The planet’s major rivers are threatened by overexploitation and global warming, according to the WWF.

Whatever your thoughts might be on global warming, one of its chief effects is already clearly visible and having deadly consequences: water scarcity. Here is a photo essay from the Guardian.

The inextricable links between water and energy, the water shortages associated with climate change, and the need for water in development have pushed water toward the top of the international agenda.

Finally! Reuters reports that city employees in San Francisco will no longer be able to access bottled water on city property. Mayor Gavin Newsom is leading the initiative.

“All of this waste and pollution is generated by a product that by objective standards is often inferior to the quality of San Francisco’s pristine tap water,” according to the order.

For the price of one gallon of bottled water city residents can get 1,000 gallons of municipal water, which is often higher in quality.

In a news conference in Michigan, Mayor David Miller states that Toronto has not yet reached its water conservation goals and urges other mayors to pursue tighter regulations. However, Miller has been misinformed and Toronto is in fact doing better than expected.

The city set out in 2003 to reduce average water use to 1.18 billion litres a day by 2011. Turns out the rate was down to 1.17 billion litres by the end of 2006.

A survey conducted by China and the World Bank estimates that air and water pollution have caused about 460,000 premature deaths each year. Despite growing public concerns, the country has failed to meet its targets.

Widespread drought in Europe has made water a scarce commodity. EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimias urges for water conservation measures and proposes a “user pays” principle by the year 2010.

Zebra Mussels, an invasive species to the Great Lakes has helped in clearing up the lakes and improving their appearance. However, this is a dangerous perception because these species draw food sources from other aquatic lives and change ecosystem behaviour.

Harry Kitchen, a Trent University economist argues that water prices in Toronto and other cities need to increase. This is necessary in order to cover the true cost of supplying water and will help to increase water conservation activities.

“Warmer, drier weather coupled with alterations to the waterways of North America’s Great Lakes will likely drive Lake Superior down to record low water levels sometime this year, experts say.”