Freshwater scarcity exists when supplies and demand don't match. Freshwater is not unique in this regard - frequent shortages exist in everything at one time or another. Hoarding for days when supplies are scare is a well known tactic.
Squirrels and Food
We are all familiar with the tales of squirrels collecting acorns, apples, nuts and other food and storing them to last all winter when no food is easily to be found. The words 'squirreling a little something' imply that something is being saved for another day or time when it will not be as readily available
Many other animals follow this practice - Dogs hide bones to be eaten when no bones are available.
Local Freshwater Storage
Humans also have a long history of storing supplies to last a full season or during times of scarcity.
The commonly visible water tank collected water for small communities and served as a reservoir for members of the community to draw water from when needed.
Industrial and agricultural have holding ponds that they can access in time of reduced supplies.
In affluent homes all over the world we have water tanks now in each house to heat and store hot water. These tanks typically hold 30 gallons but can be as large as a 100 gallons. In emergency situations, like after an earthquake, these tanks can provide necessary drinking water for a few days.
Developing World Solution
In the third world, where water supply is available only a few hours a day for a few days a week, people have taken local storage to a new level by storing hundreds of gallons in rooftop tanks.
These rooftop tanks have in a way turned the local water supply utility into an intermittent supplier of water.
So why isn't "local storage" one of the solutions in our quiver to counter future water shortages everywhere in the world? All that needs done is to collect the quantity of water we need, individually or on a cooperative basis, adequate for the period over which we expect not to receive water supplies in the future?
Squirrels and Food
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| Source - collectiblechildrensbook.com |
Many other animals follow this practice - Dogs hide bones to be eaten when no bones are available.
Local Freshwater Storage
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| Source - wilsonnc.org |
The commonly visible water tank collected water for small communities and served as a reservoir for members of the community to draw water from when needed.
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| Holding Ponds Source - valleywater.org |
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| Source - waterhearesexpert.com |
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| Rooftop tanks Source - hindu.com |
Developing World Solution
In the third world, where water supply is available only a few hours a day for a few days a week, people have taken local storage to a new level by storing hundreds of gallons in rooftop tanks.
These rooftop tanks have in a way turned the local water supply utility into an intermittent supplier of water.
So why isn't "local storage" one of the solutions in our quiver to counter future water shortages everywhere in the world? All that needs done is to collect the quantity of water we need, individually or on a cooperative basis, adequate for the period over which we expect not to receive water supplies in the future?
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