The News Review:

- ‘No barriers’ let bug into water
- Profits flow at Yorkshire Water
- India’s Powerful Dilemma
- Rann tightens the taps
- Editorial: Rail, water issues loom

‘No barriers’ let bug into water
BBC News – Nov 28, 2006
A total of 231 people became sick from cryptosporidium last winter. Welsh Water had not needed measures to kill the bug because it was thought it would be diluted in a reservoir, but there had been “no effective barriers” to stop it reaching the mains supply. Welsh Water said its new ultra-violet treatment would kill the bug. Around 70,000 homes in parts of Gwynedd and Anglesey with water supplied from Llyn Cwellyn were told to boil their drinking water for two months after the outbreak.

Profits flow at Yorkshire Water
BBC News – Nov 28, 2006
Figures published by regulator Ofwat earlier this year showed that Yorkshire had met its leakage target for the ninth year in a row. However, it still has the fourth highest record of leaks of any water company in England and Wales. Yorkshire Water supplies water and waste services to more than 4. 7 million people and 140,000 companies in Yorkshire. Kelda chairman John Napier said the firm had had a “good start” to the year, focusing on managing costs and improving service. The firm outlined plans to return 750m to shareholders if its planned sale of US water supply business Aquarion is approved by regulators.

India’s Powerful Dilemma
Forbes – Nov 28, 2006
The rate of growth is faster than China’s, albeit from a lower base, though the causes are the same: rapid economic development, a large and growing population and increasing urbanization. So is the potential threat to air quality and water supplies. Even under conservative estimates of growth, India’s energy requirements are likely to increase by a further third in the second half of this decade, driven by industry, transportation and domestic electricity consumption as living standards rise. Yet India’s ambition to grow its economy at a long-term annual rate of 8% is running up against an energy constraint. Solving it will require continued reliance on fossil fuels–notably coal–greater energy imports and root-and-branch reform of electricity generation, which in India is an inadequate, insufficient and insolvent provision of power that is already causing environmental damage to water supplies.

Rann tightens the taps
NEWS.com.au – Nov 28, 2006
The Government should address their backyard before worrying about ours. Come on and address the real issues with the Murray and our water supply. Stopping us from watering our lawns is not addressing the real issues. As long as it sounds good and popular Media Mike will continue with these feel good policies. Posted by: Eddie of 2:29pm November 28, 2006 we all dont live in the northern suburbs where they dont care about the state of their gardens. who wants to live there? i would rather live in my green eastern suburbs anytime! Posted by: james of 1:40pm November 28, 2006 I just don't get why the government doesn't fix the problem instead of applying bandaid solutions…
We use technology to assist in almost every area of society to improve usage and yet we fail to use it here. What will happen is people will use more water. Posted by: John McMillan of 1:01pm November 28, 2006 Can anyone tell me if conserving dwindling water supplies for drinking and cooking rates any priority over maintaining gardens? These so-called restrictions merely aim to slow down the rate of using water on our English gardens and no mention is made of our survival. Posted by: Ray Hogan of Mudgeeraba 12:57pm November 28, 2006 If there hadn't been restrictions made people wouldn't have made the big leap to using water every 2nd night instead of once a week. If people are made aware of restrictions then more often people will exceed their limits. The Government has created more of a problem than trying to overcome the major issue. Why should councils be able to water when they like any way aren't they biggest water user in the state? Posted by: Briony Davey of 12:47pm November 28, 2006 Are you guys serious! The water restrictions are a leaking tap compared to Sydney.

Editorial: Rail, water issues loom
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription… – Nov 28, 2006
There are two tests right now that will indicate how serious elected officials are about it. There are serious needs involving the future water supply of communities – such as New Berlin and Waukesha – that sit just outside the natural basin of the Great Lakes. Some leaders are already balking at working together to find an answer for those needs; prospects for cooperation don’t look good right now. The other test is transportation. Issues involving freeways and freeway interchanges that serve a multitude of communities are just one area. Airports are another.