Name: Linda Dudick
Status: Other
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
How is the fresh water supply in the world? It was a big concern in the
1960's and now it is not mentioned often.
Replies:
It is still a big concern to people in countries that do not have adequate
sanitation systems - former President Jimmy Carter has been helping villagers
in Nigeria to develop fresh water wells, for example. People in Milwaukee, WI
and Washington, DC were pretty concerned about it when their water treatment
systems broke down and people started to get diarrhea in the past two years.
On a broader scale, there is some concern that big fresh water sources like
the Ogalala Aquifer are being depleted by agricultural irrigation. South
Florida is having problems with salt water being drawn into fresh water
aquifers. You might be interested in reading "Global 2000" the report on the
state of the world's resources that was produced in 1980 by President Carter's
Council on Environmental Quality. The World Watch Institute publishes an
annual report called "The State of the World", which may have more current
updates on this important question.
Personally, I use a charcoal filter for my drinking water. You could write
for a booklet on water purifiers called "water treatment units" (order number
332A) send $0.50 to R. Woods, Consumer information center-4A
PO Box 100, Pueblo, CO 81002.
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