Benjamin Franklin once said, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” For our community, water is so easy to get that the concept of a “dry well” is hard to imagine.
On October 20th we “Imagine a Day Without Water.” The purpose of this national day of action is to raise awareness to the fact that not everyone has immediate access to water. For this reason, it’s important to appreciate and protect this precious resource.
History shows that our ancient ancestors settled near reliable water sources because their survival depended on it. We still need water for our survival, however, instead of making the long trek to the watering hole each day…the water now comes to us. There are some parts of the state, country and world where that isn’t the case.
Billions of people have to share a limited water supply that is harder and harder to come by because of climate change and drought.
That is precisely why days like “Imagine a Day Without Water” are so important. These moments are not trivial, they are an opportunity for us to use our imagination to brainstorm, innovate and develop solutions for our future.
The fact that water is readily available for most people today is a good thing. It means water providers – including the six Coachella Valley water agencies – are working diligently to deliver on their promise to provide you with safe and dependable water.
The next time you turn on the faucet for a drink of water, close your eyes and imagine what that long walk to the watering hole would look like.
