The Importance of Conservation!

many of you have asked how you can get better informed on water issues, so here are some links that you can access. Also, if you're on facebook, you can become a member of The Texas League for Conservation Voters!

• http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27500767015
• http://www.texasthestateofwater.org/

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One of my biggest pet peeves...here I go! Well today while running work related errands, I detoured to the bathroom at a Target. While there I noticed a person washing her hands and then leave the water running while she talked on her cell phone. Seriously! It infuriated me, so I quietly reached over in front of her-excusing myself and turning the water off. She just glared at me as if to say, I am not done w/that or I'm getting the water temp just right so I can take a bath in the sink? What? Well, allow me to educate you on water conservation. In 1944 the US & Mexico signed the water sharing treaty, in which the US would share the water with Mexico from the Rio Grande & Colorado Rivers for irrigating purposes. Mexico in turn was to repay the US that water in a few years after they had replenished their water supply. Okay people, that was 65 years ago-how much water have we been repayed while the Rio Grande Valley farmers have suffered and lost much of their farming businesses due to droughts? To date...not much. Also, independent farmers have been in the process of suing the US for their lack of collecting the water promised in the treaty with Mexico. Shame on us for not collecting and not doing anything about it! Have they been compensated? To date, No! In 2002 many Valley farmers went out of business while Mexican produce continued to flow into the US. & is still continuing.

But the saddest part of it all...something most people don't know...is that in the summer of 2001, the first time in recorded history---the Rio Grande failed to empty into the Gulf of Mexico? That is huge people! Since 2006 the water has barely been trickling thru, but unless rainfall returns to normal levels during the next few years and we maintain strict water conservation the Rio Grande may soon become extinct. How sad would that be?

So next time you are watering your yard, have water running thru your plumbing, have a leak or water drip that you don't repair-think about water and how blessed we are to have such a wonderful resource. Let's not take it for granted!

Pass it on.