The water we have today is the same water the dinosaurs drank.
What this statement means of course is that nature is the greatest recycling machine ever known to man. In physical terms, it means the earth is not growing in size. In environmental terms, it means our water resources are finite; we could run out.
Today water treatment facilities accelerate the water recycling process, using machines to treat and process water faster than nature can. And in the end, treated water is often of higher quality than water from a natural spring source. Treated water is a sustainable solution to “thinking globally and drinking locally ” and is an alternative to relying on imported water or developing ocean desalination schemes. Because from an energy standpoint, desalination requires twice as much energy as regular water treatment! Yet, only 5% of Southern California’s water supply is water that has been treated and recycled.
Recycled water is what comes from our treatment plants. Recycled water comes out of our taps, it’s in reclamation sites, and feeds the food that feeds the animals in our zoos and it’s all delivered from a purple pipe. So next time you see a purple fire hydrant, recall that it is not some sexy public art installation (although public environmental art is really cool!). Again though, recycled water is only 5% of LA’s Water supply. We can do better. The bottom line for us as surfers is that we all have a responsibility to lobby for a greater reliance on recycled water. Because more recycled water means less nasty sewage that reaches the ocean.
Furthermore, surfers would definitely be unhappy to see desalination plants take over their favorite beaches. So next time you see a purple fire hydrant, tell your neighbor why recycled water matters.
Note: This article is based on discussions at Town Hall Los Angeles’s World Water Day 2012 Symposium located at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Presented by Town Hall Los Angeles in partnership with the California Water Environmental Association, Los Angeles Basin Section (CWEA-LABS), as part of the morning conference for World Water Day, Thursday, March 22, 2012, at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Want to get involved? Information about this event and others put on by Town Hall Los Angeles can be found at: www.townhall-la.org.
