Welcome to 2024, the new year! It is a time to set resolutions for ourselves—you know, like committing to a healthier lifestyle—well, maybe not that. The good news is, I have a resolution you will like. Rather than hitting the gym, I suggest brain candy.

Your brain candy resolution is to read Peter Gleick's recently published book, The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future (PublicAffairs/Hachette 2023). Gleick's construction of the evolution of water and how it affects our lives, and how we affect water, is more than thought-provoking; it will motivate you to go beyond the status quo of today, leaving you inspired to build a better water future.

Gleick sums up the theme of his book: “The more we know about water's past, and the current challenges it faces, the more likely we will solve these challenges.” The basic idea is that the past can inform the future, so Gleick starts at the most logical point with a book like this—with the creation of the world.

The first age of water is so interesting to me, and it is clear that Gleick did considerable research in developing its story line. My favorite part of this age is the different but common stories, from multiple religions and cultures, of a great flood event—think various versions of a Noah's Ark story. I am willing to bet that if you think of Noah's Ark as a fable, you will, at a minimum, be open to the possibility that these stories are recordings of actual events.

The first age also includes the beginnings of humans’ need to control water and how that need enabled communities to exist, water wars to occur, and the creation of the first known water laws to govern water. As it turns out, these are merely the kernels of how water shaped today's society—an era that Gleick refers to as the second age.

You and I are living at the tail end of Gleick's second age, which began with, among other things, advances in science, technology, and humans’ ability to control water. These advances spurred others, like initial solutions to waterborne diseases, which in turn led to other advances, and so on. All of this occurred relatively rapidly, especially in comparison with the first age.

Gleick points out that along with the practical advancements of the second age came the beginnings of the challenges we face today—aging water systems and infrastructure, climate change, a growing awareness that, despite advances, not everyone has access to safe water.

Gleick concludes the second age by describing the water tensions we face as modern-day water professionals. On one hand, society is advancing at unprecedented speeds, in large part because water enabled it—and we like that. On the other hand, water is now exposed to new contaminants on a regular basis; celebrations like Earth Day are needed to remind us that rivers should not catch on fire; and the ubiquitous nature of climate change, along with other stresses on water sources, also has a corresponding negative impact on nature. And we don’t like those outcomes.

In the third age of water, Gleick outlines his “soft path” solutions, stressing that we have a choice: we can stick with the traditional “hard path,” or we can switch to the soft path. His vision of the soft path includes (1) recognizing the human right to water and meeting water needs rather than simply supplying water; (2) recognizing the true cost of water; (3) protecting the health of ecosystems and restoring ecosystems damaged in the second age; (4) shifting from a focus on ample supply and use of water to providing the benefits people want as efficiently as possible; and (5) expanding the water supply through reuse, gray water, treated wastewater, and stormwater.

It is undeniable that the second age of water brought us both great water successes and, at the same time, a plethora of challenges. As I see it, in the third age, as challenges continue to trend up, our job is to intervene to reverse that trend—and, as I often say, waiting is not a strategy. I agree with Gleick: we are not powerless, and we can change—if we choose to. This theme rings true in AWWA's Water 2050 initiative as well.

This is where the brain candy comes in. For me, brain candy is something that inspires optimism and action. Reading The Three Ages of Water will help you visualize, and then start moving toward, a better water future—that is brain candy. And as far as new year's resolutions go, I choose being optimistic. I hope you will join me.

欢迎来到2024年，新的一年！现在是为我们自己制定决心的时候了——你知道，比如致力于更健康的生活方式——好吧，也许不是那样。好消息是，我有一个你会喜欢的解决方案。我建议不要去健身房，而是锻炼大脑。

你的大脑糖果解决方案是阅读 Peter Gleick 最近出版的书《水的三个时代：史前的过去、危险的现在和未来的希望》（PublicAffairs/Hachette 2023）。格莱克对水的演化及其如何影响我们的生活以及我们如何影响水的构建不仅发人深省；它将激励您超越当今的现状，让您受到启发，建设更美好的水务未来。

格莱克总结了他的书的主题：“我们对水的过去及其当前面临的挑战了解得越多，我们就越有可能解决这些挑战。” 基本思想是过去可以预示未来，所以格莱克从这样一本书最合乎逻辑的点开始——世界的创造。

第一个水时代对我来说非常有趣，很明显格莱克在发展它的故事情节方面做了大量的研究。这个时代我最喜欢的部分是来自多种宗教和文化的不同但常见的大洪水事件故事——想想诺亚方舟故事的各种版本。我敢打赌，如果你认为诺亚方舟是一个寓言，你至少会接受这些故事是真实事件记录的可能性。

第一个时代还包括人类开始需要控制水，以及这种需要如何使社区得以存在，水战的发生，以及第一个已知的水法来管理水的制定。事实证明，这些只是水如何塑造当今社会的核心——格莱克将这个时代称为第二时代。

你和我正生活在格莱克第二时代的尾声，这个时代始于科学、技术的进步和人类控制水的能力。这些进步刺激了其他进步，例如水传播疾病的初步解决方案，这反过来又带来了其他进步，等等。所有这一切都发生得相对较快，尤其是与第一个时代相比。

格莱克指出，随着第二个时代的实际进步，我们今天面临的挑战也开始出现——老化的供水系统和基础设施、气候变化、人们日益认识到，尽管取得了进步，但并不是每个人都能获得安全的水。

格莱克通过描述我们作为现代水务专业人员所面临的水紧张局势来结束第二个时代。一方面，社会正在以前所未有的速度前进，这在很大程度上是因为水促成了它——我们喜欢这一点。另一方面，水现在经常接触新的污染物。需要像地球日这样的庆祝活动来提醒我们河流不应该着火；气候变化的普遍性以及对水源的其他压力也对自然产生了相应的负面影响。我们不喜欢这些结果。

在水的第三个时代，格莱克概述了他的“软路径”解决方案，强调我们有一个选择：我们可以坚持传统的“硬路径”，也可以切换到软路径。他对软路径的愿景包括：（1）承认人类的水权并满足水需求，而不仅仅是供应水；(2) 认识水的真实成本；（三）保护生态系统健康，恢复第二阶段受损的生态系统；(4) 从关注充足的水供应和使用转向尽可能高效地提供人们想要的福利；(5) 通过再利用、灰水、处理后的废水和雨水扩大供水。

不可否认，第二个水时代给我们带来了水务方面的巨大成功，同时也带来了大量的挑战。在我看来，在第三个时代，随着挑战不断上升，我们的工作就是进行干预以扭转这种趋势——正如我常说的，等待不是一种策略。我同意格莱克的观点：我们并非无能为力，而且如果我们选择的话，我们可以改变。这一主题也体现在 AWWA 的 Water 2050 倡议中。

这就是大脑糖果的用武之地。对我来说，大脑糖果可以激发乐观和行动。阅读《水的三个时代》将帮助您想象并开始迈向更美好的水未来——这就是大脑糖果。就新年决心而言，我选择乐观。我希望你能加入我。