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Water, the lifeblood of the planet

Water is much more than a vital resource—it is the very essence of life. From quenching our thirst to growing our crops, powering our industries, and sustaining entire ecosystems, water is fundamental to our existence. It shapes our landscapes, fuels our economies, and supports our well-being. Yet, despite its importance, many communities around the world still face challenges accessing clean and safe water.

In this issue, we’ll explore the critical role water plays in our lives and highlight inspiring stories of communities coming together to tackle water scarcity. You'll see some tips on protecting our water and ideas on how you can get your community involved in water conservation. Together we can help create a future where clean water is a right for everyone, not a privilege.

Back issues of EDA News can be found on the EDA website
The precious resource we often take for granted
Water is an essential need for all known forms of life. Yet, despite its crucial role, many of us may not fully grasp just how limited and precious this resource truly is.
Earth is often called the "blue planet" due to its vast oceans, which cover about 71% of its surface. However, not all of this water is available for our daily needs. In fact, about 97.5% of Earth's water is saltwater found in the oceans, which is not suitable for drinking or irrigation. Of the remaining 2.5% of freshwater, approximately 68.7% is locked away in glaciers and polar ice caps, and 30.1% exists as groundwater.
This leaves only about 1.2% of accessible freshwater in surface waters like rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This amount to less than 0.01% of the planet’s total water supply.

The impact of climate change
Climate change is intensifying the pressure on our water resources. Increased temperatures lead to more frequent and severe droughts. It alters precipitation patterns, and accelerates the melting of glaciers and ice caps. These changes affect the availability and quality of freshwater, making it more precious than ever before.
For instance, regions that once enjoyed reliable rainfall are experiencing reduced water flow in rivers and lakes, while areas prone to flooding face weather events that result in greater flood damage. This uneven distribution exacerbates water scarcity and puts additional stress on ecosystems and human communities.

 What Can We Do?
Preserving and protecting our water resources requires collective action and personal responsibility. Here are some steps we can all take:
Water is not an infinite resource and therefore it requires careful stewardship. By understanding its scarcity, and prioritizing conservation, we can all contribute to safeguarding this vital resource for future generations. Let's act to ensure that our planet's water remains clean, abundant, and available for all.
Pooling resources: how communities are tackling water scarcity together
When communities rally together to solve a water issue, that’s Economic Democracy. With our changing climate, water scarcity is an issue around the world. However, many small and large communities have successfully solved their water scarcity problems with innovative solutions and community-led initiatives. Here are a few examples:
  • Bergerac, France: This small town of 15,000 people implemented a decentralized, rainwater harvesting system, where every household collects and stores rainwater in tanks. This has reduced the town's reliance on external water sources and saved millions of euros in water treatment costs.
  • Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia: This small town of 6,000 people has implemented a comprehensive water management system that includes rainwater harvesting, grey water reuse, and energy-efficient water treatment. They've reduced their water consumption by 30% and energy costs by 50%.
  • Cape Town, South Africa: Cape Town was on the brink of a severe water crisis in 2018 due to a three-year drought. However, the city implemented strict water restrictions and invested in alternative sources, such as desalination and water recycling. This helped to alleviate the crisis.
  • Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA: Santa Fe has implemented a unique system called "water banking," where excess winter snow-melt is stored underground and used during dry periods. This helped reduce the city's reliance on surface water sources.
These large and small communities solved their water scarcity issues by working together on solutions that involved their entire community. Educating the population is critical to getting  by-in and makes it more feasible that solutions can be found if we work together.

If your community is facing water issues, what can you do to engage with your local government and community leaders to find solutions? Contact one of EDA's Action Teams to discuss what's happening in your area.
EDA UPDATE
Call for candidates in EDA’s annual election went out in August. Candidates have sent their applications in for the following positions:

President – 3 year term
At-Large Trustee – 3-year term
At-Large Trustee – 2-year term
Mediation Body – 3-year term

A Town Hall meeting will be held on September 9 to introduce the candidates to our members. Voting will be open from September 16 to 29.

