THE HARBOR COLUMN:

Ahoy,

Did you know that this week is National Drinking Water Week? Well, neither did I, but I think that National Drinking Water Week is a worthy cause. I am not sure what we are supposed to do for this festive occasion, but I think we are fortunate to live in an area where our drinking water in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa is of excellent quality, and is very safe to drink from the tap. As a matter of fact, the Mesa Consolidated Water District’s reports describe that its tap water is above par, compared with bottled water.

“The prolonged droughts in recent years have called us to make smarter, more efficient use of our precious water resources,” said Mike Leonard, American Water Works Assn. president. “During Drinking Water Week, communities across North America will highlight the importance of keeping our watersheds and waterways free from pollution.”

The water-saving tips from the association will not only save our fresh water supply, but also help to reduce urban run-off and water treatment plant effluent from reaching our harbor and ocean. Keep in mind that 97% of the water on Earth is the ocean or seas, and about 2% of the Earth’s water is frozen.

Therefore, less than 1% of the water on Earth is readily available for drinking water. We can increase our available drinking water by simply building desalination plants with one next to the power plant in Huntington Beach and another one next to San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

So, let’s tip together a glass of tap water and be mindful of the water shortage when using H2O.

Tip of the week is the governor is making another run this month for California Department of Boating and Waterways’ dedicated funds that are paid by you the boater. Recreational Boaters of California is asking all boaters again to submit letters urging a “no” vote on the governor’s proposal to eliminate the independent Cal Boating when the Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 considers the proposal on May 14.

Here is what you can do — go to RBOC.org for more details, or e-mail the governor directly at gov.ca.gov/interact#email.

Also, write your state representative at www.leginfo.ca.gov/ yourleg.html, and send copies to Recreational Boaters of California at rboc@rboc.org.

Remember to tune in at 11 a.m. Saturdays to Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show — for channel listings go to www.BoathouseTV.com.

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to www.boathousetv.com.