Water, Water Everywhere
The roots delve deeper, feeling the cool touch of water, drinking eagerly…
On the shores of Loch Tay, in the Highlands of Scotland, there never seems to be a shortage of water. Loch Tay is the sixth largest in Loch Scotland, holding an estimated 1.6 trillion litres of water, kept full by regular rain all year round. At Dalerb, the water we will use for making the many nettle teas and coffees for our visitors will come from a borehole installed on site. The water that drains into the loch also filters down into the bedrock below and drilling a hole into the ground we can access the water that sits deep beneath the surface. This water is then filtered to ensure that it is of good enough quality to drink. While we will have enough water to meet our needs, we cannot take it for granted and will keep the amount of water we use to a minimum. We can also use other water sources such as rain, by capturing it directly and used to water plants.
For many people though, access to clean drinking water isn’t as simple as turning the tap. For some it involves miles of walking only to find water that barely fit to drink. As we think about sustainability, we must be aware that something we sometimes take for granted isn’t easily accessible for many people around the world. With a changing climate access to water will become more difficult, with drought expected to become more common1.
The next time you run the tap to make a cup tea, take a moment to remember how for many accessing water is not as simple as it may first seem.
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