"Wasteland"

An article posted in Harper's Magazine in 2008 by Frederick Kaufman discusses a different approach to overpopulation other than clean water access.  This article discusses the waste treatment system and how the current system is overflowing.  With so many people using city septic systems, it has become full, forcing some people to use septic tanks in their backyard to dispose of their waste.  This causes backups that overflow the toilet and bathtub, overflowing septic tanks and causes damage that the homeowner must pay for.  Despite sewage pipes right outside their homes, they are not allowed to use them.  Is it a persons right to be able to use such city sewage pipelines?
Deeper in the article, it discusses the technology involved in massive sewage treatment plants.  They can extract caffeine, heroin, mercury, all on an atomic scale.  Sewage treatment has become a business.  Human waste can be used for many things.  They sell it to the middle east for fertilizer, and when ocean dumping was still legal "It was the best fishing ground around".  While natural decomposition of waste taking nearly 2 years, most sewage treatment plants can do it in 6 hours.  With all the new technology, many good things can come from human waste, making it not waste at all.

Drastic Times and Drastic measures taken at Lake Mead

The article "Water Use in Southwest Heads for a Day of Reckoning" by Felicity Barringer describes the new measures taken to install a intake valve 1,000 feet below the current intake valve due to the drastic drop in Lake Mead's water level.  The article was written in 2010, on the heels of an 11-year drought in the southhwest.  The Colorado River was (is) drying up at a rapid rate and everyone is searching for solutions.  This 11 year drought has brought the water levels to its lowest point in 100-plus years. This article also takes quotes from Pat Mulroy, Southern Nevada Water Authority, discussing the trouble Las Vegas would be in if the water hits "shortage" levels.  This article is very similar to "The Future is Drying up" and "Las Vegas bets on Desert Water Pipeline as Nevada Drinks Itself Dry" in discussing the water problem in the southwest.  All of these articles describe the drying conditions of the southwest and most significantly, Las Vegas.  This particular article describes how Las Vegas homeowners use their water; 70% towards outdoor use.  This statistic has begun many water regulations around the city, with over 150 million dollars towards incentive for less outdoor water usage.  Many homeowners are switching to various types of different landscapes, but have a tendency to still maintain a yard. Delores Cormier, a local resident on the south side of Las Vegas says that she "reconfigured her front and side lawns, installing a rocky cover and drip irrigation. Under a water authority program known as Water Smart Landscapes (colloquially, Cash for Grass), she has received $2,689 in utility subsidies that will offset the $5,600 or so she said the xeriscaping cost her" (4).  She has yet to see her water bill decline, but she still maintains a small portion of grass because she confesses, “I need some lawn” (5).  

"The Future is Drying Up"

In the article "The Future is Drying Up", Jon Gertner explains the growing problems faced in the west regarding water conservation and drought conditions.  He visits places like Aurora, CO, and speaks with people like Pat Mulroy, with the Southern Nevada Water Authority.  The basis of this article regards the Colorado River, with 7 states and over 30 million people dependant on its dwindling resources, how long will it last?  This article also explores the economic aspect of possessing water, as, unlike the east, economic growth is based solely on water availability, not land availability.  With so many people, states, and even countries (Mexico has small rights due to a treaty), lack of water could result in a blundering legal matter with "farmers suing the federal government; cities suing cities; states suing states; Indian nations suing state officials; and foreign nations (by treaty, Mexico has a small claim on the river) bringing international law to bear on the United States government" (2).  This article brings to light many issues that most don't realize are even there.  We have all heard stories about 3rd world countries have serious water problems, but while we focus elsewhere, our water conditions are growing eerily similar.