UN warns over water

The United Nations calls for urgent action to avoid a global water crisis.



According to the World Water Development Report, almost half the world\'s population will live in areas of acute water shortage by 2030.



Authors of the report said both investment in the water sector and improved water-management are needed to tackle the crisis.



In the Caribbean, Barbados is already regarded as a water scarce nation while other countries like Antigua, Grenada, the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago, suffer from tight supplies.



Drinking water remains a rare commodity in the northern Haitian city of Gonaives, six months after devastating storms hit the area.



Last year, mudslides buried the city under 2.6 million tonnes of mud and completely destroyed the already crumbling national drinking water network.



The population now relies on tankers provided by non-government organisations or the United Nations, or is forced to drink contaminated water.