Currently, 800 million people live in water stress. By 2025, 3 billion people will live under water stress. Advancements in water technology are underway to address the water scarcity problem that could cripple economies, stunt development efforts and lead to an increase in mortality rates across the globe. If the problem of water scarcity is not tackled pragmatically and swiftly, the water shortage could lead to political unrest and food shortages in the developing and industrialized world.

Conceptual breakthroughs in megawatershed development by Earth Water Global (EWG) assert that water can in fact be extracted from stone. Technological innovations developed by Earth Water Global prove that megawatersheds beneath the Earth’s surface exist and can be tapped to provide clean water.

EWG developed a Megawatershed Paradigm (MP) based on geological models of the Earths’ surface. According to the MP, fractures and fissures in the Earth’s bedrock formed as a result of continental shift and collision over time. These collisions of the Earth’s bedrock result in mountain formations and underground channels that store water regionally and transmit the water across miles of terrain.

At high altitudes, water seeps into these fractures and fissures from snow and rainfall. The gravitational force of the Earth pulls the water into underground watersheds. The megawatersheds naturally replenish from precipitation, rainfall and snow. EWG coins this discovery the “science of finding water”.

EWG estimates that 80 percent of the world’s precipitation happens at high altitudes. Measuring water at these high altitudes is incredibly difficult. Water catchments of precipitation, rain and snowfall using the EWG framework could multiply groundwater resources in multiples of 10 times 100 on a global scale.

Innovative techniques implemented by EWG offer a sustainable solution to the global water crisis. The EWG “science of water” model could provide access to hundreds of millions of gallons of water that seep into the Earth surface daily.

Interestingly, modern scientific analysis has proved that extracting water from a stone is indeed possible. Using the groundwater held in the Earth’s fissures will facilitate fulfillment of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Certainly, taking advantage of this water technology will decrease the deaths of water-borne diseases in developing countries which are now at 80 percent.

As the world population continues to increase, measures to provide natural resources such as water must be maximized as well. Resolving the global water crisis calls for a multifaceted endeavor from governments, municipalities and water programs, including those such as EWG. Comprehensive methods of combating the water crisis should include scientifically proven paradigms as well as sound methodologies applied across time.

The water crisis is driving scientists and experts to search for water in the world’s most unlikely places even that of the Earth’s stone.

Please watch the documentary on the work of Earth Water Global here: Documentary

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The photo above is a UN photo taken by Tim McKulka

The powder scientists like to call dry water is 95% composed by water.  This innovative substance was discovered in 1968 mostly for its potential in the cosmetics world. In 2006, scholars from the University of Hull decided to restudy its structure and properties. Since then, numerous studies have been done and dry water continues to fascinated scientists around the world. According to specialists, dry water could also provide the starting base for a way to transport potentially dangerous chemical products. In addition, this magical white powder also absorbs and stores carbon dioxide, an important discovery in order to limit the effects of global warming. According to experts and various researches it appears that “dry water can absorb more than three times as much carbon dioxide as an ordinary mix of water and silica” (Source: http://www.greenbang.com/how-to-soak-up-co2-add-dry-water_15097.html). This discovery is fundamental insofar it means that dry water could absorb large quantities of power plant emissions, by blocking the greenhouse gases.

Every single water particle is composed by a water drop that is surrounded by altered silica that “prevents the water droplets from combining and turning back into a liquid. The result is a fine powder that can slurp up gases, which chemically combine with the water molecules to form what chemists terms a hydrate” (Source”: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825174102.htm). According to scientists, dry water could also be used for the storage of methane, providing a safer method to store methane fuel that could be used to power gas vehicles.

The potential scientific applications seem to be numerous since experts have perhaps elaborated an additional utility to this white powder. Indeed, according to them, dry water could be an important tool to accelerate catalyzed reactions between hydrogen gas and maleic acid that consequently produce succinic acid, a “raw material widely used to make drugs, food ingredients, and other consumer products” (Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825174102.htm). This could lower the costs of many drugs, consequently increasing the production and the demand and potentially ameliorating the lives of many sick patients.

This substance that recalls powdered sugar could revolutionize the world of science with its multiple properties and characteristics that could be beneficial to the future of mankind. Dry water appears to be a strong enemy ready to fight against global warming by absorbing impressive quantities of carbon dioxide. In addition this magical powder could facilitate the transportation of dangerous chemical products and gases.

