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Future of Water

Supplies of freshwater across the globe are under pressure. As changing rainfall patterns bring extreme floods and droughts, we look at moves to address the challenges — from city planning to water rights and recycling sewage for drinking

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Extreme rainfall puts cities on alert
The need to boost resilience to rapid swings in weather is becoming urgent
Trump backlash adds to challenges for California water policymakers
Presidential interventions increase pressure on agencies managing constrained supplies
Mismanagement turns up pressure on South Africa’s water system
Reservoirs may be full but poor maintenance, lack of investment and criminality are disrupting supplies
Winners and losers emerge in Australian water rights system
The fertile Murray-Darling basin is a case study in competition policy on a scarce resource
How a glass of recycled sewage helps on water shortages
From Nasa to Namibia, treated wastewater is a cheap and effective answer to scarcity, but the idea may be hard to swallow
Beijing faces pushback over ambitious hydropower project plans
China’s leaders must balance making the best use of limited water with local, environmental and diplomatic concerns

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