Some of our choices to move away from foreign oil mean using more domestic water, and I think it's those trade-offs that have to be examined more thoroughly. Epifani spoke of what she called the energy-water nexus, how you need water to produce energy. I think it's very important to know that right now, energy and water relationships are very well understood on the local and state government level. There's an increasing awareness on the national level. Nearly 40 percent of all freshwater withdrawn in the US goes to produce electricity at thermoelectric power plants, for instance, to spin turbines with steam. A shift to crop-based biofuels and hybrid cars could drive an even higher demand for water. It relates to agricultural needs, residential needs, commercial and industrial needs.Epifani said the 2007 drought in the southeastern U.S. left many thirsty for more water. You saw power plants really struggling saysing, nuclear power plants, saying we need more access to water and contingency plans being developed among the local, state, and federal planners on what to do in those events. It's a relationship that needs further improvement, but it's going in the right direction. has proposed the first nationwide census for water in over 30 years, which could complete by 2019.