Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Literature Review

Ava Whittington

English 1010, Nuames High School

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Literature Review

Introduction

The U.S.rado River is 1450-miles-long and runs through seven states in the West. In

recent years the population around this great River has grown. This problem forms a significant

challenge for the West; there is a high demand on the Colorado River with not enough supply.

This great River is unable to support the somewhat 40 million people that use this water. Along

with climate change, the overconsumption can won't be tolerated any longer. Many scientists

and researchers say that the West will be in a permanent dry situation if no action is taken.

Some known options for this situation are desalination, which is where saltwater is treated,

Private ownership of water where private companies can buy and sell the water, recycling water

which is where used water is treated for potable use, and water conservation where society

changes its ways to accommodate water loss.

This issue has been discussed and brought up, and still, there is no solution. The main

problem with this situation is that there are many voices in this debate. Farmers want their water

available on standby; the governments in all areas have different locations, whether they are

near water or tend to be a dry area, and they want the best solution; communities wish for a

solution that will please them as individuals. So with this debate, a solution can be tricky and

expensive. The Colorado River is going to die, and consumption needs to be lowered along with

an agreed solution that will benefit everyone.

For a well-needed solution, many have looked into water recycling where safe, drinkable

water can come from used water. Essentially, recycling water is like recycling in general.

Municipal wastewater or sewage is transferred to a plant where it goes through a well-known

process to come out as potable water.

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Some other sources that show different ways or what the problem is with the Colorado River

starts with Jim Robbins. In his article talks about the issues the Colorado River is having.

Robbins goes through the many reasons on why this great River is not so great anymore. One

point of view that is different is the view of Jeneen Interlandi. She observes the benefits of

private companies buying the water. Author Travis Warziniack and Thomas Brown tell of how

the demand for water is unmanageable compared to the supply. They also talk about the

different solutions to this problem. One last source is author Michael Hiltzik discusses how,

because of the shortage, California and Arizona are debating on who should get water. Hilzik

talks about paper water, those who have the right to water based on government. This second

group of sources for the Literature Review can show that there is a problem and a solution.

The sources used in this Literature Review have authors that have very similar ideas. Sara

Chodosh from Popular Science has given the basic layout of how wastewater is treated. She

goes through the process step by step, assuring that what water comes out is safe and tasteful.

Marcus Woo, who is a freelance science writer, talks about how recycling water is becoming

something that needs to be done. He also emphasizes that many people are hesitant to drinking

“toilet water”, so he brings up ways areas are getting past that psychological “yuck” factor. The

next source is by the EPA(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), they go into depth on what

water recycling is, and it’s many benefits. Next, Wes Judd, who is from Pacific Standard,

explores the reasons why recycling water is better than desalination. These sources have

shown that recycling water might be the way to save our water crisis.

Body

The Colorado River that runs through seven states is not going to last long term. Much

research shows many factors on why the Colorado River is not going to last if nothing is done.

Jim Robbins (2019) asserts that “The era of tapping the Colorado River, though, is coming to a
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close” (para.9). Because of the millions of people that use the water from the Colorado River, it

will soon die. With this in the near future, Robbins asserts that this pattern of overuse needs to

be stopped. Overuse is not the only reason the Colorado River is depleting so fast. One other

main challenge that Robbins brings to our attention is the effects of Climate Change; the snow

that was once used to supply the River is now disappearing due to warming weather. Travis

Warziniack, with his associate, Thomas Brown have said that the demands of the water today

will hold harmful consequences for the future. They emphasize that there are alternative

solutions that need to be adapted; these options “will play an important role in adaptation

efforts” (2019, p.11). Communities surrounding the Colorado River need to find ways to adapt to

the situation. Jim Robbins, Travis Warziniack, and Thomas Brown have found that there is a

significant problem and also report that there are solutions that need to be looked at.

Many solutions are able to increase water supply and decrease the pressure on the

Colorado River; with these solutions, there are many opinions. To start with this debate, author

Jeneen Interlandi brings up the idea of private companies buying what’s left of the water. She

observes that some believe that these individual markets are the best option to solve the water

problem, their pricing will lower water use down, Interlandi (2010). The plans of these markets

plan on buying water and selling it for higher prices, forcing communities to buy less and

therefore using less water. Although some benefits arise, there are also some concerns.