Under this brand new initiative, the governments are fully committing to “prepare water plans with provision for the environment, to deal with over-allocated or stressed water systems, to introduce registers of water rights and standards without forgetting the need to expand in the trade of water in order to improve pricing for water storage and delivery” (Source: http://www.nwc.gov.au/www/html/117-national-water-initiative.asp?intSiteID=1).  This plan of action that has been launched a couple of years ago, has forced concrete action, seeing citizens respecting the water use limits and farmers installing drip irrigation systems. Moreover, Australia recognizes the connection between surface and groundwater resources and has pushed forward the need to develop a single management system that connects these two water supplies.  The country desperately needs a common definition of sustainable groundwater extraction rates in order to avoid a situation of over-exploitation that could be disastrous in the near future.  With the recent long running droughts, the need to manage groundwater could be crucial to the survival of ecosystems and human beings. Recent assessments and studies seem to believe that a system that manages the connection between surface and groundwater trading regimes could offer increase results when it comes to water management issues. Only time will tell, if such system will effectively be implemented in this arid yet gorgeous continent.

Governments need to put together a common water management registry database in order to accelerate results and unify all the working resources. With the growth of water trade between states like Tasmania, South Australia or Victoria, these stakeholders have introduced “statutory registers to handle the registration and trade of water access entitlements consistent with the NWI” (Source: http://www.nwc.gov.au/www/html/121-water-markets-and-trading.asp?intSiteID=1).  The National Water Initiative has launched a real urban water reform in order to ameliorate water supplies, encourage trade between the urban and rural sector, encourage and prompt water supply innovation and research and finally reach improved water prices. A considerable proportion of water in urban areas is provided thanks to rainwater harvesting techniques; rainfall is collected and stored in reservoirs where it get purified.  While the rainy season seems to have been taking a break, other option such as re-use, recycling or desalination have been explored. Recycling for non-drinking purposes has been adopted all over Australia and “household recycling of greywater is also increasingly being adopted by Australian residents to provide a constant source during times of drought and water restriction” (Source: http://www.nwc.gov.au/www/html/194-supply-options.asp).

Without those strict measures and innovative research, Melbourne risk to have been completely dry today. The country exemplary forward-looking and efficient attitude has been an inspiration to other areas around the globe suffering from similar problems such as the state of California. This American state is one of the fastest growing in the country, and its residents depend on the Colorado River for potable water supplies. With the population continuously growing, state officials have decided to meet up with experts from Australia in order to gather advice and opinions about launching a similar water initiative.

As they move, glaciers slowly remodel their environment thanks to process of erosion and deposition. “A glacier can “carve” a valley, wearing away rocks and soil through abrasion and plucking up and moving large pieces of rock and debris” (Source: http://nsidc.org/glaciers/story/move.html ). A glacier’s life is put on hold when it stops growing in size and starts to move “in retreat”. A glacier’s retreat is mainly caused by increased temperature, evaporation and strong winds. Ablation is a natural part of a glacier’s life “as long as snow accumulation equals or is greater than melt and ablation, glacier are maintained” (Source: http://nsidc.org/glaciers/story/retreat.html). Over the past century an increasing numbers of glaciers have retreated and are slowly disappearing. For the past several years the world climate has been getting considerably warmer, increasing temperatures, rising sea levels are stirring controversy and debate amongst environmentalists.

Scientists like Hugh Kieffer are monitoring and studying climate change by keeping track of the melting of glaciers. “The global scale combined with a long study period will give the scientists the broad perspective needed to determine whether worldwide changes in climate are actually taking place” (Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010529235344.htm ). After only a couple of months of studies, the melting of glaciers all over the world is providing an important evidence for the alarming presence of global warming. Growing or shrinking are normal steps that can take part of a glacier’s life and shouldn’t alarm everyone. The situation becomes more unusual when most glaciers are doing more shrinking than growing all over the world. For instance, the Columbia Glacier located in Prince William Sound, has become the world’s fastest melting glacier. It is sliding into the ocean at a “rate of 80 feet per day and has thinned up to 1,300 feet in places during the past 25 years, dumping 2 cubic miles of ice into the sound annually” (Source: http://www.livescience.com/environment/060324_glacier_melt.html ). In certain situations, a glacier can weaken so much that at a point it simply collapses entirely. The most serious consequence of this glaciers’ disappearing is the alarming rise of sea levels. Within a couple of years, the rising sea levels could submerge coastal regions, putting at risk beautiful and unique cities like Venice.  In the Antarctic Peninsula, ice shelves are connected to the continent while they are already floating on water, keeping in place the sheet of ice of the Antarctic continent. When the ice shelves break off, this renders the situation easy for glaciers to drift off into the sea and cause a rise in the sea level.