In our next edition of EDA News, we’ll announce the results of the election and introduce your new representatives.
How fracking threatens our water resources
Fracked natural gas burns more cleanly than coal and oil. The net result is less carbon and other particulates. By replacing coal with gas, America has led the world in reducing carbon pollution, but at what cost?
Fracking uses huge amounts of fresh water. Fluids containing water, chemicals and sand are pumped into drill holes at high pressure. This opens fractures in rock that is trapping gas which is then collected and piped away. Over the years fracking operations in the U.S. have drastically increased.
A recent New York Times article showed that since 2011, the industry has used more than 1.5 trillion gallons of water. In the search for more water, the average oil and gas well has gone from a depth of 4,000 to 10,000 feet. This is a huge threat to aquifers, which are not a renewable resource.
Fracking would not exist
if it wasn't so easy to
obtain fresh water, and dispose of wastewater
The industry finds water from any source they can. In Ohio, located within the Marcellus and Utica oil and gas resource basins, 2 million gallons of fresh water a day were being withdrawn from Seneca Lake, the largest recreational lake in Ohio.
In Texas and New Mexico, in the Permian Basin, the industry has drilled water wells to obtain billions of gallons from aquifers. Much of that water is taken from surface and ground water in regions, such as Colorado and Texas where water shortages are a huge issue.
Water restrictions don’t seem to apply to fracking operations
In some regions of Texas, during periods of moderate or extreme drought, residents are told they must restrict their water usage. However, the fracking industry is not restricted, except under conditions of "exceptional drought" when in some areas the industry may only be simply discouraged from using water. Laredo, Texas expects to exhaust their water allocation from the Rio Grande by 2040, yet fracking is exempt from the city’s water restrictions. Why is this allowed?

Can fracking wastewater be recycled?
The industry is only recycling about 15% of the water they use.  Colorado recently passed a state bill to require more recycling of wastewater (brines) from wells, and Texas passed a bill to find more uses for fracking wastewater. What happens to all the contaminated wastewater? It contains dangerous levels of radionuclides such as radium. Radium can be removed through reverse osmosis, but it’s very expensive.

Are there risks to health?
In 2017, Ohio did a pilot study on reusing filtered oil and gas waste brines for de-icing in the winter. However, testing showed that radium levels in each bottle of this de-icing product exceeded EPA radium environmental discharge standards by a factor of 61 – and drinking water standards by a factor of 1483! Fracking releases tiny particles that can get lodged in our lungs and can cause headaches, coughing, nausea, nose bleeds, skin and eye irritation, dizziness, and shortness of breath. There’s also an increased risk for cancer and allergies. If you live in an area where fracking is happening, you may be at risk.

What can you do about it?
Be informed. Learn all you can about how fracking is affecting your community. Residents can then put pressure on our state legislatures to stop creating new fracking operations. Fracking might solve an energy problem, but it may be creating a worse problem; the loss of a sustainable, clean water supply for hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Which one do you think is more important?
More tips for saving water

Maybe you already do some of these things, but if not, here’s a reminder of how you can conserve water at home and reduce your utility bills.

