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Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource By Marq de Villiers Houghton Mifflin Co. 222 Berkeley St. Boston, MA 02116 2000, 368 pp., $26 It seems from the thesis developed in this book that the well-known aphorism should be revised to say “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to spare.” In his book, de Villiers strives, perhaps too diligently, to prove the hypothesis that, as a result of increasing population, serious contamination, overconsumption of groundwater, and poor management, there is a real chance that the world will run out of a sustainable water supply a short time in the future. The economic, social, and scientific basis for this book is the report of the 1998 UNESCO conference called “Water—The Looming Crisis”. The point is made that water can be polluted, abused, and misused, but it is neither created nor destroyed; it only migrates. The hydrologic cycle involves the circulation of water from 15 km above the earth’s surface to a maximum depth of 5 km in the oceans, as a result of solar-driven evaporation largely over the oceans and precipitation that supply water to the land, rivers, and lakes, and recharge groundwater and subterranean aquifers. These processes occur over time scales of hours to thousands of years. This cycle is important in that © 2001 American Chemical Society
by the process of evaporation, it continually refreshes and cleanses our water supply. The author makes the point that the boundary between a population whose water supply is stressed or nonstressed is approximately 1750 m3 yr–1 capita–1, of which about 1100 m3 are needed to produce required food. It is estimated that almost half a billion people are already living under water stress, largely in Africa, and that this number will increase by a factor of 5 in the next 50 years. A small proportion of the available freshwater on this planet is in rivers and lakes (0.26% or 90,000 km3) and may be continually renewed. Thus, the follies of humankind’s mismanagement may be reversed to provide a continued annual supply of about 34,000 km3, or about 5000 m3 per capita per year based on a world population of 6 billion people. Looking at these numbers, there should be more than enough water to satisfy an increasing world population, but they do not reflect the fact that a large segment of the world’s population lives in arid areas of this planet and the real problem we have is a very uneven distribution. The most sobering statement in this book is that the wars of the 21st century will be fought over water and that an adequate supply of pure water is the most critical issue facing human development. This book provides a very good summary of the present state of affairs and presents an illuminating discussion of areas in the world where water issues are extremely important, from areas where water resources are minimal, to those where human exploitation and mismanagement have disrupted ecosystems, such as the Aral Sea, and the overexploited aquifers in the American West. Although the author is quick to criticize the depletion of the Ogallala aquifer, the transport of water in the California Aqueduct, and the deleterious effects of dams, he does not present a strong case for alternative strategies.
For environmental chemists, this book provides little of substance, as de Villiers clearly is anti-technology, and what science there is raises questions regarding the author’s credibility in his understanding or use of facts. Unfortunately, there are essentially no citations from the scientific literature, and in many places in the book, it is difficult to trace the source of quoted facts. Two examples from this reviewer’s experience may be given. de Villiers asserts by implication that the water level in pristine Lake Baikal is decreasing because of human withdrawal and is being polluted by industrial discharges. Not true, the water level in Baikal may be decreasing minimally due to tectonic expansion of the basin, but not by human intervention, and a recent review has shown that anthropogenic effects are minimal and reflect global contamination. The author also avers that only 3% of the 8000 km of the U.S. shoreline of the Great Lakes (what about the Canadian shoreline?) are fit for swimming, water supply, and support of aquatic life, and that there is a buildup of radioactive contaminants from nuclear power discharges. Neither assertion is true. Overall, the author tends to stay away from any true scientific issues, raises questions regarding global climate change because it is in vogue, and treats engineering approaches or solutions with little respect (they have provided most of the problems). de Villiers raises many questions but provides few answers that, apart from stealing water (already happening in some areas), are of limited relevance for the Middle East and Africa where the problems are greatest. This book is excellent when discussing the geographical and political aspects of water supply and for that reason alone is worth reading. However, do not expect to find a serious technical discussion of our water supply problems or their solutions. Reviewed by David Edgington, Great Lakes Water Institute, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, WI.
