Needed: A comprehensive U.S. Water policy

Excerpt

IN an age of growing demand for resources, Americans are beginning to realize their responsibility to conserve and coordinate the use of water supplies. The recent war in the Middle East confirmed my theory that war over access to raw materials is a reality. But while countries around the world can diversify their fuel resources, there is no substitute for water.

Water resource security must originate from the conservation and wise distribution of existing resources. Unfortunately, water policy at the federal level is fragmented and haphazard at best. Presently, there are at least 13 congressional committees, eight cabinet-level departments, six independent agencies, and two White House offices with responsibilities related to water resource issues.

Despite this incredible maze of bureaucracy, there is no coherent policy directing the use, conservation, and/or future need for water in this country.

Meanwhile, Congress continues to fund water impoundment projects and storage systems, set safe drinking water standards, and approve waste treatment facilities. And, as it is written now, the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act will shift the focus of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from pollution control to stream quality management, a shift that would have significant implications on traditional …