Two millennia ago, Plato observed: “Only what is rare is valuable, and water, which is the best of all things . . . is also the cheapest."
And in his influential 1776 book “The Wealth of Nations," 18th century Scottish philosopher/economist Adam Smith wrote: “The things which have the greatest value in use have frequently little or no value in exchange; and, on the contrary, those which have the greatest value in exchange have frequently little or no value in use. Nothing is more useful than water; but it will purchase scarce anything; scarce anything can be had in exchange for it. A diamond, on the contrary, has scarce any value in use; but a very great quality of other goods may frequently be had in exchange for it.”
But try drinking diamonds in a drought.
Actually, try thinking of water as a precious commodity the next time you turn on the tap. The water is always available and pure, flowing at seemingly little or no cost or inconvenience. And then consider the future, given the Wasatch Front’s anticipated population explosion.
A recent Deseret News series of addressed water issues and concerns. In summary:
- The water question — tapping into one of Utah’s biggest challenges: Drought. Pollution. Aging infrastructure. Utah’s population is expected to nearly double in 35 years, making water and all its uses among the top problems to solve in the state. Preserving recreation and the watershed while managing economic prosperity and residential and business growth is a multibillion-dollar proposition in need of a solution.
- The staggering problem of determining water rights: Under current staffing conditions, it would take state water officials 150 years to accurately determine water rights in Utah and Salt Lake counties. Can this problem be solved?
- Guarding the water supply: Salt Lake City’s watershed includes four primary canyons delivering water to nearly half a million people. A lingering conflict between Salt Lake City and the state holds the future of clean water and growth in the balance. The snow that falls in the mountains is 60 percent of the water supply, so the city weathers the critics and accepts the praise.
- Can a solution to Utah’s thirst be found?: Tension and controversy over the water habits of Utahans, the pricing of water via property tax rates and looming water development projects are all driving a lot of questions and a sense of urgency.
Recognized as the nation’s highest per-capita water users, Utahns must rethink and amend consumption and use practices. Perhaps of greatest concern is glut of unresolved land issues and water rights — note the aforementioned question “can this problem be solved?” We contend it must be solved. Prompt, effective resolution is needed — the pool of conflicting and uncertain rights is not going to diminish much at the current rate of resolution but rather grow as development and water demands increase.
As the series points out, plenty of efforts and initiatives are available to all concerned — governing entities, developers, conservationists, recreationists and environmentalists as well as hundreds of thousands of everyday users. Utah’s water resources — for the present and future — should be valued and protected like the treasure it is.