Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series

I.

What am I? Game
A. Water is the most basic element of life. B. Americans are blessed to have access to a supply of clean, drinkable water.

II. There is a complex process involved in bringing this precious resource to the consumer.
A. Water in the US comes from two different sources.
1. Groundwater is drilled out of the ground (shallow or deep). a) EPA says more water systems pull out of groundwater.

b) According to the US Geological Survey (2005), 20% is groundwater. 2. Second source in US is surface water. a) Surface water includes oceans, rivers, lakes, i.e. water accessible without drilling. b) More people drink surface water USGS says 80% of largescale water systems is surface water.

B. Both sources must be processed to meet health and safety standards.

1. Coagulation is where chemicals are added to the recently tapped water. a) This creates floc, a sticky substance that attracts dirt particles b) This now heavy floc settles to the bottom of treatment tanks, and taken out of the water supply. 2. Filtration is when water passes through filters to separate water from undesired particles. a) b) Sand, charcoal, and gravel all used as filters. These filters remove clay and small microorganisms

Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series 3. Disinfection is the final step. a) Chlorine is added to ensure the killing of all contaminants

b) Disinfection is the most important advancement in producing clean, and healthy, drinking water

III. Americans take clean and available water for granted, but its the result of a complex and important process.
A. Recap sources and cleaning process B. Next time you go for a drink of water, remember that it is actually way more than just a faucet away.

Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series

I.

Whats it feel like when you run out of something?

A. B. Running out forces you to give something up in order to replace it. Thesis: America is running out of water.

II. Water consumption in the US is higher than water replacement.

A. One of the largest sources of groundwater is the High Plains Aquifer. (USGS Scientific Intelligence Report in 2011)
1. Eight states pull from it, such as Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas. It is used mostly for irrigation in farming, plus 2 million domestic drinkers. 2. Water level has dropped 14 feet since about 1950.

3. Total water has declined about 274 million acre-feet (about 113,000 Olympic size swimming pools).

B. Lake Michigan provides freshwater for the Chicago-land area, specifically for Wheaton.
1. For over the decade, Lake Michigan water levels have been lower than the long-term mean, and are expected to stay that way (Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, Sept 2011) 2. 33 million people drink from Lake Michigan daily, not to mention the business and industry from the many cities around it 3. (Environment Illinois) reports that only 1 percent of water used from Lake Michigan is replaced.

C.

Drought in the US contributes to the problem.

1. Recall the water cycle (USGS Water Cycle) a. Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation happen; but we take water out of the cycle. 2. Nearly 12 percent of contiguous United States were classified in exceptional drought period in July (US Drought Monitor) 3. Much of this area is found in the South

Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series a. Texas is in the worst condition. Also, Texas is drawing more and more water from the High Plains Aquifer. 4. In Arizona, water is piped in from California to meet the high demand of the fast growing city of Phoenix.

D. Critics might argue that with new desalination technology, freshwater is no longer an issue.
1. If we can convert ocean water into freshwater, we will never run out, right? However, desalination only accounts for less than 1% of total 2. water consumption (according to the USGS), so its not practically reliable right now. 3. Desalination is currently more expensive than more drilling or even importing water for many countries when it comes to agricultural use.

III.

The supply of freshwater in America is on the decline.

A. Recap reasons. Water consumption outpaces water replacement in the American water cycle. Large-scale drought makes it worse. B. Its time for Americans to change their mindset. There might be water, water everywhere right now, but in the future there might not be a drop to drink.

Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series

I.

Describe a morning routine

A. Use bathroom. Shower. Brush Teeth. Eat at Saga. B. Whats it like for those in the third world without access to clean water? Miles of walking, disease, loss of productivity, no education. C. Without access to clean water, your routine never be the same

D. Instead of taking our ease of access to water for granted, support Living Water International to make clean water accessible for everyone.

II. A huge proportion of the worlds population has no access to safe water.
A. According to the World Health Organization, 884 million people dont have clean drinking water. B. 1.8 million children die every year from unclean water and poor sanitation. That means after this speech is over, 20 children will have died. (United Nations Development Programme) C. The UN says that at any one time, half of the worlds hospital beds are occupied with people suffering water-related diseases. D. Water carrying hurts everyone.
1. Mainly brought by girls in the family, so education not possible

2. 40 billion working hours used for water in Africa (Cosgrove and Rijsberman 1998) 3. That water could lead to diarrhea or intestinal worms.

III. This Christmas, ask for a Clean Water Gift Card from Living Water International to go to the project of your choice.
A. Living Water International is a non-profit organization that trains, equips, and consults local people to implement water solutions in their own countries.
1. Putting the projects in the hands of locals creates jobs, leads to sustainable water practices, and focuses the growth on each community

Jason Kircher Comm 201 Speech Series

B. They have completed more than 10,000 water projects in 26 countries such as Angola, Kenya, and Rwanda. C. Have a distinct Christian witness.
1. Serve water to anyone and everyone in the community regardless of belief 2. Share the redemptive story of Jesus without coercion or manipulation. 3. Recognize Gods ongoing works, partner with Christians in area

D.

Living water stewards its resources well

1. 85% of everything it takes in benefits families and communities in need 2. Earned a Best in America seal from the Independent Charities of America

IV.

Giving to Living Water impacts thousands of people

A. 310 water projects have been completed in Ghana since 1998; 606 in Kenya; 130 in Nigeria. B. After well completion in the La Mosquitia region of Honduras, villages reported a 75% reduction in illnesses. C. World Bank estimates that the cost to reach universal water coverage is between 5 and 21 billion dollars. D. In comparison, Americans spend around $200 billion on Christmas

V.

This Christmas, join the conspiracy for clean water.

A. Dont celebrate Christmas as usual with more materialism. B. Ask for a $25 gift card to support clean water programs through Living Water International.