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Web Sites The often updated Bioenergy Information Network (http://bioenergy. ornl.gov) offers extensive information about the Department of Energy’s Office of Fuels Development and its Biopower and National Biofuels Programs. Users can access information and databases concerning fastgrowing trees, grasses, and other residues for use as power fuels. There are also links to more than 100 organizations listed under agriculture and sustainability, biomass, biofuels, bioenergy and other renewables, and U.S. government information categories. Updates include proceedings of bioenergy meetings, current research information, and access to publications, news, and images. The University of Iowa’s Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) (www.cgrer.uiowa. edu) promotes interdisciplinary research efforts focusing on global environmental change, including regional effects on natural ecosystems, environments and resources, human health, culture, and social systems. Users can access news updates on climate change and greenhouse gases and link to organizations and institutions represented by dozens of visiting international researchers. CGRER has recently been involved in several research projects in Nepal, and updates on such projects like its study of Nepal’s water supply are accessible to users, as well as reference materials. The UK-based Foundation for Water Research (www.fwr.org/index.html) is an independent nonprofit organization that disseminates information on various aspects of water research, including forums on groundwater, eutrophication, wastewater, and Cryptosporidium. Users can access updates on recent events in which the Foundation participates, such as the Berlin Water Industry Exhibition. Users can search a listing of publications that have been coordinated or sponsored by the U.K. Department of the Environment and other U.K.based environmental and scientific organizations. The Foundation for Water Research’s membership consists largely of U.K.-based environmental organizations and consultants 122 A
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and international organizations and universities. The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) (www.ntis.gov/index. html) is the U.S. government’s central source for the distribution of scientific, technical, engineering, and related business information. This information is produced by or for the U.S. government and complementary material from international sources. Nearly 3 million products are available from NTIS in a variety of formats, including microfiche, paper, diskette, audiovisual, CD-ROM, and online. Users can search government Web sites and various publication and laboratory products listed under several subject headings, such as the Environment Collection. This is a central information source for more than 80,000 environment-related publications and other products produced by U.S. government agencies since 1990. Users can also receive email alerts on new publications and resources and register for subscription services.
Books Causes and Environmental Implications of Increased UV-B Radiation: Issues in Environmental Science & Technology, R. E. Hester, R. M. Harrison, Eds. (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2000, 124 pp., $36.83). Written for researchers, students, engineers, and consultants, this book presents current research on the changing distribution of atmospheric ozone and UV-B radiation and discusses the consequent effects on photochemical processes and biological systems. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, J. K. Conway, K. Keniston, L. Marx, Eds. (University of Massachusetts Press, 2000, 349 pp., $50). This collection of essays seeks to redirect readers’ thinking about environmental issues by relating them to social institutions, the culture of modernity, and societal response to modern technology. Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2nd Edition, F. W. Fifield; P. J. Haines (Blackwell Science, 2000, 490 pp., $24.99). Written for students of
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / MARCH 1, 2001
chemistry, environmental science, and related disciplines, this text links principles and techniques of analytical chemistry to environmental applications. Environmental Economics, C. D. Kolstad (Oxford University Press, 2000, 400 pp., $30). Written for students who have knowledge of intermediate microeconomics, this text addresses environmental economics, with an emphasis on government regulation and private-sector antipollution incentives. Humic Substances: Versatile Components of Plants, Soils, and Water, E. A. Ghabbour, G. Davies, Eds. (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2000, 350 pp., $117.12). International experts contribute current research, including discussions of spectroscopic and mass-based approaches for understanding the nature, properties, and behavior of humic substances in the environment. Inventing Ourselves Out of Jobs? America’s Debate Over Technological Unemployment 1929−1981, A. S. Bix (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000, 352 pp., $45). With emphasis on the relationship between technological change and work in the United States and public perceptions of these advances, the author examines the debate over “technological unemployment”the idea that increased mechanization may displace human workers. Looking into the Earth: An Introduction to Geological Geophysics, A. E. Mussett; M. A. Khan (Cambridge University Press, 2000, 448 pp., $110). In this well-illustrated, college-level text, the authors introduce both global and exploratory geophysics and include descriptions of geophysical methods and detailed case histories. Making Better Environmental Decisions: An Alternative to Risk Assessment, M. O’Brian (MIT Press, 2000, 286 pp., $25). The author identifies how risk assessment has led to environmental deterioration and recommends alternatives assessment, which calls for precautionary measures even if some cause-and-effect relationships have not been scientifically fully established.
