However, it now appears that with an environment of diminishing water resources, it no longer is a question of "if." Years of drought and changing climate have changed the scene. Clearly, the days of plentiful water in the southeastern United States, and perhaps the whole world, are over. We are now faced with an environment in which water is rapidly becoming a scarce commodity. Once again, we as an industry are in the position of reacting to a situation that has widespread implications for our livelihood.
All over the county, state and local governments are making decisions about how, when and from what sources water can be used. Courts across the land are deciding who has the right to use water from any given source. Private industry is finding ways to buy water rights and to control not only who uses the water, but also at what cost. The federal government is spending billions of tax dollars on building and repairing public water systems. These systems guarantee neither good water quality nor quantity to those who pay to use them.