The News Review:

- Water conservation a California necessity
- McHenry County picks up funding for 3-D water map
- Tap water is safe to drink
- Water WOES
- WWF-Canada: Behind World Food Crisis Is a World Water Crisis

Water conservation a California necessity
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA 
Up to 70 percent of residential water use takes place outdoors. Despite new plumbing codes for low-flow toilets and new front-loading washing machines, using water efficiently indoors cannot make up for wasting water outdoors. In terms of water supplies, big challenges lie ahead in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where the state’s major rivers merge before heading west to San Francisco Bay. About 70 percent of the water that sustains the Bay Area economy comes from the delta watershed. For Southern California, about 30 percent of the overall supply comes from the delta (the rest comes from local supplies and the Colorado River). The equivalent of a four-year supply of water for San Francisco was not diverted this year by the delta’s water projects because the courts ordered more water to stay in the delta to address the estuary’s declining ecosystem. The delta needs a water system that is far more compatible to a recovering ecosystem.

McHenry County picks up funding for 3-D water map
Chicago Tribune, United States 
“It’s in everyone’s best interest to try and maintain infiltration rates and recharge rates on areas such as sands and gravels,” McKinney said. “That will help to sustain aquifers by allowing them to recharge naturally. The county-funded mapping program would continue the efforts of a three-year regional water supply study commissioned last year by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. A report last month projected water demand could increase 64 percent by midcentury in 11 counties in northeastern Illinois, creating potentially serious shortages—especially in areas like. “Because Lake Michigan is such a prominent source of water, a lot of people tend to take water supplies here for granted,” said Tom Garritano, a spokesman for the planning agency. “The fact is significant parts of the region do not have access to Lake Michigan water.

Tap water is safe to drink
Belfast Telegraph, United Kingdom 
“The only exception is an interruption to supply for customers in the South Down area. This is due to a damaged outlet main, which was the result of rain damage over the weekend to the Cavan Road, Rathfriland. ”He added: “We sample and analyse drinking water 365 days a year to check the quality of water at our customers’ taps. Our water supply is stringently monitored and this scrutiny has remained in place during this flooding period. ” Post a comment Limit: 500 charactersView all comments that have been posted about this article.

Water WOES
Times of India, India 
Authorities say over-use of these pipelines, which typically last for about 20years, has resulted in their slow erosion and consequent seepage of sewage fromadjoining lines. Bharathinagar has been coping with the twinproblems of water and sanitation and this has manifested itself in rising casesof gastroenteritis and other health hazards in recent times. Most residents saythey receive regular supply of water but they have to keep the taps open fornearly two hours before they they get some decent drinking water. Sometimes ,the wait is much longer and despite all this, they need to filter and boil thewater before they can drink it. A few residents have also startedsourcing drinking water from elsewhere. “But then, how long do we need to dothis?” they ask. Maintenance work of pipes to the tune of Rs 15.

WWF-Canada: Behind World Food Crisis Is a World Water Crisis
MarketWatch 
“It is ironic that currently it is not foresight and planning butmajor natural disasters that lead to significant efforts to repairdamaged rivers and wetlands. Foresight and planning now will reducethe risk and damage from future extreme weather events, while havingmany economic, social and environmental benefits. Of the world’s total water resources, 97. 5 per cent is salty and ofthe remaining but mainly frozen freshwater, only one per cent isavailable for human use. “Even this tiny proportion, however, would be enough for humans tolive on earth if the water cycle was properly functioning and if wemanaged our water use wisely,” Mr. Notes:- World Water Week is an annual event co-ordinated by the Stockholm International Water Institute.