Assignment 1: Water Knowledge
Yup. So a lady in a documentary asked me some questions and here are my answers to them.
1. What fresh water sources are around you (home, school, work)?
"Sweetwater River, Sweetwater Reservoir, Loveland Reservoir, and San Diego Bay" (source)
2. What watershed are you in?
I am in the Sweetwater Watershed (source)
3. Where does your tap water come from?
"Between 85 and 90% of our drinking water is a blend from the Colorado River and Northern California. About 10 to 15% of the City's drinking water supply is made up of runoff from local rainfall that is captured in our reservoirs." (source)
4. Where does your waste water (sewage) go?
San Diego Bay after being treated ("Between the headwaters and the outlet to San Diego Bay, the watershed contains" source)
NOTE: San Diego Bay is both a freshwater source and a waste water output source. This is an example of a method commonly referred to as "Toilet to Tap" (knowledge given to me by wastewater expert 'Greg' from 10th grade chemistry)
America
1. Introduction
Quote: "The United States can be considered largely water rich relative to many other countries, and its citizens enjoy nearuniversal access to safe water and sanitation. Yet some U.S. communities continue to face systemic violations of this human right — often those in poor, minority or rural locations."
Comment: I would have never guessed that any place in the US would have a need for water or sanitation. If that thought did, however, cross my mind, the last place that I would have thought to be missing water would be rural areas. Rural areas are, after all, where the cities get their own water.
Connection: I wonder if there are any areas near San Diego where water is a problem. Would it be more common in rural areas, or in more poor areas of Southern California?
Question: Are there any areas near San Diego where the general population of said area is without water or sanitation?
2. Violations of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation
Quote: "Urbanization, mining, energy production, agriculture and many other factors can impair water quality. Sprawling development increases the area of impervious surfaces and disrupts the flow of water that is needed to recharge groundwater aquifers and rivers. Once water is contaminated, it is more expensive to treat to safe drinking water standards."
Comment: When I was studying my watershed, I noticed a few of these contaminants in my own water supplies. As the quote says, "Once water is contaminated, it is more expensive to treat to safe drinking water standards." Does this mean that treating water makes drinking water in an area more expensive?
Connection: If this does mean that treated water is more expensive, then on average, how much more am I paying for my water (because of the "Toilet to Tap" project) than a city that doesn't treat wastewater?
Question: Is drinking water more expensive in an area where water is also treated? How much more expensive is this water? Do the benefits outweigh the price increase?
3. Vulnerable Populations and Discrimination
Quote: "Latinos represent the second largest racial and ethnic group — after Native Americans — in the United States without safe water access, accounting for roughly 135,000 households, predominately in Puerto Rico, California and Texas. 42 Issues of property rights and citizenship threaten this group’s access to water and sanitation. The right to safe water and sanitation is violated not just because of the lack of extended services; there are basic communications concerns as well. If the water quality of an immigrant community deteriorates and residents are not properly notified of the health violations in an appropriate language, then this is a violation of the obligation to protect."
Comment: In order to pass the citizenship test (a part of the process to become a citizen in the US), you are required to at least know some English. You do not have to be fluent, but you have to know at least some English. I do not believe that we should have to speak any language other than English to notify anyone of health violations. They are in America and if they do not at least know some English, they should not have been admitted into this country as a legal citizen.
Connection: That being said, I do find it interesting that with the large diversity of races that California has, we still have discrimination towards races in terms of water. Native Americans have reservations where only Native Americans live, so I can understand how that could be considered discrimination, but in most places in southern California, Whites, Blacks, Latinos and many other races live intermingled in a community. That means that water should be distributed (or not distributed) to them a bit more equally. I wonder if this statistic is just a coincidence I mean, plumbing and connection to a water system is implemented before someone even buys a house. There is no way that someone would be able to know what race(s) of people will be occupying said house.
Question: Is it possible that this statistic could just be a coincidence and that the Latino races is not being discriminated against?
4. U.S. Foreign Aid and U.S. Engagement in International Financial Institutions
Quote: "U.S. engagement with international financial institutions should be designed to promote and support the human right to water and sanitation. The United States is the largest single donor country to the World Bank Group, which remains the largest external source of financing for water management in developing countries. However, the Bank continues to push water privatization and corporatization on governments through advisory and technical services, direct investments that empower transnational water corporations, the restructuring of public utilities, and even the use of donor conditionalities. Restructuring often means forcing borrowing countries to adopt cost-recovery regulations that increase household tariffs and lay the groundwork for privatization."
Comment: I wonder if the U.S. realizes what their investments towards the World Bank Group are going towards. I know that I would stop investing in them if I found out that my money was benefiting privatization of water.
Connection: The United State's involvement with other countries' water problems doesn't surprise me (we do it with wars too), but it is commonly said that "Before you can effectively help others, you must first help yourself." We are having our own water problems. I say we fix those before we go sticking our nose where it doesn't belong.
Question: Does the U.S. know that their investments in the World Bank Group benefit privatization of water? Do they see the problems with privatizing water? Do they care?
5. Conclusion: Implementing a National Plan of Action on the Right to Water and Sanitation in the United States
Quote: "Commit the necessary resources, financial and otherwise, to create and implement a National Plan for Water Management to respect, protect and fulfill the human right to water and sanitation in the United States. The plan should:
o Center around human rights, prioritizing basic needs and ecological integrity;
o Incorporate the forthcoming results of U.S. Geological Survey surface and groundwater mapping statistics;
o Include affordability standards, effective remedies for discrimination, and accountability mechanisms;
o Be based on a participatory, inclusive and transparent process; and
o Safeguard against corporate interference in the planning and implementation process."
Comment: I particularly like this quote because this recommendation is the first of the recommendations we were given and should therefore be given top priority. This one is one of the few that focuses towards our country which backs up my claim that you need to help yourself before you can effectively help others.
Connection: I don't recall any mention of this in the Presidential Debates. I understand that to the average person, this isn't really an issue and so it didn't come up, but when Bill Clinton was running for president, there were debates about sending troops to Somalia, which would be there to ensure that the people of Somalia were able to receive international food imports. That is a very similar issue to the water problems we are having now.
Question: Do either of our presidential candidates this year have plans to resolve this water problem we are having?
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