There have always been countries where water was abundant and countries where water was scarce.  Accordingly, the water use differs from country to country. The average figures given above are therefore misleading.

In the United States, for instance, 65% of all water withdrawals on an annual basis feed industry and power plants, while 27%  serve agriculture and 8% is used by municipalities for drinking water, sanitation and other domestic purposes (World Bank 2001).  By contrast, in Asia, only 8% of all water withdrawals are used by industry while 86% serve agriculture. The average per capita use shows the same disparities: Africa 47 liters, Asia 85 liters, United Kingdom 334 liters and USA 578 liters.

There are, of course, also considerable differences from region to region within countries. While the USA as a whole disposes of abundant water resources, states like Colorado, Arizona and Nevada face scarcity problems.

Hydrologists have developed a conceptual model to track water scarcity around the world. A country experiences water scarcity  when there is less than 1.000 cubic meter of renewable freshwater available per person per year. If renewable freshwater  availability is between 1.000 and 1.700 cubic meters per person and per year, the country experiences water stress. At over 1.700 cubic meters per person and per year a country experiences relative sufficiency.

4. A diminishing resource

The availability of freshwater has considerably diminished during the last few decades, especially in Africa and Asia. The following figures illustrate the overall trend of the development.  The figures refer to the availability of water per person (in thousands km³).

These figures indicate an average and hide the seriousness of the situation. In fact, using the definitions given above, today 505 million people in 31 countries are experiencing water stress or water scarcity. If present trends continue, the figure could easily rise to between 2.4 and 3.2 billion people by 2025 affecting human health, economic development, food production and natural ecosystems. 

5. What are the reasons of this deterioration?

Two developments interact.. One the one hand, human water withdrawals are steadily increasing; on the other hand, due to various factors, the availability of freshwater is in many parts of the world steadily decreasing.

Globally, water withdrawals continue to increase. For example, between 1900 and 1975 water withdrawals in the United States rose ten times while the population only increased by a factor of four. There are, however, signs that the rhythm of withdrawals is slowing down. Since 1980 the amount of water consumed per person in the United States has decreased, due, to a large extent, to new technologies. But, generally, humans use today 54% of all accessible renewable freshwater contained in rivers, lakes and shallow underground aquifers. With population growth this percentage may reach 70% in 2025. If global water withdrawals continue to rise at the present rhythm, humans could be expropriating over 90% of all available freshwater within 30 years.

The main reasons for increased water withdrawals are the following:

-         Patterns of industrial production. Though water consumption can be considerably reduced by improved technologies, the expansion of production and consumption inevitably involves larger quantities of water.

-         Intensive agriculture – increasing amounts are required for irrigation

-         Life style of consumer society

-         International tourism leads to excessive water consumption by imposing the demands of rich countries on arid or semi-arid regions.

-         Population growth – more and more people need to share the diminishing resource

Among the reasons for the decreasing availability of water the following are of particular importance:

-         Climate change – As climatic conditions change, the hydrological cycle will inevitably be affected. More intense precipitation is likely to occur in some regions. In Northern latitudes and snowmelt driven river basins floods may become more frequent. Increase in temperature will lead to increases in evapo-transpiration – water evaporated from the surface and from plants. Consequently, even in areas with increased precipitation, higher evapo-transpiration rates may lead to a reduction of water supplies. The frequency and severity of droughts could increase in some areas as a result of changes in the total rainfall, more frequent dry spells and increased water use by crops and vegetation. Developing countries in arid and semi-arid regions are particularly vulnerable given their limited technical, financial and management resources, adjusting to shortages and/or implementing adaptation measures will impose a heavy burden on their national economies.  While in the past climatologists were cautious in their conclusions, there is now increasing unanimity that climate change, induced by human activity is already occurring.  Continuing uncertainties do not concern the fact of climate change but rather the nature and extent of its impact on the various regions of the world.  Predictions on particular areas are therefore difficult.  Various possible risks need to be taken into account as precautionary action is considered.

  -         Deforestation  is a a second factor of disturbance.  As forests are cut the hydrological circle changes. The soil no longer holds back the water. Springs disappear. Erosion increases.  This is particularly true for mountainous areas. Water descends more rapidly to the plains, increasing the risk of floods.

  -         Waste and pollution  diminish the amount of available water. Human waste, domestic and industrial, continues to flow into water or at least requires water to be diluted.   The sediments of erosion and fertilizers used in agriculture pollute rivers, lakes and groundwater reserves.  Often, the effects of pollution are practically irreversible or regeneration demands important technical and financial means.

