Water Distribution

"There is a water crisis today. But the crisis is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs. It is a crisis of managing water so badly that billions of people - and the environment - suffer badly." 
– World Water Vision Report

Water distribution is a major challenge today in terms of public health, the universal human right to clean affordable water, and localized supply and demand challenges. These issues are faced across our country and across the globe. We are so accustomed to turning on the tap or drinking fountain and instantly having a glass of clean, cold, potable water at our fingertips. However, many people across the world do not have easy access to clean water or only have access to prohibitively expensive water, posing a daily challenge.

 Across the globe and here in the US, our population continues to grow. How does the location of sprawling population centers compare to water scarcity and abundance? Beyond water for drinking, cooking, and bathing, additional water is required for irrigating agricultural lands in areas where rainfall alone is insufficient. For instance, the Colorado River offers an interesting and thought-provoking case study centered around water management. It’s one of our country’s greatest rivers – we wouldn’t have the Grand Canyon without it! – but today it no longer reaches the sea. The Colorado River's ever-changing story includes such interwoven topics as geography, history, supply and demand, population growth, climate change, water rights, and water distribution infrastructure.

Enhanced Learning Activities

Changing Rivers (Grades 3-5)

How I Use Water In My Daily Life (Grades 3-12)

The True Cost of Water (Grades 3-8)

Additional Resources

World Water Development Report – United Nations

Can the Colorado River Keep Running? – National Geographic

Water Calculator – GRACE Communications Foundation