The Midwest is Now Drier Than During the Dust Bowl

The Midwest’s severe drought conditions have received little attention until a November 14, 2023, article was published in the Wall Street Journal. That article, written by Shannon Najambalt, reports that “towns in MId-America are facing water shortages as they grapple with a multiyear drought.

Further, Caney, located in southwest Kansan, will run out of water completely by March 1 if no rain falls.”?

She then goes on to say that “drought is negatively impacting the entire state of Iowa; however, at this time, the small towns are the most impacted.”

The situation in Iowa and parts of Kansas has received little attention, perhaps because it mainly affects small towns. However, these towns are now taking various measures to cope with the water crisis. Some examples are:

- Shutting down city pools and water fountains.

- Reducing water consumption in school locker rooms

- Hauling trailer restrooms filled with water from other states to serve schools.

- Adopting four-day weeks or hybrid models for school instruction.

- Replacing washable plates with paper ones in school cafeterias.

- Banning car washing and limiting water use for landscaping.

- Closing public restrooms and installing portable toilets.

These measures have been effective in lowering water usage, but they are not enough, according to James Rainbolt, who manages a water plant that serves parts of Iowa and Kansas. But he adds, "the ultimate solution is rain. We're at the mercy of the weather."

Not New, But Now Worse

Water scarcity is a term being used around the world to discuss severe water shortages. However, in most parts of the world, the term refers to the lack of safe drinking water or water pure enough to be used for basic hygiene.

In Iowa, it means, quite simply, water is exceptionally scare with will chance things will get much better any time soon.

While drought conditions are not new to the region, climate change has worsened the situation. As per Lu Liu, a water resources professor at Iowa State University, “Iowa and other parts of the Midwest are experiencing back-to-back years of drought today, and rainfall patterns have become unpredictable.”

The lack of rainfall has left three counties in Iowa “drier than the Dust Bowl years (of the 1930s),” according to Tim Hall, a hydrologist for Iowa's Department of Natural Resources. Hall adds that “humidity levels in some places [in Iowa] are as low as 29 percent, which is like the Sahara Desert.”

Lack of Planning

The situation in Iowa is a result of poor planning. Water officials in these areas know that drought is a persistent problem, and probably saw it getting worse over time, but did not take adequate measures to prevent what is now a serious crisis.

They are now forced to focus on the emergency and have little time to think about the future. All the steps mentioned earlier are being taken to conserve water. Still, they have little impact on reducing water consumption permanently, which is what water efficiency is all about.

I suggest that the State of Iowa examine each of these conservation efforts and determine which can be turned into a permanent way to reduce water needs. An excellent place to start is with the restrooms.

Instead of closing restrooms entirely, installing portable toilets, or driving in water filled trailers from out of state, just making this one change - installing waterless urinals - will help dramatically reducing water consumption on a permanent basis. In fact, it may make such a powerful reduction that virtually all the steps mentioned earlier may no longer be needed.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency. ?Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.? He can be reached at [email protected]