The Big Thirst
“Our water problems are real. Our approach to water must change, and we’ll be happier if we realize that, and handle the change with creativity and forethought rather than confront it as a crisis. It’s water we’re talking about, so there will be no avoiding the change. What we can choose is the time and the approach and the level of panic.”
“When conflict over water arises, typically, it’s not about the water itself, but about the role the water is playing, the use it’s being put to, who gets it and who doesn’t, and what condition the water is in when all is said and done.”
Fishman argues that whether we will avert or become embroiled in a water scarcity crisis is related more closely to our understanding, connection, and use of water—its management and economics—than its actual availability. Using Las Vegas, Australia, and India as case studies, Fishman highlights the pervasive significance of water in our lives and informs the reader of the social, economic, and technological solutions for better water distribution that are out there.