  -         Through poor management huge amounts of water are lost. Water is not naturally available at the time and place where it is most needed. Wells and reservoirs are needed. Tubes need to be built for the distribution of water in distant places. Changing conditions, e.g. through climate change, require the constant adaptation of the infrastructure. Rapidly growing urban centers raise special problems of management.

 6. The impact of water stress

Lack of water has devastating consequences for all forms of life – human beings, animals and vegetation. No living being can exist without water. Water scarcity is therefore a threat to survival.

Water is the precondition for good health conditions. Access to water and sanitary installation are essential for preventing illnesses. Millions of adults and children die every year from water related diseases. The World Health Organization gives an estimate of five million people annually (WHO, Our planet, our health, 1992). Five general causes can be distinguished:  a) illnesses transmitted by water (typhoid, cholera, dysentery, gastro-enteritis and hepatitis; b) skin infection and eye diseases; c) parasites related to water; d) illnesses transmitted by insects; e) illnesses due to the absence of hygienic measures.

Water scarcity places an enormous stress on community life. Often, an disproportionate amount of time must be spent to provide water from far away sources. Often, water needs to be carried over long distances. As a rule women are the first victims of water scarcity.

As water becomes scarce its value increases. Often, poor people are unable to pay for the water brought by ‘water merchants’ to their habitat.

Scarcity can become the source of both local and international disputes.  Often, the thesis has been put forward that future wars will be fought over water supply.  The tensions between Israel/Palestine, Turkey/Syria, the Nile states and Mexico/United States are often cited as illustrations. Whatever the likelihood of such wars, there can be no doubt that the peaceful sharing of water resources is imperative for the future. It will not occur as a matter of course but requires careful and sustained efforts.

It is important to underline that the increasing water stress occurs in the context of a general ecological crisis. The real threat consists in the fact that a wide range of ecological issues demand attention at the same time. Water issues can therefore not be addressed in isolation from the whole crisis. Measures need to take into account the total picture. It is no exaggeration to say that the water issue is omnipresent. Whatever ecological problem comes under consideration, connections to the theme of water appear; and, vice-versa, every ecological problem has a dimension related to water.

7. Measures

Of course, as much as the problems, measures vary from place to place. But there are overall considerations applying to all places whether rich or poor in water resources.. Clearly, the hydrological circle of the planet must not unduly be disturbed. It is obviously the ‘Achilles heel’ of humanity. Care must therefore be taken not to interfere too drastically into the conditions determining the general availability of water. The water issue arises therefore not only in places of water scarcity but everywhere. In all parts and places of the planet human interference with the water cycle needs to be kept within responsible limits. In this perspective, it is true to say that water is “everbody’s business”.

What measures can mitigate the water crisis?  There is wide range of measures apt to increase the availability of water. The effectiveness of water use can be improved, for example,

-                     by increasing the storage of water

-                     by reducing water consumption in industry by improved technologies

-                    by developing more efficient methods of water use in agriculture and by slowing down the expansion agricultural irrigation.

-                     by improving installations of water capture and distribution

-                     by reducing water pollution and increasing the recycling of polluted water

-                     by systematically building up sanitation systems

Generally, it is essential to treat water as a scarce resource and to limit water consumption wherever possible. Even where water is available in abundance, waste of water needs to be resisted. The quantity of water consumed in industrial countries needs to be further reduced.

But there are not only such ‘direct’ measures. To address the water crisis effectively, also wider issues need to addressed such as

-                     global warming in order to mitigate the impact of climate change and to protect the functioning of the hydrological cycle

-                     energy production and energy consumption. Compared to energy obtained from fossil fuel or nuclear fission, energy gained from hydraulic power is often considered as ‘clean’. In fact, all forms of energy production carry risks. A high price needs to be paid for the construction of dams (claims of territory, evacuation of people, impact on hydrological circle etc). There are therefore limits to the further expansion of dams (at present there are 40.000 big and 800.000 smaller dams in the world). Energy saving is called for also for the sake of water protection.

-                     the protection of forests and reforestation, especially in mountainous areas, acting as sinks of CO₂ but also protecting indispensable water resources

-                     population control to keep future water use within limits.

The water crisis requires a concerted response. It involves all levels of society – from the local community to the national and international levels. In order to assure the participation of people, local action is called for.  But as a rule, the problems go beyond the capacities of the local community. Collaboration with other communities is required. In many cases, solutions can only be found through international collaboration.  In many cases, it is essential to develop collaboration within a certain geographical area which does not necessarily coincide with national borderlines. Coalitions within river basins must be established (cf. the Guidelines of the European Union). To guide concerted approaches of this kind an international framework is indispensable.

Financial needs are enormous. Effective measures can only be taken if both national governments and the international community consider the water crisis a top priority and agree to treat it as a priority when establishing their budgets. Clearly, it also requires international solidarity. Large sums need to be made available to poorer countries to finance the cost of the necessary measures.

