The problem that preoccupies water expert is only the local version of a concern gripping the world. Far more troubling than the oil crisis, many believe, is the coming shortage of water.
Around the globe, millions lack access to clean water, and climate change is expected to worsen droughts in dry zones. The dire predictions include parts of the American West, where precipitation and reservoirs have been drying up as the population has grown, setting off aggressive jockeying for water resources.
...water problems are already looming for dozens of other communities west of Boston. In a study of 32 towns around Interstate 495 - in one of the state's highest-growth areas, where most towns fend for themselves to find water - the Metro Area Planning Council found about a third are approaching the limit on the volume of ground water they can withdraw, a level set by the state, and another third are likely to approach their limits within 10 to 15 years.
almost impossible to fathom project, could take 85 years and cost $50 billion to build. It would displace 50,000 people and drown all or part of a dozen towns, holding enough water to supply most of southern New England...
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