December 22, 2016

My Perfect Country: Solving Water Scarcity in Bermuda

26 minutes

The solution to the world’s water scarcity problem could lie in the tiny, remote island of Bermuda. The island has battled water saving problems since its colonisation as it has no natural water resources – and therefore no natural pure water. It relies on one source alone – rain water. That limited availability has created a nation of pioneering inventors who produced the Bermudian Roof. It catches every drop of rain, purifies it and stores it for daily use. As each Bermudian citizen is in charge of their own water supply – they have an ingrained sense of water conservation. Could other countries learn from their stringent attitude towards water – or could the Bermudian roof be installed across the world?

But there are some obstacles to overcome along the way – unlike Bermuda, other nations give most of their water supply to the production of agriculture and some countries ban rainwater harvesting completely.

The pros and cons of this resourceful nation are digested and analysed by Fi Glover who is regularly joined by internet entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox and Professor Henrietta Moore of the Institute for Global Prosperity at University College London. Also adding his voice to the debate is special guest and water saving expert Roger Calow of the Overseas Development Institute. Together, and with the help of the worldwide audience – they decide whether the perfect country adopts this water conservation strategy.

Image: A water droplet drips from a leaf, Credit: Thinkstock

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