8. The International Response to the Water Crisis

The water crisis is on the minds of a multitude of people and institutions. Much research has been done. The issues has been analyzed and addressed under all possible aspects by the academic community, by governmental agencies and a wide range of non-governmental organization specialized on the subject. Abundant information on the issues is available.

Water is a concern of the international community. A series of intergovernmental and international organizations seek to promote awareness of the issues and to offer solution.

For a long time the World Meteorological Organization has been involved in Hydrology Programmes. While first concentrating in recording and study it has added in 1975 an operational programme to its activities.

In 1977 the United Nations Water Conference was held. In preparation of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (1992) the International Conference on Water and the Environment in Dublin formulated the Dublin Principles (1992). The first, the ecological principle, recognizes water as a finite and vulnerable resource with important ecosystem functions. The second, the institutional principle, observes that sound water management requires the involvement of all stakeholders, including government, civil society and the private sector and also highlights the important role of women in safeguarding water. The third, the instrument principle, aims for water to be recognized as a scarce economic good and promotes recognition that management requires the adherence to user pays, polluter pays and market based approaches.

In 1996 the World Water Council was created. As an international water policy think tank , the Council includes public institutions, private sector firms, United Nations Organizations and NGO’s from over 40 countries. Its mission is to promote awareness of critical water issues at all levels; and facilitate efficient conservation, protection, development, planning, management and use of water in all its dimensions on an environmentally sustainable basis for the benefit of all of on earth.

In 1997 the First World Water Forum in Marrakech developed a World Water Vision. The Second Forum, held in 2000 in The Hague, formulated proposals for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. In the same year an International Conference on Freshwater was convened in Bonn, Germany. A Third World Water Forum will take place 2003 in Kyoto, Japan.

In general terms, the United Nations uses strong language about the water crisis. In the UN Millennium Declaration (2000) we read: “We resolve … to halve, by the year 2015 … the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water.”  UNESCO is taking a leading role in the UN’s system-wide World Water Assessment Programme.  The UN has proclaimed 2003 the International Year of Freshwater.

The Johannesburg Conference repeated the proposal of the Millennium Declaration. But it is far from certain that this target can be reached. There seems to be only little political will to implement the recommendations of the Johannesburg Conference.

9. Public Responsibility or Private Initiative

In recent years, in accord with the dominating economic ideology, more and more public water services have been privatized, and the liberalization process still continues. The basic idea is that the principles of the market should be applied also to the management of water supply and distribution. Instead of being a burden on the public sector, water systems should be run as private enterprises.

Privatisation is rapidly increasing. As mentioned above the Dublin Declaration (1992) explicitly referred to the role of the private sector. According to present estimates the growth of the private sector in the water market between 1997 to 2010 will be as follows (in %): West Europe 20-35, Central and Eastern Europe 4-20, Noth America 5-15, Latin America 4-60, Africa 3-33 and Asia 1-20.

Of particular importance is the international dimension of the process. Several international companies have come into existence offering to take over public water services in countries of the South. Important enterprises are in France Suez and Vivendi and in Germany EON and RWE (which has incorporated the British private enterprise Thames Water).

The success of the process of privatisation can be explained. In many countries, especially in the South, the state has not the means to build up effective water services. Both expertise and finances are lacking. Private enterprises are in a better position to deal with the complex issues of the water supply and distribution. In addition, the criteria applied by the World Bank and the IMF in making their grants favor the process of privatization. The World Trade Organization (WTO) consistently promotes the process. The Trade and Services Agreement, at present under negotiation, is bound to further accelerate the movement.

Resistance is, however, growing. The evidence is increasing that private companies fail to bring lasting solutions to all parts of society.  As private enterprises they are governed by the criterion of profit.  Social responsibility and care for the environment cannot be the primary perspectives of their operations. Prices cannot be established in the light of the needs of people and the environment but according to the principles of the market.  To maximize profit companies will hesitate to invest in the infrastructure. Often, areas where water services do not promise profits are not covered by private firms. They tend to select urban centers. Poorer areas tend to get neglected.

Can the movement of privatization still be stopped? In any case, every possible effort needs to made to respect the criteria of social justice and environmental responsibility. States and governments have a continuing responsibility in setting the rules and controlling the operations of private companies. They need to be accountable, and they must know that they will, in case of failure, incur sanctions. The state’s responsibility to be at the service of all citizens is non-negotiable. Therefore, even if the private sector is given a role in water management, the state has to make sure that the fundamental criteria of social justice and care for the environment are fully are honored. Prices must be so set that, one the one hand, people can afford to pay and, on the other hand, water will not unnecessarily be wasted.

