Water Secrets Blog

July 02, 2009

Sacramento to Sue Over Industrial Water Contamination

Yesterday, Sacramento County,CA filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Boeing Company and the Aerojet-General Corp. concerning years of ground water contamination which encompasses much of eastern Sacramento County. McDonnel-Douglas, has since been purchased by Boeing.

Herb Niederberger, division chief of the Sacramento County Department of Water Resources, said that for the past nine years the county was in settlement agreements with the companies, but nothing had be done to replace the water supply or "make us whole."

"After nine years of discussion, Aerojet and Boeing have yet to take responsibility," Niederberger said. "We needed to do something."

With the lawsuit, the county is looking to cover all costs and alleges that "the contamination resulting from defendants' disposal and release of hazardous substances continues to expand, presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment, and threatens to contaminate additional county water supply wells."

Aerojet spokeswoman Linda Cutler said, "in 2003 we reached a landmark water agreement with them that they unilaterally terminated in 2008. "Despite this unilateral action, Aerojet and Boeing have continued to negotiate in good faith to resolve the county's demands."

Blythe Jameson, a Boeing spokeswoman, said the complaint was under review and declined to comment specifically about the lawsuit, but did say the company has been cleaning up the site, as reported by the Sacramento Bee.

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June 22, 2009

Kansas is Getting Funding for Water Improvements

$54 million in Federal stimulus funds are making there way to Kansas for improvements in water.

Pottawatomie County putting $1.3 million into improvements at a treatment plant to remove iron from drinking water.

Holton,KS is using $164,000 for native plants and a rain garden to control erosion in a storm water drainage area.

Topeka (pictured)is starting a $55,000 study to determine if a wastewater treatment facility can use "green" technology to conserve energy.

The Center for Child Development at Kansas State University is getting $454,000 for installation of a porous pavement to harvest rainfall.

El Dorado,KS is using $200,000 to the install a hydroelectric generator on a city water pipe to generate about 100 kilowatts of energy for use at a water treatment plant.

"This funding will not only help create much-needed jobs but will have a major impact on communities in need of these important infrastructure projects," said Rod Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Kerry Wedel, chief of the state water bureau's watershed management section, said 20 percent of the federal financing was earmarked for green infrastructure, water and energy-efficiency improvements.

"It's basically practices that maintain or restore natural hydrology," Wedel said.

Ron Geisler, Kansas Department of Health and Environment water bureau's chief of municipal programs, said the largest project made possible by economic stimulus legislation was a $15.6 million endeavor in Johnson County, for construction of an improved facility to treat sludge at the current wastewater treatment plant, as reported by The Topeka Capital-Journal.

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June 18, 2009

Indication of Pollution In Mekong River as Irrawaddy Dolphins Disappear

The conservation group the World Wildlife for Nature (WWF) has reported that toxic waste in the Mekong River (pictured) has endangered the Irrawaddy dolphins unique to this area, particularly on a stretch of water between Cambodia and Laos.

"Pollution in the Mekong River has pushed the local population of Irrawaddy dolphins to the brink of extinction," the conservation group said.

The WWF researchers also cautioned that pollutants found in the Mekong water could affect the health of millions of humans who rely river for potable water, as reported by the Reuters News Service, and published by ABC News.

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June 17, 2009

Idaho Contractor is Fined for Clean Water Act Violations

The G.F. Barnes Construction, Inc. has been ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pay $12,900 for not properly controlling runoff from their Granite Peaks condominium construction site near Sandpoint,Idaho, as observed by inspectors beginning in April, 2005.

The contractor discharged sediment from the construction site into a tributary of Schweitzer Creek and failed to obtain the proper permit as required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

"While many builders and developers are doing the right thing by preventing runoff from their sites, there are some who are ignoring these important storm water requirements," said Jim Werntz, EPA's director of Idaho operations. "We take protecting Idaho waters very seriously. Builders and developers need to get the right permits and implement runoff controls before they start work or, like Barnes Construction, they will face fines," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 16, 2009

Rocky Mountain Region Dead Forests Could Harm Water Supply

Rick Cables, speaking for the U.S. Forest Service, and in charge of the Rocky Mountain region, told a U.S. House of Representatives panel today that the headwaters of the Colorado River, a source of drinking water for 33 million people, are in the middle of 2.5 million acres of dead or dying forests in Colorado and southern Wyoming, destroyed by bark
beetles (pictured).

Any fire in this region, fueled by these dead trees, could potentially damage reservoirs, pipes and other infrastructure that supply water.

Wildfires can "literally bake the soil," leaving behind a water-repellent surface that sheds rain and leads to severe erosion and debris, Cables said. The loss of so many trees also will reduce shade in the region, which in turn could reduce water supplies in the hot, dry summer months and accelerate snow melt in the spring, he said.

A Forest Service analysis shows that people in San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Tucson, AZ who receive their tap water from the Colorado River get one quart of every gallon from national forests in the Rocky Mountain region.

"The arid West absolutely depends on national forests as the source for their water," Cables said. "The reach of this watershed is unparalleled in the West."

Barbara Bentz, a research entomologist with the Forest Service, said that the the current outbreak of bark beetles, which has destroyed nearly 8 million acres of trees, is the largest in history, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Mercury News.

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June 15, 2009

Murder for Water in India's Drought

In the central India state of Madhya Pradesh, (pictured), where a drought has persisted over a year, people are giving their lives to be the first to get at water.

It has been reported by the the Bhopal Superintendent of Police that in 17 of the state's districts, at least five people have been beaten to death over water disputes, and many more have been injured.

In the city of Bhopal on May 13, a father, mother and their son were killed while trying to get water from a leaking municipal pipe.

"The water problem is a huge crisis," said Babulala Gaur, Minister of Urban Administration and Development. Gaur said volunteers are helping to organize the water distribution.

"It's the nature of people fighting over water tank because they want the water first," he said.

"This year, everyone is struggling for water," said Maria Fernandez, regional director for WaterAid India. "This is the worst I have ever seen," she said.

"It's of an unimaginable magnitude. In fact, it's unprecedented," Bhopal Mayor's Sunil Sood said, speaking of the current drought.

"Police is not there to beat people and stop them from taking water. It only ensures that all people get water," he said. "When our water tankers reach a particular locality, people rush to collect as much water as possible. And this results in scuffle and fights. We are trying to ensure that all of them get equal or fair share," as reported by ABC News.

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June 09, 2009

Texas based Dairy told to Stop Discharging into Wetlands

The Environmental Protection Agency today, issued an administrative order to the Allrounder I (pictured) and II Dairies in Hopkins County, Texas to cease their discharge of of manure and contaminated water into nearby wetlands, which lead into Stouts Creek, in clear violation of the Clean Water Act.

At both of the dairies locations, EPA inspectors found solid manure build-up accumulating on the surface which indicates the manure lagoons lack adequate capacity for the number of animals currently allowed by the dairies' permits.

The dairies have been ordered to stop all discharges of pollutants, and within 30 days an relocate stockpiled manure to an area that will cause runoff to be captured in an approved lagoon.

They also have been ordered to excavate and relocate their mortality management areas to an approved location that is not in a wetland and does not discharge into a wetland or waterway, and provide certification that this has been accomplished, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 04, 2009

Worcester, MA Contractor Violates Clean Water Act

I can hardly believe that so many firms in the U.S. keep ignoring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules concerning runoff, and those written in the Clean Water Act.

Once again, this time in Worcester, MA, Bailin & Associates, Inc., while building a 79-acre residential subdivision of townhouses (pictured), starting in 2003 neglected to get a water discharge permit or a NPDES General Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Construction Activities.

Then, both before and after Bailin received permit coverage on May 29, 2008, they formed a detention pond with a manually-activated submersible pump that discharged silt laden water to a wooded wetland, flowed through a channel into an unnamed tributary, through a series of ponds, then to Beaver Brook and ultimately to the Blackstone River.

Balin's fine for this example of stupidity, while yet to be finalized, can be up to up to $157,000, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 02, 2009

South Dakota Developer Fined for Clean Water Act Violations

The U.S. Department of Justice, acting for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has issued a consent decree against Zelmer, Inc. and Spencer Heights, LLC (Zelmer) for violations of the Clean Water Act, in Lincoln County, South Dakota.

Apparently, Zelmer neglected to implement a storm water management plan and filled up 3.29 acres of wetlands and the erosion resulted in additional sediment loading to a tributary of the Big Sioux River (pictured).

Under the terms of the consent decree, Zelmer must restore the impacted wetlands at the development site plus complete a wetlands creation project in nearby Turner County, at an estimated cost of $444,500. Additionally,the company must pay a fine of $25,000.

"These actions compromised water quality by failing to manage runoff and by filling important wetlands," said Diane Sipe, Director of EPA Region 8's Water Enforcement Program. "EPA is requiring Zelmer to prevent its construction operations from depositing sediment into nearby waters and to restore the impacted wetlands. We will continue to pursue actions against those who violate federal laws that protect South Dakota’s waters," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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May 28, 2009

In Idaho, Hecla Mining Fined for Clean Water Water Act Violations

The Hecla Mining Company, owner and operator of the Lucky Friday Mine and Mill, (pictured), located near Mullen,ID,in Shoshone County, has been fined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency $177,500 for violations of the wastewater discharge provisions of the Clean Water Act.

The mining operation exceeded the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit it had covering lead, zinc, and cadmium, and discharged it into the the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, between September 2008 and February 2009.

"Unchecked industrial discharges have serious environmental consequences for our rivers, lakes and streams," said Ed Kowalski, Director of Compliance and Enforcement at EPA's Seattle office."Compliance with wastewater permits is critical to protecting Idaho's waterways. Bringing this facility into compliance and reducing the metals load is a significant step forward in protecting and restoring the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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May 27, 2009

Tampa Bay, FL to Expand Reclaimed Water Distribution

As previously published here, the city of Tampa Bay,Fl, had started a reclaimed water distribution system last year, and, with the ongoing drought, would like to expand it.

The city wants to more than triple the number of people who use highly treated wastewater instead of drinking water to irrigate their lawns. The move could save more drinking water than the seawater desalination plant adds to the region's supply, as well as recharge the Hillsborough River,which is the city's primary fresh water source.

With half of the drinking water provided by the city being used to water lawns, the thought of expanding the program makes sense, and the City would want to provide incentives for more residents to embrace the use of treated wastewater for their lawns, as reported by the St.Petersburg Times.

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May 26, 2009

No Water Today in parts of Johannesburg, South Africa

Parts of the capital city of Johannesburg, South Africa, (pictured), had to do without tap water today, and Johannesburg Water does not know when the water will be turned back on.

"Residents have been left without water from 8:00AM on Tuesday, until such time that technicians sort out the problem," spokesperson for Johannesburg Water, Tebatso Baldwin Matsimela said.

The shutdown is part of an overall upgrading of the primary water, sewer, and waste treatment infrastructure, designed to meet the needs of the growing city, as reported by SAPA, and published by News24.

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May 21, 2009

Proof Mars Once Had Flowing Water

The "Opportunity", the NASA rover which has been traveling Mars for the past five years has provided proof that flowing water once helped shape the Victoria Crater, according to articles published in the journal Science, last week.

As the research indicates, even if the ambient temperature is below freezing, water with dissolved minerals will still flow.

Mission scientists chose Victoria as the next crater to explore because "it was the biggest crater we could possibly find," said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, and the lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Rover Project.

Opportunity also found "gorgeous, striking evidence" of dune structures preserved in the rocks, Squyres said. There had been some signs of dunes at Endurance Crater, but "Victoria really enabled us to nail that problem," he said.

Some geologists believe that the findings reflect a time when Mars was a much warmer planet so that water flowed, though there is no proof this climate ever existed on the frigid planet, as reported by Space.com, and published by MSNBC,

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May 20, 2009

San Jose to Try Voluntary Water Conservation

With the ongoing drought in California, the San Jose City Council yesterday passed new restrictions on lawn watering, but non-compliance will result in no fines levied.

"Working with the customers is more effective at this stage than being punitive," said Mansour Nasser, deputy director of San Jose's (pictured) environmental services department.

"If we have a higher level of drought next year and we feel there are repeat offenders, then we'll look at other enforcement options."

The reasons behind the voluntary nature of the restrictions include that San Jose cannot afford to hire water police, or process the paperwork of fines. Also, last year, when the residents were asked for voluntary water reductions of 10%, they reduction came close with a 9.5% actual reduction in water usage, as reported by The Mercury News.

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May 19, 2009

Rally Tomorrow at the California Capitol to get Action on Water

Hundreds of state water leaders and others concerned will gather tomorrow at the East side (pictured) of the California Capital building in Sacramento, to call for action on long-term solutions to the State's water supply issues.

The rally, dubbed "Action on Water Now!", is sponsored by the the Association of California Water Agencies, whose 450 members supply 90% of the water delivered in California.

The gathering is in support of investments in the state's water infrastructure, conservation, ecosystem restoration, water recycling and other strategies as dictated by this third year of drought, as reported by Reuters.

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May 18, 2009

Magnetic Signature Belies Water Pollution

Joseph Boyce of McMaster University in Canada and a team of researchers discovered that a way to identify contaminated sediments is through their magnetic signature.

For thousands of years, mining and metalworking have produced toxic stews, much of which ran off into local rivers, lakes and harbors, where they mingled with sediment. But other than the resulting dead fish, there has been no way to properly map all the contaminated area.

With this new discovery however, by simply towing a magnetometer behind a boat, even entire coastlines can be checked for pollution at a relatively low cost, as reported by Discovery News.

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May 14, 2009

U.S. Senate to Discuss $37 Billion for Potable Water

A $37 billion bill for drinking water and sewer repair, was sent from the Senate public works committee today, to the full Senate for a vote.

Once passed, the Senate must get a compromise with the House before it goes to the President for to be signed into law.

Spread over five years, $20 billion would go to the state clean water funds, which provide low cost loans and grants to water authorities for construction and repairs, while $15 billion would be provided for maintaining clean water supplies, both representing an increase over previous years allocations.

"In the mean-time the needs have changed," Oklahoma's James Inhofe, the highest ranking Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said, adding the new bill would hike funding levels and change how money is distributed. "It provides more funds for smaller states. And, thanks to the authorization level provided by the bill, it will mean more dollars for every state," as reported by Reuters.

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May 13, 2009

Alaska Mining Company Settles Clean Water Act Violations

Alaska Gold Corp.,a subsidiary of NovaGold Resources Inc., yesterday agreed to settle with the Environmental Protection Agency, and pay $883,628 for numerous Clean Water Act violations.

The company runs the inactive Rock Creek gold mine (pictured) near Nome, Alaska, and most of the just over 200 violations stem from the mine's storm-water discharge, which were first noticed by state officials in 2007.

The company spent several million dollars finishing a checklist of storm-water protection upgrades, it said Tuesday.

"They've gotten the message from both EPA and (the state) that we expect better actions from them," said Chris Foley, an enforcement officer for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

According to Eva DeMaria, an EPA enforcement officer based in Seattle, storm water carrying too much sediment from the mine's construction site to nearby streams was the problem, as reported by the Anchorage Daily News.

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May 12, 2009

In a Colony in India a Hunger Strike for Drinking Water

In the Kerala area in southwestern India, (pictured), in a colony at Chelapram in Kakkodi grama panchayat limits in the district, a decade of neglect has left the residents with no potable water.

Activists of the Bharatanjali Swasreya Gramam, a Gandhian organization, have started a hunger strike to protest the apathy of the authorities in supplying drinking water.

K.V. Krishnan, coordinator of the organization, said today, "No steps had been taken to solve the drinking water shortage at Purangottukunnu Nalucentu Michabhoomi colony for more than a decade." "The panchayat and the district administration had not taken any measures, though the people had been airing their grievances."

"Several families had no option but to shift from the colony." "The organization had petitioned Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan about the shortage", he said.

The Kerala Water Authority and the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management furnished reports on this situation to the District Collector back in 2002, but the project to get water to the area was never completed, as reported by The Hindu.

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May 07, 2009

South Florida Drought Causes Watering Restrictions

As of today, watering your lawn in South Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys, has been restricted to a once a week event, due to the severe drought.

With drinking water wells running "critically low," Carol Wehle, executive director of the South Florida Water Management District signed the emergency order today.

