Milestone Two

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Apr 3, 2024

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MILESTONE TWO 1

MILESTONE TWO 2 Section 1: History and Contemporary Viewpoint Background: The historical developments of alternate water sources reflect history of human needs and adaptation. Civilizations relied on natural water resources like rivers and lakes for their survival. Historically, alternate water sources have been utilized to address demands of growing populations. Some historical uses of alternate water sources include rain harvesting, aqueducts, wells, and water recycling. As civilizations, settlements, cities, and populations grow, so does the need for clean water. This eventually led to the creation of reservoirs, cisterns, and complex irrigation system; uses of alternate water sources are irrigation, drinking, and bathing. Many types of rainwater collection systems were used in Mesopotamia, India, and China in 2000 BC ( The History of Rainwater Harvesting , n.d.-c). People in the middle east have used cisterns and reservoirs to capture water for over 4,000 years. Household cisterns were stored underground and could hold 10,000 to 50,000 gallons of water, community cisterns could hold around 1 million gallons of water, and larger reservoirs were able to hold 11 million gallons of water ( The History of Rainwater Harvesting , n.d.-c). In India, rainwater harvesting systems were built on top of homes to collect water. Ancient romans harvested rainwater, used aqueducts, and built buildings and roads with ways to channel rainwater into underground cisterns. Collected rainwater was then used for livestock, drinking, bathing, washing, and irrigation. In the America’s rainwater runoff was collected and used for agriculture, for drinking, and bathing.

MILESTONE TWO 3 H istorical awareness in America: In America, water-related problems started with pollution caused by the industrial revolution. As cities grew, problems regarding water scarcity and quality became a major issue. Waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera, were related to unsanitary water conditions caused by humans and waste became a major problem by the mid 19 th century. This led to the construction of extensive water and sewage systems in cities like Brooklyn and Chicago to combat the unsanitary conditions causing these dieases. After many water pollution crises, the United States created the Federal Water Pollution Act (1972) or the Clean Water Act. This act funds the improvement of sewage treatment plants and limits what sewage plants and industries can discharge into lakes, rivers, and oceans. Historical awareness globally : The 20 th century brought attention to water scarcity and large- scale environmental consequences caused by pollutants and overuse, such as the ecological collapse of the Aral Sea due to excessive irrigation. The United Nations Human Environment Conference of 1972, in Stockholm on the Human Environment marked a shift in environmental awareness by acknowledging the link between the environment, water, and development of humans. The development goals emphasized the urgent need to tackle issues related to water for the well-being of the world. Significant Developments: Scientific breakthroughs and initiatives have shaped societies outlook on water resource management. In 1959, Dr. Sidney Loeb and Srinivasa Sourirajan’s development of reverse osmosis emerged as a world-changing technology. Today, reverse osmosis is the most used and advanced desalination process in the world. Other significant developments include local efforts for watershed management, wetland conservation, and

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MILESTONE TWO 4 pollution control have also for preserving natural water resources and promoting and ensuring sustainable water practices for future generations. Section 2: Local Real‐World Applications and Specific Steps There are many opportunities to implement how we manage water resources not only in America but globally. Implementing the use of rainwater harvesting systems in every household and for agriculture use, can be useful for providing a decentralized and sustainable source of water for any purpose like drinking, cooking, and washing. Advocating for the protection of natural water sources can help the public understand the importance of water conservation. Coastal cities struggling with freshwater shortages can build local desalination plants using efficient and eco-friendly technology for a safer and less emission causing option. Investing in research and developments in water treatment technologies can help supply a steady water supply for everyone for years. However, the future of implementing these changes is burdened with challenges. The financial challenge of implementing alternate resources for advanced technologies like desalination, presents a problem to widespread purchase of these methods. For a city or a state to implement a widespread use of alternate water sources would cost millions or billions of dollars to start up and maintain, depending on the size and complexity of the projects. The national average cost for rainwater harvesting systems cost around $2,500. ( Fixr.com | Rainwater Collection System Cost | Cost to Install Rainwater Harvesting System , n.d.) Cities with larger populations would need a bigger water infrastructure and higher costs associated with it. Zoning regulations may need to be adjusted to accommodate decentralized water solutions. This would demand a distinct approach from lawmakers and an active involvement

MILESTONE TWO 5 from locals in the communities. Public education and insight are pivotal in overcoming the unwillingness to accept change, requiring extensive awareness campaigns to educate the community on the long-term benefits of sustainable water practices. States like Texas, California, Arizona, Iowa, and Illinois offer homeowners and farmers incentives for using alternate water sources to collect water. In conclusion, the historical development of alternate water resources shows we’ve used different methods to collect and store water over time based on the growth of civilizations and the rapid growth of the populations. These adjustments involved creating/using new methods and working together as a community. The more technology advances, the more we can solve problems relating to water scarcity and water quality. By using alternate resources, we can create a more stable water supply for the future.

MILESTONE TWO 6 References A brief History: Pollution tutorial . (n.d.). https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/02history.html Fixr.com | Rainwater collection System Cost | Cost to install rainwater harvesting system . (n.d.). https://www.fixr.com/costs/rainwater-collection-system A Brief History of Water and Health from Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times | IWA Publishing . (n.d.). https://www.iwapublishing.com/news/brief-history-water-and-health-ancient-civilizations- modern-times Daly, W. J. (2008). The black cholera comes to the central valley of America in the 19th century - 1832, 1849, and later. PubMed . https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18596846 Boudes, P. (2014, February 11). United Nations Conference on the Human Environment | Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development & Pollution Control . Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Conference-on-the-Human- Environment Praveen. (2021, February 5). Latest water purification technologies - top five - Water Technology . Water Technology. https://www.water-technology.net/features/latest-water-purification-technologies- top-five/ The history of rainwater harvesting . (n.d.-c). https://4perfectwater.com/blog/history-of-rainwater- harvesting User, G. (2022, August 31). Understanding CSOS — Swim drink fish . Swim Drink Fish. https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca/blog/cso#:~:text=The%20first%20sewer%20systems %20in,sewers%20as%20their%20primary%20system .

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MILESTONE TWO 7 A Brief History of Water and Health from Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times | IWA Publishing . (n.d.-b). https://www.iwapublishing.com/news/brief-history-water-and-health-ancient- civilizations-modern-times

Milestone Two

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