To counteract the drive towards ‘wild’ privatization, the idea of an intergovernmental water convention has been put forward from various sides.  Such a convention, agreed upon and ratified by the community of sovereign states, would provide a framework for water management at all levels.  It would serve as a common basis and determine the collaboration of states with private companies. Water management would become a matter of international law.

10.  Fundamental issues to be taken into account

In these debates, a number of fundamental choices will inevitably arise.

1.      Water is one of the most basic, if not the most basic good. It is essential for survival. Is it therefore not to be considered a common resource to be managed responsibly together and shared among people and for the benefit of all creation? Can it ever become a tradable good? Can it ever be allowed to become the object and instrument profit-making? The nature of water as a common good of humankind calls for control by the community as whole.

2.      Water is meant to be available in adequate quantities to all. It is therefore appropriate to call access to water a human right. If human beings have the right to live, they logically have also a right to have access to water. There is today a tendency to replace the term ‘right’ by ‘need’. There is no doubt that every human being needs ‘water’. But the change of language is not innocent. If access to water is a right, the society as a whole – both   at the national and the international level – has  the obligation to make a maximum effort to provide water to all. The term ‘needs’ is part of the economic discourse.

Responsible use of water presupposes a sense of personal responsibility. Though it is obvious that decision and action are required at all levels, it is essential that people enjoy the maximum degree of participation in the management of water resources. The principle of subsidiarity needs to be applied: decisions are to be taken at the lowest  possible level.  People need to be aware of the issues connected with water supply in their own area. They need to be given an opportunity to share to the greatest possible extent in decision-making concerning the water management. Big enterprises diminish the sense of responsibility. Water becomes a mere consumption good.

11.  The Churches’ Response

a) Awareness Building

Churches will underline the unique role of water for all living creatures. Christians regard water as the gift of the Creator. Water is the symbol of life and of God’s grace. Water represents therefore more than a means. Christian praise God for his gifts. Water deserves respect and care. Churches must learn again to value water as a life giving force.

And clearly, God’s gift is meant to give life to all creation. According to the second creation story, water flows out from God’s paradise over the whole world. The gift of paradise is for all; and Jesus tells us that God sends rain on both the just and the unjust. Water is to be considered as a common good.

The first task of Christians is therefore to remind themselves and the world around them of the true value of water. Water deserves to be a theme of preaching and meditation. It deserves to have a place in worship. Saint Francis rightly called water our ‘sister’ – not an object but a life giving co-creature.

Awareness building must at the same time include a sustained reflection on the present situation. Why do we have to speak of a ‘water crisis’?  What are its root causes?  Christians need to resist consistently the tendency to overlook the crisis or to belittle its impact and urgency.  The issues need to be faced in their full complexity and all their ramifications.

Convinced that the gift of water needs to be shared with all, Christians will seek maximum justice in water use. The uneven distribution of water resources over planet must not serve as a pretext to minimize the call for justice.  It is a central task of the churches to alleviate by acts of solidarity the burden of water scarcity.

b) Participation in Public Debate and Action

As water is essential for life, the churches have an obligation to engage themselves in the present debate about the appropriate management of water resources. Since fundamental ethical choices are involved it is imperative to participate in the public debate and to resist solutions which contradict Christian convictions.

Participation is called for at all levels – local, national, regional and international. Ways need to be found to share in the elaboration of an international agreement on water use capable of guiding states in their approach to water issues.

To this effect churches will work together with NGO’s specialized on water issues and seek to profit from their experience and expertise.

In many areas, solutions can only be developed on a regional basis. As churches, by their very nature, transcend national boundaries, they will seek to participate in efforts of regional collaboration.

A primary concern will be to promote people’s participation in water management.

c) Life Styles

To be credible, the churches need to promote– both at the personal and the community level – a life style conveying a sense of respect and responsibility towards the gift of water.

Christians will resist excessive water consumption and avoid unnecessary pollution.

They will participate – for the sake of water availability – in all ‘indirect’ measures capable of increasing water availability.

12.  Possible steps for ECEN? Open questions

Water will be the main theme of the Volos Assembly. Should ECEN issue a public statement drawing attention to the relevance and urgency of the issue. The WSSD in Johannesburg has adopted a statement setting a target on ‘access to water and sanitation’. Should ECEN welcome the statement and press governments to act on it? Should ECEN at the same time add its voice to the opposition to privatization?

Does it make sense for ECEN to support the various proposals of a ‘water convention’? Which proposal should be chosen? What form should such support take?

2003 will be the international year of water. What contribution can the churches make to this year? Can ‘Creation Time 2003’ be devoted tgo the theme of water?

