Water Films

The
Alternative is
Conservation
Film

How can this film be used?

The film has been designed to aid the pub-
lic education and awareness process often
necessary to gain acceptance for conserva-
tion water rates (increasing block rates that
charge more as water use increases), in-
vestments in demand management prac-
tices by the local utility (plugging leaks in

Anytown, State 54321

4321 First Street
Addressee Name
the distribution system, metering water
use), implementing developer charges for
water infrastructure costs, and implement-
ing water conservation education programs
for irrigation, institutional, commercial, and
residential water users.

While the film makes an entertaining and

convincing case for water conservation, its
effectiveness is at its peak in providing a
forum for constructive, informed discus-
sion among viewers.

The film highlights positive results from

each community’s efforts to address their
community’s water problems. It includes
fascinating interviews with water commis-
sioners, sanitary district engineers, local
government officials, business owners,
Board of Health members, homeowners,
and other individuals and water experts
who have contributed to solving their
community’s water problems.

Lyle Brecht - Producer, Water Films

(c) 1979
The Alternative is Conservation
A film about water conservation
The earth is made up of 80% water and 20%
land. Of this 80% water, some scientists
believe that this water originally arrived on
the earth via ice-laden comets crashing
into the early earth.
Today, 97% of this original water is found
in the oceans, 2% in ice at either pole, and
1% as freshwater found in rivers, lakes, and
reservoirs. Of this remaining freshwater
that we use on an ever-increasing annual
basis, we use about 70% to irrigate the
food we eat.
The remaining 30% of the freshwater hu-
mans use each year comprises the water we
use for all industrial purposes, the water
we use to irrigate golf courses and gar-
dens, the water we feed livestock, the water
we use to wash ourselves, and our clothes,
flush the toilet, and lastly, the water we
drink either straight or in the many bever-
ages we consume each day. The freshwater
we drink each day may have some of the
same water molecules that the dinosaurs
drank 65 million years ago or Christ drank
2,000 years ago. These water molecules
are recycled over and over again in the hy-
drologic cycle which is powered by the sun.
Most Americans, at least the 85% that ob- Look at a Solution - Conservation
tain their freshwater supply from water
The film presents case histories of eight
utilities believe that: (1) freshwater is ubiq-
communities throughout each part of the
uitous; (2) potable water is in infinite sup-
U.S. that has successfully addressed water
ply; and (3) freshwater is always immedi-
shortages, excessive wastewater flows, loss
ately available - just turn on the tap.
of aquifer recharge areas, and contamina-
tion of water sources through a variety of
However, the reality is different: (1) fresh-
conservation measures that involves water
water is a scarce natural resource in dwin-
utilities, homeowners, business owners,
dling supply; (2) supplying potable water is
government officials- all members of a
expensive; (3) few countries in the world
community working together to solve their
are wealthy enough to run a 24/7 positive
common problem with freshwater scarcity
pressure system that enables one to “just
and escalating costs for new supply.
turn on the tap” and sufficient water always
flows.
Water demand for all human consumption
purposes has tripled in the past 50 years.
To feed our growing thirst for water, we
have pumped aquifers of fossil water until,
globally, we face an almost near-
simultaneous depletion of many major aq-
uifers in the world, drained major river ba-
sins of their annual flow, and continually
dig new wells, ever deeper each year. Some
national security experts believe that future
wars will be fought over water, not oil. With
climate change, droughts are becoming
more frequent, more severe, and lasting
longer.