The Stream, September 8: Peak Water in Saudi Arabia

Peak water looms more ominously than peak oil for Saudi Arabia, as water use in the desert kingdom is rapidly growing while available supplies are steadily diminishing, Reuters reported. The looming water crisis is also forcing the country into drastic measures in its agriculture sector.

Blue-green algae and invasive species are choking Lake Erie and pushing it toward ecological collapse with potentially grave consequences for the region’s tourism, sport fishing industry, drinking water supply, wildlife and human health, according to OnEarth Magazine.

Poyang Lake, China’s largest fresh water lake, has decreased dramatically amid a lingering drought, Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, China plans to increase the fees for both residential and industrial water use in an effort to address chronic water shortages, Caixin reported, citing a top official at the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s major economic planning agency.

How did water become a weapon in the Qaddafi regime’s last, desperate attempt to hold on to power? In violation of international law, pro-Qaddafi forces reportedly cut off water to Tripoli and other cities dependent on a massive water engineering project that pumps water from an underground aquifer in southern Libya, according to Peter Gleick.

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