Water, What Would We do Without it?

Grabbing a glass of water, taking a shower, boiling water, watering a plant, such simple everyday tasks. Can you imagine life without that ease? The human body is 75% water and out of everything we eat and drink, water is required more than anything else. After all, the human body can survive 3 weeks without food but only 3 days without water. What do you suppose would happen to you, your family, and society as a whole if the ease of water was taken away? The Water Knife is a novel that proposes a future world where the lack of drinkable water is real. Where society has taken a blow and people have begun filtering their own urine in order to stay hydrated in some way.


In today's world, there are water crisis' happening all over the globe, in America the Flint Water Crisis, which happened in Flint Michigan. The problems within Flint began about 2013 when the city decided to switch from Detroit's water system to the Flint River, however, this turned out to be a mistake. The water ran brown and smelled terrible, it turns out high traces of lead were running within the water. Even though the water failed several times when it was tested, residents of Flint were not notified. While for many years there was a back and forth of when the water was deemed safe to drink and when it was deemed unsafe in 2015 Marc Ewards and his team from Virginia Tech recommended that the state declared the water unsafe to drink or cook with. Later in 2015 Flint was put back on to the original Detroit water system but this contamination crisis will continue to impact the community for decades.

The country of Jordan is another country within the globe that is being affected by a water crisis. This already dry region is said to be getting hotter, causing it to dry up more. It is said that by 2100, Jordan could receive 30% less rainfall raising the annual temperature by 4.5 degrees Celcius. As a result of its dry nature, Jordan often turns to the Jordan River or Dead sea as a source of water. Unfortunately, converting salt water into fresh water takes time and money and these two sources are beginning to evaporate with the increasing temperatures.

Western Sahara, also knows as "the Devil's Garden" earning its nickname due to 50 degree Celcius weather, sandstorms, and lack of vegetation. Made up of two groups, Morocco and the Polisario Front these groups are at a constant battle for the land. This constant fight leaves little viable resources in its wake. Since 2015, temperatures have been exceptionally high in Western Sahara causing frequently cuts in the supply of tap water. These tap water cuts can last from one to four days and when the water does run it runs for no more than 3 to 4 hours with low flow. This forces each of these homes to be only supplied with 1 or 2 storage tanks.

With all that is happening within our own country and the world around us, why isn't more being done to prevent the "soon to be's"? Is it because we as humans are in a state of denial? Perhaps this is exactly why Paolo Bacigalupi author of The Water Knife, wrote this novel. While it is gruesome and violent, it also shows a chance of what our lives could soon become like if a solution isn't found. There are 7 deadly water sins we, the human race are committing according to the World Resource Institute, while they discuss these and the impact they are having, the WRI also give us hope by reminding us that some governments, universities, and citizens are waking up to the water crisis and are looking to find solutions.