Friday 10 May 2013

Water Shortage at the Outback: Little Water for Thirsty Locals and Hot Bushfires


In the arid lands of the Australian outback, where kangaroos, dingos, and horses freely roam around, residents have been suffering from water supply shortage. To combat this predicament, the government has issued several laws that limit the use of water, including limiting the use of sprinklers to water their plants.

The sudden shortage in water supply was brought about by the increasing land prices in urban cities that have forced people to relocate in smaller towns to buy houses for their families. Due to the population growth, demands for the already small water supply has gone on the rise.

Outback locals have decided to buy or build water tanks at their homes to save rain water. With the help of licensed plumbers, water tanks are connected to indoor pipes, as well as to washing machines, and toilets for flushing. Locals have also acquired the services of water delivery companies. These water deliveries make use of tankers to bring around potable, distilled, or raw mineral water.

The government has been trying to consider various options to solve this predicament, including building more dams, piping water from faraway sources, and constructing new desalinization facilities. Solving the water shortage would not only provide locals with their drinking and hygienic needs, but also help prevent or put out bush fires, to which the outback is prone.

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