Interlandi reports that these “markets don’t care about the environment” “They care about profit”

(As cited by James Olson, 2010, para.4). Another view of this problem is Micheal Hiltzik. He

explains how, because of this water shortage, a war might come up between the states. Hiltzik

explains The Colorado Compact that happened in 1944, where some states like Arizona agreed

“to be last in line” (p.3) for water if there was a drought to overcome the Colorado River. This

example brought by Micheal Hiltzik shows that because of compacts and legal documents from
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the past, the livelihood of states might suffer. Hiltzik shows that this is one way to solve this

water problem, what was decided in the past?

Two other authors that have an input one what solutions are used to aid the Colorado

River is Marcus Woo and Wes Judd. Marcus Woo believes that recycling water is going to

benefit the most. He acknowledges that “Not only is recycling becoming a necessity, but a

sustainable water future will also demand it” (2016, para. 3). Woo describes how this process

has a “yuck” factor, but people need to get over it so communities can benefit. Along the same

idea, author Wes Judd endorses the idea of recycling water, saying that “recycling wastewater

is a fraction of desalination’s cost and actually has environmental benefits” (2017, para 13).

These two authors admit together that recycling water will provide a sustainable future for water.

Further expanding on the idea of water recycling, much research has shown why

recycling water is a good thing. Some of the main concerns with finding a solution with the

depleting water resources are to find a fix that won’t hurt the environment,

inexpensive,energy-efficient, and reliable. The Western Resource Advocates support that

recycled water “is generally drought-proof, and when a community reuses their water efficiently,

they can meet … demands” (n.d. para. 2). These advocates acknowledge that recycled water

could genuinely fix the long term problem. Now some might say that other options could be put

into use, but they don’t understand the cost. Wes Judd praises that the idea of recycling water is

just a fraction of desalination’s cost (2015, para. 13). Also to input on the cost of recycling is

Marcus Woo who reminds us that “Desalination is expensive, but effective” “recycled

wastewater would provide extra security at less cost”. (2016, para. 12). Recycled water is

something that should be highly considered in this situation because of its many advantages.

Not only is recycling water suitable for the environment and cheaper than other options,

but it is also safe. One researcher has acknowledged that with what is known, there have been
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no cases of recycled water, causing any disease or sickness(Judd, 2015, para 10). The process

of taking wastewater and treating it is very safe, and scientists are assured that the method

used is reliable. To paraphrase Woo, the water is first filtered then put through reverse osmosis,

and with extra precaution, the water is flashed with U.V. to sterilize(2016, para. 7). Recycling

water has been said to have many advantages and is assured by many that it is safe.

Currently, many ways are being used to implement the use of non-potable water. Gray

water as defined by the EPA as water that is “reused onsite, typically for landscape irrigation”

(n.d. para.3). There are many ways to implement the use of non-potable use, but not many are

using wastewater for potable use. As of today “irrigation is the most common use of recycled

wastewater; lawns, golf courses, parks, and schoolyards all used reclaimed water for irrigation”

(Judd,2017, para.2). Irrigation is the primary way to use wastewater; it is easy, useful, and fast.

Marcus Woo asserts that “Recycling wastewater for irrigation and other non-drinkable uses is

already commonplace. It’s the same technology used to treat drinking water supplies that have

become contaminated – and it’s been around for years” (2016, para. 6). The technology like

Woo said, has been around and is ready for use.

Today many are hesitant on using wastewater for potable use; the idea of drinking

wastewater has become known as the “yuck” factor. There was a research done by

psychologist Paul Rozin of the University of Pennsylvania with a team of U.S. researchers who

found “that while 49% were willing to try recycled wastewater, 13% refused, and the rest weren’t

sure” (as cited by Marcus Woo, 2016, para. 8). For some of these people, there is no way to

convince them that processed wastewater is safe to drink. The term “toilet to tap” is one-way

recycled wastewater is called. Overall the idea of taking used “dirty” water is hard to incorporate

into daily life easily.

