Culture
How to Save Water-Starved Cities
The key, according to a new report, is forming partnerships with farmers.
Considering how blue this planet looks from outer space, it seems strange to worry that water supplies would run dry. But that's exactly what's happening in a lot of major metropolitan areas around the world. Turns out more than half of all global cities with populations greater than 100,000 people are located in regions with depleted water basins.
So what can thirsty cities do to secure a watery future? Well the first step may be getting in touch with local farmers. A new study [PDF] led by Brian Richter of the Nature Conservancy suggests that the key to replenishing city water supplies is forming urban-rural partnerships designed to decrease regional consumption: