I live in a town with a university. It has the usual departments of arts and sciences but it also has a college of natural resources. In that college, you can pursue majors such as wildlife management or water resources. We have high levels of awareness of the importance of water.
From a Google search:
By 2050 the U.S. could be as much as 5.7°F warmer, and extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and drought, could be more intense and occur more frequently. As temperatures warm, evaporation increases, further decreasing water in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.Aug 11, 2020
Why is America running out of water? - National Geographic
In the countryside around us, there are farms. Wisconsin is famous for its farming, especially dairy farms, but we have all sorts. Farms depend on water for crops and animals.
You may have heard of the idea that some humans have a problem getting adequate clean water.
Clean freshwater is an essential ingredient for a healthy human life, but 1.1 billion people lack access to water and 2.7 billion experience water scarcity at least one month a year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population may be facing water shortages.
Water Scarcity | Threats | WWF
The subject of water is always an important one but today we had a special reminder. We actually live in an area that has sandy soil, where water runs down through it quickly. Many of the farms around us have large spray irrigation systems to augment natural rainfall.
Just yesterday, our state ballot included a referendum question about whether the state of Wisconsin should establish a human right to clean water. Locally, it passed with 77% of the vote but I can't find the state result yet.
The other day I received a notice from our local city water department that my ten year permit to have a private well had expired. I need to get a water sample kit and take some water to the College of Natural Resources to have my well-water tested in their lab. Today, we had a visit from the water inspector who verified that our well is outside the house as legally required. He couldn't find a "wild head", a device to ensure that our well water is prevented from back-flowing into the city's water system. We have to get a wild head installed in our sprinkling system.