INSIDE
  • Fix leaks promptly. Leaky faucets, toilets, and pipes can waste a lot of water.
  • Install water-efficient fixtures such as low-flow shower heads, faucets, and toilets to reduce water usage without sacrificing performance.
  • Shorten showers to 5-10 minutes and turn off the water while lathering up or shampooing.
  • Resist constantly running the tap while brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or doing dishes.
  • Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads to maximize efficiency. Fact:  a full dishwasher uses almost 10 times less water than hand washing.
OUTSIDE
  • Choose native and drought-resistant plants. Water your garden in the early morning or late evening to minimize evaporation.
  • Install a drip irrigation system and apply mulch to retain soil moisture.
  • Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater for plants or indoor use if necessary.
  • Adjust automatic lawn sprinklers to switch off during rainy times.
  • Use a broom to clean driveways and sidewalks, rather than hosing them down.
By implementing these practices into your every day routine, you can make a significant difference in your household water consumption and contribute to the conservation of water in your area.
EDA UPDATE
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 26: EDA member retreat, Atlanta GA
 EDA Reboot 2024:  EDA members are invited to participate in an in-person retreat in Atlanta GA on October 25 and 26.  For those who cannot attend in person, we will be live-streaming the retreat as we engage in some team development, exploring new ideas, and discussing future EDA initiatives. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.
Giving Tuesday – December 3
 Once again EDA will participate in the largest generosity movement on the planet. Giving Tuesday is held in hundreds of cities, communities, organizations and networks across the country. Please reach out to family, friends and colleagues and encourage them to support EDA on December 3rd. More information will be sent as we get closer to the date.
Fireside Chat – December 12
 This will be our last chance to get together before the holiday season and the new year begins. It will be a time to reflect on where we are, update you on our new board members, and provide more details on ideas that resulted from our October retreat.
Embracing wilding: Helping solve the water crisis
Wilding has gained significant attention as a transformative approach to environmental conservation. It involves allowing natural processes to shape landscapes, with minimum human intervention. There are numerous benefits, particularly in water preservation, reducing carbon output into the atmosphere, and community engagement. 
Instead of actively planting specific species or managing land intensively, wilding focuses on creating conditions where natural processes can thrive. This approach may include allowing forests to regenerate, wetlands to expand, or meadows to develop naturally.
Wilding started when a young British couple, Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree, began their grand experiment. Faced with a failing four-hundred-year-old-estate, they decided to bet on nature for its future. They dared to place the fate of their farm in the hands of nature. Ripping down the fences, they set the land back to the wild and entrusted its recovery to a mix of animals, both tame and wild.
Watch how the Knepp Estate in southern England turned a degraded farm into a thriving wildlife habitat. (8:32)
This became one of the most significant rewilding projects in Europe, transforming a dying landscape into a thriving ecosystem against all odds. The Knepp Estate, once a symbol of decline, became a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of nature’s resilience.
By restoring habitats and increasing biodiversity, rewilding areas can increase carbon storage, helping to mitigate climate change. Wilding has also shown promise in improving water quality and reducing flood risks by restoring natural water cycles. It can create jobs and boost local economies through eco-tourism. While wilding can improve local water management, it’s not a standalone solution for global water issues. It works best when combined with other water management strategies.

What can you do?
Even if you don’t have a grand estate to experiment with, you can still make a difference personally and in your community. Here are some things you can do:

  • Reintroduce native species: start small and encourage biodiversity by reintroducing native plants and species in your own garden
  • Create wildlife habitats: build birdhouses, bat boxes, and insect hotels
  • Reduce pesticide use: minimize the use of all chemicals that can harm wildlife and pollinators
  • Support local conservation efforts: volunteer or donate to local rewilding projects. Consider starting a community project by collaborating with neighbors to create a larger impact.
  • Be patient: ecological changes take time, so be patient and persistent
Some final thoughts
 We all have the power to help restore our Earth to its fullest potential to sustain life in perpetuity by putting a little intentional time and effort into it. Always start by educating yourself first on what’s best for your local area. Plan your projects so you don’t harm existing ecosystems and communities. Understand that this is an investment in yourself, and your family’s future. The benefits may take time to materialize and most importantly, enjoy the experience of connecting with your planet again!

Here are some other articles on how to get started.
Keeping the water issue alive: awareness, and repetition!
Advertisers know that it takes lots of repetition before the public remembers a product’s features, advantages and benefits. That’s why you see the same ads in multiple places. The brain needs clear, frequent messages to be stored in long-term memory. Why not use this strategy to keep the water conservation message alive in your community?
Here’s what they’ve done in Georgetown Texas, a rapidly growing town that’s at risk of running out of water in less than 10 years. With the ongoing drought, demand for water has frequently exceeded the supply with more than 75% of treated water used each day going toward lawns and landscaping. So, the city water utility created an awareness campaign to keep water conservation top of mind.

Every summer since 2022 they launch their painted rain barrel project to raise awareness about sustainable watering resources. Local artists are invited to paint designs on rain barrels and these barrels are then auctioned off. Money from the auction goes to water conservation education and outreach efforts. Local businesses can get involved as hosts by displaying a painted rain barrel at their facility.  What better way to keep water conservation top of mind when neighbors see colorful rain barrels throughout their community.

Would this work in your community?
Find out if your local utility would be interested. It supports local artists, gives added visibility to local businesses, and creates repetition and awareness around water conservation. Your community might even come up with other creative ideas to keep water conservation top of mind in your community.
Join one of our groups
You're welcome to visit any team and sit in on their meetings. It's a great way to find out what they're working on and see which team you might prefer to participate in. Email one of the contacts below to join a meeting.
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