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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Dry South Australia buys in water | Dry South Australia buys in water |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Australia's driest state has decided to buy in water supplies amid fears it will run out next year. | Australia's driest state has decided to buy in water supplies amid fears it will run out next year. |
| South Australia said it had spent tens of millions of dollars to ensure Adelaide, Australia's fifth-largest city, and the state had enough water. | South Australia said it had spent tens of millions of dollars to ensure Adelaide, Australia's fifth-largest city, and the state had enough water. |
| State Premier Mike Rann described it as a "prudent and sensible" measure. | State Premier Mike Rann described it as a "prudent and sensible" measure. |
| Drought has become a regular occurrence in South Australia, which already receives the least rainfall of any Australian state. | Drought has become a regular occurrence in South Australia, which already receives the least rainfall of any Australian state. |
| Lack of rainfall and a sharp reduction in the amount of water flowing into the Murray River meant the state could not guarantee water levels for 2009. | Lack of rainfall and a sharp reduction in the amount of water flowing into the Murray River meant the state could not guarantee water levels for 2009. |
| See map of rainfall in Murray Darling River Basin | See map of rainfall in Murray Darling River Basin |
| The state's water security minister, Karlene Maywald, said she had purchased 61 billion gallons (231 gigalitres) of extra water for 2009. | |
| Some of it has come from shared water resources with New South Wales and Victoria states, while the rest was purchased on the water trading market, she said. | Some of it has come from shared water resources with New South Wales and Victoria states, while the rest was purchased on the water trading market, she said. |
| Water levels in the vitally important Murray Darling basin - which produces 40% of the country's fruit, vegetables and grain - have fallen to critically low levels. | Water levels in the vitally important Murray Darling basin - which produces 40% of the country's fruit, vegetables and grain - have fallen to critically low levels. |
| Ms Maywald said the region had sufficient water needs for this year, but had not yet accumulated enough for 2009-10. | Ms Maywald said the region had sufficient water needs for this year, but had not yet accumulated enough for 2009-10. |
| "So we've made a decision to go into the market and purchase water on the temporary market," she said. | "So we've made a decision to go into the market and purchase water on the temporary market," she said. |
| Mr Rann defended his minister's move. | Mr Rann defended his minister's move. |
| "We've been buying water for years, but this is water that's being bought as back-up water for critical human needs," he was quoted by ABC News as saying. | "We've been buying water for years, but this is water that's being bought as back-up water for critical human needs," he was quoted by ABC News as saying. |
| "I think what she's done is absolutely prudent and sensible in the worst drought in a thousand years according to the scientific experts." | "I think what she's done is absolutely prudent and sensible in the worst drought in a thousand years according to the scientific experts." |
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