It's a modern cliché: Water is the oil of the 21st Century. It also happens to be true. About one-fifth of the world's fresh water is harbored in the Great Lakes. Raging wildfires in the West and a sudden water scarcity in the Southeastern U.S. have raised public awareness of the significance of fresh water. The Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces are seeking to prevent water exports through a new regional compact and agreement. Unfortunately, a giant loophole in the agreement allows unlimited exports in containers under 5.7 gallons in size: bottles, for example. Citizens need to support compact ratification and demand that the states go beyond it by shutting the loophole down.