Was it not enough for you to graze on the best pasture, that you had to trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? Was it not enough for you to drink the clearest water, that you had to foul the remainder with your feet? Thus my sheep had to graze on what your feet had trampled and drink what your feet had fouled. (Ezekiel 34:18-19, New American Bible)

Throughout the Jewish and Christian scriptures, water is perhaps the pre-eminent symbol of life, both spiritual and physical. Abundant, pure water, so necessary for human survival and comfort, manifests divine mercy and healing and occasions gratitude and rejoicing.

The biblical writers were acutely aware of human dependence upon the natural created order. They knew, too, that healthy rivers provide habitat for other creatures, and that a common need for clean water bound together human, plant, and animal life. And, behind this dependence on nature, they saw the ultimate dependence of all things on God. In story, poetry, and prophesy the scriptures show clearly that water is an important channel of God’s gracious care for human beings and other creatures — and how, when irresponsible humans act contrary to the Creator’s purposes, water and the life that depends upon it suffer.

The lack of clean water is one of the most serious health issues for the poor around the world. Ensuring an adequate supply is an important goal for sustainable economic development, and preventing some from contaminating others’ drinking water is certainly a demand of environmental justice. Misuse of agricultural chemicals is a serious source of groundwater contamination in this country, and unwise urban development can also threaten water supplies. Deforestation leads to soil erosion and flooding. Climate change is projected to have serious impacts on precipitation patterns, causing droughts in some times and places and flooding in others. As humans pollute or monopolize water supplies, other creatures are put in jeopardy.