What will happen if our water supply goes dark? In some countries and for far too long, the question has been, "What will happen now that our potable water supply is gone or never existed at all?" Currently, the world is at a crossroads ensuring adequate supplies of usable, safe water. People all over this planet are forced daily to turn to unclean, contaminated water out of desperation and, according to researchers, the United States of America could be headed toward a similar fate if change does not occur.
Today, our raw water supplies are increasingly stressed through population growth, industrialization and natural occurrences, such as drought and climate change.
Water situation across the world
Simply put, the lack of safe water and means of sanitation is the world's single largest cause of illness.
Summing up the severity of the issue, the United Nations Children's Fund, commonly known as UNICEF, reports, "Almost 50 percent of the developing world's population (2.5 billion people) lack improved sanitation facilities and over 884 million people still use unsafe drinking water sources. Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services, coupled with poor hygiene practices, kills and sickens thousands of children every day and leads to impoverishment and diminished opportunities for thousands more."
Also, reports the group, about 4,500 children die each day from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities.
We have learned throughout history that in order for an area to survive and thrive, clean water must be available. But, even in what are considered water-rich countries, such as the U.S., the issues of water shortages and conservation have increased over the past several decades. And, say the experts, if the public is not aware of the seriousness of the issue just yet, it will be soon.
"Unfortunately, most consumers are blissfully unaware of how bad the situation is and how quickly it is going to change," asserts Allan Connolly, who is the executive vice president of operations, engineering and North America industrial business operations for Culligan International. "The biggest issue we face as a country and globally is we have growing populations and the amount of water [we are able to keep safe] is finite."
In some U.S. areas, such as Georgia and Nevada, water shortages have already impacted residents over the past decade. In Atlanta, for instance, hourly water restriction laws were put in place to address usage. These limitations include outdoor watering restrictions, such as pressure washing houses and washing cars.
Exemptions to the regulations that residents can pursue include:
  • Alternative sources of water (graywater, rainwater, condensate, etc.)
  • Drip irrigation or soaker hoses
  • Water from a private well
  • Installation and maintenance of irrigation systems
  • Hydroseeding.
As a result of these initiatives, the area has overcome a crisis for now. Still, Atlanta officials warn residents, "Droughts are cyclical, and Georgians can expect another one at some point in the future. Customers are urged to continue the conservation efforts that allowed the city to cut its water use by 10 percent over the last year. Remember, conservation should not be a reaction to circumstances; it should be a way of life. Clean water is a very precious resource, and it should be treated that way."
And nationally, looking to address sustainability needs and costs, many utilities have adjusted rates in recent years, says John McEncroe, utility director for the Town of Morrison. "Many utilities have implemented a tiered rate structure to encourage conservation," notes McEncroe, who also explains that U.S. residents and businesses have dramatically reduced water usage by switching to xeriscape landscaping, which requires little or no water to maintain.
Water: A cheap commodity
Still, more attention seems to be reactive, instead of proactive, when it comes to water conservation. There are many reasons for this trend, and money seems to be a leading factor. In America, compared to other utilities, water is considered cheap among homeowners and building owners and managers. But, to navigate off this course to scarcity, expenses for water must continue to increase.
One main reason for the added expense is because our nation's water infrastructures are in need of repairs and renovations. In 2002, EPA set forth The Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis. This study identified potential funding gaps between projected needs and spending through 2019. According to EPA's research, a potential 20-year funding gap was estimated for drinking water capital expenditures as well as operations and maintenance.
Currently, insufficient funds are being generated to address infrastructure decay. "Large amounts of water today are being wasted because of broken, cracked pipes and aging infrastructure. And, the results are wasted or unsafe water," says Connolly, adding that the average infrastructure is 50-75 years old and the money being generated is all too often used to only cover a treatment plant's basic expenses and not for improvements to fix these problems.
The industry's and dealer's roles
Water treatment dealers are in a position to educate customers on water issues, including supplies, trends and research. Innovative ideas about water treatment, enhanced point-of-use (POU) equipment and technology and customer buy-in will be vital to our future. Water recycling efforts will be particularly targeted.
"To meet this burgeoning demand there will be a dramatic increase in recycling coupled with water saving innovations, which will need to be developed and implemented in the agricultural and municipal sectors," says McEncroe. "The water industry is at a crossroads. As recycling increases, massive investment in centralized water treatment can produce water, which is essentially molecular 'H2O' (completely devoid of any impurities), but so doing will require enormous capital investment, be expensive to operate, create a huge carbon footprint and generate enormous residuals streams."
According to McEncroe, dual pipe systems have been successfully implemented; however, the same contamination exposures our current distribution systems face are not eliminated with dual pipe systems and due to increased system maintenance costs, it is doubtful that they will be widely implemented. "As such, society will likely embrace a paradigm shift from centralized treatment to sophisticated POU systems," he concludes.

Supply and demand?
According to the 2030 Water Resources Group, there will be a 40 percent gap in the demand for water versus supply by 2030. Although most customers are not attuned to the looming threat of water shortages, many are aware of environmental issues. In fact, says Norm Marowitz, president of Atlas Watersystems Inc. and Technical Advisory Board Member for Water Technology, "We believe it will affect us and that it already has," he says of changing customer buying habits.
"We used to install a lot more RO drinking water systems commercially; over the last few years, many customers have been requesting that we don't use RO due to the waste stream," explains Marowitz. "We suspect the pending water gap will only heighten this perception and demand. Also, we anticipate more zero waste systems and re-use systems demand in the future, especially as water rates rise."
"As our water supplies have experienced ever increasing demands, there has been a strong response by government at all levels to ensure equitable distribution and usage of this precious resource," says McEncroe. "[However,] the response has been complicated by local and/or state regulations, which at times conflict with the regulations of downstream states and/or federal regulations."
Water scarcity is occurring across the globe and, although the U.S. has been relatively minimally affected, we are not immune to water shortages in the future. Demand is expected to outweigh supply, funding for improving infrastructure is modest and environmental change continues to be omnipresent.
Ian: Ouch!