Floods in China have killed at least 155 people and made over a million homeless since April and various efforts like making Three Georges Dams and diverting water from south to north have not borne fruits. China is yet embarking on still bigger projects like transferring billions of cubic metre of water a year from the Yangtze River by three routes, across hundreds of miles, to the thirsty north. The project was launched in 2002 and met immediate opposition.

The seven planned dams are expected to flood and destroy towns, cultural monuments and ecosystems, evicting more people.

China should look to Chile, which went from similarly ineffective top-down water management to local and transferable water rights, starting in the mid-1970s.

Over the first decade, water efficiency in agriculture improved by nearly a quarter, with similar improvements in industry, from mining to wood pulp, followed by massive improvements in sewerage and water treatment. This is relevant not just to China. Many other regions are short of water, while bad water management prevents universal water supply in many poor countries. Decentralization can improve supply and efficient use, ease tensions between different users and hold polluters accountable locally.

Giant projects are a constant temptation for governments every where but most violate common sense, accountability and human rights, often to end in failure.Only the quiet virtues of local right and responsibilities, in the hands of users, can keep the water flowing.

Africa is reeling under drought and world’s aid agencies are scrambling to feed millions of hungry in Sahel. Some land holders in the semi- arid regions are reporting bumper harvest of vegetable crops by adopting drip irrigation technique, an Israeli innovation to save water. Though it saves on water yet it is very difficult to apply because of its initial cost factor of installing tanks, pipes and sprinklers and also running cost.

Dov Pasternak, the head of the Sahel programme at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), referring to the rush to bring aid into the land-locked nation, said, “This will cost millions but how much is being spent on agriculture? I have a gut feeling the ratio is huge in favour of food relief.” “It is the poverty that we have to deal with, rather than providing food security.”

Some experts feel more research needs to be done on this technology and pilot testing be done to give confidance to farmers. Alioune Diouf, a technical advisor for the Israeli embassy in Senegal, said, “Drip irrigation can and must be a solution for agriculture in Africa but it must be accompanied by other parameters like organization and education”.

Across the UK, 55% of bathing beaches received top marks compared with Northern Ireland’s (NI) 33% and just over 5% failed to make the basic grade, compared with almost 10% in NI.

The Good Beach Guide published annually by Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says that a disappointing eight beaches out of 24 meet the standard required for an excellent rating while two fail to meet the basic minimum safety standards.

Years of under-investment in sewerage infrastructure combined with run-off carrying fertilisers and animal waste from the heavily agricultural province has led to poor water quality for many sections of the coastline.

MCS expects recent investments from Northern Ireland Water, such as the new £45 million North Coast Waste Water Treatment Scheme, to improve bathing water quality by reducing sewage pollution to the sea from urban areas like Coleraine, Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock and Articlave.