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Teach a Man How to Fish, but Take Away His Right to Fish: Water Policy, Water Police, Water Rights (LeakBird)

Mar.19, 2009 in Public Works, Water Crisis, Water Industry, Water Management, Water Rights

There’s an interesting ESPN article on the coming water policy crisis in America, in the context of fish and wildlife. Wikipedia defines the word “policy” as “a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome(s)“. Of course, it’s rooted in the word “police” as well, which “stems from the Greek word ‘politeia’ meaning, state, administration, government.” It’s connected with the word “politics”, as well, rooted in the Greek word “polis”, which means city.

So if there’s a coming water policy crisis, then clearly there’s a water crisis. And water policy is all about what course of action will guide the control of our water supplies, infrastructure, systems. Clearly, it’s about Who is going to control the water? This naturally leads into policing the water, particularly in large cities, such as the situation we currently have in Los Angeles.

The problem is that even if you teach a man to fish, soon he may not even have the right to fish, nor will his children.

From the ESPN article:

One of the greatest crises ever experienced in fish and wildlife management is currently building — the great wave of water policy conflict. The combination of rapid development and climate change will change everything we know about water availability and water quality in America. The clock is ticking. The time of crisis is nearly upon us.

This brings up fundamental questions about water rights. Of course, those who draft our water policies have a lot of power in dictating under what conditions we will receive, for example, clean water, or take our children fishing.

And we can easily look at this in the context of other countries, such as Chile.

Fundamentally, we ask the question: Is access to clean water a basic human right?, as did the Christian Science Monitor this morning. To tell you the truth, I find it difficult to ask this question, as I would hope that it were so.

Abendigo Reebs is the VP of Business Development for LeakBird Industries LLC in San Francisco, CA. He may be reached by email at ben@leakbird

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