Water. It’s a resource that is all too often taken for granted in our drenched state of Michigan. There is rarely a day that goes by without some sort of precipitation; whether it be in the form of fog, dew, torrential downpours, or snow. For though we live in a watery world, safe drinking water is not reliable for many. In much of the world, this abundance present in Michigan is not the case.
This all came about on a day much like any other. My head was a little light, so I walked the short way to the water fountain and took a drink. The water was cool and clear. I did not become sick or become more likely to get any debilitating diseases just by drinking that water. As I moved away from the fountain it occurred to me just how privileged I was that this situation was commonplace. Some people have to choose between their long term health and physical safety and their hydration. Humans can only go for about three days without water, as a result many times people will drink contaminated water out of necessity.
Large scale droughts and water shortages are a widespread issue that continues to become more and more prevalent as populations rise and weather patterns become more erratic. This mounting desperate worldwide need for water can seem far away from my own damp perspective of Western Michigan. In a state surrounded by 21% of the world’s liquid fresh water, it can be easy to forget about the tragedy of not having clean water.
However, there is more to potable water than simply two Hydrogens and an Oxygen. It is often accessing clean and safe fresh water that is the problem. Even when there is water being provided to households, there can be a multitude of issues, from contamination from the pipes or a polluted watershed to excess bacteria from lapses in sanitation.
This is not simply a global or international dilemma: clean and safe water is a problem that hits much closer to home as well. In our own country, there are many instances and non-isolated occurrences of unsafe drinking water that pose a great threat to the health and wellbeing of American citizens. In fact, we were finally forced to assess the damage that Flint, Michigan’s lead contaminated water had on the city’s citizens.
Those citizens are still dealing with the consequences of a faulty system to this day. It should never be a question whether clean water is an option. It is also insane to me that there are places where Flint’s water would be considered far more cleanly and potable than anything that much of the population in Afghanistan, for example, may have had access to ever. In Afghanistan, only 42% of people have access to clean drinking water, according to The United States Agency for International Development. A figure such as this should be of great shock and cause of great alarm.
This lack of access to clean and safe drinking water is a problem that at times can seem insurmountable. With the help of improved sanitation and reduced water pollution, waterways can begin to recover and present less of a harm to the surrounding populations. The water that people need to live is not always safe and that is a travesty.
The disparity between my own experience with water (that is cleaned and transported to me by the State and that seems endless due to my relatively wet location) and a large group of the world’s population’s relationship with water is striking. There is not a day now that I take access to clean water for granted. It is a privilege that is far more valuable and far less appreciated than it should be.
