(Originally posted on waterefficiency.net)
By Elizabeth Cutright
Editor
Water Efficiency
At the annual Sourcing USA Summit (a biannual meeting, jointly hosted by Cotton Council International and Cotton Inc., that “gathers global leaders along the cotton supply chain for an open exchange of ideas”), Erik R. Peterson, Senior Vice President, Center for Strategic and International Studies gave a presentation entitled “Outlook for Global Water: Can We Stay Above the Surface?”
Why do cotton growers care about water supplies, and why are their concerns relevant to the rest of us? Considering that agriculture accounts for 70% of water use, it behooves us all to stop and listen to what our farmers and growers have to say. Especially when, as Peterson points out, “the food production target for 2025 will require the flow of more than 100 Colorado Rivers.” Considering the contention and acrimony already surrounding water rights along the mighty Colorado, the prospect of coming up with 100 times the amount it already supplies to the western US is daunting and – hopefully – mobilizing.
With demand increasing and supply decreasing, efficiency and conservation naturally come to the forefront – only those solutions that incorporate smart water use, treatment, and delivery will help us not only sustain our current needs, but adapt to future challenges and opportunities. As Peterson points out, “One flush of a US toilet equals one day’s water use in a developing country. The bottom line is that water policy goes beyond altruism. A far-sighted study will help define the impact of dislocation and will identify areas of competitive advantage.”
Although it may appear at first that municipal water providers and the agricultural industry operate in two separate universes, their mutual dependence on a safe, clean, and reliable water supply binds them together – one cannot operate without considering the actions of the other. It’s often said that water is a shared resource, which makes me wonder if the current balkanization of our water supply – that clear demarcation between ag interests and muni interests – makes sense. Isn’t about time we present a united front against the challenges of scarcity and demand?
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wondering After a Winter Break
(Originally posted on waterefficiency.net)
By Elizabeth Cutright
Editor
Water Efficiency
I’ve just returned from a trip to Spain, a country that’s certainly seen its share of water woes. Spain has suffered a water shortage for almost two years, and by spring of 2008 it had only received a third of the average seasonal rainfall. With reservoirs less than half full, the country is gripped in its worst drought since the 1940s. And in Catalonia the situation is even worse: Reservoirs are less than a fifth full, and, in April, Barcelona – a city known for its efficient infrastructure – was forced to import water by ship and train to prevent a water crisis prompted by extreme drought. The water was brought in from Marseilles, France and from desalination plants in southern Spain. And Barcelona is not alone, for many years now the island of Mallorca has depended upon imported water to meet its needs – especially the spike in demand during tourist season.
I was lucky enough to spend some time in Barcelona and Mallorca, as well as a few other destinations in southern Spain. What struck me while I was visiting was the ubiquity of low-flow fixtures throughout the region. Every hotel – whether it was a small, family-owned pension or a large, commercial chain – had bathrooms outfitted with dual-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads. In larger cities, like Madrid, the hotel rooms were also adorned with the requests for conscientious water usage that we often see here in the US.
Unfortunately, many times that’s as far as it goes – just a postcard asking you to hang up your towel and maybe turn the faucet off while your brushing your teeth. And yet, the traveler is an important demographic when it comes to public outreach and water efficiency. Studies have shown that when people are on vacation they tend to throw caution to the wind and put aside daily habits – including their normal water conservation efforts. It’s certainly an unwanted twist on “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
Tourism is big business in the US. According to a report by the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, in 2007 “56 million international visitors from 213 countries during 2007, up 10% from 2006.” And that’s just international travelers. When you add domestic tourism to the mix, you can begin to see how much impact water-wasting tourists can have on a local economy and water parched region – be it California, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, National Parks, and just about any city, town, or hamlet situated near an attraction or interstate.
If the people of Spain are willing to mitigate the impact of tourism on their water resources by investing in water-saving technologies and low-flow fixtures, shouldn’t we, in the US, be doing the same before it gets to the point where our most water-starved communities are actually forced to import water to meet their needs?
By Elizabeth Cutright
Editor
Water Efficiency
I’ve just returned from a trip to Spain, a country that’s certainly seen its share of water woes. Spain has suffered a water shortage for almost two years, and by spring of 2008 it had only received a third of the average seasonal rainfall. With reservoirs less than half full, the country is gripped in its worst drought since the 1940s. And in Catalonia the situation is even worse: Reservoirs are less than a fifth full, and, in April, Barcelona – a city known for its efficient infrastructure – was forced to import water by ship and train to prevent a water crisis prompted by extreme drought. The water was brought in from Marseilles, France and from desalination plants in southern Spain. And Barcelona is not alone, for many years now the island of Mallorca has depended upon imported water to meet its needs – especially the spike in demand during tourist season.
