As the world population grows, our need for clean water grows as well. That people continue to live in crowded cities where water is limited or even scarce is contributing greatly to the public perception than mankind is facing a water shortage crisis. When the sensationalism of man-made climate change is added into the mix, we are left with an epidemic worry over water. The scientific reality is that the Earth has more fresh-water than we can ever use. The problem, of course, is that we continue to overpopulate geographies that have limited water resources, to begin with. Nonetheless, the impending water apocalypse is a favorite topic of ours.

This post is not focused on these political issues but instead on a precarious position our water is likely going to face over the coming decade. Specifically, I want to deliver a warning about something I have named;

The Great Water Grab!

History shows that as a resource becomes scarcer, it becomes much more desirable and its price rises exponentially. We are all familiar with the prices of gold, silver, platinum, uranium, and diamonds. We are also familiar with the greed, corruption, side-deals, and hoarding that precious resources always become subject to. Well, hold on to your hats, because the same immoral, unsavory and perhaps criminal behaviors are about to be applied to the world’s freshwater. Do not take this lightly because the panic and fear over water is already upon us.

At the moment, the bulk transportation of water for anything other than humanitarian purposes, as in disaster relief, is too expensive to be practical. However, as freshwater becomes harder to come by, opportunistic entrepreneurs will indeed find a way to capitalize on those who are in dire straits and need water. When we get to that point, the corruption, irresponsibility and contamination issues will begin to mount. Opportunistic people with absolutely no scientific background will get into the business of water, and it will be a mess.

Once that happens, I fear that the Federal government is going to get involved and promote “The Big Water Grab” as the only way to rescue America from its water crisis. I foresee a time when the Federal government will declare that all water resources are under its jurisdiction. That’s when the misery over water could really begin. And if you think this is far fetched, think again. There are already communities in America where it is a crime to collect rainwater off of your home. California has already initiated new measures to tell people how they can, and cannot use water.

Imagine the Great Lakes being depleted because a powerful congressman in another part of the nation mustered enough support to steal water to benefit his voters.

Should “The Big Water Grab” happen the government will likely tell us that their only purpose is to assure that water is distributed evenly, across the US; so that everybody has a fair portion. Unfortunately, along the way, opportunists. lobbyists and politicians will use this grab to give favors to those companies and districts that are most supportive of their respective political campaigns. To hell with you and me.

We have a horrible tendency in America not to act on water until there is a crisis. By not having a long-term vision and National Water Plan to provide proper water infrastructure we run a dangerous risk of having our water turned into a political beach ball.