The Biscayne Aquifer, in South Miami-Dade, is within 10% of its historic low, and is taxing numerous wells, as reported by the Miami Herald.

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May 05, 2009

Four Oklahoma Oil Companies Violated the Clean Water Act

The Environmental Protection Agency has fined four Oklahoma oil producers for violation of the Clean Water Act provisions, known as the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure regulations.

Inspections during December, 2008 through January, 2009 of the four oil production facilities, that tests and inspections as specified in the regulations, were not conducted, and that personnel were not trained in any manner, to deal with discharges.

The companies and their fines are:

N&N Oil Company, Duncan - $750;
Ronnie Gaskins Oil & Gas, Lawton - $900;
Red Earth Oil and Gas, Inc., Oklahoma City - $700; and
Lewis Oil Properties, Ratliff City - $1,800.

The companies have all now certified to the EPA that they have corrected the violations, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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April 30, 2009

Oklahoma Water Supervisor Guilty of Report Fraud

Christopher Neil Gauntt, the former supervisor of the Fort Gibson Water Treatment Plant in Fort Gibson, OK., pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, OK (pictured), to faking the monthly report on the water safety of the drinking water from the facility.

Gauntt stated that on or about June 12, 2008, he submitted a monthly operating report containing false data for drinking water that is provided to residents of Fort Gibson as well as residents of Muskogee Rural Water Districts 4 and 7, Cherokee Water drinking water systems, and the water systems for Corral Creek Subdivision and Ozark Water Inc.

"All citizens should be confident that they are receiving drinking water that is safe for consumption. Those who knowingly compromise the regulatory protections of the Safe Drinking Water Act will be prosecuted," said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The prosecution in this case demonstrates that the government vigorously acts to ensure all of our citizens have good drinking water and the Safe Drinking Water Act's requirements are being complied with."

"Accurate information is essential for the federal government and the State of Oklahoma to assure good drinking water for the public," said Warren Amburn, Special Agent in Charge of EPA's criminal enforcement program in Dallas. "Individuals who submit false reports or bogus data undermine those efforts and they will be vigorously pursued."

"Falsifying information about the safety of the drinking water supply is dangerous," Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson said. "Ensuring an adequate supply of safe, clean water is an important public health issue. We will continue to work with our partners at all levels of government to protect the people of this state and the water they drink."

Gauntt faces a possible five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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April 29, 2009

Central Asian Water Sharing Talks Fail

The leaders of the five Central Asian states have failed to agree on a water sharing arrangement.

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan hold 80% of the region's water, while downstream, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan are semi-arid and need water for their cotton crop and agriculture.

The Aral Sea has shrunk 90% in size, and both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have a need for the electricity which would be provided by construction of a hydroelectric plant, which Uzbekistan opposes.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, when the five states used to share water and energy resources such as electricity and gas, the leaders of these states have had a history of not cooperating with each other, as reported by BBC News.

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April 28, 2009

Construction Companies in Culebra, PR Fined for Water Quality Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined eight construction companies in Culebra, Puerto Rico, (pictured), for violating federal regulations concerning storm water runoff from construction sites.

The companies failed to get proper storm water permits issued by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System , a program under the federal Clean Water Act, for the construction sites in Culebra.

"The failure to implement adequate storm water and sewage controls at these construction sites was harming Culebra's fragile coastal ecosystems" said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. "Storm water runoff carries sediments and other pollutants that endanger sea grasses and coral ecosystems, which in turn can impact threatened and endangered sea turtles."

The companies, and and their accessed fines are:

Inversiones del Mercado/Jofa Contractors Corp. $60,050
Caribbean Properties Investment/VPI Construction Corp. $56,050
Culebra Resort Associates $32,500
Víctor Morales $32,500
Playa Clara, S.E. $24,400,
as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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April 27, 2009

Water Wars Sooner than Later

In the near future, 46 nations risk violent conflict over water and climate-related crises, and 56 other countries face political instability, according to a study by International Alert, a British advocacy group.

"Water will … become one of the defining limits to human development and a compounding factor in human misery," according to Achim Steiner, director of the U.N. Environment Programme.

While there is enough potable water to meet the needs of humans, despite climate change and population growth, poor water management leads to conflicts and scarcity.

In the San Joaquin Valley, where 40 percent of America's produce is grown, an estimated 10,000 farmers and farm workers marched recently in protest over their water shortage brought on by the third year of California's drought.

In a rural area in Ethiopia, a breach of trust and mismanagement left two villages without a secure water source. One local population became very protective of their spring, forcing out a state official.

"If I were them, I would too," said Shibabaw Tadesse, a local coordinator with WaterAid, a British charity that funds projects in Ethiopia. "Such kind of resource cannot be capped. It's amazing, really. Amazing," as reported by The Sacramento Bee.

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April 21, 2009

EPA Takes Steps to Protect Hawaiian Drinking Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Puainako Town Center Partners Inc. $52,000 for not closing large capacity cesspools,(as the type pictured), which are near the Prince Kuhio Shopping Center in Hilo, Hawaii.

"We are focused on closing large capacity cesspools to protect drinking water resources for the people of Hawaii," said Alexis Strauss, director of the EPA's water division for the Pacific Southwest region. "We'll continue to pursue violators of the cesspool ban, and assess penalties as warranted."

Cesspools discharge raw sewage into the ground, allowing disease-causing pathogens and other contaminants, such as nitrates, to pollute groundwater, streams and the ocean. They are more commonly used in Hawaii than any other state, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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April 20, 2009

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Polluting Water

Federal scientists who have been testing for pharmaceuticals in our water systems, have found that there are much higher concentration of the drugs found in sewage downstream from public treatment facilities that handle waste from drug manufacturing facilities.

These early results are from two federal studies which compare sewage treatment plants that serve pharmaceutical factories with those that don't.

U.S. Geological Survey researcher Herb Buxton, who co-chairs a White House task force on pharmaceuticals in the environment, said it's important that federal scientists test the pharmaceutical industry's claims that their wastewater is not a meaningful source of pharmaceuticals in water.

"It's critical that those types of assumptions are confirmed through real testing," said Buxton.

The EPA tested the sewage treatment plant in Kalamazoo, MI which serves a large Pfizer Inc. factory and found unusually high concentrations of the antibiotic lincomycin which the plant was producing.

Bruce Merchant, Kalamazoo's public services director said, "There's some product going down the drain," as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Daily Herald.

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April 15, 2009

CA Water Agency Reduces Water Supply

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has announced that it will cut the water it supplies this summer by 10%. This is in apparent response to the LA City Council rejecting water rationing last week.

Cutbacks in supply from northern California due to the state wide drought will result in decreased supply just when demand increases.

"We're short," said Jeffrey Kightlinger, the water district's general manager.

The cost of water, which rose 14% last year, will be increased an additional 20% this September due to the reduced revenue to the agency as it delivers less water, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

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April 13, 2009

Drought at Lake Okeechobee brings Water Fights

Lake Okeechobee,(pictured), is below 12 feet, and drought conditions exist in Southwest Florida. A dispute between those who seek the bulk of remaining water, the farmer's need for irrigation and the fish estuary, which supports tourism.

Cutting off that fresh flow, "We'd kill an entire year's worth of estuary health," said Paul Gray, a scientist with Audubon of Florida.

"Farmers aren't going to get up and say, 'Give us the water, don't give it to the fish,'" said Tom MacVicar, an engineering consultant for the agricultural industry. "But, farmers fear the move would leave them short when they need the water the most."

Two government agencies oversee the lake, the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Shannon Estenoz, the district's vice chair, termed the choices "gut-wrenching." The board ultimately decided not to make one or provide any recommendation to the Corps, as reported by the Miami Herald.

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April 09, 2009

In Surprise Move, LA City Council Rejects Water Rationing

With California expecting a severe drought, and no less than Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger directing all cities to reduce water usage by 20 percent, it was a surprise today when the Los Angeles City Council voted the conservation proposal down 15-0.

After the vote, David Nahai, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation's biggest municipal utility said, "The city must cut back its water use. There are no two ways about that."

Nahai felt that, he reason for the measure's defeat was that the council simply did not have sufficient time to review the plan before the vote was taken.

A spokesman for LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Matt Szabo, said the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies 70 percent of the city's water, would impose rationing on Los Angeles if the city fails to take action itself, as reported by Reuters,

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April 08, 2009

Can Groveland, FL keep Niagara Bottling from Taking its Water?

In Orlando, FL an administrative hearing opened today, to determine if the Niagara Bottling Company should be allowed to siphon up to 176 million gallons of water a year from the Floridan Aquifer near Groveland,FL.

The City of Groveland contends that Niagara's request for permit be denied at a time when the St. Johns River Water Management District has told communities to conserve water and seek new, alternative water sources.

"There is a severe water shortage in the area that Niagara wants to withdraw the water," said attorney Edmund Baxa, who represents Groveland. "It's not any different than to permit commercial fishing in an area where fish are scarce."

Niagara attorney Edward de la Parte said, "Niagara has met all applicable criteria and is entitled to this permit."

Barclay Griffiths, chief financial officer of the Beverage Marketing Corp., said, "This is convenient," holding up a plastic bottle of Niagara water. "Tap water is not convenient," as reported by the Orlando Sentinel.

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April 07, 2009

U.S. Senate Seeks to Restore the Clean Water Act

On April 2nd,the U.S. Senate introduced new legislation to restore to the Clean Water Act which has been weakened during the past six years due to contradictory and confusing court rulings and and government actions.

The Clean Water Restoration Act was introduced by Sen. Russell Feingold, D-WI, along with several cosponsors.

The urgency of this legislature is because 59 percent of the nation's waterways and millions of acres of wetlands are currently at risk due to the weakening of the Act.

Last week more than 160 scientists sent a letter to President Obama urging him to support the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would clarify in law the connection between waterways-connections well understood by scientists, yet has been confused by court interpretations.

The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Boxer, Cardin, Brown, Cantwell, Carper, Dodd, Durbin, Gillibrand, Kerry, Kohl, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Menendez, Merkley, Reed, Sanders, Schumer, Shaheen, Stabenow, Whitehouse, and Wyden, as reported by AlterNet.

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April 06, 2009

Jordan Says Syria Violates Water Agreement

Jordan has notified Syria that it considers farming along the Yarmouk River (pictured) to be in violation of a signed water sharing agreement between the two nations.

"Under agreements signed between the two countries, Syria's share of water from the Wihdeh Dam is 6 million cubic meters (mcm) for agricultural purposes, provided that the dam reaches its full capacity of 110 mcm," said Jordan Valley Authority Secretary General Musa Jamaani.

"The Wihdeh Dam, however, currently holds only 18 mcm, and thus Syria's share declines to 1 mcm. The neighboring country is pumping more than its allocated share to water crops planted all the way from downstream of Wihdeh Dam to Al Raqqad Valley located on the banks of the Yarmouk River," Jamaani said.

"The river's flow dropped from 1,200 liters per second last year to 900 liters per second currently, which is blamed on the cultivation of crops on the river's banks. Violations of water-sharing agreements were unacceptable," Jamaani added, as reported by The Jordan Times and published by the Peoples Daily.

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April 02, 2009

Recent Test Shows Sierra Snow Pack Not Enough

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR)conducted its fourth Sierra (pictured) snow survey of the season last week, across the 400-mile-long mountain range, and found that it is holding only 82 percent of its usual water content.

The department's snow chief, Frank Gehrke, says the snow pack needed to be between 120 percent and 130 percent of average by the beginning of April to replenish the state's key reservoirs.

The past two winters which also had small snow packs, were the primary cause of water restrictions across California.

"A below-average snow pack at this time of year, especially following two consecutive dry years is a cause for concern," said DWR Director Lester Snow. "Our most critical storage reservoirs remain low, and we face severe water supply problems in many parts of our state. Californians must continue to save water at home and in their businesses,"( as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Mercury News.

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April 01, 2009

P.R. Farms Ilegally Expanded Into the Fresno River

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has put P.R. Farms on notice that they must immediately repair the damage to the Fresno River bank, where they created a new levee and fill area along the northern bank, in an apparent effort to expand their property.

Patrick Ricchiuti, president of P.R. Farms, has been ordered to immediately remove all unauthorized fill material and restore the levee in accordance with the specifications of the Fresno River flood control project at this Madera County,CA operation.

"This action will protect the Fresno River from illegal encroachments," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "We shall oversee restoration of the site and ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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March 30, 2009

Marisco Ltd. Threatened with Fines for Violations in Kapolei

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Marisco Ltd. to implement water pollution controls as required in its discharge permit, so as to comply with the Clean Water Act, at the ship repair facility and the "Lil' Perris" drydock facility, (pictured) both located at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor in Kapolei, HI.

"This company needs to promptly correct its violations and improve pollution controls at both the ship repair and dry dock facilities," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Ship repair facilities must have pollution controls in place to protect our coastal waters and coral reefs."

The company must now correct all stormwater control issues; repair berms, curbs and dikes to prevent uncontrolled stormwater discharges; submit revised stormwater management plans; stop any pressure washing at the facilities until a control plan is submitted and approved; and submit all required records and reports required by the discharge permit or face fines of of $37,500 per day they are not in compliance, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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March 25, 2009

Restoraton Ordered for Tributary of the Bighorn River in Wyoming

The EPA has ordered David Hamilton to restore the Slick Creek and its wetlands, which is a tributary of the Bighorn River (pictured) which he filled with discharge in violation of the Clean Water Act.

During the fall of 2005, Hamilton or his crew, rerouted 4,100 feet of the Slick Creek, in Worland,WY, and dumped materials in the wetlands there, without getting a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as required by the Clean Water Act.

"Mr. Hamilton's actions disturbed Slick Creek and its adjacent wetlands' ability to provide wildlife habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians; enhance the quality of an already impaired water body; and reduce the force of flood waters," said Diane Sipe, Director of EPA Region 8's Water Enforcement Program. "EPA's water enforcement program is working to restore the damage caused to the Creek and its wetlands and will continue to pursue enforcement action against those who violate laws that protect our national waters."

Hamilton is required to restore the area to the state it was before he impacted it, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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March 18, 2009

Water Usage Not Sustainable in Europe

In Brussels today, the European Environment Agency released a report in which it cautioned the continent that it does not have enough water to sustain current consumption.

"The short-term solution to water scarcity has been to extract ever greater amounts of water from our surface and groundwater assets," said agency director Jacqueline McGlade. "Over-exploitation is not sustainable."

With global warming causing more droughts in Europe, they will have to find ways to limit consumption rather than search for new water water sources, according to the report, as reported by United Press International.

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March 17, 2009

Tampa Bay Surface Water Nearly Depleted

In the Tampa Bay, FL region, with lakes and and rivers at very low levels, Tampa Bay Water is almost shutting down the surface water supply.

"The reservoir's level is so low we are unable to provide water, consistently, to the water treatment plant and we are unable to pull water from the Alafia River or the Tampa Bypass Canal," said Tampa Bay Water spokeswoman Michelle Robinson.

"The water in the reservoir is depleted," Robinson said, referring to the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, south of Plant City. "Without surface water, we have to rely on groundwater and the relatively small amount of desalinated water coming from the local desalination plant (pictured)," she said. "It's going to be a couple of months before we get any real rain."

"It's all about having enough water to drink," she said, as reported by The Tampa Tribune, and published by Industrial Water World.

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March 10, 2009

Could it be? Water Makes for Higher Grades

Well, I wished they had told me this when I went to school, but it seems that a study done at University of East London, has found that children who drank a glass of water before be given tests, did far better on those tests than those who did not drink.

The study was done by giving 60 boys and girls aged between seven and nine, half of which were given a glass of water 20 minutes before being given a battery of tests. While the water drinking children did 34% better than the non-drinkers, the difference were negligible when testing short term memory.

Researcher Dr. Caroline Edmonds said: "Children who had a drink of water performed significantly better on a number of tasks. Our findings suggest that consuming water benefits cognitive performance in children."

It is possible that water improves the flow of information between brain cells, added Dr Edmonds, as reported by the Daily Mail (UK).

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March 02, 2009

Sacramento Interested in Selling Its Wastewater

With the third year of the California drought upon us, Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District is considering finding a buyer for the wastewater the area produces so that it could be recycled into drinking water.

