Historic Drought Offers Historic Opportunity

Charles Fishman pens an opinion piece for The New York Times arguing that America's worst drought since the 1950s offers "an opportunity to tackle long-ignored water problems and to reimagine how we manage, use and even think about water."

1 minute read

August 19, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


For decades, drought in America has been met with temporary solutions to overcome extreme, but seemingly temporary, environmental conditions. However as climate change turns the occasional severe drought into a more common occurrence, and our nation's water infrastructure continues to crumble, the need for lasting changes in how we use and value water become more pressing. 

Hence with water clearly on the nation's mind, Fishman argues now is the time to instigate such change. He proposes solutions that can be adopted right now such as lawn-watering restrictions, smarter plumbing fixtures, codes that require buildings to use water more efficiently, increased use of recycled water, and more informative water bills.   

Thursday, August 16, 2012 in The New York Times

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