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NEWS
May 11, 2008
Virginia Water Resources Research Center - The intertwined tale of energy and water The conventional production of energy and power requires a huge amount of water. Without water, our energy and power generation systems will come to an abrupt stop. In the United States, for example, thermoelectric power plants consume 136 billion gallons/day of fresh water, a number that translates to an average of 25 gallons of water to produce one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. For example, A 60-Watt incandescent bulb can consume up to 6,000 gallons of water a year. >> more
CNN News - Is it time to talk about 'peak water'? Water is the new oil--a resource where demand continues to rise but supply is limited. Availability of fresh water has long been a concern for countries that are water stressed. But water is a tangible concern to more parties. A nuclear power plant in Tennessee was derated last year because of a drought in the region. In another case, a huge brewery was shut down because of a lack of available water. It takes 3,700 liters of water to make one liter of ethanol and 900 liters of water to make one liter of biodiesel. "If water had a price that was even a fraction (of its cost), those things wouldn't be done. They're done because oil has a price and water does not. >> more
April 30, 2008
The Christian Science Monitor - Hopes that the wells won't run dry in Vermont Vermonters so worried about unregulated water withdrawals that on Friday the state legislature passed a bill that establishes a water-permit requirement. Declaring groundwater to be a public trust, the bill aims to prevent corporations from taking more than their fair share. Enterprises withdrawing more than 57,600 gallons of water a day must now obtain a permit. (Most farms are exempt.) Gov. Jim Douglas (R) is expected to sign the measure. >> more
April 28, 2008
Wired - Peak Water: Aquifers and Rivers Are Running Dry - That the news is familiar makes it no less alarming: 1.1 billion people, about one-sixth of the world's population, lack access to safe drinking water. Aquifers under Beijing, Delhi, Bangkok, and dozens of other rapidly growing urban areas are drying up. The rivers Ganges, Jordan, Nile, and Yangtze — all dwindle to a trickle for much of the year. In the former Soviet Union, the Aral Sea has shrunk to a quarter of its former size, leaving behind a salt-crusted waste. >> more
April 25, 2008
USA Today - Water Rates Rise - Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, GA are seeing a 15% increase, and Palm Beach County, FL adds a $3.50 surcharge due to drought. “Nobody in the Southeast has been paying the true costs of water,” says Robin Craig, a law professor and water expert at Florida State University. >> more
Las Vegas Valley Water District rate increase- In Las Vegas the rise will increase bills by about 23 percent with a greater percentage increase for larger water users, and a smaller percentage increase for those customers who typically use less water. The rate increase will help promote water conservation and will help the Water District recover more closely the costs to deliver water. >>more
U.S. Water News Online - Vermont lawmakers told of coming water crises - “It's going to surpass energy as a national security issue for the United States,” said Maude Barlow, an Ottawa-based environmentalist and author of the books “Blue Gold” and “Blue Covenant.” “There are alternative forms of energy, but we haven't yet found an alternative to water,” Barlow told a joint hearing of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee and the House Committee on Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources. The Senate has passed, and the House panel soon is to take up, legislation that would declare the groundwater under Vermont a “public trust.” That's a legal doctrine that the legislation's backers say could provide protections for the state's aquifers essentially by restricting individual users from sucking them dry. >>more
April 10, 2008
IPCC - Climate change and It's Impact on Water - IPCC used a conference in Budapest to launch a paper detailing the effects of climate change on the earth's water supply. Enough observations, made over decades, from which can be seen that the whole cycle of water is changing as result of climate change. The paper warned that there is an increased risk of extreme weather events, flooding and drought in many areas across the globe in the future. Changes to the earth's water supply could have serious consequences for the availability of food in the future. >>Executive Summary or >>IPCC website for full report
April 5, 2008
