lawns and shrubberies, in car
washes, for irrigation of farmland, forestland and golf courses. It can also
be used in cooling towers or almost any industrial type process that does not
require real high quality of potable type water. Potable water is the water
you drink. It’s important to remember that reclaimed water is not potable,
it’s not for human consumption, but it can be used for any consumptive
use that does not require drinking water quality of water.
There are also cities implementing aggressive conservation
programs. While water’s importance to our survival renders it, quite literally,
“priceless”, there is a growing belief that because water is not
priced to market levels it is, in effect, wasted. Many cities have encouraged
financial incentives for fixing leaking pipes or the installation of more water
efficient toilets. The Town of Cary, North Carolina, which has had to purchase
water from Raleigh and Durham, has taken their program one step further. They
instituted a “Block Leader Program”, where area citizens are trained,
and then sent out to educate their neighbors on water conservation methods.
They
also have an education program in place and go to area schools to spread the
word about conservation to provide the next generation with the tools and information
necessary to continue the process. In addition, they have instituted a tiered-rate
plan; where the more you use, the more you pay. According to the Jennifer Platt,
Cary’s Water Conservation Manager: “…we made the commitment
to the state to reduce our long term use, so that we could have the facilities
that we have as long as possible…that’s why we began conservation.
For us, it’s cost effectiveness; we’re delaying millions of taxpayer
dollars by extending the life of our treatment facilities.” These measures
are just one way a community is able to get involved in their future water needs.
Internationally renowned water expert, Sandra Postel, proposes a new water ethic. She advocates a renewed respect for water in our lives, and sees places around the world where this is occurring. Citizens, corporations and politicians in North Carolina are responding positively and in a cooperative spirit. Her hope, like ours, is that the more we all understand the issues, the more effective we will be in collaborating for positive resource management and conservation. Remember, even without a drought, we all face the issue of water scarcity. There are a vast number of organizations offering information on conservation efforts you can learn from or take part in. The documentary’s accompanying Web site features a compilation of organizations willing to share the knowledge they have gained as a result of their efforts and research. However, we, as individuals also need to be aware of our usage. Think about how much water you use in one day. What you would do if you turned on the tap and nothing came out? If we all join together and become more conservation minded, water will be here tomorrow for all of us and for future generations. Dr. Leutze makes a profound point at the end of the documentary when he says: “Every city…every town…every industry…every farm…every individual will have to examine the way in which they use water and commit themselves to use it more efficiently. Most essentially, it will take cooperation between all of us.”
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