Can contacts be established with the European Union on their guidelines on water use?

For some ECEN has considered setting up a coalition on water issues. Has the time come to proceed?  The Volos Assembly could be the opportunity for such a step. But a decision will only maje sense, if there is a sufficient number of people prepared to commit themselves to work regularly within such a coialition.  It is therefore important to know who, across Europe, is already involved in water issues and would profit from wider exchange and collaboration.

Possibly such a coalition could produce a dossier on water issues – for the benefit of the churches in Europe – similar to the dossier on Climate Change published in 2001. It would need to contain on the one hand general considerations on responsible approaches but also illustrations from various parts of Europe.

Is it possible, in collaboration with the World Council of Churches, to contribute to the debates on future water use in the framework of the Wortld Water Forum?

December 10, 2002            

Creation and Exodus

The Bible presents two narratives on the creation of the world (Gen. 1 and Gen.2) and for each the role of water differs.

The first narrative depicts water as a threatening force. Right at the beginning we are told that “the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters” (Gen,1.2). God creates the world by wresting it from the darkness of the flood. He pushes the waters back and erects the firmament, a sort of bowl protecting the earth from the power of the waters. Under the firmament the earth is placed like a disk on the waters.  The cosmos inhabited by human beings is therefore surrounded on all sides by water – water above the firmament, water under the earth. The situation of the earth, as the flood of Noah will show, is highly vulnerable. If God opens the ‘windows’ of the firmament and allows the wells of the earth to overflow (Gen.7,11), all life on earth is bound to end. Water is therefore a constant threat for the human race. Confidence is only possible because God himself sets limits to this dark force. Psalm 104 gives praise to God for his power: “Thou didst set the earth on its foundations, so that it never should be shaken. Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled, at the sound of thy thunder they took to flight … Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth” (6-9).

Water plays again a central role in the exodus from Egypt, the basic spiritual experience of the Jewish people. God leads the people through the sea. “Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”  But the pursuing Egyptian army is swallowed up by the waters. The children of Israel will always remember God’s intervention and keep it alive in their hearts. It is a recurring theme in the songs of praise: “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea; and his picked officers are sunk in the Red Sea. The floods cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone” (Ex. 15,4-5).

Water - Condition of Life

The second story (Gen.2) paints another picture. Water is here described as a creative power. “The Lord God had not yet caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground” (5).  Thus God creates the preconditions for the earth’s fertility. God places humanity in the midst of a garden filled with a great variety of trees – all pleasant to the sight and good for food. Water flows there in abundance. “A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden and there it divided and became four rivers.”  The message of the narrative is clear: the water which makes the earth fertile has its origin in Paradise. 

Its abundance was, however, by no means the daily experience of the Jewish people.  In the desert, water was not readily available. Wells supplying people with water were considered to be a blessing. Both human beings and cattle gathered around these places of sanctification. Young women came with jars to catch the water – often flowing in places deep under the surface. Wells were a meeting place. In order to approach a village a foreigner often first went to the well.

Another story in Genesis well illustrates the significance of the wells for the people. In order to drive Isaac away the Philistines filled with mud the wells which had been dug out by his father, Abraham. Recognizing that he had created enmity, Isaac went away and established himself in Gerar. His servants, wanting to recover the wells of Abraham, began to dig and found springs of pure water. “But the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herdsmen saying, ‘The water is ours’. So Isaac called the name of the well Esek (quarrel) because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarrelled over that also; so Isaac called its name Sitnah (dispute).”  Isaac decided to move further afield and to dig out a third well. “And over that they did not quarrel. So he called its name Rehoboth (wide space) saying, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land’” (Gen.26, 12-23).

Water as a gift. Water as a rare and thus a precious good, bound to be carefully preserved. Water as a cause of disputes and conflicts. Water as precondition of an ordered and fruitful life. What we find in the Bible mirrors our situation today. As water supplies diminish, we need more than ever the wisdom of Isaac, i.e. peaceful agreements among all who are in need of God’s gift of water.

Other Meanings of Water

The Bible makes mention of all that water means in daily life. Often water also acquires metaphoric significance.

Water purifies.  Numerous laws prescribe purification by water (Lev. 15,1-32). A good host washes the feet of the foreigner seeking hospitality in his house. Footwashing becomes a symbol of love and communion.  Jesus, defending the love of the woman anointing his feet, blames Simon the Pharisee for not having received him properly: “I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears” (Luke 7, 44).   He uses footwashing as a sign and symbol of mutual love and communion among the disciples (John 13, 1-20).

