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The Rotary theme for March is Water and Sanitation Month. Growing up in the upper midwest United States, also known as the Great Lakes Region, I took water for granted. Despite the Cuyahoga River fire of 1969 outside Cleveland, Ohio, I could always expect that water would flow out of the tap when I turned the valve.
That expectation would be challenged in 2007 when I moved to Atlanta. The area was in drought. Much of the metropolitan area is built on crests and hills surrounding the Chattahoochee River. Because of the needs of three states, the demands on this watershed became ever more controversial - pitting over 5 million urban users against the outstate consumers. The water issues in the area were further complicated by an aging distribution system. A broken main with an accompanying boil water alert was a frequent occurrence.
I started giving more attention to the public water issues within the United States, remembering the 1993 Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Milwaukee - leading me to filter water in my home. Today, Milwaukee is struggling to replace the over 70,000 lead service lines to avoid the problems in Flint, Michigan. When I arrived in Los Angeles last week, it was in the middle of their first rain since the devastating downpour and mudslides in January. This area is on the knife’s edge between flood and drought.
Water is not only important in sustaining life. It plays a key role in sanitation. Beyond general hygiene, water management is critical for controlling water and mosquito borne illnesses. The Rotary Foundation has made water and sanitation one of the six areas of focus because water can be both the giver and taker of life.
You may be thinking that this all good and wondering what you can do. One of the easiest things you can do is make a donation to The Rotary Foundation. If you donate to the general fund, that money will be available in three years for water projects in our District and around the world.