"It's kind of like taking lemons and creating lemonade," said Mike McGowan, a Yolo County supervisor and sanitation district board member.

"We would have serious issues with diverting that water out of the watershed," said Bill Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and longtime water-quality watchdog. "In all fairness, I want to see their proposals. It's an intriguing concept, in the sense that the important thing is to get the water adequately treated so it doesn't degrade the Delta."

"When you shift your point of view from looking at effluent as a waste product to looking at it as a valuable commodity, that changes your whole thinking on who your potential customers could be," said District Engineer Mary Snyder, as reported by The Sacramento Bee.

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February 25, 2009

New York Tap Water so Good it is now Sold in Bottles

New Yorkers have often bragged about having the best tasting tap water in the country, and now, with the brand name "Tap'd NY" it is available in bottles.

Five months ago, Craig Zucker started the company with the thought that "Somebody should be bottling New York water."

In 2007 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that New York City waster was so pure it did not need any filtration. Bagel and pizza makers in New York City have often said it was the water that did not have a heavy chlorine content, that made the the best dough.

"It doesn't require energy or pumping," Zucker said, "and it's so pure and clean."

Michael Saucier, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, notes that the New York City's water beat 150 other municipal water systems in New York state in a taste test last summer, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

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February 24, 2009

Christian Brothers Construction Company Ordered to Restore Damaged Stream and Wetland

Michael Rodriguez and his company, Christian Brothers Construction, of Meridian, Idaho have been ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to repair the stream and wetland which they illegally filled and channelized without a Clean Water Act permit.

In October, of 2008, Mr. Rodriguez was told by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that he needed a permit, but failed to get one, when he illegally filled 1.7 acres of wetlands and filled and channelized 1,680 feet of Tenmile Creek, located in Meridian, Idaho.

"This is especially important in areas along Tenmile Creek where there are a lot of development pressures", said Jim Werntz, EPA's Idaho office director. "These streams and wetlands help protect Idaho’s water quality and provide valuable wildlife habitat."

The Corps Walla Walla District and the Idaho Department of Water Resources both have issued violation notices to Rodriguez for his unauthorized work in Tenmile Creek, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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February 23, 2009

Philadelphia Gets $2 million From EPA to Protect Drinking Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)today, presented a $2 million grant to Philadelphia to help the City address the risk of intentional contamination of its drinking water. This amount could increase to as much as $9.5 million over the next three years, depending on the EPA budget.

The grant was given to the Philadelphia Water Department to pay for the pilot monitoring and surveillance components of an early warning system.

"Philadelphia was selected for this pilot because of its existing water quality protection programs and its commitment to put in place the complex systems needed to increase water security," said William T. Wisniewski, the U.S. EPA's acting administrator for the mid-Atlantic region.

The grant is part of the Water Security Initiative, and similar funding has been awarded to New York City, San Francisco, and Dallas, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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February 18, 2009

Los Angeles Close to Water Rationing

The governing board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation's largest public utility, has adopted in principle, a plan to put in place water restrictions for all homes and businesses, as of this May.

The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which is one of California's chief sources of fresh surface water, is way below normal levels, and thus the reservoirs fed by the Sierra runoff are depleted.

"This latest set of storms did not get us out of the woods by any means," water manager James McDaniel told the Department of Water and Power board.

The Colorado River basin, which supplies water to Southern California, is just coming out of an eight year drought, but still has low reservoirs, as reported by Reuters, and published by The Boston Globe.

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February 09, 2009

Hardin County, KY Water Districts Combine to Treat Wastewater

Hardin County, KY has combined its water districts regionally to better control sewer runoff and treat wastewater in the outlying areas.

James Jeffries, general manager of Hardin County Water District No. 2, said a county wastewater planning area is a major step forward because no one has had "jurisdiction" to service unincorporated areas of the county in the past.

"If development continues under these conditions there will be undesirable impacts on both the environment and public health," the plan said.

"As the Radcliff WWTP nears capacity, we also own the Fort Knox WWTP, and believe that these two plants may actually be able to share flows and treatment capacity. If this is possible, it would also provide additional economies of scale to residents of Radcliff, Fort Knox and Hardin County by reducing costs of expensive future plant expansions," wrote Jim Bruce, general manager of Hardin County Water District No.1, in a letter to Jeffries.

Hardin County Fiscal Court has approved the regional wastewater facilities plan, which includes the four primary service areas — northern, southern, eastern and Upton and Sonora, as reported by The News Enterprise.

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February 05, 2009

In IL, Sentencing for Dumping Industrial Waste in Sewer

Yesterday, in U.S. District Court in Chicago, James E. Spain, 70, former president of Crown Chemical Inc., Crestwood, IL, was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $30,000 and spend on year in home confinement, after pleading guilty of routinely cleaning out tanks at the Crown facility and draining the high acid content wastewater into the city sewer system.

The Crown Chemical Inc.,also pleading guilty, was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $100,000, required to spend a year on probation and make a public apology. he company's manager Catalino Uy, the company's manager was sentenced to pay a fine of $5,000 and spend two years on probation.

Apparently, Spain not only showed employees how to discharge the untreated wastewater into the local sewers, but also telephoned several employees before they arrived for work and told them to falsely tell investigators that they treated the wastewater before they discharged it.

EPA Special Agent in Charge Randall K. Ashe said, "People who cheat on environmental laws to save money need to know that we will investigate them and prosecute them to the full extent of the law." Ashe also complimented the excellent teamwork on the case between special agents and attorneys for EPA and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The sewer system in Crestwood,IL is a regional system that connects to a treatment plant owned by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, as reported by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency.

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February 04, 2009

Railroads Pay Costs to Secure Arvin,CA Potable Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the Union Pacific Railroad Company and BNSF Railway Company agreed to pay a $985,000 to cleanup the Brown & Bryant Superfund site in Arvin, CA, and relocate the drinking well, Arvin City Well No. 1.

"This action is a safeguard to ensure that the people who rely on Arvin's water system will continue to receive clean, safe drinking water," said Keith Takata, the Superfund Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "The current well is not a problem right now, but the new well will be in a better, more protective location."

The EPA is now working with the Arvin Community Services District to determine a location for placement of the new city well.

The precautionary moving of the well, stems from the original contamination caused by the Union Pacific Railroad Company and BNSF Railway Company because they leased land that they owned to the Brown & Bryant Inc., which operated an agricultural chemicals facility at the site.

The Shell Oil Company, which actually was responsible for the leaking of hazardous substances, contaminating soil and groundwater, is part of an independent settlement, which is under review by the Supreme Court who is to review it February 24th, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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January 28, 2009

Drought Predicted for Nevada and California Again

According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Nevada and California will suffer from shortages of water due to snowpack water content once again averaging below normal so far this winter in both states.

"In Nevada, it's currently running 71 percent in the Lake Tahoe basin, 68 percent in both the Truckee River and Carson River watersheds, 62 percent in the Walker River basin and 78 percent in the Humboldt River watershed," said Kenneth Parr, the agency's Lahontan Basin Area Office manager in Carson City,NV.

Ron Milligan, the bureau's Central Valley operations manager in Sacramento, CA, said his office's initial water allocations will be "relatively low" this year because of the drought.

"Clearly, this is going to be a tight year," Milligan said. "The amount of water in storage is very low and the run-off projections at this point are very low. It's going to be very challenging to meet the various needs," as reported by The Associated Press, and published by the Washington Post.

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January 27, 2009

TVA Issues Plan to Clean Up Ocoee River

The Tennessee Valley Authority(TVA) has issues a detailed plan on just how it will go about cleaning up the January release of metallic laden sediment into the Ocoee River(pictured).

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has cited the TVA for violating the Clean Water Act with the inadvertent pollution.

TVA said the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will have to assess the impact on aquatic life in the affected section of river, as reported by The Associated Press, and published by the Sun Herald.

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January 26, 2009

Thames Water Fined for Polluting River

Thames Water was find for dumping sodium hydroxide, which they use to clean water filters, into the Wandle River in south west London in September of 2007.

The Environment Agency told Croydon Crown Court that almost two tons of fish were killed by the spill.

Howard McCann, the prosecuting attorney, said: "It's impossible to put a number on the exact amount of fish. The estimate of two tond is a conservative one. It would be reasonable to assume at least 7,700 fish were killed by this event."

Jonathan Barnard, representing Thames Water, said, "Thames Water issues an unreserved apology to the local community, to angling clubs and to anyone else affected by this catastrophic incident. There was no-one looking at the weir and if there had been this wouldn't have happened, I'm afraid it's as devastatingly simple as that," as reported by the Telegraph Company UK.

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December 29, 2008

Michigan Developer Pays for Violations of the Clean Water Act

A case of Clean Water Act violations, which has been in the court system since 1994, has finally been settled by the EPA and the U.S. Justice Department, with the civil penalty of $150,000 plus 100 acres of wetlands, to be paid by John A. Rampanos (pictured,in sunglasses), a Michigan developer.

Rampanos has also agreed to spend an estimated $750,000 to repair the 54 acres of wetlands he originally had filled without permission in violation. He also must preserve an additional 134 acres of wetlands as a conservation easement.

"After litigating this case for a number of years, we are pleased to reach a settlement that so strongly benefits the environment and serves the public interest," said Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

"This longstanding case demonstrates that EPA continues to vigorously pursue violations of the Clean Water Act that adversely affect wetlands," said EPA Regional Administrator Lynn Buhl. "The settlement will benefit the environment in Bay County by preserving a substantial amount of wetlands that play a vital role in water quality, flood control and fisheries."

The case stemmed from violations at three construction sites in Midland and Bay counties, Michigan, where a shopping mall and residential home were to be constructed, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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December 24, 2008

Scottish Water Averts Union Strike

In a last effort to avert a threatened work stoppage by members of three emergency services unions before the holidays, Scottish Water has settled the dispute, primarily over wages.

GMB, Unison and Unite unions had threatened a work stoppage which would mean no response to water bursts, flooding and sewer failure.

Scottish Water said that the pay raise announced in Edinburgh would be 7.75% applied over the next 27 months.

The union statement said: "We are pleased that we have been able to make significant progress on pay which allows all three trade unions to suspend the planned industrial action and consult their members with a recommendation to accept an improved offer."

Chris Wallace, director of communications, Scottish Water, said: "We have established common ground with the unions to end the proposed industrial action and to establish a pay deal that can be finalized and implemented in the new year."

He added: "Our main priority is always our customers. Our customers will now have the benefit of all on-call and emergency cover employees being available over the festive period," as reported by BBC News.

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December 23, 2008

Mason City, IA Gets Water Infrastructure Grant

The EPA has given Mason City, IA (pictured) a grant of $477,000 to improve their sanitary sewer collection system.

EPA Region 7 Administrator John Askew said, "EPA is proud to award Mason City these water infrastructure funds, which will help to prolong the life of its existing system."

The improvements, when completed, will reduce infiltration and inflow. That will result in a reduction in peak flows to the city's wastewater treatment facility, leaving more water capacity for future growth, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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December 18, 2008

Supreme Court in Manila Philippines Orders Clean-up of Manila Bay

The Philippines Supreme Court has issued an order for the Manila Bay (pictured) to be restored to its historic glory and kept from becoming a dumping ground of human and industrial wastes.

"It is a place with a proud historic past, once brimming with marine life and, for so many decades in the in the past, a spot for different contact recreation activities, but now [it is] a dirty and slowly dying expanse mainly because of the abject official indifference of people and institutions," the Court said in its order.

The ten government agencies which had asked the court to act on the degradation of Manila Bay were: the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group and the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Education, Health, Agriculture, Public Works and Highways, Budget and Management and Interior and Local Government.

"In light of the ongoing environmental degradation, the Court wishes to emphasize the extreme necessity for all concerned executive departments and agencies to immediately act and discharge their respective official duties and obligations. Indeed, time is of the essence; hence, there is a need to set timetables for the performance and completion of the tasks, some of them as defined for them by law and the nature of their respective offices and mandates," the Court added, as reported by The Manila Times.

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December 17, 2008

Top Water Advisors Say CA Must Fix Water System

California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's own water advisory panel today confirmed his statements that the state's water system must be repaired.

The plan, endorsed by the Delta Vision Committee, includes the building of dams and a canal to pipe water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The plan envisions a new plumbing system to funnel water from rivers in Northern California to the state's population centers in the arid south and San Francisco Bay.

The Department of Water Resources estimates it to cost between $4.2 billion to $7.2 billion to build a canal and between $1.2 billion to $9.6 billion to fortify channels through the delta, plus another $10 billion bond the governor repeatedly has asked the legislature for to cover new dams and groundwater storage, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Washington Post.

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December 11, 2008

MA Construction Co. Violated Clean Water Act

Massachusetts developer, TLT Construction Corporation, has been fined $135,000 for for discharging polluted storm water from its Reading, MA construction site and four additional sites, in violation of Clean Water Act.

At the Reading Memorial High School construction site (pictured), the polluted runoff went into the adjacent Aberjona River.

TLT Construction's fine covered four additional sites where it was found the company had failed to file for coverage under the General Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Construction Activities and had discharged storm water containing pollutants: Pembroke High School in Pembroke, MA, Needham High School in Needham, MA, Jacobs Elementary School in Hull, MA, and North Shore Bank, in Peabody, MA, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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December 10, 2008

Human Rights Including Water not for All

The United Nations is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, initiated Eleanor Roosevelt, yet the findings are that progress had not been all that good.

"Despite all our efforts over the past 60 years, this anniversary will pass many people by," according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.

"Tens of millions of people around the world are still unaware that they have rights that they can demand, and that their governments are accountable to them, and to a wide-ranging body of rights-based national and international law," she added.

The UN advisor to the General Assembly President on water issues, Maude Barlow suggested that water issues should be added to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or covered under a separate declaration.

20% of the world's people, a billion people, do not have access to food or potable water.

Waterborne diseases are the leading cause of death for children, and "in every single case, if their parents could afford clean water, they would not have to die," Barlow said.

The situation is "the most powerful and important face of inequity in our world," Barlow underscored the need to protect the world's finite water sources as a human right.

"With declining fresh water sources and the demand growing so quickly, we're now at a situation in the world where who owns and controls water is going to be very powerful," Barlow cautioned, as reported by the United Nations.

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December 08, 2008

Improving the Water Quality in the Mississippi Basin and the Gulf of Mexico

The Monsanto Company along with The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association, Delta Wildlife and The National Audubon Society have announced a new effort to reduce nutrients and sediments in agricultural runoff and in general improve water quality in the Mississippi River Basin and the Gulf of Mexico.

"The Mississippi River (pictured)is an ecological treasure and an economic powerhouse," said Michael Reuter, who oversees The Nature Conservancy's Great Rivers Partnership, which was created to help advance conservation of the world's major river systems, including the Mississippi. "This new effort by Monsanto will help show how we can make farming and conservation in the Mississippi River Basin more compatible so that nature and people alike benefit from improved water quality and enhanced wildlife habitat."

"We're proud to work on this bold conservation initiative which we believe offers a sustainable vision for agricultural landscapes wherein farmers can support our world's growing needs for food, fiber and fuel in ways that not only preserve water quality, but also support diverse and abundant wildlife populations," said Jerry Steiner, executive vice president at Monsanto. "We believe this initiative can serve as an important stepping stone toward the goal of preserving natural resources and wildlife in the Mississippi River Basin for future generations."

"Farmers are emerging in key leadership roles through their investments, and by participating in the planning and implementation of practices that perform environmentally. It's our goal to support them and help them make meaningful progress," said Roger Wolf, Director of Environmental Programs at the Iowa Soybean Association.

"Delta Wildlife is pleased to join forces with Monsanto, The Nature Conservancy, and the Iowa Soybean Association to implement a large-scale project that will improve water quality in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico," stated Bobby Carson, Chairman of the Delta Wildlife Board of Directors.

"Audubon is pleased to be part of this effort to foster a sustainable Mississippi River watershed for people and wildlife," said Roger Still, Vice President of Audubon's Mississippi River Initiative. "We are committed to engaging individuals to take action in their own lives to help address the water quality and habitat issues in the watershed," as reported by PRNewswire and published by CBS News Montana.

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December 04, 2008

Zimbabwe National Emergency Fueled by Water Bourne Cholera

Zimbabwe has declared a national emergency do to a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 560 people, fueled by the complete collapse of the potable water system.

