By Klaus Reichardt

Patrick Lucey, a Canadian water expert, made a powerful comment at a soil and water conservation conference held a couple of years ago. He stated, “The future will be written in water … not ink.”

According to Lucey, Canada has 25 percent of the world’s surface freshwater supplies. Another 25 percent is located in Russia’s Siberia. This leaves 50 percent of all freshwater for the rest of the world to share. And with populations growing and emerging nations becoming more economically powerful, maintaining ample water supplies will be a serious challenge.

For instance, China anticipates building 200 new cities of more than one million people in the next 20 years. If planning is not done carefully, supplying water to these cities may mean other locations must go without.

However, there are ways to ensure that water supplies are adequate — or at least more so than anticipated — in coming years. For example, some facilities are now being built or retrofitted with systems that capture wastewater after a rainfall event so that it can be recycled and reused for irrigation, laundry, toilets, etc.

Experts believe the drain on drinking water can be reduced by as much as 70 percent if “most” rather than “some” facilities install these systems.

It will also be beneficial for building owners and managers to recognize water conservation as adding “value” to a facility. At one time most building owners/managers believed building and operating facilities in a more sustainable and environmentally preferable manner was just an added expense with little or no payoff. However, making facilities greener is not only proving to be a cost savings but is adding real value as well. To prospective tenants, a green and sustainable building is viewed as a well built, well run facility that they find desirable.  It also can result in significant cost savings.

Nevertheless, we cannot depend solely on new green designs and water conservation technologies to help us delay or minimize a possible water shortage. People around the world must also be educated on how to use water more responsibly.

There is an old Chinese proverb that states:

• If you are planning one year ahead, sow seeds.

• If you are planning 10 years ahead, plant trees.

• But if you are planning 100 years ahead, educate the people.

The year 2012 is an election year in the United States. In a democracy, decisions are typically driven not by politicians but by the will of the people. Educating people on water issues, future water trends and the need to conserve water will likely do more to make water conservation a reality in years to come than any new Green or water conserving technology.

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A frequent speaker and author on water conservation issues, Klaus Reichardt is founder and CEO of Waterless Co. Inc. in Vista, Calif. The company's key product, the Waterless No-Flush urinal, works completely without water and was invented by Reichardt.

Sidebar: Facts about Water

• In the United States, each person uses about 525,000 gallons of water annually. In China, each person uses about 122,000 gallons per year, and these amounts are far lower in most areas of the world.
• Only about 1 percent of the Earth’s total water supply is potable, suitable for drinking.
• Humans can survive nearly a month without food; they can survive only a few days without water.
• It takes about 39,000 gallons of water to build a car and about 2,000 gallons of water to manufacture the four tires.
• A 10 minute shower consumes 20 to more than 50 gallons of water, depending on whether water conserving systems are in place.