There is an alarming trend I've noticed: Water is running dry. I have a friend with a well that is running dry. Different people are talking about drilling deeper, because the water table has dropped and is not being recharged. Georgia is in drought (one that, apparently, was foreseen but ignored until it was too late). They say Joplin is going to be dry within ten to twenty years years. Towns are taking water that other towns rely on. It's scary and crazy.

Imagine how hard life would be without water. Maybe since we've not experienced that (aside from the ice storm when people's pipes froze), we feel confident that this issue will not affect us.

It is my hope that everyone in Southwest Missouri begin taking water into account, watching what is happening to it, caring enough to do something about it. Clean, safe water; may we never run out.