Residents have been forced to drink from contaminated wells and streams, to survive, resulting in the epidemic, and thus the government is seeking international help.

"Our central hospitals are literally not functioning. Our staff is de-motivated and we need your support to ensure that they start coming to work and our health system is revived," Health Minister David Parirenyatwa was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying in an appeal to donors.

"The emergency appeal will help us reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the current socio-economic environment by December, 2009," Parirenyatwa said.

With cholera patients crossing their borders, neighboring countries, like South Africa have said they would help.

"We are in touch with our partners to study the conditions of a European response," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a statement. France holds the rotating European Union presidency.

"Mugabe's failed state is no longer willing or capable of protecting its people," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a statement.

"The international community's differences with Mugabe will not prevent us doing so – we are increasing our development aid, and calling on others to follow suit," as reported by Reuters, and published by the Toronto Star.

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December 03, 2008

The EPA and the Army Issue New Guidlines for the Clean Water Act

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army have jointly issued revised guidelines to ensure America's wetlands, streams and other waters are better protected under the Clean Water Act and to clarify the geographic scope of jurisdiction under the Act.

"We are providing improved guidance today to ensure the information is in place to fully protect the nation's streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA's assistant administrator for water. "The guidance builds upon our experiences and provides consistent direction to our staff and the public."

"We are committed to protecting America's aquatic resources as required by the Clean Water Act and in accordance with the Supreme Court decision," said John Paul Woodley Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). "This revised inter-agency guidance will enable the agencies to make clear, consistent, and predictable jurisdictional determinations within the scope of the Clean Water Act."

The revised guidance replaced policy issued in June 2007, and clarifies June 2006 Supreme Court decision in Rapanos v. United States concerning the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, in relation to the previous posting here, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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December 02, 2008

Environmentalists Cite Nestle Water for False Ads in Canada

Friends of the Earth Canada, the Polaris Institute, the Council of Canadians, Wellington Water Watchers and Ecojustice have formally accused Nestle Waters Canada of violating the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards "by making false and misleading statements regarding the environmental impacts of its product" in a full-page newspaper ad in the Globe and Mail this October.

The ad which resulted in the complaint said, "most water bottles avoid landfill sites and are recycled" and that "bottled water is the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world", as well as "Nestle Pure Life is a Healthy, Eco-Friendly Choice."

"They can spin the bottle all they want, but the truth is there is no green solution to bottled water," said Joe Cressy, Campaigns Coordinator, for the Polaris Institute, in Ottawa.

"We welcome the opportunity to show that we have, in fact, been honest in our conversation with Canadians, with the media and with government of the environmental stewardship exercised by our industry," said John Challinor, a spokesman for Nestle Waters Canada.

"This is part of a bigger problem of what we call 'green washing," said Hugh Wilkins, staff lawyer at Ecojustice Canada, formerly Sierra Legal Defense Fund. "This is that producers are saying that they are doing things in an environmentally sensitive manner when the facts, on occasion, don't support it," as reported by Reuters Canada.

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December 01, 2008

Environmentalists Believe Obama will Boost Water Quality

Environmentalists, academics, and lawmakers are urging the incoming Obama administration and the next Congress to reverse the Bush administration regulatory actions, Supreme Court decisions, and Congressional inaction, which have served to weaken the Clean Water Act and other Federal laws concerning water quality.

In 2001, and again in 2006, the Supreme Court handed down rulings that served, in effect, to limit the Clean Water Acts reach. "Clean water enforcement is essentially broken at this point," says Joan Mulhern, senior legislative counsel at Earthjustice, a nonprofit law firm that has prosecuted many of the most high-profile environmental cases of the past decade.

To fix the Clean Water Act, it is expected that the law's reach will be expanded to cover all types of Federal waterways. "I would not be surprised if that actually got passed within the first few years of the Obama administration," says Florida State law Prof. Robin Craig, one of the nation's top experts on water law.

In June, Obama told a crowd in Flint, MI, "If we want to keep up with China or Europe, we can't settle for crumbling roads and bridges, aging water and sewer pipes. It's gotten so bad that the American Society of Civil Engineers gave our national infrastructure a D," as reported by U.S. News & World Report.

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November 24, 2008

Home Buyer Beware, Check for Running Water

When homeowners saw the plans for a new gated community Westview Estates, in Lancaster,CA in the $300,000 range, they simply assumed there would be normal water service.

Unfortunately when some 23 families moved into the first group of 35 homes to be built in planned 425 unit development, they found that water stopped mid-shower, washing machines halted mid-cycle, toilets took hours to refill, and often no water at all came out of faucets.

Those families have now been forced to move out of their homes, and put four of them are in foreclosure, do to the lack of water. The residents have filed suit against the developer K. Hovnanian Homes for fraud and breach of contract, saying the builder did not disclose the water problems.

The residents' attorney James Duarte, said "Some of those people have let their homes go into foreclosure. They are moving out because there's no water and their homes are worthless now. You can't give them away. Those homes are like a toxic waste dump. Every Realtor knows not to let their clients buy a home in Westview Estates."

The lawsuit also includes the Los Angeles County, whose officials issued the certificates of occupancy for the homes.

"The design and approval of the water system was not the city's responsibility," said Lancaster City Attorney Dave McEwen. "The only obligation we had was to ensure that the entities responsible for that signed off on the system as being complete. They did that, and we issued the certificates of occupancy," as reported by the Associated Press and published by The Press-Enterprise.

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November 20, 2008

Another Mass. Developer Guilty of Water Violations

Once again, the EPA has fined a Massachusetts construction site for violations of the Clean Water Act concerning proper treatment of stormwater runoff.

This time, Alden Woods, Inc., C.B. Blair Development, and McManus Excavating, also violated the federal Construction General Permit for stormwater discharges while developing a 124-lot subdivision in Holden, MA.

Apparently sediment laden storm water was often observed discharging from the construction site into nearby Chaffins Brook, which is ranked as a "Class A" waterway by Massachusetts, meaning it is a source of the public water supply.

The fines totaled $110,000, plus the companies will donate as their ordered supplemental environmental project a 5.57 acre parcel primarily comprised of wetlands to a land preservation entity, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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November 17, 2008

EPA Seeks to Improve Water Quality for the Charles River

The EPA today announced a concerted effort to apply increased controls on stormwater pollution in the Charles River (pictured) watershed, where there has been high levels of phosphorus, which has created dramatic algae blooms including toxic cyanobacteria, in the river

"Polluted stormwater runoff causes serious water quality problems, and is the next great challenge for cleaning the Charles River," said Robert Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "By working closely with Massachusetts and our other partners, we will make great environmental improvements, while at the same time providing facilities with flexibility and time to meet the new standards. Working together cooperatively, we can solve these problems."

"Many of our state's waters are severely degraded as a result of stormwater pollution," said Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. "Now is the time to take action to reduce pollution and return more water to the ground, where it will be cleaned naturally and added to our water supplies," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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November 13, 2008

New Everglade Deal is Approved by Florida Water Board

The South Florida Water Management District has approved changes which reduce the cost of the deal to purchase Everglades (pictured) property owned by U.S. Sugar Corporation.

Yesterday, Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced the new plan which reduced the cost from $1.75 billion for land farmed by U.S. Sugar, to $1.34 billion.

The lower cost is due to the state deciding not to purchasing the mill, railroad or citrus processing plant, which U.S. Sugar will keep in production.

Florida want to use the 181,000 acres to aid in the revitalization of the Everglades suffering from years of pollution from agriculture and development, as reported by the Associated Press.

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November 12, 2008

Long Beach, CA Water Conservation Hits Historical Record

According to the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners today, Long Beach, CA (pictured) has set a ten year record for low water use in October.

The City has actually used less water in Fiscal Year 2008, than in any other year over the past decade.

The Long Beach Water Department is in its second year of mandatory water conservation due to the expected water shortage in southern California, and October is the 10th month since the conservation program started in September, 2007.

"Waste not, want not," says John Allen, President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners. "Again, every gallon we don't use is a gallon we leave in storage. This is an idea that should have been embraced months ago by every community in southern California. We have been using our storage to water our landscapes, and that storage is at historic low levels as we head into what may very well be another dry year."

"We have got to move quickly as a region to take a firm stand on this," adds Kevin L. Wattier, General Manager of the Long Beach Water Department. "Even if we have average rainfall this year, the reality is that we no longer have enough water to meet demand here in southern California, even in normal hydrologic years. Every city in southern California needs to implement mandatory prohibitions on certain outdoor uses of water, and make those prohibitions permanent," as reported by Forbes Business Wire.

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November 11, 2008

Billions For Water Conservation Approved by U.S. Voters

Of the 87 ballot measures this year concerning water and other conservation issues, voters approved 62 of them or 71% in 26 states, allowing for $7.3 billion to be raised to protect water quality, natural areas, parks, and farmland.

Minnesota had one of four statewide conservation ballot questions, and New Jersey led the nation in the total number on the ballot, at 22 conservation measures.

"Minnesota voters are willing to pay to protect our waters and natural lands for our children and grandchildren," said Susan Schmidt, director of The Trust for Public Land's Minnesota Office. "They know that these lakes and natural lands play an important role in preserving our quality of life. With our natural lands diminishing, we could not afford to wait to protect the water quality of our rivers, lakes, and streams, or to conserve natural areas, parks, and habitat for fish and wildlife."

Ohio voters approved a $400 million bond referendum to renew of the Clean Ohio fund, and in Rhode Island, voters approved $2.5 million for farmland and natural area preservation, as reported by PR Newswire, and published by The Earth Times.

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November 10, 2008

Union Sanitary District in California Wins National Water Award

As part of the 2008 National Clean Water Act recognition awards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Union Sanitary District in Union City, CA (pictured), has received the national first-place award for its outstanding and innovative achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution prevention.

Alexis Strauss, the EPA's Water Division director for the Pacific Southwest region, who will present the national award to the district at its board of director's meeting today, said, "Union Sanitary District is a leader in protecting water quality through its award-winning pretreatment program focused on extensive outreach to control pollutants, such as copper, mercury, fats, oil, and grease at their source. Union has an outstanding program of keeping our waterways clean and protecting the San Francisco Bay."

The Union Sanitary District provides wastewater collection, treatment and disposal services for the cities of Fremont, Newark, and Union City, CA, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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November 06, 2008

Ten California Water Systems Ordered to Monitor for E. Coli

For what most of us would assume all water suppliers do, ten water systems in California have be threatened with fines and told to start monitoring for E.Coli (pictured) contamination in the drinking water they supply, by the EPA.

The fine could be run high as $32,500 per day for each violation of the order.

E.Coli in a drinking water supply is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination.

"It is vital that drinking water systems develop their plans and sample promptly," said Alexis Strauss, the Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "This requirement protects the public from potentially harmful microorganisms in drinking water."

The following California water systems were ordered by the EPA to develop monitoring plans and conduct pathogen monitoring, as required by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act:

· Markleeville Water Co., Alpine County
· Lake Alpine Recreation Area, Alpine County
· Cedar Crest Resort, Fresno County
· Panoche Water District, Fresno County
· PG&E Balch Camp, Fresno County
· San Andreas Farms, Fresno County
· Elk Creek Community service district, Glenn County
· Town of Scotia Company, Humboldt County
· Coffee Creek Ranch, Trinity County
· Riverview Acres Water Systems, Trinity County, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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November 05, 2008

Santa Santa Clarita,CA Votes to Ban Salt Water Discharge

Voters in Santa Clarita,CA passed a the first in the nation local referendum to ban water softeners which discharge salt water into the city sewer system, operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District.

Santa Clarita has been pressured for many years by the regional water quality control board to reduce chloride discharges from their waste water treatment plants, so as to protect fish and agriculture.

The Pacific Water Quality Association (PWQA) and the Water Quality Association (WQA) had lobbied hard against this ban, stating that there were many other causes of chloride discharge other than water softeners, such as naturally occurring salts; water imported from outside the Santa Clarita Valley by the local water provider, the Castaic Lake Water Agency; the sanitation district's two water treatment plants, which use chlorine disinfection; storm-drain, golf-course and agricultural runoff; and industrial waste water.

The new law approved by voters, state that the sanitation district must compensate each resident for up to 100 percent of a softener's value upon removal, and that they must be removed by mid-2009 of the owner would be fined.

PWQA President Mike Mecca said, that the PWQA and WQA will be pro-active on the state-wide softener-ban issue in coming months. Acknowledging that some waste water systems have salinity problems, the industry groups will research and offer solutions that are "more realistic" than removing softeners, as reported by WaterTech Online.

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November 04, 2008

Bacardi Settles Violations of the Clean Water Act

The Bacardi Corporation has settled EPA charges that it violated the Clean Water Act at its rum manufacturing facility in Cataño, Puerto Rico, by dumping cadmium, lead, copper, oil and grease, selenium, zinc and two types of organic compounds into the Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico has directed Bacardi to pay a $500,000 penalty as well as for them to donate a two-acre parcel of land in the Cienega Las Cucharillas watershed, which was appraised for $1 million and abuts the San Juan Estuary, to Universidad Metropolitana, a private university in Cupey.

Bacardi also agreed to undertake enhanced monitoring of its discharges should it have operational problems at its treatment facilities in the future.

"The violations in this case were serious, and EPA is pleased to see Bacardi's willingness to address them and to take steps to prevent future violations," said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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November 03, 2008

Tailand Seeks Lao Water Sharing

During Tailand Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's visit yesterday to Vientiane, Laos, he stressed to Lao premier Bouasone Bouphavanh the desire for him to over come the protest of the environmentalists and go forward with a plan to divert water from the Ngum river (pictured) to Thailand's northeastern region through a tunnel to be built under the Mekong river, so as to help poor farmers there.

Montri Chantawong of the Foundation for Ecological Recovery said the project could not start until a firm commitment was given by the Lao government.

"We have only listened to what the Thai government needs, but have never heard the reaction from Laos," he said.

Environmentalists as well as local villagers have protested the project because of fears of damage to the environment.

Environmentalists as well as local villagers have protested the project because of fears of damage to the environment.

"What we are going to do next is seek legal action to stop the project," Mr. Montri said, as reported by the Bangkok Post.

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October 30, 2008

The Red Cross Claims Water Health Risk in Iraq

The Red Cross, in a statement said that water supplies had deteriorated in Iraq and that even the most basic infrastructure not is not functioning.

According to the Red Cross, 40% of the people in Iraq only have access to very poor water quality, and that puts millions of them, especially children at risk for water-borne disease, such as cholera, which had peaked the past two months.

"Iraqis urgently need access to clean water. They try to get it from rivers and wells but these sources are contaminated throughout the country so many people become ill," said Patrick Yussef, head of the Red Cross sub-delegation in Baghdad.

"There has been some improvement in recent months, both in terms of security and essential services," said Juan-Pedro Schaerer, head of the Red Cross delegation for Iraq. "But far too many Iraqis still have no choice but to drink dirty water and live in insalubrious conditions," as reported by the Guardian,UK.

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October 28, 2008

California Water Systems Cited for Arsenic

The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency has ordered, under a threat of a $32,500 per day for each violation fine, 11 public drinking water systems throughout the state of California, to reduce arsenic to the mandated levels.

The requirement of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act is arsenic standard of 10 ppb.

"Providing people with safe drinking water is essential and public water systems must take the steps necessary to comply with all federal standards," said Alexis Strauss, the Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region.

The California public water systems which were cited are:

City of Delano, Kern County
Tranquility Irrigation District public water system, Fresno County
Armona Community Service District public water system, Kings County
Public Water System located at 21600 Eight Street East, Sonoma, County
Groskopf Warehousing & Logistics public water system, Sonoma County
Lancelot Mobile Home Park public water system, Santa Rosa
Rancho de Sonoma Mobile Home Park, Sonoma County
Riverdale Public Utility District, Fresno County
J Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma County
Arvin Community Services District, Kern County
Pla-Vada Woodlands Community Association, Nevada County,
as reported by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency.

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October 27, 2008

Texas Wants Oklahoma's Water

There is a lawsuit, now with the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, in which Texas is suing Oklahoma to force it to share its water, on their side of the Red River (pictured).

Oklahoma has a moratorium, passed by it's Legislature that bars the sale of water until a competed assessment of the state's long-term water requirements are.

