Access to clean, safe water is something most of us in the United States take for granted. Turn on the tap, there’s clean water. It’s not something you really have to think that much about. When you really look into things, however, the state of our water supply isn’t as great as you might think.

Privatization

The privatization of water supplies is a huge problem throughout the world. This article on Truthout is quite eye opening. The privatization of water in many countries has made water too expensive for many people and caused small farms to fail due to the lack of water.

Bit by bit, it’s happening in the United States too. There are some very interesting reports to read about this at Food and Water Watch.

Pollution

If you pay much attention at all, you know that water pollution is a big issue also. From the Pacific Garbage Patch to dead zones in the Gulf, to medications found in tap water, keeping our water clean is a major problem.

Water pollution isn’t just about having clean water to drink, of course. It’s about plants, fish and wildlife. It’s even about having water to play in. Ever hear about beach closures due to water pollution from storm runoff or broken sewer pipes? It’s perhaps a small part of the problem, but one you may have encountered in your own life.

Movies to Watch

If you want to learn more about what’s happening with our water supply, you should watch Flow or Tapped the Movie. They both get into the problems our water supply is facing, especially privatization and pollution.

Not that it’s just a problem in the United States, as some of the links I’ve provided show. Water privatization and pollution are global issues, and very much in need of your attention.