Keeping Water In The Shed

[Coordinator]

Though discussion is limited among the mainstream media, there are very big concerns around the world, the United States, and here in Maine about our freshwater resources. They center around the availability of fresh drinking water to the public as potable freshwater sources are declining globally and private corporations are gaining an increasing share of what's left.

In Maine, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Wells, Shapleigh and Denmark have either passed moratoriums on water extraction or are fighting permit renewals for Nestle Waters, NA (which acts through its subsidiary, Poland Spring Water Company). Fryeburg's residents are being sued by Nestle for the fourth time since March of 2006. Further north, easements between the Nature Conservancy and Plum Creek leave vast amounts of forested land open to water extraction.

What happens when we drain aquifers? How will our ecosystems respond to such a shock? How will climate change affect our aquifers and rainfall? These questions bear weight worth considering, today, since looking at them in hindsight will leave us high and dry.

If every individual were to make three changes, we might solve the issue before it becomes a problem.

1. Conserve, conserve, conserve.
2. Use the tap, not the bottle.
3. Buy local, organic food

If you'd like to learn more about these concerns (from both sides), these links are a good start:

• Defending Water for Life In Maine
• Student Opinion from Bowdoin
• The Nature Conservancy
• Nestle Waters, North America
• Maine Indy Media
• Circle of Blue
• Flow and critics