The Daily Sentinetl - Colorado Lawmaker wonders:Who’ll catch the rain? A Denver lawmaker wants to allow new housing developments in the state to get water the old-fashioned way — with cisterns. Under existing law, all rainwater is supposed to be allowed to flow into streams to be used by water-rights holders. Romer’s plan aims to measure whether there is a noticeable difference in runoff returning to streams if all of the homes in a particular development are gathering some of that water in cisterns. >>more
March 30, 2008
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) - Hotter and Drier: The West's Changed Climate In a report by the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (RMCO) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), drawn from 50 scientific studies, 125 other government and scientific sources, and our own new analyses, documents that the West is being affected more by a changed climate than any other part of the United States outside of Alaska. >>more
March 26, 2008
The Denver Post - 136 years later, mine law may get update Mineral prices are soaring, which is helping push up the number of claims, the groups said. The measure hasn't been overhauled since President Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law in 1872. >>more
The Daily Sentinel - Conservation district: There's less water than feds think for oil shale The federal government has projected that full production could reach 2 million barrels per day, which would require a lot of water. Estimates are that each barrel of oil would take one to three barrels of water to produce. >>more
Earth Policy Institute - BOTTLED WATER: Pouring Resources Down the Drain Global consumption of bottled water reached 154 billion liters (41 billion gallons) in 2004, up 57 percent from the 98 billion liters consumed five years earlier. Even in areas where tap water is safe to drink, demand for bottled water is increasing. Making bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year. >>more
March 20, 2008
Ground Water Report to the Nation: A Call to Action Water demand, quality and quantity are matters of national urgency. If we don't act now, we rish degrading and jeopardizing the future health and well being of the country, our economy, and our ecological systems. >>more
March 10, 2008
AP - Pharmaceuticals Found in Drinking Water At least one pharmaceutical was detected in test of finished drinking water supplies fror 24 metropolitan areas according to a limited test of 62 major water providers. The long-term health effects of these contaminants is unknown. The EPA has no standards for these substances. >>more
For more on what the EPA does require, read the article on - How safe is your water? The EPA regulates tap water, but how well do they do their job? >> more
February 13, 2008
Scripps News - Lake Mead Could Be Dry by 2021 There is a 50 percent chance Lake Mead, a key source of water for millions of people in the southwestern United States, will be dry by 2021. Research concluded that human demand, natural forces like evaporation, and human-induced climate change are creating a net deficit of nearly 1 million acre-feet of water per year. Today, we are at or beyond the sustainable limit of the Colorado system. The alternative to reasoned solutions to this coming water crisis is a major societal and economic disruption in the desert southwest; something that will affect each of us living in the region" the report concluded. >>more
Washington Post - Decline in Snowpack Is Blamed On Warming - Water Supplies In West Affected The persistent and dramatic decline in the snowpack of many mountains in the West is caused primarily by human-induced global warming and is not the result of natural variability in weather patterns, researchers reported yesterday. The study, published in the journal Science online, is part of what has become a drumbeat of dire assessments based on reports of quickening climate change caused by the buildup of carbon dioxide from vehicles, power plants, industry and deforestation. Last week, the American Geophysical Union, a leading scientific group in the field, issued a warning that "Earth's climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming." May require registration to access full article. Friday, February 1, 2008; Page A1. >>more
February 8, 2008
News 14 Carolina - Raleigh tightens taps even further. City of Raleigh will move to Stage 2 water restrictions on Feb. 15. The stricter measures are meant to save more water. Stage 2 restrictions effect car washes, bans pressure washing and handheld irrigation. >>more
February 3, 2008
Water Shortage Highlighted at Davos 2008. Several panels sessions dedicated water, but not covered in the press.
