But today water is trucked in, while efforts to build a permanent water-storage facility progress only haltingly.
While efforts have been modest, interest is growing in "mobisodes," short series that are already popular abroad.
While efforts are under way to alleviate the suffering of survivors, supplies and money for relief operations are disappearing fast.
While efforts to end the long dispute continue, so does the ill will that it has engendered.
While efforts to waive the inflation trigger for 1986 are welcome, they only highlight the political vulnerability of the program.
They have all been granted bail by courts in St Petersburg but have remained in Russia while efforts are made to give them permission to leave.
While efforts by European governments to reduce debt will cut economic demand, he said, growth could improve as economies became more productive.
It was kept out of the public domain while efforts were made to track him down in the hope of minimising the risk to remaining hostages.
While efforts to harness capital markets for social good aren't new, more donors say they are exploring such investment approaches as they struggle to have a bigger impact.
That is what has worked for Mr. Paul so far, while efforts to greatly expand his coalition are likely to be futile at this stage.
While efforts to allow same-sex marriage have flourished on the East Coast, the middle of the country has been different.
