The Stream, November 26: Final Murray-Darling Basin Water Plan Signed into Law

Last week, the Australian government approved a plan to increase the total volume of water reserved for environmental flows in the Murray-Darling Basin. Over the next 10 years, Bloomberg Businessweek reported, the government will spend $AUS 1.8 billion to save 450 gigaliters more water for the environment. More than one third of Australia’s food supply comes from the basin.

Urban Water Management

A geologist in Harare, Zimbabwe, warned that the city’s underground water supply is dangerously close to drying up. Building artificial wetlands and enforcing sound water-management principles, allAfrica reported, would help mitigate the problem.

Indian environmentalists and a former planning commissioner told the Hindustan Times that Delhi must curb its demand for land and water. The city’s growing population is overwhelming existing waterways, and pollution poses a long-term danger to the future of the Yamuna river and the ecosystems dependent upon it.

Flooding Risks

A county in England is urging its residents to take precautionary measures after weekend flooding. Officials said flood defenses around the country were functioning, the BBC reported, but the potential for property damage remained.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.