Up to now, European glaciers have been the ones more at risk of disappearing due to the consequences of global warming. Since the beginning of the 19^th century, the Pyrenees lost two-thirds of their ice cover. Moreover, more than half of the glaciers in the Alps have already disappeared. “Often called the water tower of Europe, the Alps contain 40% of Europe’s fresh water supply. The dramatic disappearance of ice on the Matterhorn last year has prompted the need for the border between Switzerland and Italy to be redrawn” (Source: http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/top-7-disappearing-glaciers). An additional example of this somewhat tragic situation is the case of the famous Glacier National Monument in Montana. According to the latest reports the area has lost more than 50% of its glaciers.

Global warming is the main cause for the disappearance of glaciers yet; one needs to keep in mind that pollution is in great part responsible for glacier recession. If public opinion seems to be pleased about warmer winters and a more pleasant weather, this change comes with more severe consequences. Global warming is threatening the balance of various precious eco-systems, impacting on the life of glaciers and sea levels. A major attention needs to be paid in regards to the conservation of our planet. Wreckless behaviors and pollution will have a serious impact on our future.

The traditional date for the foundation of Venice is A.D. 421, yet there is no official authentic historical proof for this birth date. The birth of this astonishing city is a consequence of the fall of the Western Roman Empire caused by northern invasions. While Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Empire, Rome was the centre city of the Western Empire. Initially, the lagoon islands were considered a temporary place of refuge away from the Huns or Goths invasions. The Lombard invasion in 568, contributed to transform the water city from a temporary asylum to an actual city of permanent residence. Initially, the island of Venice was composed of “low mudbanks, barely rising above the sea” (Source: http://www.oldandsold.com/articles03/venice2.shtml). The lands were disastrous for agriculture, and fishing was the only direct source on alimentation. Despite this inconvenient, the seaport of Venice had an extremely important strategic position for commerce and the Eastern Trade. Soon enough, the local people saw the potential of this strategic geographical location and they started to protect their sea-borne trade at all costs. Gradually, “the formation of the canals started with the de-sitting of waterways in the delta to allow vessels to pass,” (Source: http://touritaly.org/tours/venice/venice01.htm) and Venice became an European Commercial and political superpower.  After a set of different invasions and influences, this city remained under Austrian rule until the end of the 19^th century. After a war against Austria, Venice was finally united to the kingdom of Italia.

For the Venetian people, water has been a precious gift but also a sort of curse who regularly threatens the long-term survival of this beautiful city. Since the 13^th century the city has sporadically been taken away by disastrous floods. We have all seen on recent photographs in the newspapers, people with rubber boots, and water up to their knees in St Mark Square. The acqua alta ( is a combination of seasonal tides and particular weather conditions. The lagoon is connected with the Adriatic sea, and therefore the lagoon basin experiences two high tides and two low tides every day” (Source: http://www.veniceguideandboat.it/venicehistory.htm#BEFOREVENICE). Global warming is responsible for the melting of the polar ice caps that are consequently raising the water level of the oceans.  The rising sea levels are a global concern for the world’s environment and a direct threat to the high tides that often cause flooding in front of the St. Marco’s Basilica.

Global warming and the rising level of the sea is not the only environmental problem facing Venice, also called “La Serenissima” (in reference to its title in Venetian, the Most Serene Republic) . Earth subsidence is a threat to the city that is slowly sinking. Venice “was built upon low lying salt marsh islands” that are slowly crumbling and causing the city to sink. Every century the land would sink only by a few centimeters, yet in the past decades local industries have accelerate the situation. In the 1950s, mainland industries started to extract fresh water from artesian wells, without realizing that the majority of the fresh water lay below the city of Venice. The city began to sink at alarming rates when the water began to be extracted in large amounts. This water extraction procedure was put on hold in order to preserve the majestic city of marble.

In order to contain the situation and save the future of Venice, a long-term plan called the MOSE project has been planned and put together. This initiative to be completed in 2012, wants to create custom-made barriers at the Venice lagoon-entrance. “These barriers are designed to rest on the sea floor until Venice is threatened by an acqua alta event”(Source: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/veneto/sinking-venice.asp). The MOSE project presents many problematics from an environmental and budgetary point of view. After the passing of decades the project still remains unfinished while environmental groups presents the concerns about the threat to the ecosystem of the lagoon.

This city has managed to survive through the ups and downs of climate change, wars and industrialization. The cultural baggage hidden in every church or marble architectural piece needs to be safeguarded and protected.  Funding needs to be found and a long-term sustainable project that is perhaps more updated than MOSE needs to be put together and launched as soon as possible.

(More photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/waterwideweborg/)