This Friday, the Dallas City Council joined the Tarrant Regional Water District, in its effort to convince Oklahoma to build a pipe line to transport water for the Metroplex.

"I'm not surprised that Dallas has joined this effort," Duane Smith of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board said Friday. Smith also said he didn't think the new agreement would affect the ban on out-of-state water sales.

"We think allowing the Metroplex to speak with one voice will be much more effective," said Wayne Owen, planning director for the Tarrant Regional Water District. "If Oklahoma recognizes the potential of marketing this resource, at some point Dallas would be a prospective client," as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Houston Chronicle.

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October 20, 2008

EPA's Annual Clean Water Recognition Awards are Presented

The EPA's Clean Water Act Recognition Awards program, which is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wastewater Management, were presented today in Chicago,IL at the Water Environment Federation's annual Technical Exposition and Conference (WEFTEC).

Awards are given for outstanding technological achievements or innovative process, method or device used in waste treatment and pollution abatement which goes far beyond the minimum needed to meet Clean Water Act requirements.

Among the various categories, the first place winners in the Operations and Maintenance Category were: F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, Buford, Georgia; El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board,Northwest Wastewater Treatment Facility, El Paso,
Texas; Joint Water Pollution Control Plant, Carson, California; City of Newnan, Wahoo Creek Water Pollution Control Plant, Newnan, Georgia; Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant, City of Vidalia, ESG Operations, Vidalia, Georgia; Waterville Wastewater Treatment Facility, Waterville, New York; The Manor Water Reclamation Facility, Alpharetta, Georgia; Village of Trempealeau Wastewater Treatment Facility, Trempealeau, Wisconsin; and the Bristol New Hampshire Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bristol, New Hampshire. as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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October 16, 2008

Louisville's Water Rate to Rise with New Filtration Tunnel

The Louisville Water Company has under construction a 200 foot deep water filtration tunnel to supply one third of Louisville,KY with ground water starting in 2010. They are asking for a 6% water rate increase to pay for it.

Louisville Water Co. President Greg Heitzman explains, "That will allow us to meet the future drinking water regulations that are coming upon us in the year 2012."

Heitzman says well water from the ground will be much cleaner and require fewer chemicals to treat: "There are trace pharmaceuticals, as you are aware...In the Ohio River supply, they're very, very small quantities. They're currently not regulated. And we're well below any thresholds that are in concern. But this process will provide another barrier to remove those pharmaceuticals."

After the new $50 million filtration tunnel opens and shows the expected efficiencies, the plan is to expand this system to cover all of Louisville's water needs, as reported by WDRB News.

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October 15, 2008

Surprise? Bottled Water not so Pure

In a two year study by the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, the findings show that bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants often found in tap water, and some leached from the plastic containing the water.

Joe Doss, president of the International Bottled Water Association, said the study is based on the faulty premise that a contaminant is a health concern "even if it does not exceed the established regulatory limit or no standard has been set."

Of the ten brands tested, two, showed chlorine byproducts above California's standard, Sam's Choice sold by Wal-Mart and Acadia of Giant Food supermarkets.

Wal-Mart said its own studies did not turn up illegal levels of contaminants. Giant Food officials released a statement asserting that Acadia meets all regulatory standards.

The researchers suggested that those concerned about contaminants in tap water, should use carbon filters, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by KTVU.

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October 14, 2008

San Diego Mayor sees Water Rationing in the Future

Jerry Sanders(pictured), the San Diego mayor said Today, at a lunchtime fundraiser for the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, that along with budget cuts, he fully expects water rationing in the City's future.

Sanders said water rationing is "likely" because "our water suppliers will soon force our hand."

"We'll have to establish household allocations for water use and penalties for excessive water consumption," he said. "Whatever allocation formula we come up with, it's certain to make people angry," as reported by the Union-Tribune.

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October 13, 2008

Nestle Threatens Law Suit over Miami Water Ads

John Renfrow, director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, has been threatened by Nestle Waters of North America, with a law suit if it does not stop airing a radio ad stating that Miami-Dade's tap water as cheaper, purer and safer than bottled water. Imagine that!

Two weeks ago Nestle lawyers sent an eight-page letter to Renfrow demanding the county yank the "false or misleading" ads, pledge in writing not to run them again and supply testing to prove county water "superior" to Nestle products. The next day, Nestle sent a complaint to Florida's attorney general.

"I don't see any legal problems," said Henry Gillman, an assistant county attorney.

The ad, which had its run for five weeks and will not be continued said, "You think bottled water is purer and safer? You think it's better? Well, you're wrong. It's just the opposite. Bottled water is not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Tap water is. That's why you always can be sure Miami-Dade tap water is superior. Stop wasting your money!"

"It's an attack on the integrity of the company," said Nestle spokesman Jim McClellan. "It's an attack on the product we produce -- and it's blatantly wrong. This is the first time we have ever seen a municipality attack a product. They took out paid advertising and spent rate payer dollars to essentially lie to people."

"Nestle should be ashamed for harassing Miami for promoting its own water," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Washington-based Food & Water Watch. "This is just outrageous. It's just a way to scare off other utilities."

"Tap water is superior in some ways. It's right there in your house," said Linda Young, director of the Florida Clean Water Network. "If these companies think they're going to come into Florida and threaten citizens or governments when we give an opinion, that's another reason to make them leave," as reported by the Miami Herald.

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October 07, 2008

Developer Pays for Damage to the Santa Cruz River in Arizona

Developer George H. Johnson, of Scottsdale,AZ, his companies Johnson International, Inc.; and General Hunt Properties, Inc.; along with land-clearing contractor, 3-F Contracting, Inc. are to pay a combined $1.25 million civil penalty for bulldozing, filling, and diverting approximately five miles of the Santa Cruz River (pictured), a clear violation of the Clean Water Act, as announced by today by the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"A seven-figure penalty in this type of enforcement case is virtually unprecedented," said Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "It underscores the Justice Department's commitment to enforce the nation's laws that protect valuable water resources in Arizona and other arid western states, and to hold violators of those laws accountable."

"The Santa Cruz River is a gem in Arizona's crown, as it flows from Arizona to Mexico back into Arizona, sustaining life, habitat for animals and plants, and providing so many benefits for residents of southern Arizona," said Alexis Strauss, director of EPA's Water Division for the Pacific Southwest Region. "This settlement reflects both the strong emphasis EPA places on protecting this important watershed and the seriousness of the alleged violations," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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October 06, 2008

India & Pakistan to Hold Water Talks this Month

With accusations flying both ways, India and Pakistan water commissioners will sit down later this month to find common ground for the sharing of water.

The Pakistani Indus Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah and his delegation are also expected to visit Baglihar Dam in Jammu and Kashmir for an assessment, as it has been alleged that water flow was stopped by India and kept this reservoir from filling.

Pakistan alleges that India has recently blocked the flow of the Chenab River (pictured), and thus affected cultivation.

India has said that flow to the Chenab River was lessened for a few days, due to a reduced availability of water, but questioned that farming was disrupted.

"The water from India is stored in the Marala dam in Pakistan and not released directly for irrigation. How is it possible that the dam will dry up in flood season," wondered a senior Indian official, as reported by the Press Trust of India.

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September 30, 2008

EPA Warns Six Chino,CA Dairies to Protect Water

The EPA has warned six Chino,CA-area dairies to comply with their permits issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and to keep runoff or discharge from their operations from going into nearby waterways.

The dairies warned in the administrative order are, the Brothers Three Dairy, Quality Dairy, Jorritsma and Anema Dairy, Martin Vander Laan Dairy, TLC Sonlight Dairy #2 and Goyenetche Dairy #2.

"The EPA is citing these six Chino dairies for failing to comply with California's dairy permit, which is designed to protect streams, rivers and groundwater from discharges of manure waste and other pollutants,' said Alexis Strauss of the Water Division, EPA Region 9. "We expect these dairies to promptly correct their violations and improve their environmental performance, which we will oversee until satisfactorily resolved," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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September 25, 2008

"FLOW," a new film Warns the Planet is Running out of Potable Water

"FLOW," a new documentary film about the world's dwindling water supply, which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival, and opened in September in New York and Los Angeles,CA, is expanding to more cities this week.

The film puts forth statistics such as that one sixth of the world's population does not have access to clean drinking water, and that over 2 million people, mostly children, die each year from water-borne diseases.

The New York Times called the documentary "less depressing than galvanizing, an informed and heartfelt examination of the tug of war between public health and private interests."

"FLOW" director Irena Salina said,"The film is a first step to bring some awareness. You plant the seed of awareness, then action can take place. People deeply, passionately care about their water. It's not like Americans don't care. But they need to have the tools [to get involved]. A year from now [we hope] that maybe people will look at water differently. It's coming, drop by drop. That's how we make change, as reported by CNN.

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September 23, 2008

Santa Rosa,CA to host Workshop on Water and Drought Preparedness

Planned for October 9th, the California Department of Water Resources is to hold a work shop in Santa Rosa,CA to review current water conditions and preparations for the possibility that 2009 may be a dry year.

Water years 2007 and 2008 were dry for much of California, with the result of reservoirs and groundwater basin levels dropping. California reservoir storage now stands at about 75 percent of average for this time of year.

The California Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water need, as reported by the CA Department of Water Resources, and published by The Earth Times.

Related postings to this story include: Gov. Schwarzenegger Calls for Action on Water, Lack of Water Persists in Southern California, and, Environmental Groups Oppose Water Bond in California.

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September 22, 2008

The Olympics are Over, but Beijing Water Woes Persist

The Olympics in Beijing (pictured) have closed with rave reviews, yet the drought situation in the capital remains, and Hebei Province is once more being tapped as a water source, as it was just prior to the Olympics.

A diversion of 300 million cubic meters of water from Hebei Province, will commence at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The Hebei Provincial Water Resources Department said the diversion would take 10 days to flow to Beijing from three reservoirs, the first being the Huangbizhuang.

"In addition to the Huangbizhuang Reservoir, water will also be drawn from two other water facilities; the Gangnan and Wangkuai reservoirs," said Huo Guoli, chief of construction administrative section with Hebei Provincial Water Resources Department.

"Thursday's emergency water diversion is another example to showcase the sacrifice Hebei has made," said Huo, who added the province had enjoyed ample rainfall since the beginning of the year, as reported by Xinhua.

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September 18, 2008

CITGO Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Clean Water Act in Louisiana

In the largest fine ever assessed for a criminal misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act, CITGO plead guilty yesterday and was fined $13 million for the negligent discharge of pollutants into two rivers in Louisiana.

The Justice Department had brought the charges in U.S. District Court in Lake Charles,LA against the CITGO petroleum refinery in Sulphur,LA for negligently failing to maintain storm water tanks and failing to maintain adequate storm water storage, resulting in approximately 53,000 barrels of oil being discharged into the Indian Marais and Calcasieu Rivers following a heavy rain storm in 2006.

"Companies cannot make economic choices that sacrifice the environment," said Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Sound business decisions must factor in the safeguard of the environment or companies will face consequences that in the long run are more detrimental to their bottom line."

"The protection of the environment is among our highest priorities," said Donald W. Washington, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. "We will not allow corporations or their employees to escape liability for failing to do their part in preventing harm to the environment. We fully intend to use all the tools at our disposal, including criminal prosecution, to punish those who pollute our air and water."

"CITGO failed to properly maintain and operate equipment designed to prevent oil spills," said Granta Y. Nakayama, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Companies that harm the environment and their community as a result of their own negligence will be prosecuted and pay a heavy price," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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September 17, 2008

In Iran, Depleted Aquifers Cause Land to Sink

Researchers have found that the growing use of groundwater in Iran has greatly depleted the nation's water supply and also has deformed land surfaces.

The international scientists found that decades of unrestrained groundwater extraction are linked to land surface deformation on local and regional scales. They made these findings using water level data and satellite radar observations.

"Comparing ground deformation in Iran with other basins around the world revealed that Iran currently hosts some of the fastest sinking valleys and plain aquifers in the world," the scientists said.

The scientists involved in this research included, Jan Anderssohn, Thomas Walter and Jochen Zschau from the Geo Research Center in Potsdam, Germany; Eric Fieldking of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,CA; Mohammad Ali Sharifi of the University of Tehran; and Andreas Schenk of the Geodetic Institute at Germany's Karlsruhe University, as reported by United Press International.

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September 16, 2008

Pakistan to Face Possible 30-40% Water Shortage

With Pakistan facing a possible 30 to 40% water shortage this coming season, the Indus River System Authority has called for a meeting of its technical committee on September 22 to decide what to do about it.

To gain food security, Pakistan has embarked on an agriculture production enhancement agenda, which most certainly would suffer from such a potential water shortage.

Also, the reservoirs in the country are at a much lower level than this same time last year, and the inflow from the rivers is at a ten year low.(Indus River Pictured), as reported by the Daily Times.

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September 11, 2008

North California Tribe to Restore Klamath River Wetlands

In an agreement with the EPA,the Coast Indian Community of the Resighini Rancheria will be restoring 15 acres of willow forest it had previously cleared causing unauthorized discharges to flow into wetlands adjacent to the Klamath River(pictured) in Northern California.

During December 2006 and January 2007, the Resighini Rancheria deposited fill material, without a permit, into wetlands adjacent to the Klamath River just east of the Highway 101 bridge crossing in Del Norte County.

"We're taking action to benefit the Klamath River and its local communities -- restoring a willow forest that serves to lessen the severity of floods, filter pollutants, and provide habitat and nutrients for several native fish species, including coho and steelhead salmon," said Alexis Strauss, director of the EPA's Water Division for the Pacific Southwest. "The EPA is committed to working with the tribe to enforce federal laws to protect these valued resources."

In the consent agreement, the tribe has agreed to start the restoration process within 90 days, and to submit progress reports to the EPA, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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September 10, 2008

In Mozambique, the Goal is Drinking Water for All

Mozambique has one of the highest economic growth rates in Africa, averaging more than 8 percent annually over the past decade, and although foreign investment has grown, 16 years of civil war left most of the residents without basic services like potable water.

"There are many waterborne cases in Polana Canico Health Center; we are confronted daily with these kinds of diseases, especially in children," said Laura Valls, manager of the public-owned but privately run facility.

Presently, Mozambique has clean water coverage of 40 percent. Mozambique's Millennium Development Goal is 70 percent coverage by 2015.

In August Mozambique received a $15 million credit facility from the International Development Association to support water and institutional projects, and in April the World Bank gave a $16 million grant to Mozambique's Water Supply Assets and Investment Fund(FIPAG)to increase pipe-borne access for poor households in five cities: Beira, Maputo, Nampula, Pemba, and Quelimane.

"Under this grant, private service providers operating under lease contracts from FIPAG will connect an estimated 468,000 poor people to piped water supply through approximately 29,000 new yard taps; each is expected to serve around three households," the World Bank said, as reported by IRIN News.

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September 09, 2008

Water Despute at the Arizona-Nevada Border

It all started back in 2005, when Wind River Resources LLC, an Arizona based developer, applied to the Arizona Department of Water Resources to pump water from the Muddy Creek aquifer in the Mormon Wells area north of Beaver Dam in Arizona, and transport it to the Virgin Valley Water District in nearby Mesquite,NV, under a 1989 state law that set criteria for transporting water out of Arizona.

In a Nov. 1 report Judge Thomas Shedden recommended that Wind River's application be denied because the company failed to update key aspects, provided inaccurate information and did not submit hydrological studies on the pumping's probable impact on the Mormon Wells area.

Following that report, Arizona Water Resources Director Herb Guenther rejected Wind River's application on Nov. 28.

Wind River Resources LLC's has now filed a lawsuit in federal court in Las Vegas alleging that Arizona conspired with project opponents by purposely stringing out consideration of the application to "throw up numerous costly bureaucratic hurdles." They also argue that also has argued that the state law requiring Arizona's permission to export water is unconstitutional, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by Canadian Business.

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September 08, 2008

Restoring the Passaic River

The EPA has given $60,000 to the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions(ANJEC), in Mendham,NJ, to be use towards educating the public on actions that can be taken individually, and as communities, to restore the health and beauty of the Passaic River(pictured) and its watershed.

