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August 30, 2007
Lake Superior has Dropped One Foot this Past Year
Lake Superior, which accounts for about 40% of the water supply for Lakes Michigan and Huron, has dropped one foot this past year, and continues to fall.
Hydrologists think lack of rain and increased evaporation have caused the record loss which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate is about 12.7 trillion gallons.
Though flows to the St. Marys River from lake can be controlled, "there is really very little human influence on the system that can make any substantial change," said Scott Thieme, chief of the Army Corps of Engineers' Great Lakes office for hydraulics and hydrology.
As it is, lakes Michigan and Huron are both 2 feet below average levels now, and thus, as Rob Caldwell of Environment Canada said, It's a balancing act. There is no one side that wins," as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 09:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 29, 2007
So That's Why the Water Bill is so High!
A water connection error is the reason Deanna Glener, of Chandler, AZ has had exorbitantly high water bills for the past four years.
It seems when Deanna had been complaining to the city water department about the high bills with no response, until her own plumber stumbled on the fact that her water line was crossed with her neighbors, who had a much larger lot and a leaky lawn sprinkler system.
Jim Crocker, of the Chandler Water Department said that the Gleners will be reimbursed for years of over payments, with a credit for 348,000 gallons, the difference between her actual water use and her neighbor's, as reported by the Associated Press and published by the Washington Post.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 06:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 28, 2007
Dry Malaysia Discovers New Potable Water Basin
Malaysia announced that it has discovered a water basin that was described as the size of Singapore in the Batang Padang area in the northern state of Perak. Energy, Water and Communications Minister Lim Keng Yaik made the announcement to reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
In January, it was announced that Selangor, on the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula, was facing a critical water supply situation.
Minister Lim went on to say, "There won't be a water shortage in Selangor."
Just proves that all the sources of potable water in the world are yet to be found, as reported by Bloomberg.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 06:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 22, 2007
Taps in California Business Center Flow Treated Sewage Water
Tests have discovered that the foul looking, smelling, and tasting water at the Fenton Business Park, in the Eastlake section of Chula Vista, CA, has been treated waste water for the past two years.
While seventeen businesses in all have been affected, the two food-related businesses were closed by the Department of Environment Health, upon the news.
Otay Water District General Manager Mark Watton assured that the district would pay for medical tests for workers, and compensate for any business losses, as reported by NBC News, San Diego.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 06:13 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 21, 2007
Greywater Recyling Conserves Water
Greywater Guerillas, an organization founded just outside Berkeley, CA, by Laura Allen & Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, fosters the "illegal" recycling and conservation of normally wasted water in homes.
Greywater is described as water that goes down the drain from showers, sinks and washing machines, yet can be stored for use on lawns and gardens.
"We're forced into being guerilla-style because of economics," said Laura. "Permitted [systems] cost between $2,000 to $10,000. Non-permitted systems can be as cheap as $100."
Claudia Cappio, head of the plumbing inspectors for the city of Oakland said, "The motivation and intentions behind the Greywater Guerillas is a good one," but added that "codes are necessary to assure the safety of the family who's putting one in and of our environment," as reported by ABC News/Nightline.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 02:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 20, 2007
Suggestion Canada Sell Drinking Water to the U.S.
Canada, it has been suggested, should look to sell its abundant excess fresh water to the United States.
It seems that, with its sharing of the world's largest body of fresh water, the Great Lakes, with the U.S. plus the many rivers, streams and other lakes, Canada has one-fifth of all the fresh water in the world.
As the U.N. urges nations with surplus fresh water to share their water-wealth with less fortunate countries, Canada, which wastes as much water daily as other developed countries, should consider selling its excess to the U.S., as reported by the Toronto Star.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 02:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2007
Kansas: Nebraska and Colorado Abuse Water Rights
At the annual meeting of the Republican River Compact Administration, in Junction City, KS, Attorney General Paul Morrison said he's disappointed that Kansas is not getting its share of water from the Republican River.
Morrison told officials from Nebraska and Colorado that Kansas is preparing to enforce its rights under the compact with them.
