Government to spend $12.1 billion saving water

Australia's government promised yesterday to spend 3.1 billion Australian dollars ($2.9 billion) to buy river water from farmers in a bid to revitalize Australia's most important river system that has been parched by record drought.

The spending is the most expensive component of a A$12.9 billion ($12.1 billion), 10-year plan to reduce water waste and improve water efficiency on Australian farms and in cities.

"Climate change means most Australian cities and towns have less water and we can no longer rely on local rainfall to supply all our drinking water," Minister for Climate Change and Water Penny Wong said in a statement.