For the last three years in October, I have shared messages about the Imagine a Day Without Water campaign, and I will again this year. While we are fortunate to have plenty of water and fairly good water quality within our watershed, we must not take that for granted and also realize that many do not. This year's drought and consequent low river levels may give us a glimpse of what it would be like to not have adequate water.
What if we had no water to drink, or wash your hands with? No water to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry? Hospitals would close without water. Firefighters couldn't put out fires and farmers couldn't water their crops. Diseases would spread.
This year, we want to help you learn more about where your water comes from and where your water goes. Do you know where your potable water comes from, and how sustainable that source is? And where does the water go when you flush? Most people do not know. I suspect our FREPsters all do. But this is one of our missions to be sure others have an idea. And how will climate change affect our water sources? We will have more frequent and extreme droughts, but interspersed with larger storm events. How can we all be more prepared and resilient for these extremes?
Imagine a Day Without Water 2021 will be the seventh annual day to raise awareness and educate America about the value of water. Let's start with our Fox River watershed.
Jeff Mengler
FREP President
Photos taken at Jon Duerr Forest Preserve, Kane County, September 2021