Time Is Running Out for Water, a panel including Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé, E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company, Fred Krupp, Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman and CEO, Dow Chemical, and moderated by Ralph R. Peterson
Death, Disease and Dirty Water a panel session including: Luke Alphey, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Oxitec, Michel Kazatchkine, Michel Kazatchkine Executive Director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Pardis Sabeti, Jasmine M. Whitbread, Chief Executive, International Save the Children Alliance, United Kingdom , and moderated by David E. Bloom
Securing a Watertight Future a panel including: Jean-Paul Bouttes, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Steve Dobbs, Daniel C. Esty, Walter Fust, Fred Krupp, Simon Maxwell, Ralph R. Peterson, Mary Robinson, Jean-Pierre Rosso. Orville H. Schell, Peter Schwartz, Björn Stigson and facilitated by Margaret Catley-Carlson. Highlights from this session:
- Global artificial irrigation uses 70% of the world’s water, ten times as much as all private households combined
- Irrigated cropland continues to triple in size and demand for water
- Ten times more water goes into growing meat rather than vegetables
- Agricultural land conversion rises by 20% just to meet hunger-reduction goals by 2015
- One-third of existing irrigated lands succumb to ruin due to soil salinity
Who Is Managing Your Supply of Water? - A panel composed of Huguette Labelle, Jim Leape, Director-General, WWF International, Moon Kook-Hyun, N. K. Singh, Achim Steiner and moderated by Margaret Catley-Carlsonhwartz
The True Value of Water - A session moderated by Daniel C. Esty, Director, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, on a panel composed of Vilasrao Deshmukh, Orville H. Schell, John J. Wilkinson, and Fernando Zobel de Ayala
January 30, 2008
EPA, National and Environmental Groups Launch "Green Infrastructure". New comprehensive plan to reduce runoff and increase environmental and economic benefits for communities. >> more
January 27, 2008
Polymers are Forever - Alarming tales of a most prevalent and problematic substance. Great article in a recent edition of Orion magazine on the alarming increase of plastics everywhere. >> more Most of our plastic grocery bags have a life span of 450 years.
Get Wise on your Watershed - Good overview primer in a recent edition of Backhome magazine on watershed and why protecting local water sheds is critical in maintaining clean water. In the Jan/Feb edition, not available online, but at bookstores and local libraries. >> more
January 13, 2008
Nature Geoscience - Antarctica shrinking faster than previously forecasted - Western Antarctica ice sheets are more vulnerable to global warming than previously thought, according to scientist Eric Rignot, lead author of a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience. >> more
December 13, 2007
South Florida Water Management District - South Florida Adopts One-Day-a-Week Watering - For the first time in the agency's history, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) today declared an extreme District-wide water shortage, directly affecting more than five million South Florida residents and thousands of farms and businesses. >> more
November 30, 2007
Engineering News- German scientists develop water-recycling system - Device collects rainwater instead of channeling it away unused through the sewers. he resultant germ-free water meets German drinking-water standards. >> more
Saturday October 27, 2007
Associated Press - Spawl, rising temperatures expected to cause shortages in 36 states within 5 years - The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages within five years because of a combination of rising temperatures, drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess. "The need to reduce water waste and inefficiency is greater now than ever before," said Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the Environmental Protection Agency. "Water efficiency is the wave of the future.">> more
Mother Earth News - Wise Watering - Compared to your area’s native plants, most food-garden plants are amateurs at adapting to your local rainfall patterns, so they need help. Delivering water wisely means minimizing wasted water and wasted time. In more practical terms, it means anticipating your garden’s needs and setting priorities, having a conservation-based watering system in place, preserving water through mulching and finding innovative ways to work out the kinks in your garden’s water supply.>> more
Sunday October 21, 2007
New York Times - The Future is Drying Up - The steady decrease in mountain snowpack — the loss of the deep accumulation of high-altitude winter snow that melts each spring to provide the American West with most of its water — seems to be a more modest worry. But not all researchers agree with this ranking of dangers. Last May, for instance, Steven Chu, a Nobel laureate and the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, one of the United States government’s pre-eminent research facilities, remarked that diminished supplies of fresh water might prove a far more serious problem than slowly rising seas. >> more
Monday October 15, 2007
Brisbane Times - Australian Govt to close water carter loophole for rich - A loophole allowing wealthy householders to buy drinking water for use on their lawns and gardens will be closed by the NSW government. New water estrictions would not apply to supplies from water carters of recycled water, or water from sources outside of Sydney Water's area of operations. >> more
