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[–] TheStapler ago 

The real ecologists, like the sanctimonious Left, would say that water should be conserved. As population expands, more water is tied up in human bodies and used in agriculture and so on, which demands more water supply, all of which uses more and more energy. And I’m doubtful about any negative effect of using less water on the treatment facilities. I mean, their filters are going to collect the same material either way.

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[–] Glory_Beckons ago  (edited ago)

And I’m doubtful about any negative effect of using less water on the treatment facilities. I mean, their filters are going to collect the same material either way.

Sure, modern wastewater treatment facilities can cope with it very well, especially in areas that expect dry periods, since they are designed for it. But it does have an effect, and is a thing that must be anticipated, designed for, and dealt with to avoid problems.

And I'm perfectly happy to agree that dealing with less volume, of course, requires less energy. To illustrate by extremes: If there were only 100 humans on the planet, we wouldn't need wastewater treatment plants at all, and therefore require no energy. Conversely, if there were 100 billion humans on the planet, we would require a tremendous amount of energy to provide them with water and deal with the waste.

But the shortage, then, is still not water. The shortage is energy and infrastructure required to circulate and clean enough water to accommodate X number of humans. There's plenty of water on the planet. Keeping water available and usable is the challenge.

I believe I had all of that covered under "water logistics".

Long term solutions, if you are running into water logistics problems, then, must be one, or both, of two things:

  1. Better energy sources
  2. Less humans

Rationing water use, to the point of regulating how humans go about urinating, is not a solution at all. It's just giving up on civilization, succumbing to the problem, and allowing it to drive you into squalor and deprivation.

Luckily, apart from certain overpopulated desert regions (I'm looking at you, California), we don't really have water logistics problems in Western countries. There are, however, severe water logistics issues, with global impact, in large areas of Asia and Africa.

I would propose a rapid deployment of solution number 2, in those areas. Until water logistics issues subside.