Even in water-rich Michigan, no guarantee of enough for all

[marmar]

JOHN FLESHER | ASSOCIATED PRESS | 22 hours ago


ALLENDALE, Mich. — Dale Buist knew running a commercial greenhouse would pose challenges. He just never expected a water shortage to be among them. Not in Michigan, with its vast aquatic riches.

Yet a couple of irrigation wells yielded only a trickle. And one quickly ran dry.

He installed equipment to capture rainwater for the plants. Then a drinking water well failed. Finally, Buist spent $350,000 connecting to a pipeline that supplies nearby Grand Rapids.

"My greenhouse sits 12 miles from Lake Michigan, one of the greatest sources of fresh water in the world," the Ottawa County grower said. "And I didn't have enough."

....(snip)....

Some futurists depict Michigan and the Great Lakes as "climate havens" that will lure people and businesses weary of worsening drought, wildfire, hurricanes and other disasters. Not so fast, skeptics say. Amid images of abundance lurk problems with pollution, overuse and deteriorating infrastructure.

Outsiders "see these five enormous lakes and assume there's more than enough water for everybody," said David Dempsey, an environmental analyst for government agencies and activist groups. "But we have tons of unresolved problems." .............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/02/26/even-water-rich-michigan-no-guarantee-enough-everyone/6954803001/

[live love laugh]

1. Nestle and others contributed to Flint.

The sale of the resources at the expense of the well being of citizens needs to be addressed.