| Being based in South Florida, water is a regular | | | | toxins readily make their way into our water |
| part of our lives. On the west, we are bordered | | | | supply. Additionally, when over-pumping or periods |
| by the Gulf of Mexico, while the Atlantic Ocean | | | | of drought occur, saltwater intrusion becomes a |
| graces our eastern shore. The southwest region | | | | serious problem. Ironic that the state which |
| of the state is entirely dominated by the | | | | receives more rainfall than nearly anywhere else |
| Everglades, a region of enormous biodiversity and | | | | in the continental United States is among the |
| importance. This completely notwithstanding the | | | | highest at risk for water shortages. |
| Florida Keys, the only living barrier reef system in | | | | "Thanks for the history lesson", the reader might |
| the continental United States. For us, water isn't | | | | say, "but what's it to us?" Especially here, where |
| just a drink or the recipe for a fun weekend; it is | | | | the environment is so closely linked with our |
| our livelihood. As the top tourist destination on the | | | | economic well-being, the need to consider |
| planet, we entertained over 76 million visitors in | | | | sustainability along with growth is essential. The |
| 2004, providing a $57 billion effect on our | | | | advice for Floridians is valid anywhere. Nutrient |
| economy(1). Much of this is due to our shores and | | | | overload is causing damage to our nearshore |
| underwater treasures. From airboat tours to | | | | water quality, reef health, and wetland viability. |
| SCUBA diving trips, our natural resources are | | | | This originates from agricultural facilities, yes, but |
| invaluable economically and environmentally. | | | | also from the average family's green lawn. How |
| So how can we balance their environmental | | | | can you make a difference? Take care to avoid |
| preservation with our own social growth? The | | | | fertilizers and pesticides unless necessary, then |
| draining of the Everglades has been covered | | | | using only the natural varieties. Time-release |
| nationally as one of the most ambitious land | | | | formulas can positively affect our water supply as |
| reclamation projects ever conceived. Looking | | | | they only use what is needed at the moment, |
| back, was it a bad idea? Absolutely, it disrupted | | | | minimizing runoff. It may not be apparent, but no |
| the natural flow of freshwater from the Lake | | | | matter where you are, every chemical you pour |
| Okeechobee region into the Everglades and | | | | into your soil eventually makes its way to a |
| subsequently, the Florida Bay. We're now spending | | | | waterway. Native plants require fewer, if any, |
| billions of dollars and countless work hours in an | | | | fertilizers. A growing trend nationally is xeriscaping, |
| attempt to return the system to some | | | | or planting native flora. My home county has a |
| semblance of the original design. However, by | | | | NatureScape Broward program which highlights |
| drying up a large part of the historical Everglades | | | | homes and businesses who have met a |
| in the early 20th century, it accomplished the | | | | xeriscaping goal. These yards require less care |
| original intent of the Army Corps of Engineers. | | | | and watering, thereby lowering their total cost of |
| Massive population centers in South Florida would | | | | upkeep. |
| not exist as we know them had the region not | | | | Reducing total water consumption also helps to |
| been dried and water flows redirected into canal | | | | preserve the natural environment. In a way, it is |
| systems. Permanent building was impossible due | | | | unfortunate that, for most users, water is so |
| to the constant variation in water levels before | | | | cheap as to render a financial savings extremely |
| the canals. Much of the reclaimed wetlands was | | | | minimal. At a rate of ~$2 per 1,000 gallons, even |
| initially used for farming, a natural fit due to the | | | | massive reductions will not result in significant |
| rich swampy "muck". Our economy grew from | | | | savings. However, there is another reason to |
| those farmers, fast-forwarding to Flagler's Railroad | | | | save water Â-- it's a limited resource. |
| and the first tourists. Some of those visitors | | | | Though we may not have a direct eye into our |
| constructed winter homes in the area, slowly | | | | own supply, know that the less each of us use, |
| converting the region from the next agricultural | | | | the better off all us will fare. |
| frontier (which it remains to this day in some | | | | A number of technologies, both old and new, are |
| regions) to the must-visit destination of the U.S. | | | | available to help reduce our depletion of valuable |
| Of course, even then, tourists came here not for | | | | aquifers. Low-flow toilets, shower-heads, and |
| the mosquitoes, humidity, or sunburns (well, | | | | faucets can more than halve indoor usage. |
| maybe the tanning), but for the water. Since the | | | | Atmospheric water generators allow drinking |
| water they craved was ocean, there was need | | | | water to be produced straight from the humidity |
| for another source of water to drink. Underneath | | | | in the air, purified for instant enjoyment. For |
| the southern part of the state lies the Biscayne | | | | irrigation purposes, cisterns connected to building |
| Aquifer, the primary source of our water supply. | | | | gutters can retain the water necessary to keep |
| While other regions have large, well-filtered | | | | the plants green through the hot summer or dry |
| aquifers buried thousands of feet below the | | | | spring seasons. |
| ground, the Biscayne Aquifer is essentially our | | | | Whether it be flowing down a plain in the |
| water table. It fluctuates with rainfall and is | | | | Everglades, surrounding a healthy coral reef, or |
| directly accessible from the surface. While it | | | | sitting in an ice-filled glass, water is an essential |
| makes extraction very simple, it presents a | | | | resource. Please treat it as such. |
| number of significant issues. Fertilizers and other | | | | |