Water managers all over the country are bracing for expected water shortages.
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Dr. Michael Shank (the latter from NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network) write to sound a warning about the a looming water supply crisis in the United States.
America is entering a new phase of “peak water”, the point at which freshwater is being consumed faster than it is replenished. Already, 40 state water managers expect water shortages to occur in their states over the next 10 years.
Nearly one in 10 watersheds, an area of land where water drains into one place, are stressed by the impact of arid conditions. Over 80 percent of continental U.S. is abnormally dry and, with 17 of the 18 warmest years in recorded history occurring since 2001, we can expect even drier conditions to become more common.
The opinion piece includes details about what planners and politicians are already doing to prepare for the looming changes in water supply as a result of climate change—but current efforts leave a lot of necessary work toward addressing future water scarcity incomplete.
FULL STORY: We must take action on the nation’s coming water supply crisis
Mississippi Investigated for Civil Rights Violations in Jackson Water Crisis
The NAACP has accused a pair of Mississippi departments of discrimination against Black Mississippians, leading to the loss of drinking water in the state's capital city at the end of the summer.
Bay Area Development Encounters the Limits of the Water Supply
A development battle pitting Contra Costa County against the East Bay Municipal Utility District illustrates the challenges of developing new housing supply in a time of drought.
Arizona Governor Pledges $1 Billion to Water Infrastructure
The billion-dollar investment in the state's water supplies sounds good on paper, but lawmakers must also distribute funding effectively to mitigate the state's urgent water shortage.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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