Drought in Australia - places could run out of water

Several towns in southeastern Australia could soon run out of water. In the absence of rainfall, Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan and Narromine, New South Wales, will depend on drinking water supplies for their residents before Christmas, the state-owned WaterNSW company said.

With the dryness for the fourth consecutive year, Australia is experiencing the worst drought in its history. New South Wales' Water Minister Melinda Pavey described the situation as critical. If the drought persists, more cities located deeper in the interior of the country would be left dry by the end of 2020 at the latest.

Pavey told reporters in Canberra that "everything humanly possible" is being taken to remedy this, including new water wells and the installation of additional water pipes. The Water Authority estimated that several rivers would have dried up at the beginning of this year's summer in November.

Upcoming "Fish Armageddon"

Also, New South Wales' capital, Sydney, is in dire need of rain: the reservoirs are not even half full, according to the authorities. A desalination plant for sea water is already providing a quarter of the city with drinking water. The meteorological authority sees no sign that the drought could end soon.

Commenting on the impact of low water levels on fauna in the rivers, NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall spoke of an impending "fish armageddon." To avoid a mass extinction, according to several media reports, including the broadcaster ABC News, fish from a dehydrating section of the Darling River resettled.