Sea water use eases Australia’s woes

Desalination plant provides controversial solution to water scarcity in one of the world’s driest countries.

Water is one of the world’s most precious resources.

But in many countries, climate change and growing populations are making it increasingly scarce.

A large number of countries, including Australia, are ranked as having a high level of water stress. They are easing the shortage by taking water from the sea.

When a desalination plant near Melbourne opens later this year, it will be Australia’s fifth and the world’s second-biggest. It will be able to fill 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools with drinking water every day – which is a third of all Melbourne’s water needs.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas reports from the state of Victoria.

Source: Al Jazeera