From taking long, hot showers at the end of the day to enjoying an action-packed water
balloon fight in my backyard, water was never considered a luxury. The occasional scoldings from my parents telling me to stop wasting water were annoying, insignificant precautions at best. It was not until a summer trip to India, where people in neighboring communities relied on sewage and river water for necessities, that water held much more meaning. Scarcity concerns were extremely prevalent in my grandma’s old village, with women and young girls bearing the responsibility to carry water home from the nearest river. These long journeys were particularly laborious as they carried gallons of water back and forth for hours, not to mention the poor footwear (usually flip-flops) that were worn along the way. To hear my grandmother recount her early life was quite jarring at first. I was suddenly not so far removed from the issue of water scarcity as I once believed. The realization had sunk in: no country is inherently immune to this problem. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan is just one of the many water insecurity issues taking place on our home turf, with millions of our citizens struggling to this day. Water scarcity and insecurity is an issue that impacts the world, and it's an issue in great need of support from the global community.
In rural villages especially, it’s common to find communities that only live off a few water sources. Even if multiple water sources are present, many are inaccessible. Across various continents, you will hear stories similar to that of Huang Dafa, a Chinese village leader that sought to drastically increase the availability of water. His village of Tuanjie suffered from failing plant crops, insufficient wells, and widespread poverty as a result. The small village’s GDP per capita stood at around 33,000 yuan, a stark contrast from the more well-known, flourishing areas of China. Dropping out of school was not a foreign concept to residents, with many refocusing their energy into supporting their families through agriculture and labor. This was considered the norm, that is until Huang was elected as village chief and set out on an exhaustive mission to build a canal connecting to the Luosi River. The project took an extreme commitment from the community as a whole, with many residents having to donate money and resources to the cause. Haung Dafa had failed in his first attempt in building the canal. Despite this, Dafa persisted, and his efforts have allowed the people of Tuanjie to grow crops and livestock once again.
To only address water scarcity concerns in developing countries is to be willfully ignorant when considering the threats present in developed nations as well. Take Flint, Michigan as an example: an American city that echoes concerns of water pollution to this day. In Flint, the switch of the cities’ water source from a state-wide system to the Flint River, caused severe lead contamination in the water that was supplied to residents. This was largely due to the city’s inability to treat the water in the river before switching systems, and its negligence in maintaining old pipes. Even with tens of thousands of complaints, officials were late in taking action to rectify the issue, with many continuing to suffer long-term effects from lead exposure such as behavioral issues and learning disabilities. Though the lead levels in the water have dropped into a normal range as of 2020, there is no guarantee that generations ahead of us will be consequence-free.
Aside from issues that are fostered by cities and officials, issues of water scarcity typically relate to climate change and the waste of resources. California continues to see moderate droughts in over half of the state, meaning that lack of rain and dry weather continue to jeopardize resources. The temperatures in cities are predicted to continue increasing, posing more environmental concerns for the future of California’s growing population. With the state being a hub for immigrants, dream-chasers, and entertainment enthusiasts, and standing at a population of 39.51 million, it is no surprise that some resources are scarce. Residential areas tend to consume the most water for recreational purposes, most of which are ultimately wasted. California has previously had to impose restrictions on using water, and continues to crack down on those not following guidelines. In 2022, residents are predicted to be able to use around 50 gallons of water per person in a household each month. Such restrictions incentivize citizens to save water at risk of being fined, but also beg questions as to what our future will look like as resources around the world run low.
Evidently, it is no secret that the contrast between developing countries and developed countries are strong in many respects, but environmental concerns seem to have transcended the concept of borders. From China to the United States, there is no true continent that is utterly free from the issues of water scarcity and insecurity. Similarly, the issue of water scarcity has never been as black and white as it may seem. There is no clear cut approach to addressing water scarcity, but requires nuanced understanding of how a certain issue has developed in terms of climate and human factors. No matter your economic status, nationality, or lifestyle, taking small measures such as cutting down on water consumption will be far more beneficial to the global community as a whole.
Sources:
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000455 https://www.propublica.org/article/california-drought-colorado-river-water-crisis-explained
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/does-flint-have-clean-water-yes-it-s-complicated https://thewaterproject.org/water-crisis/water-in-crisis-india https://www.circleofblue.org/2010/world/experts-name-the-top-19-solutions-to-the-global-fresh water-crisis/
Written by Archini D. from Kearny, NJ
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