Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
WATER TALES
Cheap water, or, as in the case of Reading, Massachusetts,
free water, helped to perpetuate what was an annual
summer event for decades— the drying up of portions of
Massachusetts' Ipswich River, according to Kerry Mackin,
director of the Ipswich River Watershed Association.
The town's municipal wells were located along the river's
banks. There was never any cost to the town for the water itself—
only the costs associated with pumping, treating, and transporting
the water. When the town faced the high cost of building a new
treatment plant it opted to stop groundwater pumping and instead
turn to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which serves
metropolitan Boston, for its water supply.
Politics and pressure.
Despite using so much water, agriculture is
a small part of the U.S. economy. Nonetheless, it has broad political
and social importance, says Gaines. “The use of water in cities gives
you more economic value, but any attempt to transfer water away
from agriculture and give it to the cities is politically controver-
sial. If Denver or Las Vegas or Los Angeles needs more water, your
fi rst thought might be to see if farmers could use less. It's a logical
scenario, and from a cold-hearted economic analysis, it would be
a good move. But people and politicians are very reluctant to make
those transfers on a large scale,” Gaines adds.
Longtime Idaho rancher and former politician Bruce Newcomb
also recognizes the dilemma. Exacerbating the problem, he says,
is that some people feel they can easily turn to Third World coun-
tries like Mexico to provide food more cheaply. Those people think
the better use of water is to provide it to large consumers like cit-
ies, technology manufacturers, and so forth. “But food safety then
becomes a question, and we all realize that now,” says Newcomb.
“That's where the tensions come from.”
As the resource becomes scarcer, it could be time to rethink
how the nation uses its water, adds Steve Mumme. “I do think the
price of water will start skyrocketing in urban areas, and that will