In Morrison's opinion, it comes down to the fact that there are too many water users and not enough water, as reported by the Associated Press and published by KWCH 12 News.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 02:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 14, 2007
Australian Water Prices to Rise
Australia is a hot and dry country, so it should be no surprise that water supply experts are saying the cost of water is much too inexpensive.
While the pricing for water is now between 90 cents and $1.50 for every kilolitre of water used, the cost of improving infrastructure, and building desalination plants could double those prices, according to a report by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA).
Professor Stuart White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, said, "It's true we historically and currently pay too little for water. If we take into account the massive spending spree on infrastructure [water] should be higher".
University of New South Wales water treatment expert Greg Leslie ssid, "The effort to supply safe drinking water, it is amazing it is sold for the price it is. It is certainly worth a lot more than what we pay for our water bill".
Paying more for potable water will be trend in the future far beyond the borders of Australia, as reported by ABC News.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 10:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 09, 2007
Overpopulation, Overindulgence = Bleak Outlook for Drinking Water
It was not until 1830 that the earth's population reached 1 billion, yet by 1999 the world population crossed the 6 billion mark.
There is no question that this population expansion has cost the earth both environmentally and ecologically. Our forests are declining, our topsoil is eroding, our deserts are expanding, and our climate is undergoing radical change.
Scientists have warned us that the underground water supply of the Midwest is being siphoned off and depleted for a seemingly insatiable conglomerate of fruit, vegetable and livestock growers of the Southwest, via the mammoth irrigation projects extending all the way to Southern California.
There is only so much fresh drinking water on the continent, and if you thing gas is expensive, just hope you don't have to pay for a glass of water in the middle of a veritable desert of dust bowl conditions, as reported by John Blankenship, for The Herald-
Register.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 09:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 06, 2007
New Orleans' Drinking Water Wasting Away
New Orleans'3,200-mile w system of water and sewer lines, was old and leaky well before Katrina, but now is further damaged by pipe-corroding salt water. The result is a system that is now leaking more than 50 million gallons of water a day, over 2 1/2 times the pre-Katrina level.
The city Sewerage & Water Board spokesman Robert Jackson said,"We don't have the confidence now to say the system won't fail. We're basically holding it together by tape, by glue, by spit, whatever we can get a hold of," as reported by the Associated Press.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 11:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 02, 2007
IBWA Answers the Critics of Bottled Water
With all the heat the bottled water industry is taking lately, it is not surprising the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), has launched an advertising campaign in its defense.
The problem with the media blitz is simply that the industry is not telling us anything new. Yes, they embrace recycling just as the entire beverage industry does, but now it is confirmed all these bottles just contain treated tap water, and they still lie in land fills for thousands of years to come.
They do not even mention the fact that they now put on their site that "The bottled water industry supports and relies on safe, quality ground water resources as well as municipal water systems." Those who buy bottle water are paying for something they can buy for pennies from their tap.
The industry goes on to say the mayors of the cities who have banned bottled water from government facilities are misleading the public. the IBWA even says the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and others are also not telling the truth about bottled water.
I think all this from the IBWA is just a knee-jerk reaction to all the bad press the industry is getting of late, and simply that it is an indication that the truth hurts.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 06:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2007
PepsiCo Admits Aquafina Comes From a Tap
PepsiCo Inc., the maker of Aquafina bottled water, admitted last week that the source of the product is common, public tap water.
The company claims that they never, ever meant to mislead anyone about the water's source. Thus we are to believe that the blue label on a bottle of Aquafina, with the sun-peeking-over-the-mountains logo that hints the water comes from some bubbling spring high in the unspoiled wilderness, was not meant in any way to confuse the consumer.
Meanwhile, Aquafina says it is changing their lable to state "Public Water Source" on them.
Coca-Cola Co., which makes Dasani bottled water, is also being pressured admit in its marketing campaigns the use of municipal water, as is the maker of Nestle Pure Life.
Sounds like the bottled water industry now believes the truth will set them free, after years of duping the public, as reported by Kevin Cowherd in the Baltimore Sun.
Posted by Stephen Betheil at 02:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack