Our Ecosytems and Water Quality
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One of tribal governments, hardest jobs is to make sure tribal members are able to enjoy what some believe is a basic Human Right, safe, clean drinking water. March 22, 2010 is World Water Day bringing attention to the condition of water quality worldwide. People, governments, NGO’s and other organizations all over the world are involved in activities that putting science in the forefront for water quality and conditions.
Watch your environmental news publications especially the National Geographic Magazine for new reports, initiatives and populists events coming out this month and throughout the year. Water seems to be a much higher priority than climate change. Interest in climate does seem to be on the wane, but in reality the issues are inextricably linked. The year ahead will show just how closely these are linked and if the public, policy makers and companies are willing to make the connections.
An article published the 21st of March 2010 in the Circle of blue water news (Brett Walton) leads us to believe that the most efficient economically fix to water quality problems is in the health of our ecosystem. Poor water quality is a global problem. Raw sewage and industrial and agricultural waste pollute water bodies everywhere people live. Waterborne diseases such as diarrhea are the number one killer of children under age five, and more than one-third of all people do not have adequate sanitation.
The water quality situation in countries with widespread wastewater treatment stands in stark contrast. Water from rivers is used multiple times in its journey from highlands to the sea, but the treated waste water is often a higher quality than when it was withdrawn. Osborn estimates that every glass of water a Londoner drinks has been through eight other stomachs – though treatment removes the chemicals and waterborne diseases that kill millions in developing countries every year. Yet, expensive treatment plants are not the only solution.
The Economics of Ecosystems and Bio-diversity project (TEEB) is a UNEP program to study the economic benefits of a healthy ecosystem. Restoring environmental quality has proved to be one of the cheapest ways to improving water quality.
Pavan Sukdhev, TEEB project leader, pointed to a case study from India. Evian and Vittel, both bottled water companies, saw the water quality at their Indian bottling plants decline from excessive agricultural runoff upstream. The two companies decided to pay farmers for better management of the upstream ecosystem. They struck long-term agreements with farmers so that they used organic pesticides in order not to pollute the water supply, Sukdhev said. The farmers were paid a certain amount of money per hectare (1 hectare = 2.47 acres) to offset the higher cost of organic pesticides.
New York City took a similar approach two decades ago with its drinking water supply system. To comply with Clean Water Act regulations, the city was forced to improve its water quality. Rather than build the $8 billion treatment plants, officials initiated a watershed restoration program.
The city purchased land in the upper reaches of the watershed and worked with farmers to reduce agricultural waste. New York met its water quality targets, spending less than $1 billion on land acquisition and better management practices.
Even if you declare water a human right, there should be someone footing the bill for the service. We may not have to pay for water but we have to pay for the service, for cleaning it, for disposing of it.”— Dr. Janos Bogardi, United Nations University.
These benefits are often overlooked because they are not traded in markets. This is forcing environmental policy experts to find better ways to account for the services ecosystems provide. Sukdhev’s TEEB project is a part of the UNEP’s Green Economy Initiative, which is trying to understand the economic benefits of items included in GDP figures, such as ecosystem services. The results from the India case study show that a healthy ecosystem is a significant asset.
Restoring freshwater quality in the most polluted states in India costs over one-sixth of what the state earns, Sukdhev said. But just because these services are not market-based, does not mean they are free, according to Sukdhev, “If you don’t reward the services you receive, the supplier will stop them.”
Health ecosystems are key to long-term water quality and protection of drinking water sources. NTEC circuit riders perform outreach to tribal entities to convey that we need to be cognizant of our water quality and not accept anything less than safe drinking water. NTEC supports water utilities and operators to run drinking water, and wastewater systems to operate efficiently, effectively and economically. For information about our program contact Lewis A. McLeod at 406-675-3166, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text64712 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it