A Drop In The Bucket

Fresh water is vital and fundamental to a growing, healthy population. With high population growth, recurring drought conditions, and an aging water infrastructure, “water promises to be to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th." The United Nations estimates that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas.

Locally, we know firsthand the problems of a stressed system. 2008 saw Lake Lanier fall to historic lows. While many Atlantans heeded the call for water conservation, our supply still got precariously low. Couple that with a fast-growing population and the ongoing water rights dispute between Georgia, Florida and Alabama, and the need for real and continuous water conservation policy will be critical for the southeast to flourish.

Reducing demand for municipal water through conservation, such as accessing ground water and reusing rainwater, can ensure enough water for everyone. This not only makes good sense for sustainability, but for the economy.