Friday October 12, 2007
Environment Texas Research and Policy Center - Analysis of 2005 Clean Water Act Compliance - More than 57 percent of major facilities nationwide, or 3,600, exceeded their Clean Water Act limits at least once during calendar 2005. The report noted that waterways contaminated from major facilities often flow into drinking water sources. >> more
Wednesday October 10, 2007
San Gabriel Tribune - Companies Asked to Conserve - Large customers including Miller, Azusa Pacific University and Northrop Grumman Corp., city officials and representatives from Azusa Light and Water stressed the importance of tightening the spigots. Weather experts said this so-called "wet" season has been the driest in recorded history, with the Los Angeles area receiving less than half its average rainfall. >> more
Wednesday October 3, 2007
Santa Fe Reporter - Hosed - Wasting water in Santa Fe is never in season. A listing and article of the top 10 priviate and public water users in Santa Fe. >> more
Thursday September 27, 2007
New York Times Asia Edition - Beneath Booming Cities, China’s Future Is Drying Up- Hundreds of feet below ground, the primary water source for this provincial capital of more than two million people is steadily running dry. The underground water table is sinking about four feet a year. Municipal wells have already drained two-thirds of the local groundwater. >> more
Tuesday September 18, 2007
Herald Tribune - Barrels conserve water and money - Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties are all encouraging the use of 55-gallon barrels to capture rainfall from gutters to be used for lawn and garden irrigation. Using rain barrels reduces storm-water runoff that can carry pollutants, pesticides and fertilizers into rivers, lakes, ground water and eventually drinking water supplies. >> more
Monday September 3, 2007
BBC News - Humans "Affect Global Rainfall" - Human-induced climate change has affected global rainfall patterns over the 20th Century, a recent study suggests. The findings will be published in the scientific journal Nature. >> more
The Star - Going green in Guelph subdivision - A "green" house that has caught the attention of environmentalists, especially water conservation experts. The 2,700-square-foot, three-bedroom house looks much like its neighbours in the subdivision except for the 38,000-litre cistern buried in the backyard that pumps rainwater into the house's toilets, dishwasher and washing machine. >> more
Sunday September 2, 2007
Hawaii Tribune Herald - 'An evening of rainwater catchment' a hit in Keaau" - The recent rainwater conference held in Hawaii focused on the benefits of rainwater catchment systems as integrated solutions to community problems, including stormwater run-off, sanitation and green waste, landscape/community design, as well as water quality issues.>> read more
Saturday September 1, 2007
Wyoming Tribune-Eagle - City saving 1 million gallons daily - Recycled water maintains more than 230 acres of city parks, cemeteries and athletic fields. The water recycling program saves an average of one million gallons of water each day. In a year, the water savings could fill Granite Reservoir. >> more
Thursday, August 9, 2007
The Tampa Tribune - Tampa Water Rates To Double - City Council today voted 6-0 to double residents' water bills by 2012. Mayor Pam Iorio pushed the measure, her second water rate increase since taking office in 2003. The council also voted 6-0 to lower reclaimed water rates in an attempt to encourage more people to sign up. >> more
Monday, August 6, 2007
News.com.au - Rainwater to fill public pool - Rainwater will be harvested from rooftops to fill an Olympic-sized public pool in Victoria in a groundbreaking project designed to save water. Water saving will be achieved by collecting rainwater from the roof of the centre and the roofs of a nearby basketball stadium and library. The water will then be diverted to a tank and used to top up pools, clean pool filters, flush toilets and for showers and landscape watering. >> more
Friday, August 3, 2007
American Water Works Association - Bill proposes National Infrastructure Bank - Cosponsored by Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007 (S 1926) establishes a new method that the federal government can use to finance infrastructure projects. In that summary, Dodd and Hagel quoted the USEPA estimating that repairs to obsolete drinking water and wastewater systems need as much as $151 billion and $390 billion respectively every year over the next 20 years. >> more
Thursday, August 2, 2007
EPA - EPA to test thousands of environmental chemicals - EPA's National Center for Computational Toxicology released a list of 340 chemicals that will be evaluated under Phase I of the ToxCastTM research program. This three-phased program sets priorities for toxicity testing of environmental chemicals in order to more efficiently obtain critical information necessary to protect people and the environment. >> more
Monday, July 30, 2007
ABC News - A Megadrought Could Cause Social Conflicts Over Water, Energy, Immigration - A recent heatwave in the Southwest is a reminder that global warning is well underway. Scientists at Columbia and Princeton universities have used computer models to predict a permanent drought that will persist for up to 90 years in one of the fastest growing regions in the country. >> more
Friday, July 20, 2007