Water heals. Water can be polluted and poisonous. It can cause illnesses. The prophet Elisha is told by the people: “Behold the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth; but the water is bad and the ground barren” (2 King 2,19). An intervention of the prophet is required to restore the purity of the water and the consequent vigor of the earth. “Thus says the Lord,

I have made this water wholesome; henceforth there shall be neither death nor barren land.”   Water can also restores health. In particular, the waters of the river Jordan, cause of the land’s fecundity, are considered to have healing power. Naaman, seized by an apparently incurable disease, is sent to the river Jordan to be healed. Later, John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, will baptize in that same river all those who confess their sins. Whosoever would return to God and receive the sign of Baptism, will be healed of their sins.

Water quenches thirst and is thereby an image for God who alone is capable of quenching the thirst of the soul. “As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs, my soul, for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the Living God” (Psalm 42, 1-2). “O God, thou art my God, I seek thee; my flesh faints for thee as in a dry and weary land where no water is” (Psalm 63,1).  The moving story of the prophet Elijah in the desert is relevant here. Persecuted and in despair he longs for death:  “It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers. And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Arise and eat!’ And he looked and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time, and touched him, and said, ‘Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you’. And he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God” (1 Kings 19, 4-8).  And finally we hear in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5, 6). 

Water has the power of extinguishing fire. In order to describe the fire of the last judgment and its destructive power the author of Wisdom declares that the waters of the whole earth will not succeed in quenching it. “The fire was powerful in the water and the water forgot its power to extinguish” (Wisdom 19,19).  On the other hand we read in the Song of Songs: “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it” (8,7-8).

Waters of Eternal Life

Often in Jesus’ preaching the basic elements of this world become symbols or parables of God’s eternal kingdom – not only light, life, land, bread and wine, but also water. In John’s Gospel they serve especially to point to the spiritual world. First there is the literal meaning of the word; but the eye of faith goes beyond the world that is accessible to all. Through the present world it looks forward to God’s coming world.

The dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman provides a good illustration. On his way to Galilee Jesus passes trough Samaria. He approaches the well of the Samaritan city Sychar and there meets a woman drawing water. He asks her for some. She hesitates because she cannot understand how a Jew is prepared to receive water from a Samaritan woman. But the dialogue immediately shifts to another level. He speaks of that eternal water which he alone is capable of giving to her. The Samaritan woman’s understanding of water cannot be anything other than water. Jesus has to explain: “Everyone who drinks of this water, will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”  (John 4, 13-14). The woman still does not understand – or, more precisely, she interprets the sentence at the level of her conception of water. “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw”  (15).  Only step by step is she led by Jesus into a faith which is capable of looking beyond the limits of this world.

Baptism

Through Baptism water has become an integral part of Christian faith and life. Water is no longer simply the element that either threatens life or makes it possible, but rather the sign of God’s saving action for us humans who, while in this world, are on the path to God’s future world. Baptism rites appear already in late Judaism. John the Baptist baptizes the people coming to meet him at the river Jordan. Jesus accepts Baptism from him. The rite signifies dying and rising with Jesus Christ. The person baptized is immersed in water and rises to new life in the power of the Holy Spirit.

All that we have said so far about the meaning of water is also present in this rite:

-         Believers are saved from the threat of being drowned.

-         As they confess their sins, they are purified and healed.

-         Their thirst will be quenched forever.

-         The Spirit leads them into the future world proclaimed by Jesus Christ.

Salvation is bestowed on the baptized through the sign of water and the power of the Holy Spirit. Neophytes are freed and at the same time turned into servants – ready for the kind of service symbolized by the act of footwashing.

The Last Times

Finally, water plays an important role in the last book of the Bible – John’s Apocalypse. On the one hand, water serves to describe the catastrophes befalling the human race and the whole of creation as the end approaches; on the other, water appears as the symbol of eternal life with God, of the time when the living springs flow in perfect abundance.

God sends out an angel– an allusion to the plagues before the Exodus – who makes water undrinkable. “A great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains of water.   The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died of the water because it was made bitter” (Rev. 8,10-11).  A little later we are told:  “The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up”  (Rev. 16,12). In order to warn his people, God gives to his witnesses the power “to shut the sky that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire” (Rev. 11,6).

The last times are characterised as an ecological catastrophe. The blessings of water are withdrawn from human beings and from all living creation. The chaos which reigned before creation returns. From the abyss of the ocean emerges the beast which slanders God, destroys humankind and brings destruction on the whole earth (Rev.13,1).

Conversely, the vision of eternal life is described by images of water.  “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also on either side of the river the trees of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding fruit each month; and the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations”  (Rev. 22.1-2). The destruction is not God’s last word. The forces of chaos will not win. In the midst of darkness we have the hope for a new world where living water flows.