The Passaic River,is 80 miles long, running from Morristown,NJ to Newark Bay, while the watershed covers 787 square miles in New Jersey and 148 square miles in New York. There has been an effort to clean up contaminated sediment in the lower Passaic River.

"We're cleaning up the Passaic River and restoring its watershed," said EPA Regional Administrator, Alan J. Steinberg. "This cooperative agreement helps empower Passaic River communities, governments, businesses and individuals to meet the challenge before all of us as environmental stewards of the Passaic River."

ANJEC is joining with Future City, Inc., the Lower Passaic Watershed Alliance, the Passaic River Institute at Montclair State University and the Ramapo River Watershed Intermunicipal Council to carry out this project, which starts this month and will take approximately one year to complete, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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September 03, 2008

San Francisco Waste Management Co. Polluting the Bay

California Waste Solutions, serving Oakland and San Jose,CA has been found by EPA inspectors to be polluting waterways which lead into the San Francisco Bay, in violation of the Clean Water Act.

"The EPA requires companies to take simple, basic steps to prevent pollution," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division Director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "We expect a company responsible for large municipal contracts in the Bay to protect San Francisco Bay, and comply with federal and state pollution requirements."

At the San Jose facility, at least 35 rainfall incidents were found where surface water runoff discharged litter, zinc, recyclables, and other pollutants into Coyote creek, a tributary of San Francisco Bay.

At two California Waste Solutions Oakland facilities, at least 74 rainfall incidents caused surface water runoff to discharge litter and debris into the San Francisco Bay's Oakland waterfront (pictured), as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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September 02, 2008

EPA Prohibits Yazoo Pump Project in Mississippi Delta

Using its authority under the Clean Water Act, the EPA has chosen the protection of 67,000 acres of Mississippi wetlands (pictured), by prohibiting the proposed Yazoo Pumps Project in the Mississippi Delta.

This action was taken after extensive evaluation by the EPA of the environmental impact on the wetlands and other water resources. The EPA will work with federal and state agencies, and the public, to find an alternative flood control project that has a favorable impact on the area.

"Together with our state and federal partners we can improve flood protection and ensure environmental protection," said Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "We're helping to identify a better project that reduces flooding, protects the environment and saves taxpayer dollars."

The Yazoo Backwater Area contains some of the richest wetland and aquatic resources in the nation, and serves as critical fish and wildlife habitat. EPA concluded that the proposed project would result in unacceptable damage to these valuable resources that are used for wildlife, economic, and recreational purposes, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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August 28, 2008

Alaska Company Fined for Polluting Kenai River

Salamatof Seafoods Inc. has been fined $38,000 by the EPA for violating the Clean Water Act in polluting the Kenai River (pictured), in Alaska.

In 2002, 2005, and 2006, the Salamatof seafood processing plant in Kenai,AK, was inspected by the EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and found each time to have violations of their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)permit. The plant discharges seafood processing waste water into the Kenai River, which flows into the Cook Inlet.

Kim Ogle, Manager of EPA's NPDES Compliance Unit in Seattle said, "In impaired waters like the Kenai River, it is especially critical that Salamatof and other processors comply with the NPDES permit." . "Discharges from seafood processors can have a large impact in Alaskan waters and these permits help to protect these resources."

The NPDES permit program is a key part of the federal Clean Water Act with its purpose to control water pollution by regulating facilities that discharge pollutants into waters in the United States, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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August 27, 2008

Desalination and Environmental Concerns in California

Late last week the California State Land Commission granted the last remaining permit that Poseidon Resources of Stamford,CT needed to commence construction of a 50 million gallon a day desalination plant in Carlsbad,CA near San Diego, which is expected to be operational by 2011.

There are an estimated 17 additional proposed desalination plants in California.

Meanwhile, Marco Gonzalez, an attorney representing the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit environmental group based in Encinitas that focuses on waves and beaches, said, "We recognize that desalination is a likely part of our future water supply portfolio, but our concern is that its time has not yet arrived."

Jeffrey Graham, a marine biologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who consulted with Poseidon on the project, said,"I think the major issue that still is a bone of contention is the extent to which organisms are killed by the process of withdrawing seawater."

"It was dealt with by Poseidon agreeing to pay for the reestablishment of 55 acres of wetland, which is a big commitment," Graham said.

"We clearly have an emerging water crisis here in California," said Scripps oceanographer Scott Jenkins, who also consulted with Poseidon. "Excessive requirements for mitigation could render these plants infeasible. It's a fine line between avoiding a water crisis versus coming up with a rational balance of protection for the environment," as reported by Discovery News.

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August 26, 2008

Orange County City Joins the Call for Water Conservation

The City Council of Westminster,CA will hold a public hearing tomorrow evening, to consider an Emergency Water Management program that encourages businesses and residents to voluntarily conserve at least 10 percent of their daily water consumption.

If adopted, the city would ask all users of water, both residential an businesses to cut water consumption. They would also be asked not to fill fountains, ponds, or lakes unless they used a recycling system. Restaurants would not serve water unless requested.

Mayor Margie Rice said, "We should start doing something now to save water or we could be in a serious situation three years from now." "This isn't a mandate, more of a suggestion, a request from the city to residents and business owners."

Santa Ana passed a resolution encouraging a similar water conservation program in February. In May, Huntington Beach's public works department announced plans to reduce irrigation of 707 acres of parks and landscaping by one day, saving the city $87,500, as reported by the OC Register.

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August 25, 2008

China Families Make Sacrifices for Olympics

In Zhengjiazhuang Village, China, Li Zengxia's fish are dead and his crops are dying because the stream that was once, had been diverted 155 miles so the Olympics would appear green.

"This is a small thing for individuals," Li explained. "We should make contributions to the country. I understand -- we are a socialist family."

Millions of ordinary citizens such as Li are now suffering from water shortages, blackouts and business losses brought about because of the Games.

In Hebei province,(pictured) close to 80 billion gallons of water was sent to Beijing through a series of canals hastily built over the past few months, and whose construction displaced farmers, as well as made it difficult to grow anything.

A resident of the coastal province of Shandong wrote on one online message board, "A number of farmers are not big earners in income. They can not spend money to see Beijing Olympics. . . . From within the heart it is not fair."

"People say you live by the mountain and you live off the mountain; if you live by the water, you live off the water," said Fu Xiulan, 25, a housewife. "We live by both the mountain and the water, but we cannot use either," as reported by the Washington Post.

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August 20, 2008

EPA fines MA Construction Co. for Violating Clean Water Act

The EPA has fined the Revane Development Company, Inc.$5,000 for discharging storm water containing pollutants from the Bryn Mawr Estates Development in Auburn, MA, without authorization.

Revane apparently he did not apply for coverage under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Construction Activities, as required by the federal Clean Water Act.

Silt and sediment in the storm water running off the construction site, which first began in August, 2004, had damaged the Town's storm water collection system and created problems on neighboring residential properties. The pollutant-laden storm water discharged into catch basins both on the Site and on Town property.

The company has now obtained coverage under the Construction General Permit, and has developed a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which describes the best management practices that the company will undertake in order minimize erosion and sediment runoff from the site. This should have been done prior to construction, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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August 19, 2008

Documentary about Our Deteriorating Water Infrastructure by WPSU to Air

Penn State Public Broadcasting (WPSU-TV) is set to premiere a documentary about the nation's deteriorating water infrastructure, "Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure."

The 90-minute documentary will be available nationally to all public broadcasting stations beginning October 1, 2008. It tells of America's distressed essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. These complex and aging systems, some in the ground for more than 150 years, are critical components for basic sanitation, health, public safety, economic development, and a host of other necessities of life.

"The goal of this public service media project is to stimulate community discussion and bring this issue into the public consciousness using television as a catalyst," said executive producer of the documentary, Tom Keiter. "We want 'Liquid Assets' to be more than just a broadcast."

Major funding for the "Liquid Assets" documentary was provided by the Colcom Foundation, with additional funding from the Associated General Contractors of America, the American Society of Civil Engineers and its Environmental & Water Resources Institute, Insituform Technologies, and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, as reported by the PRNewswire, and published by MarketWatch.

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August 18, 2008

World Water Conference Kicked Off in Stockholm Today

The World Water Conference, featuring the United Nations 2008 concentration of sanitation, opened today, in Stockholm, Sweeden, with over 2,,500 scientists, politicians and officials from 140 countries in attendance.

Each year, 1.4 million children die from diarrhea-related diseases and poor hygiene, organizers have said, describing the global sanitation crisis as "the world's largest environmental problem."

"It is a catastrophe that policy makers have chosen to ignore way too long," said Cecilia Martinsen, a member of the Stockholm International Water Institute.

This morning, British professor John Anthony Allan, from Kings College at the University of London, was presented with this year's Stockholm Water Prize, of $150,000, for studies on how food production consumes vast volumes of water, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by CNEWS.

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August 14, 2008

Oil Company Fined by EPA for Violating the Safe Water Act

The Mountain States Petroleum Corporation, of Dallas, TX, has been fined $42,500 by the EPA for operations on Navajo lands in Apache County,AZ which violated the Safe Water Act.

The company operated a well in the Dine-Bi-Keyah oil and gas field and abandoned it in 2005. Federal law requires that, within two years of abandonment, a salt water injected well must be plugged. Mountain States Petroleum failed to do this, resulting in the fine.

"We will ensure all companies comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations to protect underground sources of drinking water in the arid West," said Alexis Strauss, director of the Water Division for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "We are pleased to resolve these long-standing violations and will continue to oversee all such operations."

The oil and gas production industry accounts for a large proportion of the fluids injected into the subsurface. When oil and gas are extracted, large amounts of salt water, or brine, are also brought to the surface. Salt water can be very damaging when discharged into underground sources of drinking water, thus it is typically injected into similar formations from which it was extracted, and most often for enhanced oil recovery purposes, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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August 13, 2008

Environmental Groups Oppose Water Bond in California

A large coalition of environmental groups believe that the proposed $9.3 million bond, the Safe, Clean, Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2008, would worsen the state's water crises, while increasing its debt.

Coalition groups include Environment Now, Planning and Conservation League, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Clean Water Action, and the Community Water Center.

The coalition argues that officials should create "new management solutions\" rather than fund the "same kinds of projects that have pushed California's water system to the brink." It suggests "enforcing land use regulations based on true water availability, creating a statewide conservation program, protecting watershed and aquatic ecosystems and creating water policy that focuses on sustainability and equity," as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

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August 11, 2008

United Utilities & Thames Water Raise Water Rates in the UK

Water rates in the UK are set to rise above inflation rates till 2015, to pay for needed repairs to the water infrastructure. Both United Utilities and Thames Water have called for the cost increases.

"All utility companies are concerned about the risk of rising bad debt," Graeme Sims, United Utilities director of regulation said. "Water companies are at a disadvantage because we are not allowed to disconnect houses."

"But we are not in a position to vary the standards we have to meet for drinking water. We need to replace the mains supply pipes that were installed decades ago to stop water being discolored. There are also significantly higher standards for rivers and lakes."

David Owens, chief executive of Thames Water, said: "Thames' customers have enjoyed the lowest bills in the industry for many years, but we now need to make essential investment to secure their services for the future," as reported by the Telegraph.

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August 07, 2008

Water is not the Same in Our Bodies

New research has discovered just how water changes itself in our bodies.

"Water, as we know it, does not exist within our bodies," said Martin Gruebele, a William H. and Janet Lycan Professor of Chemistry at the University of Illinois. "Water in our bodies has different physical properties from ordinary bulk water, because of the presence of proteins and other biomolecules. Proteins change the properties of water to perform particular tasks in different parts of our cells."

Gruebele is the director of the U. of I.'s Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, and a researcher at the Beckman Institute.

"Water can be viewed as a 'designer fluid' in living cells," Gruebele said. "Our experiments showed that the volume of active water was about the same size as that of the protein."

"We previously thought proteins would affect only those water molecules directly stuck to them," Gruebele said. "Now we know proteins will affect a volume of water comparable to their own. That's pretty amazing," as reported by Science Daily.

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August 05, 2008

California Bottled Water Plant Thwarted by Environmental Concerns

The State of California will challenge the environmental plan for a bottled water plant that Nestle Waters North America intends to build in Siskiyou County, unless the company changes its contract to pump water from the Squaw Valley Creek (pictured), a tributary of the McCloud River.

"Nestle will face swift legal challenge if it does not fully evaluate the environmental impact of diverting millions of gallons of spring water from the McCloud River into billions of plastic water bottles," California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr.
warned in a letter to the company July 28.

"It takes massive quantities of oil to produce plastic water bottles and to ship them in diesel trucks across the United States," Brown said.

"Nestle Waters is committed to ensuring that our projects are consistent with the sustainability and long-term availability of water in the communities in which we are located," said Nestle project manager Dave Palais.

The Attorney General Brown said the company's draft environmental impact report, DEIR, "fails to address in any meaningful way the project's likely environmental impacts."

"The DEIR fails to analyze the global warming impacts of the project even though boiling and transporting water are highly energy-intensive," wrote Brown. "Nor does the DEIR adequately examine the impacts of the project on air quality, water quality of the McCloud River and its tributaries, biological resources, or solid waste," as reported by the Environment News Service.

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July 31, 2008

Austin Water to Enforce Water Conservation

Austin Water Utility has announced a summer plan to conserve 32 million gallons of water a day and eliminate 19,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

Councilman Lee Leffingwell, chair of the Water Conservation Task Force, said conserving water will also conserve energy. Treating and pumping water is the most energy-intensive process in the city of Austin, he said.

Restrictions on lawn watering are to be enforced using a 3-1-1 to water usage report line under the plan.

"It's not to rat your neighbor out," Leffingwell said, adding that reports result in warnings meant to inform residents of current conservation policies.

The campaign is promoted by the local band Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson, who wrote a song called "Observe and Conserve" for television and radio commercials that started running last week.

"We can live without oil, but go without water for seven days and you're dead," Benson said, as reported by The Daily Texan.

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July 30, 2008

Winston-Salem Under Voluntary Water Use Restrictions

The City-County Utilities Division of Winston-Salem, NC(pictured), has asked residents, businesses and institutions to voluntarily reduce water use due to historically low flow levels on the Yadkin River.

"These infrequent storms we get might green up the grass, but they don't put enough water into the ground to keep the river flowing like it normally does," Ron Hargrove, the deputy director of the utilities division said. "We are experiencing flows like we did in 2002. The August 2002 average was about 400 cubic feet per second; if conditions persist, we might even see lower levels than we did in 2002."

Under voluntary restrictions, people are being asked to limit watering of lawns and plants, to repair leaky faucets and toilets, and to turn off taps when shaving, brushing teeth or washing dishes. Washing machines and dishwashers are to be run only when full, and vehicle washing is to be limited. Also, hosing down sidewalks, patios and driveways, and to filling swimming pools are to be avoided.

"We may ask folks to do more," Hargrove said. "We have never implemented mandatory restrictions, and I have been here 15 years," as reported by the Winston-Salem Journal.

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July 29, 2008

Kentucky Community gets EPA Grant for Wetlands Restoration

The University of Kentucky Research Foundation has been awarded a $20,000 grant, through the EPA's Five Star Wetlands Restoration Program, for the Millcreek Stream and Wetland Restoration Project and Outdoor Classroom.

The project goal is to develop a water-focused education program at Millcreek Elementary School by restoring stream and wetlands habitats around the free-flowing, meandering creek on the school grounds. The outdoor classroom will help the environment by improving water quality and increasing aquatic and terrestrial habitats in and along the stream.

"EPA's Five Star Restoration Grant Program will help promote conservation and environmental stewardship in this Kentucky community," said Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator. "Community-based projects, such as these, improve environmental awareness among local residents and create lasting relationships for protecting and sustaining wetlands, streams and coasts," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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July 23, 2008

Coral Bay, St. Johns gets Help Fighting Water Runoff Pollution

The Coral Bay Community Council, a non-profit group dedicated to involving local community members in planning for development in the Coral Bay (pictured) area of St. Johns, U.S. Virgin Islands has been selected to receive $300,000 through a cooperative agreement under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program.

The group will use the EPA funding to expand efforts to stop sediment and storm water pollution from entering Coral Bay, improve local solid waste management, and heighten awareness about other toxic pollution issues affecting the community.