San Francisco Sentinel - Know a Water Hero - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today joined leaders from Bay Area water agencies to unveil an unprecedented regional public education campaign aimed at reminding residents and businesses to curb water use this summer and fall. >> more
Friday, July 20, 2007
US Environmental Protection Agency - Know A Water Efficiency Leader? - EPA is accepting nominations for the 2007 Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) Awards to recognize organizations and individuals that demonstrate leadership and innovation in water efficient- products and practices. Winners will be chosen by a panel of national water experts and based on three criteria: leadership, innovation, and water saved. >> more
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
North County Times - Rebate for Turf - Board members of the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District voted Tuesday to immediately offer homeowners a "modest" rebate to install synthetic turf, a conservation measure that could dramatically cut outdoor water use, which makes up 50 percent to 70 percent of residential water use. >> more
Frost & Sullivan Report - U.S. Water Recycling and Reuse Systems Markets Growing - Water recycling and reuse is gaining popularity in the United States due to the growing demand for water in industries and municipal applications like agricultural irrigation, lawn watering, and other non-potable applications. Increase in population and the growing economy are further putting enormous strain on the existing freshwater resources. >> more
Monday, July 2, 2007
TheStar.com - L.A.'s record-setting drought - History will show that from July 1 of 2006 to June 30 of this year, only 81 millimetres (3.21 inches) of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles – the lowest precipitation level since records started being kept in the 1880s. Other cities around the region also set all-time records. >> more
Friday, June 29, 2007
The Tampa Tribune - Cuts in Reclaimed Water Rates To Promote Use Proposed - The city wants to lower reclaimed water rates in an attempt to persuade people to hook up to the system. Propose rates would be $1.20 per 748 gallons of reclaimed water. The existing price is $1.34. New water rates would range would be $1.18 to $1.38 per 748 gallons. Those who use more water pay more. >> more
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
KIPLINGER FORECASTS - Water Scarcity Will Change How We Live and Work - Get used to living with less water -- at home and at work. And it's not just about being better stewards of the environment. It has more to do with limited supply. Learning to save water for a nonrainy day will be crucial; to help smooth out dips in supply. >> more
U.S. News & World Report - June 4, 2007 - Why You Should Worry About Water - Cover story on the current state of water in the US with side stories on how to easily conserve; the state of water around the globe; how disease has been transported by water in the past; Las Vegas, Nevada's grab for more water; waters power to work and create energy and several others. Very informative. >> more
Monday, June 25, 2007
WaterSaver Technologies LLC Introduces AQUS™ Water Saving Device - The AQUS™, enables you to save water by capturing graywater that would normally go down the drain. Captured water is cleaned, disinfected, and distributed into toilet bowls…users experience water savings each time they flush a toilet! Possible water savings of up to 5,000 gallons a year in an average household are possible with this new device. >> more
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Mainichi Daily News - Water Shortages Feared Across Japan - The level of water in the Sameura Dam in Kochi Prefecture had declined to 31.6 percent of its capacity by midnight on Wednesday, as compared with the normal level of 86.5 percent for this season. The water shortage is attributed to little rain in winter and spring. In particular, areas along the Sea of Japan coast had the least rain and snow since observations started in the 1961-62 winter. >> more
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Birmingham News - Jail Time Possible for Watering - Under the restrictions approved unanimously by the council, most outdoor water use - including washing cars by hand and using sprinklers - is prohibited. Fines of as much as $500 and jail sentences as long as six months for those who violate the city's water ban. >> more
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Las Vegas Review Journal - Lake Mead Could Go Dry in 10 Years - Bradley Udall, director of an environmental research institute connected to the University of Colorado, said Lake Mead's 14 million acre-feet of water, or about 4.5 trillion gallons, isn't being replaced as fast as it is being used. "At the current rate of use, Lake Mead has 10 years of water left in it," he said. >> more
Thursday, May 24, 2007
News12 Augusta, GA - Georgia Working on Water Conservation Plan - With each day passing and no rainfall in sight, drought conditions
continue to worsen across Georgia. All but six counties in the state
are now in an extreme or severe drought. The proposal is still in its early stages, but it's a long-term plan that
Georgia's state environmental planners say will help conserve and
manage the state's water supply during drought conditions. >> more
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
USA Today - Investors Profit in Search for Clean H2o - Three funds in search of profits from lack of clean water: The PowerShares Water Resources, Claymore Fund, and First Trust ISE Water Index Fund. The oldest of the funds has gained 28% since December 2005.
