Date: July 29, 2021

To: Linda Thomas-Greenfield

From: Brockton Austin
Subject: Water shortage and how to solve it
Distribution List: U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization

This memo addresses the global issue we have with our current clean water shortage.
Currently, people are dying and there will soon be global crop failure if nothing is done. Quick
and simple changes to our agriculture will be the key in positively changing the future for
everyone.This memo is addressing the issues we have with our current clean water shortage. It
will go into detail about what exactly will happen if we continue to do what we are doing, and it
will also present a solution to the issue.

Summary

5,000 children die a day from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. 80% of all
global diseases are waterborne. Currently, the world solution to this problem has been to suck
up the water from the ground; which is starting to ruin the soil and kill our crops. A solution to
our problem is to target what exactly we use clean water for and to more efficiently use that
water. Agriculture is responsible for using up 70% of the clean water supply. The agriculture
industry currently has no incentive to use water efficiently. Adding incentives and creating
certain regulations would solve the issue. Specifically, regulating farming methods for certain
crops and providing incentives for growing each crop in the right climate.

The Issues With Clean Water

Drinking Water

Water is essential to life and having a supply of clean water is becoming more and more of an
issue. In developed countries, having clean water is not an issue that crosses people's minds.
However, in third world countries, having clean water is an issue that needs to be addressed
every day. People who live in impoverished areas of third world countries have to travel on
average 3.75 miles a day just to get clean water(Handwerk). Millions of people die each year,
most of them children, from largely preventable disease caused by a lack of access to clean
water and sanitation(Handwerk). For example, about 5,000 children die each day due to
preventable diarrhea diseases such as cholera and dysentery, which is spread when people use
contaminated water for cooking or drinking (Handwerk).

Crop Crisis

The lack of clean water is not the only issue. To compensate for the lack of clean water,
countries have started to get extra clean water from the groundwater. This has caused another
global crisis as now with groundwater depleted in those countries, the soil that crops grow on
now lacks the necessary hydration. In the United States, California’s Central Valley, the
Colorado River Basin, and the Southern Great Plains(Texas and New Mexico), all are
experiencing extreme groundwater depletion. This temporary solution will cause a major food
shortage and something must be done immediately.

How to Solve the Problem

70% of the clean water is used by the agriculture industry and only 8% of clean water is used
domestically(drinking, bathing, flushing toilets, etc.) If we lowered the amount of water used by
the agriculture industry by 12% it would double the amount of water we could use domestically.
To do this we need to start using water more efficiently in the agriculture industry. Currently,
there are no incentives to use water efficiently for farmers currently and that should be the first
change. Farmers are business people and they would respond well at the opportunity to make
more money. Drip irrigation is a method of farming that uses cheap piping to drip water directly
to the crops roots instead of drenching the whole field. Drip irrigation reduces a farmer's water
consumption by 60% and increases crop yield by 90% when compared to conventional
methods. Regulating where certain crops can be grown would also tremendously reduce water
usage. Certain crops excel in certain climates, and if farmers try to grow these crops in different
climates, they may waste tons of water to compensate for that. If enough countries adopted
these ideas, clean water would no longer be an issue.

Recommendations

On March 22-24, 2023 there will be the first global conference on water since 1977. This is the
perfect opportunity for this issue to be discussed and the solutions listed to be implemented.
Between now and that date, you’ll have ample time to fact check my statements and dive into
the more political issues involving the idea.

Conclusion

Water is a pressing issue that will only get worse as the population grows. Thousands of people
die every day because they don’t have access to clean water. Big changes need to happen in
the agriculture industry but passing policies across the world is easier said than done. World
wise use of drip irrigation and regulating crops in certain regions won’t happen overnight; it will
take some time for these solutions to take into effect across the world. Once these solutions
take effect, it will solve our water issue for decades to come.

References

Strang, Veronica. Water: Nature and Culture. Reaktion Books, 2015.

Handwerk, Brian. “Sustainable Earth: Water - National Geographic.” Environment, National
Geographic, 3 May 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/water.

“25 Ways to Save Water.” Volusia County Government Online,

www.volusia.org/services/growth-and-resource-management/environmental-
management/natural-resources/water-conservation/25-ways-to-save-water.stml.

“Water Saving Tips For Industry.” Apana, 29 Aug. 2020, www.apana.com/water-saving-tips-for-

industry/.