Michigan is surrounded by one of the world's great wonders, the Great Lakes. These lakes comprise the largest source of fresh water in the world. The States and Provinces that border the Lakes are in the midst of ratifying a compact that will place strict controls on the diversion of this resource away from the Great Lakes basin. This includes limits on the amount of groundwater that is taken out by companies like Nestle for sale as bottled water.

I am interested in hearing other's views on who owns this water, so I will begin with my view. I believe this water belongs to the people who live in the region. It is a natural resource that should be used the advantage of those that live here. If we are lucky, that is in a good year, the rains and snow melt will only replenish about 1% of the water. That says to me that water that is used or sold cannot exceed that number or you start to diminish the resource. There are those, mostly in western and southern States that try to make the argument that these waters are a national resource and should be allowed to be piped to the desert areas or South to the areas that are struggling as the Cherokee Reservoir dries up. I remember when businesses and jobs left our area for cheap labor in the South, and for the resources of the West. So I feel that if you need the water for your business, then come back to Michigan with the jobs. The fact that an area allowed itself to be overdeveloped for the resources to support it, does not mean that we in the Great Lakes should allow our water to be strip mined to support that faulty plan.

This is a crucial issue that must be examined. I fear that there is the real likelihood for armed conflict in the years to come. I must admit that I would consider drastic actions to stop the diversion of this region's most precious resource.

What do you think? Does it belong to the region, the nation, or the world?

All the best,

Mick