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No matter what it is called, wastewater used for potable use is a hard thing to swallow for most.

There is one approach Orange County, California, is taking to help with this “yuck” factor. They

take their processed wastewater and pump it into natural aquifers. “Even though the water is

already drinkable, some people feel the water gets naturally purified through the ground” (Woo,

2016, para. 13). Wastewater is just that, and people for many years have only thought of it like

that. So getting many people to accept and embrace reclaimed water is a bit tricky (Judd, 2017,

para. 17). Getting people on a large scale to take using wastewater for potable use will be hard,

and no matter what you call it, it’s still clean water.

The process of cleaning wastewater is not something that is hardly researched or

known. The method of treating water has been around many know how to make it safe for the

public. To simple it down, Sara Chodosh(2017) explains that treatment plants will catch all of the

large objects while the finer debris will sink down. Continuing , reverse osmosis is put into

practice, and then U.V. lights will sterilize (Woo, 2016, para. 7). No matter how easily put, the

water is going through many stages that will produce perfectly clean water. Some places as

mentioned before, will pump the processed wastewater into aquifers to help the community with

the “yuck” factor that is placed before recycled water.

To conclude, the Great Colorado River is not going to make the long trip ahead if

demand does not change. There has been much research showing the many reasons to why

this River is no longer an option to water. Some of the main challenges that Robbins brings to

our attention are the effects of Climate Change; the snow that was once used to supply the

River is now disappearing due to warming weather ; Too much pressure on the River, users of

the water are growing and causes for more water use(2019). Put, many people depend on this

River, when the River cannot provide. Because of this issue something needs to be done, there

are many options available such as desalination, where ocean saltwater is treated, Private
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ownership of water where private companies can buy and sell the water, recycling water which

is where used water is treated for potable use, and water conservation where society conserves

as much as possible to lower demand.

Moving into more research, it has shown that recycling water is an option to consider.

Although research has shown great sides to this solution, communities find that drinking

processed wastewater is a hard concept. To help with the hesitation, the process of treating

wastewater has been shown to clean and perfect this water. Marcus Woo says in short that “Not

only is recycling becoming a necessity, a sustainable water future will demand it” (2016, para.

3).
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References

Chodosh, S. (2017). How to make sewage drinkable. ​Popular Science​. Retrieved from

https://www.popsci.com/wastewater-cycle/ .

Hiltzik, M. (2014). Water war bubbling up between California and Arizona. ​Los Angeles Times​.

Retrieved from

https://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20140620-column.html

Interlandi, J.(2010). The Race to Buy up the World’s Water.​ Newsweek, Business.​ Retrieved

from https://www.newsweek.com/race-buy-worlds-water-73893Woo, M. ( 2016). Why

we all need to start drinking toilet water.​ BBC Future.​ Retrieved from

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160105-why-we-will-all-one-day-drink-recycled-w

astewater

Ismael, W. (2015). Ignoring the Water Problem is no Longer an Option. ​Beef magazine​.

Retrieved from

https://www.beefmagazine.com/cattle-industry-structure/ignoring-water-problem-no-long

er-option

​ etrieved from
Judd,W.(2017). A rundown on recycled wastewater. ​PacificStandard. R

https://psmag.com/environment/rundown-on-recycled-wastewater

Robbins, J. (2019). The West’s great river hits its limits: Will the Colorado run dry?

YaleEnvironment360. Retrived from

https://e360.yale.edu/features/the-wests-great-river-hits-its-limits-will-the-colorado-run-d

ry .
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United States Environmental Protection Agency(n.d). Water reuse and recycling: Community

and environmental benefits. Retrieved from

https://www3.epa.gov/region9/water/recycling/

Warziniack, T & Brown, T.(2019). The importance of municipal and agricultural demands in

future water shortages in the United States. Environmental Research Letters, 14,

1748-9326. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2b76

Western Resource Advocates. (n.d.). Purified, recycled water will play a critical role in making

sure we all have enough water. Retrieved from

https://westernresourceadvocates.org/reuse/