The Nation : World Water Threat Seen

The loss of irrigation water before it reaches crops and the wasting of water by manufacturers and households threaten shortages that could limit food production and economic growth, the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research group, said in Washington. The group said alternative investments in efficiency and improved management would yield more usable water per dollar than conventional water projects, such as dams and river diversions. “Sustaining economic growth and supplying growing cities will require recycling, reusing and conserving water to get more production out of existing supplies,” said Sandra Postel, a Worldwatch researcher.