Imagine a Day Without Water

We are fortunate to live in a state that has plentiful flowing water, but what if that all changed. What if you went to your faucet on a steaming summer day to find no drinkable water coming out the other end?

Imagine a Day Without Water!

For many people this is not a fictitious thought, but one that they must deal with on a daily basis. It is a major obstacle that they must overcome each and every day, even here in Wisconsin. In Kewaunee County, a region in eastern Wisconsin, one-third of wells are unsafe to drink from due to elevated levels of nitrates and bacteria caused by massive amounts of manure seeping into the groundwater. It is simply unacceptable that a state so rich in water resources cannot provide drinkable water for all of its residents.

In addition to the issues in Kewaunee County, residents in the central sands region of Wisconsin are witnessing their water resources literally drying up before their very eyes. A sharp increase in the number of high-capacity wells for agriculture and dairy farms have left the region looking more like drought ridden California, than a fertile farming state.

It is time for Wisconsinites to unite and declare that our collective resource – our water – needs to be protected. These current issues are likely just the beginning, as climate change will certainly have additonal impacts that may not be fully known today. The time to act is now. Help ensure we don’t destroy the very thing that makes Wisconsin so beautiful and rich.

What you can do today to ensure a bright water future for Wisconsin tomorrow:

• Join the conversation on social media and share why you value water using the hashtag #ValueWater and tag River Alliance of Wisconsin in your post.
• Add your name to the It’s Your Water Wisconsin campaign. Join hundreds of Wisconsin citizens and dozens of local organizations and businesses making a simple request of our elected officials: take care of our water!
• Add your name to the Value of Water Coalition’s petition. Ask public officials at the local, state, and federal level to prioritize investment in water infrastructure and water resources. For each petition signature received, their partner Change the Course will restore 1,000 gallons of water to critically dewatered rivers and wetlands across North America.
• Donate to River Alliance’s Wisconsin River Initiative. This provides advocacy coaching and technical training for the citizens along the Wisconsin River to ensure their voices are heard when setting policies that protect the watershed.
• For more information and resources about Imagine a Day Without Water, visit the Value of Water Coalition website.

Join us in making sure Wisconsin water is used and enjoyed by EVERYONE so no one has to live a day without water!