Shades of Blue: Water, Drought and Health
Article in the Nogales International
May 19, 2006
Mary Kay O'Rourke, Associate Professor
The Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
The University of Arizona
No one in Santa Cruz County needs to be told it’s a dry year. We see parched vegetation around us, and hear about dry conditions from ranchers, naturalists and those concerned with high fire risk. Southern Arizonans are always challenged by dry conditions and recently have lived with "extreme" and "exceptional" drought. We think of water as a renewable resource falling from the sky. Unfortunately, we have exceeded the annual recharge potential of our natural water system. Now, we mine more water than is replenished through "recharge" each year. We need to adjust our thinking and realize ground water is a limited commodity just like oil. What are we planning to do in the future?
In March of 2003, Governor Janet Napolitano created a "Drought Taskforce." The group submitted a report in 2004 promoting the development of a drought-monitoring system and an Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan. The Plan includes an operational approach to address drought. Actions are defined for state government, local communities and individual water consumers. Current conditions suggest we familiarize ourselves with the Plan. The state is responsible for assessing water availability, working with local governments, declaring emergency conditions, communicating conditions to affected parties and enforcing the Plan. County and municipal governments are responsible for developing locally appropriate drought preparedness plans, water reduction programs, alternate water supplies, educational outreach and local enforcement. Nogales, Arizona is developing new water wells to continue meeting growing community needs.
Ultimately, success of water use reduction lies with the individual. State and local government can promote a "culture of (water) conservation" as recommended by the Plan, but you and I need to make reductions in our water use. The Plan recommends measures like re-landscaping to reduce or eliminate outdoor water use; recycling bathing, dish washing and laundry water; and capturing or channeling runoff from rain storms to meet household irrigation needs. Few of us alter our day-to-day behavior with water; yet, we need to start. Plan approaches do little to relieve drought conditions in the countryside. The county Plan should to address the needs of various constituencies for our area.
People with computers and internet connections can view the drought-tracking efforts on various websites. For instance, drought assessment maps at http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ indicate Santa Cruz County is experiencing exceptional drought and above normal temperatures, while predictions for future rainfall are uninformative. As part of the Drought Preparedness Plan, the state water department has a site at http://azwater.gov/. This site communicates conditions to anyone with an interest. If you lack a computer and want to know more about these sites, visit the Nogales-Santa Cruz County Public Library.
Insufficient rainfall leaves our land dry and promotes fire. In addition to the direct risks to people and property, smoke and particulates generated by fire threaten respiratory health in susceptible populations like asthmatics, young children and the elderly. Water quantity and water quality are essential to promoting health in humans. Clean, safe drinking water is essential. Reduced water availability impacts personal hygiene and promotes disease. Some researchers find increased cases of gastrointestinal disease when municipal water systems experience low water pressure. We know water in our desert is a limited resource; we are largely unaware of the world-wide water crisis. In the next 20 years, available water is expected to drop by about 30% for each person. A ripple effect will be seen in food availability, measures of health, population stability and relations among nations. All these issues are important to the well-being of Santa Cruz County residents. We need to think about policies and leadership to negotiate the troubled waters ahead.