Responsibility for God’s Gift

Have we thus bid farewell to this world?  Can we forget about God’s gift of material water? Certainly not.  It is God’s will that we care for this world, that we respect the limits that he has set, that we cherish the gifts which make possible the life on the planet Earth and that we share them with all who are in need – human beings, animals and plants. How could we disregard the element given by God and chosen to point us to his world?

25 October 2002

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Silent Cry of Water

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION all spiritual, practical and social aspects of the water in the history of the humankind, we must ask ourselves: what happened in our relation to water? What makes us unable to see that the water is given to us by the Almighty God as a precious gift? A gift which is here to sustain, to purify and to enrich our life and the life of all creation.

A responsible Christian approach towards water should perhaps go beyond the pure seeing and the acknowledgement that the water is precious, important and very often also wonderful in all its forms. Perhaps we should go beyond the fact that it also caries a deep meaning and that it is mentioned in the Bible also as the resource of the new life, symbol of the spiritual purification and transformation. Finally, we also find spiritual meanings which are associated with the water in Judaism and in Islam and actually in all world’s and natural religions. All these old spiritual traditions were and still are, in one way or another, aware of water as a condition for life and acknowledge this fact in their particular way.

Why a responsible Christian approach should go beyond this? What more than acknowledgement, awareness, appreciation and wonder is expected from us? Is there something more to be expected? At the end, is the water issue relevant for us? How can we (if at all) respond to the water issue? It seems that it is urgent to start thinking about these questions for several serious reasons.

First of all, the quality of water is constantly decreasing by the use of artificially produced chemical fertilisers, detergents and industrial and communal wastes which get into the water cycle and often contain poisonous substances. So the water which has been meant by God as our resource of life is changing into the water bringing death. The problem is directly connected with the water treatment and water sanitation. Only a small proportion of the human population is privileged to have water sanitation and water cleaning systems at a sufficient level.

Another serious threat to the water cycle is caused by the global warming and by the fact that more and more water evaporates into the atmosphere – this further contributes to global the warming and has disastrous effects on many regions of the world. More and more often in the last decade we have witnessed terrible and long-standing droughts in some areas or disastrous floods and melting down of icebergs in the others.

To the water problems which we have to face today contribute also the urban architecture and the spreading of roads, which cover more and more ground with concrete; they are not able to keep the water in the countryside and do not allow it to soak it into the earth. This causes on one side quick evaporation after short rains and also the fact that the water has not enough natural space for staying or flowing away after heavy rains. All these lead then to floods. In our more or less urban countryside we usually miss natural wetlands and meanders on the rivers. Deforestation is another factor which contributes to the fact that water flows away and evaporates from the countryside very quickly.

All these developments and also the unsustainable agricultural production, as well as the over-utilisation of water and human caused environmental catastrophes (eg. in Romanian Baia Mare or in the recent shipwrecks of old tankers in Atlantic and in the Channel contribute to continuous:

·        Pollution of waters in wells, streams, rivers and oceans

·        Loosing of water from the countryside and decreasing level of underground water

·        Total destruction of natural habitats for fish, amphibians and many other animals and plants living in water

·        Lack of drinking water for people and opportunities for people depending on water (fishers, farmers)

·        Increasing environmental, economic and  social costs connected with drinking water distribution and delivery, water treatment and sanitation

When we take into account all causes of these very unfortunate developments affecting the water and the water cycle we must ask ourselves if we take seriously the calling of our Lord “Not to do the others what we do not want the others to do to us”. Do we realise that by our unsustainable utilisation of water we sometimes deprive others from the very access to water? Do we realise that our environmental behaviour and misbehaviour already now causes suffering and the death of hundreds of species of animals and plants? Do we clearly see that the natural element of water connects us with everybody and with everything living on this planet? Can we really think that UN and our national governments or environmental NGOs would resolve these environmental and global water problems and the problem of the access to water for us and for the future generations?

We can, of course, try to be optimistic and simply believe that things will improve and everything will be better in several years due to the global initiatives undertaken eg. at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, but in this very special and particular area of water we are invited also to do something more. WE can and we MUST do real things if our environmental vocation is serious.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THE BEST PRACTICES IN ADVOCACY

Problem 1:

·        Pollution of waters in wells, streams, rivers and oceans

What can we do:

We can use less aggressive chemicals and detergents in our households.

We can consciously buy those chemicals and detergents which are not poisonous and which can de-compose in the nature without disastrous effects – they are usually marked as ecological products.

We should avoid putting aggressive chemicals and drugs into the waste water systems.

We should notice and care for environmental situations around us and not be afraid to criticise our neighbours, co–citizens and the local authorities or industries when they pollute streams and rivers, destroy water based habitats, do not respect water protection zones or simply do not care about water issues.

