Fresh water is largely considered as a finite resource, which has sparked a debate over whether governments should impose strict control on water usage, or individuals are entitled to use it as much as they wish. This essay will explain both perspectives in depth, arguing in favor of governmental regulations.
A decent number of people claim that water should be a resource of free use. The main reason for this might be that as humanity is a crucial part of nature, with water being a domestic resource there as well, it is unfair to limit a nature-given gift by any kind of regulatory actions. Furthermore, unlimited supply of fresh water would act as a great advantage for many businesses like energy production and manufacturing. As these industries heavily rely on huge amounts of clean water, using as much water as they want is likely to speed up internal processes and enhance profitability. For example, in the era of constant technological advancement, with AI hitting the peak, data centers’ cooling systems are bound to run on high performance due to the huge volume of fresh water supplied, eventually integrating AI presence into society faster. Thus, these arguments are seemingly convincing enough for people to support this view.
However, proponents of government intervention think that such regulations would be more effective in the long-term. This could be explained by the fact that as humanity roughly has an access to less than 3% of fresh water, it is imperative not to be overused by people and businesses. To be more specific, water reservoirs may not be able to refill as fast as to address individuals’ needs and wants due to their own overconsumption regarding the idea of having limitless access to water. Moreover, strict control would ensure more equitable distribution, meaning low-income communities and essential sectors, like agriculture, receive a fair share, that is enough to sustain farming and not too much which may cause unnecessary problems. For instance, when farming gets access to more water than needed due to lack of limitations, farmers may inadvertently water plants excessively, eventually having plants to experience stunted growth, which would lead to less soil fertility and perhaps profit reduction. For these reasons, I believe that government should incorporate strict water regulations so that scarcity, which is a global issue, is less likely to occur in the nearest future.
Ultimately, while unlimited access to fresh water may seem superficially beneficial and advantageous, having control over its supply is highly important. Given that basic needs of humanity regarding water would be covered in a more proportional way, alongside lower probability of deficient, I believe it is reasonable enough to assume that regulations are better in the long-term.