SOME AUSSIE TOWNS COULD RUN OUT OF WATER BY CHRISTMAS
Dozens of Australia’s inland towns could run completely out of water by Christmas unless the worst drought in the country’s history finally breaks after four years, officials warned yesterday.
If there is no spring rain, several towns in the state of New South Wales, such as Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan and Narromine, will have to rely on drinking water being
trucked in for residents, said government water authority WaterNSW in a new study.
Several rivers are predicted to run dry by November as summer starts, and the Bureau of Meteorology says there is no sign that the drought is going to end soon. New South Wales Water Minister Melinda Pavey told reporters in Canberra that the situation was critical and that if the drought continues, many more inland towns would be dry by late next year. She said “everything humanly possible” is being done to help, including new water bores and the construction of water pipelines to supply towns, reported the Australian Associated Press.
Sydney, the state capital, is also in dire need of rain, with its dams falling below half full, according to the local water authority.
A desalination plant is turning sea water into drinking water for a quarter of the city.
Australia’s longest river, the Murray, which runs east to west marking the border between New South Wales and Victoria, usually has 5000 gigalitres a year entering its system.
In the past 12 months, it has received only 901 gigalitres, data from WaterNSW showed.