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Peter Gleick's View of "Global Water Use" by Jean Van Pelt, CWWC Board of Directors The Xeriscape Council of New Mexico sponsored the 9th Xeriscape Conference on October 17-18, 2003. Dr. Peter Gleick was the keynote speaker on Friday October 17. Dr. Gleick, is the Co-founder and President of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security. Dr. Gleick is an internationally recognized expert on global freshwater resources, including the hydrologic impacts of climate change, sustainable water use, privatization and globalization and international conflicts over water resources. Dr. Gleick believes that global water is the most important resource issue in both rich and poor countries. Currently our world and the United States have a water crisis. Water conservation, efficiencies and sustainability can all be positive influences to this crisis and the xeriscape philosophy is an important piece of the big puzzle for water and its uses. Dr. Gleick stated the reasons he feels the current water crisis is one of the most important global resource issues at this time: There is an increase in water use demands as the world's population increases, even though the amount of water on the planet remains the same. There has been a failure to meet basic water needs in poorer countries, which has caused the spread of poverty and diseases. The amount of irrigated land is increasing but the increase is slower than the increases in population. We need better production on agricultural land or expand the amount of irrigated land. Although, much of the world's land is not conducive to good agriculture. We are faced with unsustainable ground water levels in which the world is pumping more water out of the aquifers than can be recharged. The aquatic systems of our rivers and oceans are being damaged or destroyed by human water uses. The earth's climate is changing because of man's atmospheric changes. These changes affect our water policies, management, and uses. Throughout the world the competition for fresh water continues to increase. This proves itself with political disputes and violent conflicts over water. Dr. Gleick believes that in the past the way we thought about water and our use of water was wrong. We have treated water as if it was unlimited and free. He feels we need to learn to properly manage and plan our water use. For proper management we have to realize our water needs versus our water wants. In the past we have built huge infrastructures to meet our water demands. These infrastructures served to move, store and use water. The western U.S. has been a model for water development. This model served as an attitude and example for the rest of the world. Even though these infrastructures have brought benefits they have also come at an enormous environmental cost. The environmental movement itself was sparked by dam development. Due to negative public opposition to environmental issues it has made it difficult to repeat the wrong decisions over again. For this reason, it will make it easier to make the right decisions the next time around. Gleick believes this insight can change our public policies. Dr. Gleick deems that if predictions for the future are made on past and/or present trends than the future will be just like the past or present. But, if predictions are based on the future, we know we wouldn't make the same bad choices and revisit that direction. He believes we are not irreversibly committed to the past and new choices are available. Every policy and action we make can change the path for the future. Dr. Gleick states that in the past it was accepted that exponential growth in population led to exponential growth in the economy. This growth made exponential demands on our water uses. But, the demand for water use to grow exponentially is no longer true. The total amount of water drawn in 2000 in the U.S. is less than it was in 1980. The per capita use is 20 percent less now than in 1980. This breaks the link between increasing population and water needs. Most people in the U.S. are not aware of this. These reductions in water use are due to better technology, management, design, and practices. Dr. Gleick defines water conservation as "doing what we want to do with less water." He believes that all aspects pertaining to our quality of life can be improved upon by improving water conservation and efficiencies. Dr. Gleick feels we need to develop a "Positive Vision" in which every human has the right to safe water. This vision needs to be acknowledged and met as a priority throughout the world. Some of the problems that need to be addressed are: The price for water needs to fair. The privatization of water is turning water management over from public to private hands. He feels water rights need to be owned by the public, because private companies do not consider environmental concerns, conservation, and efficiency. A real danger and risk is present because these factors are not important to private companies. Cities and agriculture alike need to collaborate for sufficient water supplies. Currently there is a trend to shift agriculture water to urban water use. He feels this is an important piece of the puzzle, because we need to figure out how to transfer water with benefits for all parties; especially the environment. That is where the challenge lies. Food production needs to increase without making more demands on water supplies. He affirms that by adopting different practices there is a large potential to grow more food with less water. Ground water pumping needs to be sustainable. Water quality should be protected. Water conflicts need to have diplomatic resolve. Dr. Gleick suggested several ways in which his "Positive Vision " could be implemented. There needs to be a refocusing of the efforts to meet basic human water needs. These requirements need to be made a priority, because forty percent of the world's population is without proper sanitation services. The dollar cost of providing these services is not large compared to the cost of no effort. These poor conditions breed disease, poverty, and conflicts throughout the world's population. We as a global community need to address the environmental wrongs done in the name of water. There needs to be better regulations concerning our river systems and ocean environments. Unfortunately, inadequate efforts and slow reactions to these efforts are and have been an obstacle. We need to use water efficiently, productively, and cost effectively. One of the best sources for these positive uses is wasted water. Gleick states, in California, one third of the existing urban water use could be eliminated and still meet demands if water waste was abolished. He feels that waste is not only urban, but also agriculture. He believes this problem has not been properly addressed or studied and there is an enormous untapped potential for water savings in agriculture. The use of reclaimed water needs to be encouraged. We need to grasp the concept that we don't need the same quality of water for every water use. Desalination projects can be a new source of water supply. The challenge is that it is expensive. Even with new technology it is still more costly than the cost of conservation and efficiency. Plus, a negative environmental effect to desalination is the disposal of the very salty brine residue. We need to look at other choices for water storage. One option is the conjunctive use of surface and ground water. Surface water could be used to recharge the aquifers. The advantages are that there would be no need to build reservoirs, which have large evaporation losses. The down side is it requires all parties to work together. The green house effect has influenced climate changes. Water managers need to start planning now for further climate changes. The water institutions of the world need to be improved and managed for the 21st century. Institutions are currently managing for the 19th and 20th century. To improve these institutions it will require rethinking away from water supply toward water needs and uses. Dr. Gleick summarizes that what the world needs is more education, positive political pressure, new ideas, and new voices into the water policy debate. Water policies need to work with global communities so cooperation, not conflict, is the end product. His philosophy is "Whatever direction we go, depends on the choices we make". Hopefully a new focus will come in relation to how we think about water.   • Xeriscape Colorado Home • What Is Xeriscape? • Demo Gardens   • Upcoming Events • Resources & Reference • Articles