What are we doing about H2O?

Water. We drink it, bathe in it, and grow our crops with it. It is the basis of life on our planet. In some places it comes in abundance, but here in the desert we recognize that water is a limited resource. It must be used carefully. As we enter yet another season of drought, it is the responsibility of the government to regulate the use of our community’s water resources so that future generations will enough to live on.

There are many small things that can be accomplished on a local level to assist with water conservation. First, we can regulate building codes so that all new buildings are required to have low-flow shower heads and toilets, and that xeroscaping is used on a majority of land so that watering of landscaping can be reduced. New developments and golf courses can be required to use gray water for irrigation of public green areas.

Furthermore, government agencies (like cities, counties, and universities) should look to this technology, and should not water their areas in the middle of the day when water is most likely to evaporate. We can also seriously enforce existing rationing codes so that people will be encouraged to only water their lawns and wash their cars on designated days and at night.

On a state and national level there can be much done as well. First, most of the water on our planet cannot be used by humans because it contains too much salt or other minerals. Research funding for better desalination techniques can allow prices to drop and more local governments to utilize this technology.

El Paso has developed a desalination plant, and Alamogordo has looked at building one for a decade as much of the water beneath our feet is unusable because of high mineral content.

Second, more research can be done to increase the efficiency of drip irrigation systems used in our desert environment. Though traditional and relatively easy, flood irrigation using arroyos in the desert allows for a lot of water to evaporate in to the hot, dry air. Technologies such as drip irrigation, where pipe systems with holes are installed below the ground to give water directly to the roots of growing crops, are being used almost exclusively in places like Israel with similarly dry climates. If we could develop ways of doing this more efficiently, many acre-feet of water could be saved.

The state in particular should look at changing its policy regarding water rights. Currently, if you own water rights and do not use them you can be in danger of losing them. This encourages inefficient use of water on a regular basis. By enacting a new policy that stimulates better uses of water we can save much. Furthermore, the state should look at establishing a water court similar to the one set up in Colorado to handle water-specific legal matters. This will allow things like water desalination to be implemented easier.

Third, all government agencies can do a better job of educating the public on where water can be saved on a day-to-day basis. By just turning off a tap between use when washing dishes or brushing teeth, an average person can save gallons of water every week. However, many people seem to be unaware of the potential savings to be gained by these methods. In Santa Fe, where the problem is much worse than in Las Cruces, it seems as if every public restroom has a note asking citizens and visitors to save water. At the very least, we can all start broadcasting public service announcements and sending mailers explaining what can be done for water savings.