Water: A Precious Resource

By Henriette Thompson

Water, Nsu, L'eau, Tubig. In any language, water is life. Without which we
die.

For Christians water is both symbolic and real. God's word is deeply bound
up with water.

At creation, God brooded over the waters of chaos. The poetry of the
Psalmist whose soul thirsts for God as the deer longs for flowing streams
resonates with our own experience (Psalm 42). In John's gospel, a tired and
thirsty Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Their
conversation reveals a transformational encounter that at its conclusion
leaves the woman asking Jesus for the "living water" that he offers. To
Christians of every age and culture the sacrament of baptism symbolizes
God's action of washing away our sins and the receiving of the gift of new
life in Christ.

Water: A political issue?

The deep spiritual meaning of water for Christians is expanding to action in
the political arena. There is a pending crisis over the development of water
resources for public use as business arises to provide much needed delivery
systems. Increasingly water - a basic need - is being privatized.

This year Canadian churches and labour groups are raising public awareness
about the need for water and water services to remain in public hands.
People, especially in developing nations, do not have the resources to 'pay'
for the water they need.

Corporations see the present human crisis as an economic opportunity.
"Water promises to be to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th century:
the precious commodity that determines the wealth of nations," according to
Fortune magazine. For that reason churches and other groups maintain that
providing water cannot be left to market forces. Also, historically water
has been considered a "public trust" and therefore public and municipal
systems have held responsibility for water services.

In South America, private companies have taken over municipal water supplies
in many countries. Recently a US multinational signed a 40-year deal to
increase water supplies and services to Cochabamba, Bolivia, and water
prices skyrocketed. Farmers lost ancient water rights; citizens rioted and
chased the company out of the country.

The recent World Water Forum in Mexico City saw children, along with
government ministers, discussing the world water crisis and demanding that
their governments accept responsibility for children's suffering through
lack of access to water.

1.2 billion people do not have clean, safe drinking water, the most basic of
human needs. This is unacceptable.

If you would like more information or to join the Canadian voices pressing
for community control of water services, visit the Ecumenical Water campaign
via the KAIROS website at www.kairoscanada.org

Locally, we have an organization called P.O.W.E.R. group (Protect Our Water
& Environmental Resources) www.powerhalton.ca , they work actively to
monitor development in Halton Hills. In conjunction with Willow Park Ecology
Centre, Power is planning to show a series of films about water and water
resources at the upcoming Riverfest www.riverfest-norval.ca in Norval this
June.

It's time to begin thinking about our water resources in a different way! If
we want our great-grandchildren to have the same access to water that we do,
then we need to pay attention to some of the recent developments that can
affect all of us.