7 Unconventional Ways to Combat Water Scarcity

If more people practiced awareness regarding their household water usage, it would relieve pressure on local water resources, especially in water-stressed areas. But remembering to turn the faucet off while you brush your teeth won’t affect global policy.

When you dig into the data on global water usage, you find that water is a political topic. Everything is nowadays, right? But in this case, water has been political since humans have recorded history: everyone needs it, and those who don’t have it must fight to earn a share.

You may know already that less than 3% of the world’s water is freshwater (water humans can use). But even less of that freshwater is accessible for us to use; the rest is frozen in glaciers and permafrost or buried underground.

While desalination technology is becoming more popular and widely used, in its current state, it is only possible for more affluent countries (which is, arguably, the case with all water). And regardless of whether desalination becomes more accessible, putting all our societal-water-need eggs in one technological basket is unwise. In the meantime, humanity still needs to curb water usage.

But this is uncomfortable to think about. After all, you likely haven’t done anything to cause the snowballing water crisis, so why should you have to do anything to reverse it? 

Half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by as early as 2025. — UNICEF 

The reason is that water scarcity is coming for humanity within many of our lifetimes — even those of us in wealthier countries. The water crisis is already affecting people daily, but it’s been easy for those of us in the global North to set thoughts of these things aside in the hustle of everyday life. Soon, water scarcity will likely sit at the forefront of humanity’s concerns wherever you live. Because a lack of water, as we’ve said before, affects everything (and not just humans).

This imminent threat sounds impossible, especially since our science classes told us that the world never loses water. After all, Earth replaces water via its natural water-recycling process, and we can’t run out. But that, too, is changing as the world’s population and the demand for water grows.

“…although it’s true that the water cycle continuously returns water to Earth, it is not always returned to the same place, or in the same quantity and quality.” — United States Environmental Protection Agency

As humans, our everyday lives are sucking more water from our natural resources than the Earth can replenish through the water cycle. Humanity’s water usage is now six times higher than it was a hundred years ago, meaning mainstay water resources deplete faster than they replenish. 

There are countless examples of how humans use more water now than ever before, but chief among them is humanity’s food production, i.e., agriculture. Agriculture uses the most water both worldwide and in the United States. Some decision-makers within the farming industry are working to curb their water usage. Countries, scientists, agencies, and NGOs are pushing for change in how agriculture uses water. But change is slow.

What becomes clear as you read about who’s using the most water worldwide is that there is no specific nation, industry, or supervillain at whom we can point an accusatory finger. Therefore, there is no single action to take that will help. But learning more about the water crisis — and what it means for humanity (including the ones currently being affected by this issue) — is a good start so you can form your own ideas about what we can do to solve the problems we’re currently facing. 

How to Help

If this gets you as fired up (or terrified) as it does us, this is where you’re wondering what you can do. Well, we have plenty of suggestions.

Think about your position in your household and your community. Where do you have the power to change water practices? By sharing your passion for water with others, preferably in person, you’re telling them that it’s a subject worthy of being passionate about in a world where algorithms are every day determining more of what’s broadcast into our faces wherever we end up online. 

Use whatever you’ve got: talent, charisma, time, enthusiasm, knowledge, youth, art supplies, a blog, a listening ear, a rich relative. You can effect change even without a direct tie to national or international power. 

With the power you wield, opportunities open up. You can easily control water usage in your home, but creating change in the outside world requires strategy. Here are some ways to help solve the water crisis in your community:

• Research whether your state or province has policies about water conservation. In the United States, the Alliance for Water Efficiency publishes a scorecard on each state’s water policy every five years so you can see precisely where your region rates at a glance. Depending on what policies you find, you may want to write a letter to your local, state, or federal representatives to ask for their support in conserving water. Vote in your local elections for officials with water conservation in mind. 
• If you do have ties to the agricultural industry, join the movement of farmers willing to curb water usage.
• A lack of water doesn’t just hurt humans. Wetland ecosystems are disappearing along with our freshwater reserves. But the good news is that preserving wetlands will also help keep the world’s water cycle robust and resilient. Become an advocate for the wetlands in your area by joining clubs, writing letters, and organizing/attending litter pick-up days in your wetlands.
• Your town may have an environmental committee that you can join. Such committees may advocate fines for high usage of municipal water supplies or enforce lawn- or garden-watering schedules that will help replenish your local groundwater reserves.
• Look into water usage at your school or workplace. If you talk to the right people, you can help fund and install water-saving technologies where you spend most of your time.
• Ask for tap water in restaurants and businesses you frequent — especially ones that sell bottled water (this will hopefully show the company that bottled water is falling out of demand). Bottled water has a much higher water footprint via production and bottling than tap water, even if the amount you drink is the same.
• Participate in tree-planting events and initiatives. Trees contribute meaningfully to the water cycle and help encourage rain in a particular area. We encourage community members in Southeast Kenya to plant trees in their communities once they have a reliable water source for this very reason!

Hopefully, these suggestions will help alleviate the climate guilt/terror articles like these tend to foster because they show that even the actions of one person can significantly impact a region’s water or lack thereof. 

You can also help someone whose life is worsened by the water crisis now (not just in the future) by donating to help a community or school needing a reliable, safe water solution. For them, the water crisis is not just a looming storm on the horizon; it’s an everyday reality. 

With your donation, you’ll read the stories of the people you’ll help and receive updates upon the project’s completion and a year afterward. You’ll have pictures and direct quotes as proof that you did something to help alleviate the water crisis for an entire community or school and the generations that will come after.