Problem 2:

·        Loosing of water from the countryside and decreasing level of underground water

What can we do:

We can build our churches and other buildings in a way which allows water to soak into the earth and to stay there. Church land property could be maintained in its original state with respect for water. Wherever possible we can include in our planning green parking, green roofs and natural gardens which do not require massive watering. By using public transport we would not create a demand for more space covered by concrete for cars.

We can voluntarily save water and reduce our consumption of it. We can install saving valves, two–position WC tanks and to include two-circuit systems in our buildings and building projects.

We should be able to campaign against decisions of local and governmental authorities and businesses when they intend to cover the landscape with concrete and to regulate rivers when it is not necessary.

Problem 3:

·        Destruction of natural habitats for fish, amphibians and many other animals and plants living in water

What can we do:

We should be aware of the fact that the water ecosystems around us are often unique and very sensitive. Because of that we should prevent the pollution of these habitats by the irresponsible behaviour of our neighbours and careless attitudes of our authorities or industry. We should not be afraid to stand on the side of animals and plants when they are endangered for purely economic reasons.

We can initiate public campaigns for protection of endangered species and pieces of nature around us.

We can organise events concentrating on the lake/river/costal zone near to us, informing about the variety and richness of life in it and the possible environmental threats.

We can organise “cleanings” of the lake/river/costal zone in our neighbourhood as a public event.

Problem 4:

·        Lack of drinking water for people and opportunities for people depending on water (fishers, farmers).

What can we do:

We can introduce the best water–saving practices in our parishes, church centres and ecumenical institutions and inform the public about it. By this we can set up an example for our communities. We can also support or develop campaigns informing about water issues in our area and about best possible practices related to water.

Problem 5:

·        Increasing environmental, economic and social costs connected with water distribution and delivery, water treatment and sanitation

What can we do:

We should try to develop and to support local and regional solutions for water systems into which clean drinking water would be taken with minimum treatment and by shortest possible distribution way from local resources. At the same time, the used water should be returned purified by us as users. Ideally this should apply for all sorts of Church buildings and institutions. At the same time, all above mentioned practices related to minimising pollution, reduced consumption and necessary water protection and water savings should be implemented and promoted.

Of course, nobody and no institution can eventually do or implement all these steps. However, everybody can do at least something for water. The implementation of some steps and procedures suggested in this article would require sound technical or environmental knowledge and resources. Other practical steps require only good will and more attention towards the God’s gifts, of which one is also the water which we touch.

Statements on Water 

from WCC member-churches

  List of Church Statement and Activities concerning Water (in Europe)

  World Council of Churches, Statement on ‘Water Sustains Life’ by the World Council of Churches, formulated and adopted by a consultation at Bangalore from December 10-15,2000

  France

-  L’eau et la vie, colloque intereligieux sur l’eau à Klingenthal (Strasbourg)

du 25-29 octobre 1995

-  L’or bleu - au nom de l’eau. Dossier in: Itinéraires – recherche chrétiennes d’ouverture, 2002/39

  Germany  

-                        Arbeitsgruppe Umweltbildung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Erwachsenenbildung der Evangelischen Kirche Kurhessen-Waldeck, Wasser, Elementare Impulse Anregungen und Vorschläge für Gruppen und Gemeindearbeit, Kassel 1996, 2000 (zweite Auflage)

-   Evangelische Kommentare, Wasser, 1999, n°8

-                        Wasser ist Leben: Schöpfung – Sintflut – Taufe.  Evangelisches Missionswerk , Hamburg 2000 (für den Unterricht)

-                        Frank Kürschner-Pelkmann, Wasser – Gottes Gabe, keine Ware, Wasserwirtschaft im Zeitalter der Globalisierung, Evangelisches Missionswerk Deutschland, Heft 47,Hamburg 2002 

  Italy

 - Federazione delle chiese evangeliche in Italia, L’acqua, dono e responsabilità,.

Il rempo del creato, Tema proposto alla riflessione delle chiese per l’anno 2002

  Netherlands

- Werkgroep Kerk en Milieu van de Haagse Gemeenschap van Kerken, Levenwekkend Water, liturgie-suggesties en materiaal voor Milieu-Zontag, June 5, 1994

  Switzerland

- Swiss Coalition of Development Agencies (Bread for all, Caritas, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Helvetas, Swissaid) , Water, 2001

  United Kingdom

- Tearfund, Community participation in urban water services, March 2001

- Tearfund, The Human Waster, A call for urgent action to combar the millions of deaths caused by poor sanitation, March 2002

- Church Times, Water – Special Report, August 2002