Water Faith and Water Protecting and conserving the Earth's water supply is absolutely vital for our survival. Our water is truly on of God's gifts, but it is rapidly depleting as we continue to exhaust supplies and contaminate groundwater resources. Water scarcity belongs to the pressing environmental issues of today's world. Large numbers of people have no access to water and lack adequate means of sanitation. Over sixty percent of all water used in the U.S. comes from groundwater supplies. Contamination occurs when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, road salts, and chemicals seep into the groundwater and cause it to become unsafe and unfit for human use. Some major sources for these contaminants include storage tanks, septic systems, hazardous waste sites, landfills, and widespread use of road salts and chemicals. And, bottled water, which is often not any safer or cleaner than tap water and can deplete local aquifers, takes substantial amounts of energy to make the bottles and ship. Learn More the Ecumenical Water Network, through the World Council of Churches, brings together people of faith worldwide to work on the global water crisis Church World Service, through it's Water for Life campaign, educates congregations and has projects worldwide working for better access to water and sanitation. People of Faith Take Action Click here to learn about the NCC's water regional training events that were held across the country. Read stories of communities working with Church World Service What We Can Do: Adopt pollution prevention and conservation practices to protect water supplies. Manufacturers can use fewer toxic raw materials and consumers can switch to phosphate-free detergents and other less hazardous household products. Become more aware of your actions when handling chemicals such as oil and gasoline as to avoid spills and risks of runoff and contamination. By simply reducing the amount of water used on a daily basis, you can help our water supply last longer. Here are some helpful hints to reduce the amount of water you use: 1. Turn faucets off while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. 2. Check indoor and outdoor faucets and all plumbing for leaks or drips. 3. Adjust nozzles and shower heads to conserve water. Help protect our waters on the local or community level. Learn more about potential sources of contamination in your community and take action to reduce and/or regulate these sources. Use filtered water instead of bottled water. Resources Faith Resources Water Stewards: A Toolkit for Congregational Care of Local Watersheds. Stewards of the Bay: A Toolkit for Congregations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Troubled Waters. A United Church of Christ documentary on water's sacredness and what people of faith are doing to protect this life source. Water and the COmmunity of Life: Reflections from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Sacred Oceans and Seas Waters for Life: Enough for All Church World Service's Water Resources Click here to hear Vatican Radio on World Water Day 2006. Presbyterian Church USA Bottled Water Resource Other Resources Sharing the Waters of Life Recommended Resource List U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The Groundwater Foundation American Water Works Association The Soil and Water Conservation Society water and faith water and faith water and faith water and faith water and faith water and faith water and faith