[jambutty]

We may be surrounded by water Gayle but it is saltwater, which is expensive to desalinate. It doesn’t rain 360 days in a year in Darwen and when it does it is just a drizzle that does nothing for the water table and being warmer much evaporates before it can soak into the ground. Massive pour downs don’t do much either as most just runs off into rivers and streams.

The real answer to the potential water shortage problem is more reservoirs and no leaks. But that costs money and the NIMBY attitude of Joe Public. There is money in the water industry but that would mean no share dividends and bonuses for the fat cats. A two years freeze on dividends would release sufficient funds to solve the water problem once and for all.

It’s a different Navy today to the one that I knew Mancie. No Rum for starters. A ship has fresh water tanks for drinking and cooking and separate fresh water tanks for washing and showers that are topped up from the desalination plant that also supply the boilers with non-salty water. They also flush the toilets with seawater. Deck scrubbing etc is done using seawater. There was even special saltwater soap. Ordinary soap will not lather in seawater.

And therein lies the key to fresh water usage. More than 90% of the treated water does not get used for drinking and cooking. The rest is used for washing, toilet flushing etc. Sadly it wouldn’t be practical to supply each home with two water supplies one for drinking and cooking with and one for other uses.