That's part of our responsibility as scientists. A third of the world's people live under water stress, which the U.N. defines as a lack of adequate supply of safe water or lack of access to sanitation. And that number could more than double by 2025, as fresh water becomes increasingly scarce. Right now half of the world's available fresh water is used by people. If policies don't change, all of it will be needed by people by 2035.
People are in direct competition with the natural environment for access to water.
From the mouths of many activists and politicians such information comes jaded and bitter. Carpenter the scientist treats it as another piece of the puzzle, and a challenge. And good puzzlemasters know that every piece must fall into place. First of all because it would be really cool if we could do it. It's just an interesting scientific challenge.