Water story in New England, England and India

(Caption: Accompanied by her children, a woman treks across a dried-out lake in search of water in the western Indian state of Gujarat. More than 75 percent of India’s rural population does not have access to public water supplies, says the World Bank. Instead, groundwater fills the needs. But when rain stops and temperatures soar, villagers — as in this photo — go without water.-Reuters)

Let’s put politics on hold for a while and pay attention to WATER, the elixir that sustains life, which is again in the news. In the last 24 hours flood water unleashed its fury in New England, while England and India began preparations to ward off water famine.

Today’s report says that “New England Sees Worst Floods in 70 Years”.
Across northeastern Massachusetts, thousands of people fled submerged neighborhoods during the region’s worst flooding in nearly 70 years. More than a foot of rain fell during the weekend in some areas.
“It seemed almost Biblical,” Gov. Mitt Romney said Tuesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “We’re sort of making jokes about Noah and taking two of each kind of animal because we haven’t ever seen rain like this.”

In India’s capital, there is a shortage of over 100 million gallons per day (mgd) of water in Delhi, a city of 15 million.
As protests break out regularly in Delhi over acute water shortage, experts say strict implementation of water supply and conservation laws can go a long way in solving the problem. They believe a huge amount of unpaid-for water consumption, falling groundwater levels and poor water conservation are all contributing to the scarcity.

“I think water flow from neighbouring states alone cannot solve the problem and to get rid of it, water conservation is the only solution,’ said Suresh Babu of the NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

“Though we have a law that envisages rainwater harvesting in every single house with a diameter of 1,000 sq feet, the implementation part seems to be lacking,” Babu told IANS.

In England, millions of people face queueing for water at standpipes within months as the Environment Agency gave warning yesterday of the worst drought in a century. Thames Water, which supplies eight million people in and around London, was told by the agency to apply for a drought order immediately.

Anyone flouting drought orders can face a fine of up to £5,000 in magistrates’ courts or an unlimited fine in the Crown Court.

Rainfall across Britain has been below average for the past six months while London and much of southern England have experienced the driest 18 months in the past 74 years.

Car washing with a bucket and cloth and any other method that is not linked to mains supply continues to be allowed. The exteriors of buses, trains, aircraft and boats may also be cleaned in the same ways.

One may agree or disagree with the the prediction that World War III may be fought over water. But with our current obsession with petrol/gas for cars, we seem to be forgetting that we need water to keep ourselves alive!!!