The November 2008 edition of Inc. Magazine has a great article on the shrinking natural resource of clean water. If you live in an area that hasn’t already been hit with water shortages, severe drought, or water contamination issues then count yourself lucky. You can be assured that elected officials around the world are taking notice of the areas already hit by water shortages and if they are wise will be developing strategies to deal with this type of problem in the future.
I live in the metro Atlanta area where one of the primary water sources is Lake Lanier. The recent drought conditions in the South Eastern US region have placed a strain on the areas water source. In the Summer of 2007, residents in Georgia went from a partial to a full outdoor watering ban. That policy was relaxed slightly this past summer, but the system is still riding a very delicate line. The matter is further complicated because there is a dam at the south side of the lake that feeds the Chattahoochee River. This river runs through Alabama and Florida and supports sever key industries.
The article in Inc. Magazine by Adam Bluestein summarizes 11 entrepreneurs that are developing new products and services to help mankind better use this precious resource. One such entrepreneur is Andrew Gordon who is funding a start-up named Water Standard. Water Standard has developed a way to bring fresh water to regions that don’t have a reliable source. They do this by retrofitting tanker ships as desalination plants. Fresh water can then be delivered via pipeline or ship to area in need. What a great use of technology! The Water Standards solution can produce up to 75 million gallons of fresh water per day.
My hats off to Andrew Gordon and others like him who are looking for new ways to distribute and clean water. Do you think about the water supply in your area? Are you taking measures as an individual to wisely use water?