Guest Commentary

Editor’s note: Jack Peasley contacted Doug Griffiths, MBA, with Kelly Clemmer, the author of “13 Ways to Kill Your Community,” published by Friesen Press, who graciously gave permission to reprint the first chapter of his book-East Washingtonian. What follows is part two of five segments of Chapter 1, “Forget the Water.”

(Continued from May 19 edition.)

The quality of water we expect has gone far beyond only what we drink, however. Very few people in North America are willing to buy a house with water stains running down the tub or around the drain-sink. Sure, some might tolerate this sort of blemish in a very old building, but they would probably figure the stains were old and wouldn’t return once the sink and tub were replaced.

Very few, if any, people purchasing a relatively new house would accept staining, given all the implications, real or imagined, that come with it. With stained fixtures come questions about the quality of water, and potential health worries of drinking it, showering in it and washing clothes in it.

The natural inclination on the purchaser’s part would be to wonder about the longevity of the fixtures and appliances and, even more worrisome, to wonder about the soundness of the internal structural components of the house, such as the hot water heater and the plumbing. The water may cause only the stains and nothing more, but the majority of people aren’t interested in finding out. They won’t tolerate the problem, which means they won’t buy the house––and they might just decide not to live-community at all.

In one particular community, a discussion about the town’s water issues raged for over 15 years. Almost an entire generation’s worth of time had been spent complaining about the issues and fighting about the solutions. The town had a reputation for its poor-quality water. It definitely left stains around the drains.

I visited one young couple in that community who had moved into a brand-new house in a brand-new subdivision. The house was so new the front steps were still a temporary wood frame, but there in their brand-new, white bathroom sink and tub were the beginnings of yellow stains. It turned them off and they joined the fight to improve the town’s water quality.

The discoloration was not a real health issue––it was more an issue about the perception of quality. There was a health issue concern about the water-community, though, because the sodium content was very high. The level was well within all the health and water quality guidelines, but everyone still felt uneasy about it.

The town became famous for all the wrong reasons, as I realized myself when I heard the community described as the place to go if you want to develop a heart condition. Not a very nice reputation to have, indeed. Yet, for 15 years, neither the perception nor the reality of the quality of the water in that community was addressed.

Some communities have substantive and chronic water—quality issues, while others have difficulties that are more cosmetic. Whatever the nature of the problem, if the truth is your community’s water quality is substandard, the perception will take root and then it will become your story, and then it will become your reality. Perception is sometimes the biggest driver of damage to a community, because perception becomes reality.

Some of those communities that have experienced illnesses or death due to acute water issues have never fully recovered. Reputations, once acquired, especially those based on horrible and tragic events, are hard to change. When the dominant public perception is that your community is not a good place to live, raise a family and invest-future, that perception will become the reality. Having quality water is no guarantee of success, but having poor water quality is a sure step to failure.

The quality of your water is important to your community’s future, but the quantity of water available is equally important. In fact, the issue over the quality of your water is a moot point if you don’t have enough water to meet your community’s current and future needs.

As I mentioned earlier, my grandpa often reminded me you can only survive for three days without water. Adequate water is fundamental to our very survival. Many people in survival situations forget how critically important water is to their bodies, which is why far too many people in survival situations die from dehydration or water poisoning.

We also often forget how critical water is to us in our daily lives. We take for granted that it is not only pretty safe to drink, but often presume there is a limitless supply. That is why we let the tap run while we brush our teeth, or let it run until the water is nice and cold for drinking, or water our precious lawns in a drought.

-Griffiths is the Founder and CEO of 13 Ways Inc, a consulting firm based in Alberta, Canada. For more information visit http://www.13ways.ca