"This agreement will provide much-needed support to the Coral Bay Community Council and its many partners to study the environmental problems faced by this community and develop workable solutions," said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. "We applaud the Coral Bay Community Council for having demonstrated such devotion to protecting the bay."

Coral Bay is a rural community of approximately 1,500 people in a 3,000-acre watershed. Between 1990 and 2000, the Coral Bay community grew by 80%, making it the fastest growing area in the U.S. Virgin Islands. New residential housing construction, agriculture, tourism and industrial development have resulted in sediment, toxic chemicals, nutrients and potential biological pathogens being carried through stormwater into the bay, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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July 22, 2008

Hawaii moves to ensure water service for Molokai

The Department of Health of Hawaii has issued an order to Molokai Properties Ltd. and its subsidiary utilities to continue to provide drinking water and wastewater service to Molokai (pictured) for at least the next 90 days. It also ordered Maui County to prepare to operate the services if they are curtailed.

Molokai Properties, also known as Molokai Ranch, had announced in March that it was going to shut down ranch and resort operations and lay off more than 120 employees, due to financial losses. It later added that wouldn't be able to provide utility services after August.

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares said, "We do object to the DOH order directing the county to conduct a physical and staff assessment of these subsidiary companies that belong to Molokai Properties and make preparations to take over operations if the company walks away." "It is puzzling that the DOH would treat the county as the violator in this case. Molokai Ranch is clearly the violator."

"We would have liked to have partnered with the state in holding Molokai Ranch accountable and protecting the rights of the consumer. In fact, the county itself is a consumer," Tavares said.

"The Department of Health is exercising its authority to order immediate action to protect the public health from an imminent and substantial danger if the services are stopped," said Laurence Lau, department deputy director for environmental health.

"Our priority is to ensure uninterrupted water and wastewater service for the health and safety of the people of Molokai," Gov. Linda Lingle said. "While the county has the primary responsibility to operate and maintain public utilities, the state is prepared to assist the county," as reported by the Associated Press and published by Business Week.

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July 17, 2008

The EPA Gets Sued for Violating the Clean Water Act

Five environmental groups have sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violating the Clean Water Act by not setting standards for farm and urban water runoff that is polluting the waterways in Florida.

Earthjustice attorney David Guest said that the suit is an effort to get the EPA to implement standards for every state, because most have only vague limits on such pollution.

"This is endemic throughout the United States," Guest said. "When you fertilize the water, it makes it so that only one instrument in the ecological orchestra can play. Where you used to have this vast ecological orchestra, now it's only the algae playing."

He added that the runoff can also contaminate drinking water supplies and sicken or kill people.

"No other life can live there besides the algae," Guest said. "This is about fertilizing water, and when you fertilize water, algae goes crazy and everything else gets pushed out."

The federal lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee by the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

"It's a priority for EPA to have states adopt science-based numeric standards to control nutrient pollution," EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles said in an e-mail Thursday, as reported by the Associated Press and published by the International Herald Tribune.

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July 16, 2008

EPA Fines Idaho Developers for Clean Water Act Violations

Three construction operators in sites in the Nampa, Idaho area, have settled Clean Water Act violations stemming from EPA inspections done this spring, and finding failure to apply for coverage under the storm water permit, failure to conduct required self-inspections, and failure to install and maintain erosion and sediment controls.

"While some Idaho builders and developers are doing a good job, there are others who are ignoring the storm water permit requirements," said Kim Ogle, Manager of EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Compliance Unit. "Builders and developers that fail to follow these permit conditions will face fines."

The the penalties accessed were as follows:

Dan Kropf, & SC Construction, for the Dan Kropf construction site, in the amount of $,400;

Ronald W. Van Auker, Inc., for the 65 K #2 Building site, in the amount of $2,450;

Freund/Spencer, & Knife River, for the Empire Business Park site (pictured), in the amount of $14,950, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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July 15, 2008

Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin Produces Potable Water

Eric Olson, a San Francisco architect, has invented the Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin (SWDT)(pictured), which he believes could help eradicate the problem of polluted water, which the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates claims over 1.5 million lives every year.

Not only does it purify water, up to 20 liters, it also makes it more portable in large quantities.

"There are lots of products that do one or the other," Olsen said. "There's a really interesting product that's been around for 10 or 12 years called the Hippo Water Roller, a 20 gallon drum with a handle attached that allows people, mostly women, to transport a week's worth of water back home".

Olsen also points to SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection Process) developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) that has successfully tackled water impurities.

"The idea of SWDT," he says, "is to combine these two products and make them into something that can do both roles effectively".

"We are trying to imagine ways that this thing can be made and repaired by people where it is most needed," Olson said. "We are working on a sheet welding process which is much lower tech, inexpensive and also capitalizes on the handcraft skills of local people", as reported by CNN.

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July 14, 2008

Beijing Now has Enough Water for the Olympics

With the area facing several years of drought, and with Olympic organizers mounting great efforts to ensure the capital will not run dry, the main reservoirs feeding the capital are holding more than enough water for the 1 million or more domestic tourists and up to 500,000 foreign visitors expected during the Games.

"Beijing has combined all water resources, including reservoirs, underground water and rainfall, to ensure the supply for the Olympics," Yu Yaping, a Beijing Water Bureau official, said in remarks reported on Sunday by Xinhua news agency.

To be certain there was no chance of Beijing running short for the Games, officials ordered a 192-mile northern section of the larger South-North Water Transfer Project first be completed to pump more water if needed from Hebei, a rural province adjoining the capital that is itself very short of water.

This blog first alerted our readers about the potential water supply problem for the Olympic Games with "Drought in China Near Olympic Site," as reported by Reuters, and published by the Daily Times.

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July 10, 2008

All Great Lakes States Sign On to Protect Water

A compact was signed yesterday by the last 8 states which border the Great Lakes which will now protect this World's largest fresh water source from other regions and countries.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation approving the compact during a ceremony at Oval Beach in the Lake Michigan town of Saugatuck. A day earlier, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell announced he had signed a ratification bill.

"This is a defining moment in Michigan history," Granholm said. "We must do our part to ensure that our Great Lakes are protected and preserved for generations to come. This legislation fulfills that promise."

The pact still needs approval of Congress and the White House. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec have adopted a nearly identical document but cannot join the compact because U.S. states cannot make treaties with foreign governments.

Over 20 members of Congress have endorsed the agreement, including Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain, the presumptive presidential nominees. Obama, an Illinois Democrat, said he would be a co-sponsor.

"I am committed to working to fully implement this compact to protect America's truly Great Lakes," Obama said.

The Council of Great Lakes Governors spent four years negotiating the deal amid rising concern that the worldwide shortage of fresh water would lead thirsty regions to target the lakes.

"It is gratifying to see our region uniting as never before to protect the Great Lakes," said Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, chairman of the council.

"There were times when I thought this day would never come," said Andy Buchsbaum, director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes office. "This is a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime achievement."

This blog first posted about this Great Lakes concern back in 2007, "Protecting the Great Lakes from Water Thirsty States," as reported by the Associated Press, and published by GM Today.

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July 09, 2008

UAE's Vice President is an Advocate for Sustainable Water

On Sunday, General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (pictured), opened the first Arab Water Academy, which is being organized by the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency in conjunction with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture.

General Shaikh Mohammed called on officials to evolve strategies for rational and sustainable use of water resources. He stressed the need to consider water resources' impact on the environment when devising water management policies.

The Academy has been established as a training institute by the Arab Water Council, supported by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), the Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank.

The Academy was established to articulate, design and implement new training initiatives to enhance capacity building in the water sector. It represents a significant investment in the human capital of decision makers, professionals and scientists working in the water sector and associated fields, as reported by the Khaleej Times.

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July 08, 2008

Israel Takes Steps to Deal with Water Crisis

Water Authority head Uri Shani declared this morning, in a press conference in Tel Aviv, "This is the worst crisis since records started being kept said,80 years ago." "Like most countries, Israel is dependent on rainfall and the amount of rainfall is decreasing. There is a drop of 100 million cubic meters per year."

Shani said, The Coastal Aquifer "has dropped below its black line," which means that it will suffer rapid damage, possibly irreversible damage." Shani predicted that Lake Kinneret would reach its black line by December 2008.

The measures to be taken in this water crises include the Water Authority pumping water from tributaries that feed into the Kinneret, water which was supposed to reach the Kinneret by 2010. In addition to the main effort, Shani said polluted wells would be purified and desalination plants would increase their output.

The authority has also undertaken a series of measures that will go into effect this week, measures that would limit the use of water for gardening and double the price of water for that purpose.

The government is investing in infrastructure, desalination and sewage treatment for agriculture in the next five years, as reported by The Jerusalem Post, and published by the Charleston Jewish Federation.

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July 07, 2008

Are Conservationists Being Snubbed by SNWA?

The Great Basin Water Network, a leading conservationist group, concerned about the Snake Valley (pictured) has claimed that the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is excluding ranchers, Indian tribes, local governments and others from full participation in hearings on the agency's bid for billions of gallons of rural Nevada water.

This is a follow-up to our previous blog, "Navada to Decide Las Vegas Request to Grab Rural Water."

A spokesman for SNWA said the claim by the Great Basin Water Network has "nothing to do" with what gets presented at the state water engineer's review of the plan to tap groundwater in Snake Valley, which is more than 250 miles north of Las Vegas.

State Engineer Tracy Taylor has scheduled a July 15 pre-hearing session on efforts by SNWA to pump up to 16 billion gallons of water a year from the Snake Valley, which straddles the Nevada-Utah border.

Steve Erickson of the Great Basin Water Network said more than a dozen groups and individuals from both Nevada and Utah want "interested persons" status so they can participate in the hearings, but SNWA attorneys opposed the request, as reported by KBVC-TV News.

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June 19, 2008

EPA Fines Shelton, CT for Polluting the Housatonic River

Under an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Attorney General's Office, and the City of Shelton, Connecticut, the City's wastewater collection system and treatment plant is to be improved to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the Housatonic River(pictured). In addition, a $142k fine will be split equally between the United States and the State of Connecticut.

"EPA is committed to taking action to bring aging sewer systems into compliance with the Clean Water Act," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA's New England office. "This settlement will significantly improve water quality in the lower Housatonic River, helping to protect public health and the environment from the risks posed by sewer overflows."

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said, "Shelton's agreement is a victory for clean water and public health, halting sewage spills that have polluted the Housatonic River. This agreement means cleaner water, more fish and other wildlife and more people enjoying this scenic waterway."

Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy said, "This case focuses our attention on the need for all levels of government to work together to protect water bodies and the public health. People expect that in this day and age, we will not have overflows of untreated raw sewage into one of this state's waterways. It is the responsibility of public officials at all levels of government to prevent this from occurring by seeking proper solutions to the management of storm water and sanitary sewer discharges."

Connecticut law allows for "penalties" to be used to fund environmental projects, the State's half of the penalty will be paid into a fund to be used to pay for environmentally beneficial projects, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 18, 2008

Bush Begins to Track U.S. Water Quality

The White House yesterday, said it directed four agencies to develop tools to chart the changes in water the amount and quantity of the nation's water.

Clay Johnson, a deputy director of the White House budget office, said, "We currently lack consistent information on the environment and natural resources to analyze national trends."

The Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were directed to develop the indicators.

"It would be nice if they put as much effort into protecting the environment as they are collecting the data to show how polluted it is," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Environmental Working Group, which specializes in environmental databases. "There are plenty of data out there we can go to right now that will tell us everything we need to know to protect rivers and streams."

Interior, EPA, NOAA and other agencies have contributed $400,000 to $500,000 a year since 1997 to the private Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment to compile data for assessing ecosystems.

"This is such an infinitesimally small follow to such an ambitious 10-year endeavor," said Marty Spitzer, a senior fellow with the Heinz Center. Just yesterday, the center issued a report concluding that virtually all streams in the U.S. contain one or more contaminants, as reported by the Associated Press and published by the Washington Post.

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June 17, 2008

Honda Starts Production of Water Producing Car

On Monday, in Takanezawa, Japan, Honda Motor celebrated the start of production of the FCX Clarity (pictured), the world first hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle designed for mass production.

The fuel for this revolutionary car is hydrogen mixed with air , uses no petroleum products, and the exhaust is water and heat. Over the next three years Honda will produce only 200 of the new cars, 150 of them to be sold in California. After this initial small production run the plan is to increase production when hydrogen filling stations became more common.

"Basically, we can mass produce these now," said Kazuaki Umezu, head of Honda's Automobile New Model Center, where the FCX Clarity is built. "We are waiting for the infrastructure to catch up."

"This is a must-have technology for the future of the earth," said Takeo Fukui, Honda's president. "Honda will work hard to mainstream fuel-cell cars."

Honda says its FCX Clarity can be filled easily at a pump, can drive 270 miles on a tank full. The FCX Clarity's fuel-cell unit can generate up to 100 kilowatts of electricity, enough to accelerate the car from zero to 60 miles an hour in less than nine seconds, and give it top speeds of 100 miles an hour, Honda says, as reported by the New York Times.

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June 16, 2008

Water and Sustainable Development Expo Opens in Spain

This past Friday, the Expo 2008 exibition with the them of 'Water and Sustainable Development', opened in Zaragoza, Spain.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía opened the international exhibition, and it attracted 38,000 visitors on its first day.

Among the shows to have been grabbing the headlines is 'El Hombre Vertiente', a breathtaking 20-minute aerial theatre performance by Argentinian director, Pichon Baldinu. The performance depicts the "brutal battle for water," transporting the viewer to arid, desert lands that are the inevitable consequence of man's compulsion to control this vital resource.

The actress Belen Rueda performs in the 'Enjoyment of Water' show, which conveys the message that water provokes "emotions, joy, pleasure and life," according to joint artistic directors, Joan Lluis Bozzo and Cucki Pons.

The event has more than 5,000 cultural events in music, dance and theatre, as well as a Water Park with swimming pools, a sandy beach with palm trees, rapids, water chutes and a chill-out terrace, as reported by Think Spain.

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June 12, 2008

Australia's Coke Bottler is World's Most Water Efficient

According to Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA), the Coca-Cola bottling plant in western Sydney, Australia is the most water efficient on in Coke's global system.

When the drought first started, this largest beverage manufacturer, spent &1 million to construct two underground rainwater harvesting tanks, each capable of holding 1.75 million gallons of rainwater. The water is then used for production, for landscaping and toilet facilities, and for irrigating a neighborhood park and sports complex.

The company also replaced all water on production lines with Teflon or "dry-lube" coating to stop the bottles and cans from sticking to surfaces, which the company says saves more than 1.6 million gallons of water a year, as reported by the Environmental Leader.

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June 11, 2008

Leading Home Builders Settle Violations of Clean Water Act with EPA

Four national home builders have agreed to settle with the EPA for a total of $4.3 million for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act involving the delay or failure of obtaining storm water permits for construction sites (pictured) in 34 states and Washington D.C.

The four settlements, which were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia today, included that the four companies are to implement company-wide compliance programs that go beyond current regulatory requirements and put controls in place that will keep an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of sediment from polluting the nation's waterways each year.

The home builders included in the settlement are Centex Homes, based in Dallas; KB Home, based in Los Angeles; Pulte Homes, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; and Richmond American Homes, based in Denver.

"EPA requires that construction sites obtain permits and take simple, basic steps to prevent pollutants from contaminating storm water and harming our nation's waterways," said Granta Y. Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Today's settlement sets a new bar for the home building industry," as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 10, 2008

Contaminated Water Flowing in the Federal Capital of Pakistan

Local residents of the Federal Capital area (pictured) in Islamabad, Pakistan are finding the drinking water there contaminated due to broken pipes and causing water-borne diseases among the residents like diarrhea, hepatitis and stomach disorders.

The claim is that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has ignored the fact that sewage water is mixing with the drinking water pipes in a forty year old water supply system which needs replacing.

A resident of Federal Capital district, Mazhar Buttar said, "We have already been facing water shortage but now supply of contaminated water has further added to our worries." He said "We take drinking water from a filtration plant but some times due to load shedding we could not get water even from there." He questioned, "if CDA cannot replace or maintain the existing pipelines then why does it charge money from us on account of water bills."