I was lucky enough to spend some time in Barcelona and Mallorca, as well as a few other destinations in southern Spain. What struck me while I was visiting was the ubiquity of low-flow fixtures throughout the region. Every hotel – whether it was a small, family-owned pension or a large, commercial chain – had bathrooms outfitted with dual-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads. In larger cities, like Madrid, the hotel rooms were also adorned with the requests for conscientious water usage that we often see here in the US.
Unfortunately, many times that’s as far as it goes – just a postcard asking you to hang up your towel and maybe turn the faucet off while your brushing your teeth. And yet, the traveler is an important demographic when it comes to public outreach and water efficiency. Studies have shown that when people are on vacation they tend to throw caution to the wind and put aside daily habits – including their normal water conservation efforts. It’s certainly an unwanted twist on “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
Tourism is big business in the US. According to a report by the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, in 2007 “56 million international visitors from 213 countries during 2007, up 10% from 2006.” And that’s just international travelers. When you add domestic tourism to the mix, you can begin to see how much impact water-wasting tourists can have on a local economy and water parched region – be it California, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, National Parks, and just about any city, town, or hamlet situated near an attraction or interstate.
If the people of Spain are willing to mitigate the impact of tourism on their water resources by investing in water-saving technologies and low-flow fixtures, shouldn’t we, in the US, be doing the same before it gets to the point where our most water-starved communities are actually forced to import water to meet their needs?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Virtual Water
(Originally posted on waterefficiency.net)
By Elizabeth Cutright
Editor
Water Efficiency
Discussing imbedded water costs and the influence of free trade and a global economy -
Let’s talk about “virtual water.” Defined as “imbedded water costs,” the idea behind virtual water is that any product – be it food or commercial goods” – requires a certain amount of water to be produced. Once a water scarce region identifies goods that come with a high virtual water cost, they can develop regional partnerships with their neighbors, who can produce the same item without the same strain on their own water resources.
The concept of virtual water has found its niche in the area of global trade. According to recent studies, 800 billion gallons of virtual water are traded each year. Most of that trade revolves around food and other farm products. And the potential impacts are dramatic – it takes 1,000 liters of water to make 1 kilogram of wheat, and a country able to import, rather than grow this crop itself, frees up water for other, more pressing needs. For countries with scarce water resources, virtual water allows a switch from an ag-heavy water use system to water-based sanitation services and drinking water.
For countries who are not in dire straights yet – like the United States – virtual water provides data that can be used for future planning. For example, according to Maude Barlow – Canadian water activist and senior advisor to the UN on water issues – the US is currently exporting a third of its water through the export of goods. (By contrast, both England and Japan import most of their virtual water.)
Does a third seem too high? With devastating droughts on the rise and a continuing struggle between urban and agricultural demand, should the US move toward a more balanced virtual water portfolio?
By Elizabeth Cutright
Editor
Water Efficiency
Discussing imbedded water costs and the influence of free trade and a global economy -
Let’s talk about “virtual water.” Defined as “imbedded water costs,” the idea behind virtual water is that any product – be it food or commercial goods” – requires a certain amount of water to be produced. Once a water scarce region identifies goods that come with a high virtual water cost, they can develop regional partnerships with their neighbors, who can produce the same item without the same strain on their own water resources.
The concept of virtual water has found its niche in the area of global trade. According to recent studies, 800 billion gallons of virtual water are traded each year. Most of that trade revolves around food and other farm products. And the potential impacts are dramatic – it takes 1,000 liters of water to make 1 kilogram of wheat, and a country able to import, rather than grow this crop itself, frees up water for other, more pressing needs. For countries with scarce water resources, virtual water allows a switch from an ag-heavy water use system to water-based sanitation services and drinking water.
For countries who are not in dire straights yet – like the United States – virtual water provides data that can be used for future planning. For example, according to Maude Barlow – Canadian water activist and senior advisor to the UN on water issues – the US is currently exporting a third of its water through the export of goods. (By contrast, both England and Japan import most of their virtual water.)
Does a third seem too high? With devastating droughts on the rise and a continuing struggle between urban and agricultural demand, should the US move toward a more balanced virtual water portfolio?
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