| While Australia is not the driest continent on the | | | | Some citizens have gathered together to form |
| earth, it is second only to Antarctica. The key | | | | concerned citizen groups and to rally to the call to |
| difference between the two continents is that | | | | action in some neighbourhoods by installing home |
| Antarctica is not inhabited. Australia is populated | | | | water recycling tanks. This is a problem that we |
| and the population is growing. For far too long we | | | | all have to face together in a solution is to be |
| have lived as though we had an abundance of | | | | found to the problem. More and more people are |
| water and this could not be further from the | | | | becoming aware of the problem thereby more |
| truth. There is not even enough water in some of | | | | and more creative solutions are being brought to |
| largest rivers to still be able to make it to the sea | | | | the table. |
| without intervention by man and machine. | | | | The Future |
| Over a decade of drought cannot even be | | | | The need for water conservation is imperative. |
| undone by one heavy monsoon season. It will | | | | We can all see the writing on the wall if we open |
| take an effort on behalf of all Australians to help | | | | our eyes to it. If we don't open our eyes to the |
| reduce the amount of fresh water they use. This | | | | problem and begin to seek a solution, we will find |
| means learning the laws of water recycling and | | | | ourselves hoarding water in the very near future. |
| putting them into play in our day to day lives. | | | | There are more people in Australia than the |
| Gray Water versus Black Water | | | | current water supply can sustain. If alterations to |
| The terms grey water and black water are now | | | | our lifestyles are not accepted willingly by |
| better recognized and understood as increased | | | | concerned citizens, the government will be forced |
| public interest in recycling water is growing in | | | | to begin to make more and more rules and |
| direct proportion to our lack of water. Gray water | | | | regulations to insure right decisions are made. |
| is water that can be reused and recycled. It | | | | Many feel we have become an increasingly |
| comes from the shower, the laundry and the | | | | "disposable" society, and a more and more urban |
| kitchen. Black water is water that has been used | | | | society that sees nothing beyond instant |
| in the toilet and is not considered recyclable | | | | gratification. There are huge consequences to be |
| without proper waste water treatment. | | | | paid for not protecting natural resources. Each |
| As the very disturbing fact that we have nearly | | | | generation inherits the consequences of actions |
| exhausted our natural resources of water begins | | | | taken by prior generations. Not is it is time to |
| to hit home, people across the country have | | | | demand that we look for water recycling |
| come to realize this is more than a problem | | | | alternatives that can be applied today instead of |
| confined to rural areas. The cities now bear the | | | | passing this problem down to our children. If we |
| brunt of our past ignorance and resource abuse | | | | don't make modifications in water use practices, |
| and the most immediate evidence is in the large | | | | the continent won't be able to sustain the future |
| number of empty swimming pools and dead | | | | population. |
| flower gardens across the continent. | | | | |