USGS - Pharmaceuticals Found in Soil - Many areas of the Nation are faced with water shortages due to significant demand for water. As a result, supplies are being augmented with treated wastewater. In a recent study it was found that pharmaceuticals in wastewater used for irrigation persist in soil for several months after the irrigation stopped. >> more
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
11 EyeWitness News - Mandatory Water Restrictions Go into Effect - Dry conditions have forced Chatham County, North Carolina officials to implement mandatory water restrictions. >> more
Friday, May 11, 2007
Palm Beach Post - Watering Down to One Day a Week - The strictest water limits in South Florida's history will take effect Wednesday, allowing just one day a week for sprinkler use in Palm Beach and Broward counties. The A drought could extend to the summer of 2008. >> more
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Check out EPA's WaterSense program and World Water Center added to the Resource section. >> more
Saturday, May 5, 2007
The News Tribune - Milton, WA May Adopt Year Round Restrictions - The city, which straddles Pierce and King counties, is the only water system in Washington to enact restrictions so far this year, a state water specialist said. >> more
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Reuters - CA water officials urge conservation - Water in the state's snowpack is at its lowest level in almost 20 years and officials called for conservation and more water storage "As we experience climate change and the resulting lower annual snow packs, it is critical that we increase the amount of runoff captured by building additional water storage facilities," Gov. Schwarzenegger said in a statement. >> more
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
CBS4Denver -7 States Submit Colorado River Water Sharing Plan - Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada, New Mexico Utah and Wyoming filed a plan with the Interior Department on Monday aimed at divvying up scarce water resources during drought. Officials said the long-debated pact would protect 30 million people who depend on the river for drinking water. >> more
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Consumer Reports - WATER FILTERS Simple, effective options - A review of various water filters options. Included in the review are carafe, counter-top, and undersink models that could be used in conjunction with a rainwater harvesting system. The article lists typical minerals and chemicals that each system removes. >> more
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Macon.com - Entire state of Georgia faces tighter water restrictions Georgia "has been in a persistent and progressive drought condition since last June," said Carol Couch, director of the state Environmental Protection Division in a news release. The conservation restrictions focus on residential watering because as much as 60 percent of summer household water use is outside, according to the EPD. >> more
Friday, April 13, 2007
Miami Herald - Water Restrictions may go year round State emergency managers, monitoring a potentially catastophic drought, are moving to extend water restrictions year-round, but warn that it may not be enough to avert disaster. ''It's a bit of uncharted territory we're in,'' said Fugate, whose agency directs recovery efforts after natural catastrophes. ``You're going to start crossing a line. The decision, quite honestly, isn't going to be to reduce a little bit. It's going to be who is not going to get any water.'' >> more
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
insideBayArea.com - Conserve water now, or else More than 2 million Bay Area residents today will be told to cut their water use 10 percent by June or face the kind of mandatory water restrictions that the area hasn't seen in 15 years. The Sierra Nevada snowpack is 46 percent of normal — the lowest this time of year since 1990. Meanwhile, rainfall totals around the Bay Area are barely half of normal for this time of the year, and the rainy season is nearly over. >> more
Sunday, April 8, 2007
SearNet - Southern and Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SearNet) is a regional body set up to promote rainwater harvesting especially in eastern and southern Africa. Its mission is to network among its member associations within the region for the promotion of rainwater harvesting and utilization. New resource link
Wednesday, April 4, 2007 Miami Herald
Tighten the tap: Record cutbacks coming
In the coming days, canals and ponds in western suburbs will drop fast and shallow ones may dry up. In weeks, municipal wells near the coast -- particularly in Broward County -- could pump water too salty to drink. In months, wetlands may wither and Lake Okeechobee could recede to the lowest point since the dike was built around it more than 70 years ago
"This is one of the worst droughts we have ever seen," water district Executive Director Carol Ann Wehle was quoted as saying. >> more
Sunday, April 2, 2007
Dallas, TX - The recent flooding rains have had little effect on water levels in North Texas, and consequently, water restrictions went into effect in Dallas.According to the city, lawn watering is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or when there has been any form of precipitation. The city also asks that that residents keep their sprinkler systems from running into driveways, sidewalks or streets.
