The Environmental Issue Of Water Conservation

(Babbitt, 2007), (Dedekorkut 2003) Both the federal and state agencies, along the American people are dedicated to clean-up the water flows in the Everglades. With this, the Everglades Restoration, as Babbitt points-out, is an example of a national commitment to large scale restoration of degraded ecosystems (Babbitt 2007). However , currently, both the public and the political culture rely heavily on natural resource science for answers the many phenomena that exist in water resource policy.

In order to have a thriving and healthy society a clean water supply is a very simple but necessary resource. Dating back to the beginning of civilizations the need for clean water was an essential need. The Clean Water Act dates to Franklin D Roosevelt’s administration. In 1972 Congress amended and passed what is now known as the Clean Water Act to protect our precious resource of water. The clean water Act prevented the dumping of pollutants into navigable waters without a permit. Many municipalities and commercial entities had previously dumped sewage and unregulated waste in to our rivers and streams contaminating a great percentage of our drinking water. This wreck less contamination of our waterways not only affected humans but also affected our wildlife including fish and animal’s life that depended on these waters. Any municipality or company that could affect our waters would need to apply for a permit to do so. While the Clean Water Act was a landmark legislation that was supported by both Democrats and Republicans alike over the years has seen expansion of the EPA’s interpretation of the law and has created a controversy in Administrative Law that has many challenges up to the Unites States Supreme Court. (Television, n.d.)

Moving on, there are some issues with the legislation that has been passed in order to conserve the water, especially concerning the Clean Water Act. People are having opposition with the rules of the Clean Water Act. Small business owners feel that this act is restricting the way that they tend to their property. For example, several farmers use pesticides, herbicides, and other fertilizers to keep harmful insects and other animals off of their crops, so they can grow properly. These pesticides eventually end up in our local rivers, lakes, and oceans which are making humans and animals very ill. However, they make money by the crops they sell, and to them, the Clean Water Act has a very negative economic impact on them (Landers). Although

The Texas Constitution clearly states that investment in a water storage project is necessary “to encourage the optimum regional development of systems built for the filtration, treatment, and transmission of water and wastewater”. This statement gives justification for spending tax revenue on this project, as water is a basic human necessity. In addition, the Texas Constitution provides grounds for reasonable expenditure on the needy or disabled in Article 3, Section 51. These provisions directly impact citizen’s daily lives and leave little room for interpretation.

Texas, with its abundances of natural resources, is facing a new demon, one that doesn’t even seem possible, a shortage of water. Water, without it nothing can survive. Texas is the second largest state for landmass in the nation and ninth for water square miles. Within the borders of Texas are more than 100 lakes, 14 major rivers, and 23 aquifers, so why has water become such an important issue for the state? Politicians and conservationists all agree that without a new working water plan, the state could be facing one of the most damaging environmental disasters they have ever seen. The issues that shape the states positions are population growth, current drought conditions, and who actually owns the water.

As Texas continues to increase in urbanization, the amount of water needed for municipal and industrial uses will increase significantly. More than half the water in Texas comes from underground. Aquifers in some areas of the state are being consumed faster than they can be filled again. Having a sustainable and efficient groundwater management policy is important to ensure that the future water demands will be satisfied.

The article “Water Works”, published by Orion Magazine and written by environmental specialist Cynthia Barnett intends to inform the reader anyone can make water an important factor. Overlooking it has become common many people in the United States have adapted to through the changes that have occurred in society over time. At the beginning of her article, she describes an area that does not make water care a priority, whereas in another location they make it very evident water is important. The location she describes is gloomy, grey, and is a populated area that has old water systems that are damaging environmental factors. Barnett continuously emphasizes that people are the ones who can help restore nature. This is at a less cost than

Texans need to change their mindset regarding water conservation if they are going to overcome water shortage. In fact, San Antonio is the only sizable Texas metro area with an aggressive and effective water conservation program (McCormick). Austin has a decent water conservation program, but its per capita water use is still very high (second only to Dallas) and its reduction goals are weak. Houston’s current per capita water use is low, but the City of Houston is actively seeking new water rights and supplies to meet projected future water demands (McCormick). Houston could address those needs on a more cost-effective basis by implementing an aggressive water conservation program like San Antonio. The Texas State Water Plan also fails to address the fourteen percent water loss by water utilities from pipe leaks and water theft (Texas Living Waters Project). Houston is one of the biggest offenders regarding water loss. Texas needs to aggressively monitor water loss and make water loss reduction and the required use of leak detection equipment part of the water rights permitting process. The more than twenty six hundred water utilities who routinely fail to file their annual water loss reports as required by law should be penalized (Texas Living Waters Project). Clearly politics and public opinion regarding the need for conservation have made the current water plan less balanced and sustainable by

Scarcity occurs when the amount people desire exceeds the amount available at a zero price according to William McEachern (5). Therefore, the state of Texas is in need of developing a solution to the issue of water scarcity. Texas has had its share of droughts throughout the years however, with those droughts a reduction of water consumption hinders communities and especially large-acreage crops. So, some suggestions will be addressed in order to encourage further water management plans in order to avoid, Texas from drying up.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA)(5) became the instrument that eventually brought state regulation to the Aquifer and the end to unrestricted withdrawals of groundwater. In 1993, a U.S. district court ruled that the Secretary of the Interior allowed takings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by not ensuring adequate flows from the Springs. The Texas legislature responded to a court mandated deadline to protect spring flow by establishing the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) to regulate groundwater withdrawals (Votteler, 1998). Some of these organizations and other outside supporters have joined forces in protecting the aquifer over time. Through a stakeholder driven process, the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program recommended that the Edwards Aquifer Authority, the City of San Antonio--represented by the San Antonio Water System, the City of San Marcos, the City of New Braunfels, and Texas State University apply for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (Edwards Aquifer Authority, n.d.). This ITP authorizes “take” of certain species resulting from aquifer groundwater pumping and recreational and other activities in the

Specific purpose statement: To persuade my audience to take action in order to conserve one of the most finite and precious resources we have in the U.S.

Although water conservation helps, some people have misconceptions about what water conservation can and can't do. If we all work together to conserve water, we can help assure a bright and prosperous life for future generations. Become an advocate of conservation in your community. Help promote conservation as a wise and important water management principle.

When referring to Arizona’s water Kris Mayes, chairwoman of the state’s utility regulatory panel once said, “How do you say just how valuable water is in an arid state like Arizona?” she said. “It’s like the credit-card commercial-it’s priceless” (McKinnon). She was right, because in a dry state like Arizona, water is pretty important. To say water is ‘pretty important’ for the world is an understatement. We use water to function. And when we think of water we think of saving it. Keep the faucets from dripping or turn off the water while brushing your teeth. There are numerous tips for water conservation, but people don’t often think of the damage that is already done. Damages like ‘dead zones’. Dead zones in the ocean have been around for

in an effort to solve problems, which can be seen with the Clean Water Act.

When it comes to the sense of the need for water and conserving it there are a few people from the media industry that contributes or supports the thought of saving water. Water is the source of life, but it is really needed in some parts of the world like third world countries and some place that are in need of water because of a drought problem. There are a lot of supporters who support and contribute help to end unnecessary usage of water and promoting the message of saving water. The behavior and the activism shown by the people in the entertainment industry or in other words, celebrities are in the utmost manner when it comes to water conservation and their usage of water. People like Bill Gates who invested in research and