James Oberstar: “Over 35 years ago this very year, a book with a very thought-provoking title prodded Congress and the then…”

“Over 35 years ago this very year, a book with a very thought-provoking title prodded Congress and the then administration into thinking anew about our precious resources of fresh water. The title of that book, The Coming Water Famine, was written by a then junior member of the Committee on Public Works, the predecessor name of this committee. That junior member went on to become Speaker of the House, none other than Jim Wright, who, after considerable research into available and predictable uses of ground water, and population growth, and the availability of water in the Nation's major aquifers and other ground water resources, drew a curve in that book. It showed that here is this constant supply of water and use is climbing at an accelerating rate. He predicted that some time in the mid-1980s, not a specific date, the two would intersect. We passed that point well before the time Jim Wright predicted. He was on track. Congress and the administration, several administrations, have not been. We have not done enough to provide for the water resource needs of our country. All the water there ever was, and all the water there ever will be, is available today on the earth. We cannot create new water. We can only conserve that which we have and manage it well.”