Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The EPA needs additional money and staff to accomplish its legislatively
required goals.
Individuals can design the cared-for property around their houses to
reduce water use. Agricultural use, the main consumer of water, can be
reduced by eliminating water wasters such as above-ground irrigation
sprayers and adopting water-saving devices such as drip irrigation. Popu-
lation distribution will adjust automatically. If water is not available,
people will relocate to areas where it is.
A right to water cannot imply a right to an unlimited amount of water.
Resource limitations, ecological constraints, and economic and political
factors limit water availability and human use. Given such constraints,
how much water is necessary to satisfy this right? Enough solely to
sustain life? Enough to grow all food suffi cient to sustain a life? Enough
to sustain a certain economic standard of living? International discus-
sions among experts in water use lead to the conclusion that a human
right to water should apply only to basic needs for drinking, cooking,
and fundamental domestic uses such as sanitation and bathing. Water
for swimming pools, golf courses, fl ower gardens, and so on cannot be
accepted as a human right. Not pricing water correctly is at the root of
many problems with water.
The United Nations and many private and governmental organiza-
tions have determined that each person needs a minimum of about 12
gallons of water per day for drinking, cooking, sanitation, and personal
and household hygiene. Amounts above this are not necessary, only
desirable. And of course we all desire it. But it is becoming apparent that
some limitations must exist if we are to live harmoniously with our
fellow citizens. Comprehensive discussions about water management
among America's political leaders are sorely lacking.
