The Big Thirst: A Review

The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman is a book that explores the human relationship to water. Water is a savior and water can be a killer. Some areas spend money trying to deal with too much water while others spend even more dealing with issues  of not enough water. About 1 billion people around the globe don't even have access to clean, fresh, safe water to drink, and millions have to walk very long distances to fetch water each day.
This book talks about systems of water conservation (like in Las Vegas, where water is so precious) and systems of water reuse. Many cities are now including a non-potable water system for things like watering lawns, giving water a second use before sending it off on it's way. Other cities are actually treating their wastewater so thoroughly that after it is cleaned, it comes back out the tap as drinking water. Sound gross? It's not really. But, it is a likely future for many cities suffering from constant water shortages.
In the United States, 49% of the water used is used by power plants to generate electricity. And 1/6 of all of the water that travels through municipal pipes leaks out before reaching it's destination.
Water is a necessity. Water is a recourse. Water is a commodity. And the only thing certain about water is it's uncertainty.
This is a great book that touches upon all angles of water and water use across the globe. At times I found the writing style to be a bit over-dramatic, but it is packed full of good information. A must-read for anyone concerned about the future of water on our planet.