The presidential election is less than three weeks away as I write this. The winner will have enormous responsibilities in the next four years regarding jobs, taxes, foreign policy, energy issues and social issues. I hope that in spite of these concerns, the winner doesn't forget about our most important natural resource, water.

Dr. Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, CA, recently issued a challenge to the next president to include water resources in his agenda. In Dr. Gleick's words, "Safe and adequate freshwater resources are central to the economy, foreign policy, and security of the United States." His article, published in Huff Post Green, provided 16 recommendations addressing water challenges for the next four years and the future. They are summarized below:

1. Appoint and convene a bipartisan Water Commission to evaluate and recommend changes in national water policy

2. Strengthen the national Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act

3. Reorganize and streamline federal agencies that have water resources responsibilities

4. Encourage investment in drinking water and wastewater systems through bonds and tax incentives

5. Promulgate legislation on incentives to improve water use productivity

6. Establish a process for setting and enforcing environmental flows for river systems

7. Monitor and track water-related threats to security and U. S. interests

8. Conduct workshops through Homeland Security, the State Department and others on the vulnerability of U. S. water systems to terrorism and regional threats

9. Reduce risks of international water-related conflicts by expanding appropriate diplomatic resources within the State Department

10. Reduce risks of domestic water-related terrorism by working with local and regional water agencies to identify and reduce vulnerabilities

11. Refocus international aid toward basic water needs for humans and environmental systems

12. Increase efforts to monitor water quality and water-related diseases so that outbreaks can be quickly identified and addressed

13. Expand the scientific, educational and financial leadership of the U. S. in addressing unmet water needs

14. Expand efforts to assess the growing impacts of climate change on water resources

15. Improve smart management of both energy and water resources

16. Integrate strategies for adapting to climate change into all federal planning and management.

Dr. Gleick's recommendations cover a wide range of activities and concerns. I agree with most of his recommendations particularly as those related to policy and security. National water policy is gridlocked by contradictory water laws and regulations, and by too many federal, state, and local agencies having water resources responsibilities.

I also feel that water security is often overlooked particularly in relation to the vulnerability of our source water.

I would add a couple of my own recommendations. First, we need to pay more attention to our water resources infrastructure relating to both delivery of freshwater and removal and treatment of wastewater. Particularly in large cities, many of our distribution and removal systems are antiquated and in disrepair. Second, regarding natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, droughts, etc., we need to determine how we can be more proactive to these disasters. Advance preparation can save lives and dollars.

I hope that the winner of the presidency will pay close attention to recommendations like these. We all will be better off.