The restrictions began April 1 and will remain in effect through the end of October. Violators could face a fine up to $2,000. >> See Dallas Water Conservation to learn more
World Water Day, March 22nd, 2007 - The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The Water for Life Decade 2005-2015 will give a high profile to implementing water-related programmes and the participation of women. The UN hopes that the Decade will boost the chances of achieving international water-related goals and the United Nations Millennium Declaration.
Get educated, get involved >> more
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 CanWest News Service
VICTORIA — B.C. residents should pay more for keeping their drinking water clean and safe, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall said today.
Drinking water rates should reflect the true, long-term costs of water treatment, distribution and water system monitoring, Kendall said at a press conference to release his report Progress on the Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water in B.C.>> more
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 Climate Assessment for the Southwest
Wednesday, the Climate Assessment for the Southwest predicted that the West will have a warmer than average spring and summer.
As the climate continues to change, New Mexico could see more droughts - and more heavy rainfall and flash floods, says Charlie Liles, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. "Most of the models suggest the extremes in weather will increase," Liles continues, and "the droughts will probably be more intense, but I don't know that we can say they'll be more frequent. Of course, those same models indicate extremes in wet weather may increase as well.
But as the climate continues to change, the state could see more droughts - and more heavy rainfall and flash floods. Liles says, "People, will just have to adapt as the changes come". >> more
Tuesday, February 18, 2007 San Francisco Chronicle
The real cost of bottled water
More than 1 billion plastic water bottles end up in the California's trash each year, taking up valuable landfill space, leaking toxic additives, such as phthalates, into the groundwater and taking 1,000 years to biodegrade. That means bottled water may be harming our future water supply.
Americans bottle water addiction consumes more than 47 million gallons of oil, enough to take 100,000 cars off the road and 1 billion pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, according to the Container Recycling Institute. >> more
Tuesday, February 14, 2007 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Two billion people will be without water
ROME, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- In less than 20 years, close to two billion people will be without water and two thirds of the world will not have enough water, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned here on Wednesday.
One way to deal with water scarcity is through farming-related techniques that harvest more rainfall, reduce waste in irrigation and increase productivity, and in changes in crop and dietary choices, Steduto added.
“Water has a major impact on the capacity of people everywhere to improve their lives,” says Pasquale Steduto, Chief of FAO’s Water, Development and Management Unit. “In many regions, farmers trying to produce enough food and income face the added challenges of repeated droughts and competition for water.” >> more
Friday, February 9, 2007 The Albuquerque Tribune
Albuquerque saves 100 billion gallons of water
The city has conserved 100 billion gallons of water since 1994 through water conservation efforts. The amount saved for the city was estimated to be about three years worth of water for all customers served by the authority.
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority offered rebates to customers who installed water-efficient toilets and to those who landscaped with native plants that required little water. The authority also enforced fines for customers who were caught watering sidewalks, forced all new construction projects to install low-flow fixtures, and made large water users develop conservation plans.
New conservation measures are in the works including more rebates, a law requiring any home up for sale to have low-flow fixtures, and a program that will target water leaks.
The amount saved for the city was estimated to be about three years worth of water for all customers served by the authority>> more
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