Water for people and the environment

Water is an essential part of our everyday life, yet for most of us especially those living in urban areas, we probably do not think about water very often. We have come to expect that water will be there when we turn on our faucet. Only if we turn on our tap and nothing comes out, or if the water tastes bad or smells strange, or if we find our home flooded by a nearby creek during a heavy rain, do we give much thought to water. Our relative lack of attention to water is rapidly becoming a luxury that we in Texas cannot afford. The population of our state is expanding dramatically; many of our underground water sources are being depleted. Our fish and wildlife populations dependent upon water are struggling to survive in various parts of state. Much of the water is being wasted through inefficient use and infrastructure. For these reasons and many more we need to inform ourselves about water and take action to assure a dependable and safe water supply for the future for both people and the environment. If you know where the water that you use in your house comes from, you will be able to keep tabs on the quality and quantity of that water source and take steps to protect it, for example, you wouldn’t want to accidentally pollute your own water source, someone else’s water source downstream from you or the aquatic habitat for wildlife that depend on clean water. In addition, knowing where your water comes from or what new sources are being considered, may help you make decision about how much water you use, or what actions you should encourage your water supplier to take. For example, if your water comes from an aquatic that is in danger of depletion you may choose to reduce the amount of water you use so that your water supply will last longer. If your water supplier process to build a new reservoir that would reduce the amount of freshwater flowing into the bay where you fish, you may decide to encourage that supplier to first explore potential water savings from conservation.