Bal Tashchit and Beyond: Confronting the Challenge of Freshwater Scarcity

Charlotte Jewish News, May 2025

By Dana Samelson - Shalom Green

We’ve all heard it since grade school — the Earth is a “blue planet,” with about 70% of its surface covered in water, totaling roughly 326 million trillion gallons. However, the freshwater we depend on for drinking, cleaning, growing food, and recreation is surprisingly scarce. A staggering 97% of Earth’s water is saltwater, unsuitable for human consumption. Of the remaining 3% classified as freshwater, around 69% is frozen in glaciers and ice caps, nearly 31% exists as groundwater often inaccessible for use, and only 0.3% (less than 0.01% of all Earth’s water) is surface water found in lakes and rivers. For a resource essential to life, that’s an incredibly limited supply.

Freshwater serves many purposes beyond household use, which accounts for about 13% of total water withdrawal in the U.S. It also supports irrigation (37%), livestock and aquaculture (3%), industrial use (5%), and thermoelectric power generation (41%). Additionally, water resources are vital for activities like shipping and recreation. Unfortunately, these sectors can also significantly impact freshwater quality, contributing to pollution from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, sediment buildup, and waste products from power plants.

Climate change is further compounding these challenges. Its effects on freshwater resources vary across regions, with consequences like intensified storms leading to sediment runoff, river flooding, and overwhelmed stormwater systems. In other areas, declining winter snowfall reduces the natural “reservoirs” that supply water for drinking and irrigation during the warmer months. The relationship between climate and water is complex, making it essential to understand and mitigate these growing stresses.

In Jewish tradition, water holds deep symbolic and practical significance. It is a source of spiritual renewal, from the purifying waters of the mikvah to the rain we pray for during Tefillat Geshem (the Prayer for Rain). The Torah describes water as both a blessing and a responsibility, reminding us that our access to it is not to be taken for granted. The concept of bal tashchit, the prohibition against waste, encourages mindful stewardship of resources, including water. Recognizing the scarcity of freshwater can inspire us to fulfill this mitzvah by conserving and protecting it.