The Virtual River Campaign: creating a new water source through conservation

New Water for our Nation: This year NVOC is launching the  ‘Virtual River Project’.  What is a Virtual River you ask?  A Virtual River is the creation of a new water source through conservation.

The Virtual River is a visual way to inspire and track ‘real world’ water savings.  This project aims to bring water to the forefront of public concern and create a water revolution.  Like all revolutions, the Virtual River began with local action:  individual citizens from across 26 U.S. states taking small steps to conserve and preserve water in their communities.  Combined, these small actions resulted in 2 million gallons of water savings in 2010; thus creating the source water for the Virtual River.  This year by increasing these actions we aim to save over 4 billion gallons.

Water conservation is a much more cost-effective and low-energy method of meeting this need than developing new sources. The Virtual River Project aims to create a new water source through conservation by inspiring and tracking real world water savings.

Why New Water? The EPA states that 36 states will experience local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013, even under non-drought conditions.  Throughout the United States, population growth, industrial expansion and droughts have jeopardized many regions’ water supplies, leading to the search for new water sources.  Conflicts are escalating — as stakeholders from all sectors battle over who needs water the most and who should get it first.

Just as rivers require the interaction of a many organisms working in sync, so will the virtual river require the collaboration of multiple sectors — businesses, government, nonprofits and the wider public –to ensure its sustainability.  As each sector contributes to and advances the water conservation movement, the virtual river grows.  Each year with your action, contributions, and support, the virtual river will grow.

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