Texas water availability is quickly becoming a critical issue that must be dealt with soon. Even with quick response there is still chance for economic damage. As a resident I hope that clever/hasty(but not rushed) planning can help to reduce harm. I am a fan of conservation and recycling but I don't believe it is going to be enough to quench the needs of texans at the rate the population is growing. The population is projected to grow to 46 million in the next 50 years. Not to mention the current severe drought that plagues the state. Some Texas cities are estimated in 6 months to run out of water. Trucking water in will only be a quick fix. I believe that education/awareness of Texas' water status is important and punishments for water wasting should be more severe.
I'm not sure of the scale of job or the time required but I think that the benefits of building a water pipeline and reservoirs in Texas will outweigh possible harm. I believe it could help reduce stress put on some ecosystems as a result of over water consumption. It will help to maintain water prices at reasonable and affordable levels as well as allow agriculture and commerce to continue unhindered on a large scale. It will be hard to avoid some inconveniences associated with the placement of the pipeline/reservoirs. A state draft plan estimates that an inadequate water supply would harm the economy, reducing employment by 546,000 people and income by more than $61 billion. Thats only in part of the state! The employment of welders, inspectors, project managers, engineers and many others could really help to stimulate the state's economy.
No comments:
Post a Comment