Water: Source of Life,
Source of Conflict –
Social Entrepreneurs' Solutions
for Water Conservation
By Jerome Casagrande
As Israel and Syria begin the latest round of negotiations to bring peace
to the Middle East, one recalls the words spoken by President Anwar Sadat of
Egypt in 1979 after he signed the historic accord that brought peace between
Israel and Egypt. "The only matter that could take Egypt to war again," said
Sadat "is water."
King Hussein of Jordan echoed Sadat's theme in 1990 when
he proclaimed that water was the only issue that could take his country to
war with Israel. More fundamental than even the most profound religious and
cultural differences, water – or more accurately, a lack of it – has often
brought nations to armed conflict.1
In 1995, the vice president of the World
Bank, Ismail Serageldin predicted, "The wars of the next century will be
over water." Will he be right?
Using It Up
Humans use an enormous amount of water. We dam rivers, pump groundwater and
siphon lakes and rivers to grow our food, quench our thirst, spur our
industry. We use our rivers, lakes and oceans intentionally and
unintentionally as dumping grounds for our waste (see table on next page). We fell the
forests and pave the land, reducing the soil's ability to retain water – so
more water flows to the sea and becomes unavailable for irrigation,
industrial use or drinking, not to mention unavailable to the plants and
animals with whom we share the land.
Go to the Changemakers Library for selected Internet resources about water conservation
