Editor’s note: This week in honor of World Water Day we’re running a 6-part interview series with leaders of organizations working on water-related issues. Check back for a different interview each day through Friday, March 23.

1) More than 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean water. This number is expected to increase with the rise in the global population. Scarcity doesn’t seem to be the issue, so what can to be done to improve access to clean water?

In many of the places we work, access to a water source is not the main cause of illness and death.  The main cause is the cleanliness of the water being consumed.  However, it is a common misconception in the world to think that all you need to do is drill a borehole or number of boreholes for a community to fix the problem of clean water.  Water extracted from most boreholes may in fact be clean when it comes out of the pump.  The problem is that it is not consumed immediately.  It is brought back to hut or house in a 20 liter container and then consumed at some point later in the day.  There are many studies that show a drastic change in the cleanliness of water once it is take from a clean source, brought back to a home, and then later consumed.

This is why our projects in northern Uganda focus on what is called “point of use” water treatment.  In the west we have the luxury of having clean water piped directly into our homes.  We are trying to bring that some luxury to people in northern Uganda, just on a different level.  There we focus on a point of use treatment method known as bio-sand filtration.  Our bio-sand filters are made from locally available materials, and are designed to be put in homes, schools, health clinics, and other places where it is necessary to have a clean water source where consumption is taking place.

In order for our water efforts to be successful we (the west) need to focus on two major issues.  The first is to bring clean water directly to where it is being consumed, and the second is to make sure all our projects are sustainable by utilizing local staff and local materials.

2) The UN has reported that water shortages may already be having political and economic effects worldwide. How does the restricted water supply constrain economic growth in countries like China and the US?

Water is an essential part of economic growth because it used in all areas of production.  It may surprise some folks to know that in order to make 4 cups of coffee it takes a total of 1,120 litres of water.  This is just one example of how important water is in terms of agriculture, materials production, and other economic essentials in the U.S. and China.  As water shortages continue to be an increasing issue, the U.S., China, and other countries are going to have to make some hard decisions.  But ultimately, the biggest change will have to come from the consumer.  It is everyday people that are going to have to change their behavior in order to try and solve the major water crisis at hand.

3) A number of the earth’s freshwater sources cross borders and are shared by multiple countries. Do you anticipate these transboundary bodies of water to be the source of conflict in the future? What can be done to minimize the fight over these shared resources?
I definitely anticipate major problems, and maybe even war fought over shared bodies of water.  The first one that comes to mind is Sudan and Egypt.  I lived in the Darfur region of Sudan in 2004 and 2005.  While I was there I began to notice drastic growth taking place in Sudan’s economy because of the new oil businesses.  In the last few years Sudan has used hundreds of times more water from the Nile river than what was once used in the past.

I hope that countries such as Sudan and Egypt will be able to find a peaceful means to their water problems.  However, my gut tells me that water will be a bigger issue than oil has ever been.  If this is the case, I think war over such an essential resource is inevitable.

4) What technological innovations are currently being developed that will help alleviate the stress put on the global water supply in the future?

As far as actual supply, it is very difficult to alleviate that stress.  There are methods utilized in developing countries, such as drip irrigation, that have some effect on water supply, but the real problem is from the west.  The average African family uses 5 gallons of water per day.  In the U.S. the average individual uses 100-176 gallons of water per day.  I don’t believe there is any technology that can change these staggering figures until a change is made in each and every one of us in the west in terms of our daily water demands.

5) What can be done to address the causes of shortages such as population growth, consumption and pollution?

I kind of answered this question with the previous one I guess.  I think the only significant change able to address these issues must come from the individuals where consumption and use are at the highest levels.

6) What initiatives is your organization focusing on in the next year to address water-related issues?

Wine To Water focuses on sustainable solutions to water and sanitation problems.  In Uganda we build bio-sand filters and also build training centers to teach locals how to access clean water using available resources such as rainwater containment.  When we drill wells we also focus on the issue of sustainability.  We drilled 26 wells in Cambodia last year and will be drilling 50 this year.  Each well is drilled by a locally made machine run by Cambodians.  Even the pumping mechanisms are made from all local materials.  Over the next few years our organization will drill more than 200 wells and will install more than 1000 bio-sand filters as well as train locals on how to fix their own water and sanitation issues without relying on the west.

7) How can our readers take part in your organization’s campaigns?

Check out our website. Our favorite way to raise awareness and support for our projects is through wine events and wine cocktails.  They are easy to set up, fun for everyone involved, and very effective.  For more information check out our site or email me at doc@winetowater.org.  Wine events aren’t the only way get involved.  Please feel free to email me for more information.

Doc Hendley is the President and Founder of Wine to Water.