CARBONDALE - A feature-length documentary focusing on a subject dear to the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon's heart - the world's water supply - will show tonight at the Southern Illinois University Student Center.

"Running Dry," which chronicles several areas of the globe currently experiencing water shortage problems and focuses on the potential political impact of a world water crisis, is based on a 1998 book by Simon, "Tapped Out: The Coming World Crisis in Water and What We Can Do About It."

Film director Jim Thebaut was on campus Tuesday, speaking with a political science class on the topic and previewing the first several moments of his documentary.

Thebaut took the opportunity to discuss with students a need for society to change its water use behaviors now, before a crisis gets too large to handle.

"One of the messages we have in 'Running Dry' is we advocate there are practical and affordable solutions to this problem," Thebaut said.

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Many of the solutions, he added, will likely come from people who are now students in universities.

"I envy you," Thebaut told the class. "Here you are able to take courses at a university. Take your education seriously, because you really have an opportunity to do some good."

Thebaut said to think water crises exist only in places like India, Africa and China - which are all referred to in the documentary - is wrong. The American southwest, particularly Las Vegas, deals with critical water shortage issues.

Thebaut said most states in the western half of the country rely on the Colorado River as their main water source. There isn't enough water to go around if people aren't careful with the resources.

The documentary, Thebaut said, advocates a change in world ethics about water. He said there are places in the world where children die frequently of diseases brought about from sub-adequate water sources.

"We, as a society, should not put up with that," he said.

Thebaut said one factor that might make people notice is if they began paying for water at a price nearer to its true value. He said that may very well put the price of a gallon of water similar to a gallon of gasoline.

Thebaut said the main problem comes from a lack of foresight in development. Cities, suburbs, populations are expanding in all directions all across the world, he said, and no one has given any thought to what it caused with regards to natural resources.

That has left many water supplies polluted and unusable. To make those resources suitable again is an expensive and time-consuming process.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com

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