When contacted, a CDA official said the water supply which comes from Simly Dam to the Federal Capital is filtered from two filtration plants, which he said are 25 to 30 years old. He said the broken or dilapidated pipelines are aggravating the situation, but CDA has installed water filtration plants in almost every sector of the Capital for provision of clean water to the citizens, as reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), and published by The Frontier Post.

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June 09, 2008

CDC Becomes the First Federal WaterSense Partner

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)today announced that it has joined the EPA's WaterSense Program, and thus became the fist federal entity to join this water conservation effort.

"CDC is unwavering in its commitment to a green and sustainable environment and water conservation is an important component of such an environment," said CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. "By signing thisagreement, CDC is saying we want to lead the way for others to follow and that's what we're going to continue to do."

The EPA launched the WaterSense Program in 2006 to stimulate more efficient use of water in homes and now, federal facilities. The voluntary partnership promotes water efficiency and market demand for water-efficient products and services that reduce stress on water systems and the environment. It was designed to be similar to the Energy Star Program, which promotes energy-efficient products.

"Every drop counts and every agency can do more to save water and energy," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "EPA commends CDC for being such a strong partner of WaterSense and a national model for stewardship and sustainability," as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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June 05, 2008

LA Water Officials Approve Water Conservation Plan

Yesterday, on the same day Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power commissioners announced new water conservation restrictions.

Restaurants would only serve water when diners request a glass, and hotel guests would have the option of reusing towels.

Homeowners can water lawns only for 15 minutes a day, and never between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. They may not use a hose to wash down pavements or wash a car that does not have an automatic shut off. Failure to comply will result in fines ranging from $100 to $400.

This new proposal ammends the 1990 city ordinance, and includes the commonsense rule to ban watering when it is raining, is subject to approval by the LA city council, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the San Francisco Chronicle.

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June 03, 2008

Tap Water is Fine for Your Dog

According to a new study reported in the June 1, 2008, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, their is absolutely no reason to give your dog anything but water from your tap.

The study, led by Dr. Lorraine Backer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that dogs are not susceptible to the chemicals, such as chlorine used to disinfect municipal water. Dogs don't gulp down a big glass of water like people often do, and their water usually sits in a bowl for hours, which allows the chemical concentrations to decrease over time. Also, dogs do not take long shower or baths, as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

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June 02, 2008

Taiwan Island Considering Buying Water from China

Taiwan is considering to allow its offshore island, Kinmen (pictured), which is suffering with a water shortage, to buy water from neighboring China.

Taiwan's Economic Ministry's Water Resources Agency is forming a taskforce next week to study the proposal made by Kinmen County Commissioner Lee Chu-feng, according to Chen Shen-hsien, head of the agency, who supports the idea.

Kinmen, an island with 50,000 residents plus 50,000 troops, suffers with water shortages and poor water quality in its reservoirs, as a direct result of over-exploited groundwater.

China's official Xinhua News Agency quoted Ye Yinghui, manager of the Xiamen Tap Water Company, as saying that Xiamen was reiterating its offer to supply water to Kinmen, as reported by Deutsche Presse Agentur(DPA), and published by The Earth Times.

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May 29, 2008

Iowa Water Quality Projects to Receive Grants

Iowa state environmental officials have announced that seven water quality projects in the state are expecting to receive $5.4 million in grants to improve water quality in lakes and streams.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Richard Leopold said," Much progress has been made to improve the state's water quality, but there's still more work to do."

"The grants will help communities build upon what has already been accomplished," he added.

The grants are from a partnership of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Department of Agriculture, the USDA and the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

The water quality improvement projects are planned for Tama, Fayette, Poweshiek, Clinton, Shelby, Appanoose and Audubon counties, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by Business Week.

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May 28, 2008

EPA Settles with Water Treatment Plants in Two California Counties

The Environmental Protection Agency has settled with with water treatment plants in the counties of Riverside and San Diego, CA, for a total $8,000 for failing to resubmit Risk Management Plans, a violation of the Clean Air Act and relating to the handling of chlorine.

"Facilities must provide timely and accurate risk management plan information to the EPA," said Keith Takata, Director of the Pacific Southwest region's Superfund program. "The plans provide important emergency preparedness and response information and help to ensure that industries are doing their part in preventing chemical
accidents."

Expedited settlement agreements, which offer violators reduced penalties if they are able to quickly bring their facilities into compliance with federal regulations were used in this settlement.

The facilities sited are, in Riverside County, the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Water Treatment Plant, and the Desert Water Agency Water Reclamation Facility, and in San Diego County, the Miramar Water Treatment Plant, and the Otay Water Treatment Plant, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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May 27, 2008

Babies Should Not Drink Water

According to physicians at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, babies under six months of age should never be given water due to the risk of water intoxication.

"Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink," Dr. Jennifer Anders, a pediatric emergency physician at the center said. "When they have that thirst and they want to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is their breast milk or formula."

Babies' kidneys aren't yet mature, so giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water, Anders said. Losing sodium can affect brain activity, so early symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness and other mental changes.

"It's a sneaky kind of a condition," Anders said. "Early symptoms are subtle, so seizures may be the first symptom a parent notices. But if a child gets prompt medical attention, the seizures will probably not have lasting consequences", she added.

Water as a beverage should be completely off limits to babies six months old and younger, Anders and her colleagues say. Parents should also avoid using over-diluted formula, or pediatric drinks containing electrolytes.

While it may be appropriate to give an older infant water to help with constipation or on a very hot day, and always check with a pediatrician first, and give only an ounce or two at a time, as reported by Reuters.

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May 22, 2008

EPA Fines Two Massachusetts Companies for Storm Water Violations

Two Massachusetts residential development companies were issues fines totaling $35,109 for violations by the EPA stemming from storm water releases without the proper permits at construction sites in Kingston and Millbury.

The High Pines Corporation site at Indian Pond Estates in Kingston and the Platinum Building & Design, Inc. development on Cronin Brook Road in Millbury were the two firms who agreed to pay the fines.

"EPA is serious about enforcing storm water regulations," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "Controlling storm water runoff from construction sites helps protect our vital wetlands and waterways."

The EPA regulations require a permit for construction sites that disturb more than one acre of land. The storm water permit seeks to protect waters from harmful pollutants that typically run off such sites and discharge into nearby waters. The permit requires that operators of a construction site develop a detailed management plan for minimizing the effects of storm water runoff, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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May 21, 2008

EPA Orders Nogales, AZ to Correct Drinking Water Violations

The EPA has ordered the border town of Nogales, AZ (pictured), to submit their plan for the monitoring of disinfection byproducts as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Failure of City of Nogales to comply with the order would result in fines of $32,000 per day fine.

"Public water systems must comply with the disinfection byproducts rule to ensure the public is provided safe, clean drinking water," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Providing people with safe drinking water is essential and the City of Nogales must take steps to comply with all federal regulations."

The City of Nogales provides drinking water for approximately 20,000 customers. Under the terms of the order, the city is required to submit its monitoring plans within thirty days, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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May 20, 2008

In Israel, Al Gore Ties the Water Shortage to Global Climate Change

In Tel Aviv,Israel today, celebrating its 60th anniversary, former U.S. vice president and now environmentalist Al Gore (pictured) commented that the growing Middle East water shortage is a part of the larger global climate crises.

"In this region of the world, the water crisis is one of the most important manifestations of the global climate change crisis," said Gore.

"Humankind must now find a way to reach a higher level of consciousness that allows us to see our planet whole," he added.

Gore did praise Israel for its forestation programs as well as its desert irrigation, but also cautioned that water levels are dropping in the regions lakes and rivers.

The level of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, has receded about 3 feet each year for the past 25 years. The Jordan River, is only a few feet deep in some places, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the International Herald Tribune.

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May 19, 2008

U.S. Water Experts to Meet in Atlanta for Water Conservation

Georgia is hosting its first ever water conservation summit on May 21-22 at the Georgia International Convention Center (pictured) in Atlanta.

"Can Water Conservation Really Work for a Water System's Bottom Line?" will attract conservation, utility, and financial experts from across the United States to discuss long-term ways to promote water conservation.

The conference is being organized by Georgia's Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Association on Water Professionals, Georgia Water Wise Council, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, and the San Antonio Water System. San Antonio Water System's participation is being funded by Harvard University's Ash Institute.

The Home Depot is a principal sponsor of the event, as reported by Forbes Business Wire.

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May 15, 2008

Will Climate Change Affect the Global Water Supply?

Jonathan Overpeck, director of the University of Arizona's Institute for the Study of Planet Earth said yesterday, in comments made to the House Science and Technology Committee, that "We don't know how climate change will affect water resources."

"Temperature certainly has a major effect on water supply," Overpeck, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist said. "As temperatures goes up, there is an increase in the amount of moisture that the atmosphere can hold, so there will be more demand. It will get the water from soil, forests, agriculture, from plants, it will get them from reservoirs, from any open source of water," as reported by United Press International.

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May 14, 2008

Tampa's Controversial Plan to Allow Non-Profit Firm to Solve Water Problems

Each day, the city of Tampa, FL dumps 55 million gallons of treated sewer water into Tampa Bay (pictured), not making the EPA very happy.

Besides reducing pollutants in Tampa Bay, the water could be used for non-drinking purposes, like watering lawns, and ease the growing demand for potable water.

Under continued pressure from the EPA, and with ten years of searching for a solution, a non-profit firm, Water Partners Inc., has proposed to put this reclaimed water to use, and sell it to potential customers such as Tampa Bay Electric, Mosaic Fertilizer, Hillsborough and Polk counties, Lakeland and Bartow.

While this appears on the surface to be a sound solution for the sewer discharge problem, the state government is uneasy to put the proposed project in the hands of a private company.

Meanwhile, Tampa has not made any decision on how much of its water it wants to sell or to whom. Bills on water reuse were introduced this year in the Legislature. While most of those amounted to nothing, one led to an agreement by the state Department of Environmental Protection to make recommendations about reclaimed water before next year's legislative session, as reported by the St. Petersburg Times, and published by the Orlando Sentinel.

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May 13, 2008

Plumbing Manufacturers Launch Website to Promote Water Efficiency

the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI) recently launched a new website, SafePlumbing.org to educate lawmakers, journalists, trade professionals and homeowners about plumbing issues as they relate to water efficiency, clean water, as well as health and safety.

"We called it the safest place for information about plumbing on the Internet, because we want SafePlumbing.org to be a trusted resource for truthful information about clean drinking water, water conservation and efficiency, and home safety," said Barbara C. Higgens, Executive Director of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI).

"We expect people will be surprised to learn that plumbing manufacturers - our PMI members - have actually been instigating legislation to advance the cause of greater efficiency in the use of water," she said. "We do it because we know our products can deliver what customers want and still save water."

"PMI seeks to position itself as the go-to resource on plumbing issues for legislators and environmentalists, as well as our traditional trade and consumer constituencies," Higgens explains. "SafePlumbing.org will serve as a dynamic part of that effort and very much in keeping with our stated mission 'to promote the water efficiency, health, safety and quality of plumbing products,'" as reported by PR News Wire, and published by the Houston Chronicle.

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May 12, 2008

London to Get Desalination Plant at the Thames Estuary

The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has approved a plan, by Thames Water, to bring desalination to the Thames estuary (pictured) and provide drinking water to the city in times of drought.

Mr. Johnson said, "We cannot risk London running out of water at times of drought, but this cannot be at any cost."

"Thames Water has satisfied me that the desalination plant will minimize its impact on the environment by using renewable energy, and by being used only when absolutely necessary."

The Thames Water chief executive, David Owens, said the news was a victory for common sense, as London's growing population would need more water.

"The desalination plant is a vital part of our response to this situation, and we are committed to getting it built as quickly as possible, so it is available to provide more safe, clean drinking water to Londoners by 2010."

"Desalination is a more energy-intensive process than conventional water treatment processes, which is why we have committed to only running the plant when it is essential, and to providing 100 per cent of the power needed to run it from renewable energy," he said, as reported by the Telegraph.

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May 06, 2008

Company to Pay for Damages to the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park

The Justice Department and the National Park Service jointly announced yesterday, that the Water Supply and Storage Company, operator of the operator of the Grand River Ditch, has consented to pay for damages in the amount of $9 million for the May 30, 2003 breaching the Grand River Ditch, and thus damaging natural resources within the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The mountainside beneath the breach was largely obliterated by the rush of water out of the ditch. The erosive power of water, rock, mud and vegetation caused significant damage to an old growth spruce/fir forest, Lulu Creek, the upper Colorado River, and filled the Lulu City wetlands with sediment.

"This settlement will allow the restoration of critical habitat within Rocky Mountain National Park and protection of the essential headwaters of the Colorado River," said Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "This important settlement demonstrates our commitment to protecting national park system resources."

"This settlement will benefit one of Colorado's crown jewels, Rocky Mountain National Park, for generations to come," said Troy Eid, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado.

"We are happy with this settlement. Our goal, all along, has been to restore park resources that were damaged by the breach. Now we can start," said Vaughn Baker Park Superintendent for Rocky Mountain National Park, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.

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May 05, 2008

Californians Told to Conserve Water

California state officials have issued an urgent call to conserve water pointing out that the Sierra Nevada snowpack has fallen to one-third normal levels and is a primary source of the state's water supply.

"We need to recognize that we're in a water shortage and begin to act accordingly," state Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman said.

"We're in a pretty painful water supply picture," said Jeffrey Kightlinger, the general manager for the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California. "We don't want to institute rationing, but if this continues you will see us take a look at that next year."

In the Coachella Valley, which includes the resort communities around Palm Springs, the water district has proposed a tiered water pricing system. "The idea is to charge customers who use more than their fair share of water", said Mark Beuhler, assistant general manager of the Coachella Valley Water District. "We saw the writing on the wall," Beuhler said. "It is probably the most single effective thing we can do to achieve conservation."

"Some of the things that could happen are not using fountains, requiring use of a shut-off nozzle in the hose at your house, or restrictions on when people can water their lawns,' said district spokesman Jeff Becerra of the East Bay Municipal Utility District, serving Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

"As long as our customers continue to use the same good habits they showed last year, we should be able to get through this year without any cutbacks," said Tony Winnicker, spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, referring to the voluntary conservation
last summer, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the Sacramento Bee.

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May 01, 2008

NASA Satellite to Map Global Water Cycle

NASA recently announced that the Soil Moisture Active-Passive mission (SMAP) is scheduled to launch December 2012.

SMAP will use a six meter deployable mesh antenna (picture by NASA) which will gather global soil moisture and freeze/thaw data so critical for accuracy of weather forecasts and predictions of global carbon cycle and climate change.

"Soil moisture is the lynch pin of the water, energy and carbon cycles over land. It is the variable that links these three cycles through its control on evaporation and plant transpiration. Global monitoring of this variable will allow a new perspective on how these three cycles work and vary together in the Earth system," said MIT Professor Dara Entekhabi, director of the Parsons Laboratory for Environmental Science and Engineering in MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

"Additionally because soil moisture is a state variable that controls both water and energy fluxes at the land surface, we anticipate that assimilation of the global observations will improve the skill in numerical weather prediction, especially for events that are influenced by these fluxes at the base of the atmosphere," he said.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., is the lead NASA center for the project, with participation from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD, as reported by Science Daily.

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April 30, 2008

Largest Fine For Ocean Pollution in the Northwest History

The National Navigation Company (NNC) pleaded guilty yesterday, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, to 15 felony charges involving concealing deliberate vessel pollution, the Justice Department announced.

The company, based in Cairo, Egypt, admitted to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and making false statements to federal officials.

The case involved the dumping of waste oil, including sludge, from six vessels, and although the charges were consolidated in Oregon, Seattle and New Orleans also were harmed.

The court sentenced NNC to pay a total monetary penalty of $7.25 million. This was the largest fine ever for a case involving the falsification of ship logs to conceal deliberate pollution from ships in the Pacific Northwest.

"The National Navigation Company is paying a steep fine for breaking environmental laws and will be required to implement a fleet-wide environmental compliance plan to ensure their future compliance," said Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Today's multi-district prosecution is part of the Justice Department's ongoing initiative to detect and deter those who illegally discharge pollution from ships into the ocean and lie about it," as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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April 29, 2008

Australia Pledges $12.1 billion For Water Conservation

In Canberra, Australia today it was announced that the Australian government will spend US12.1 billion, including $2.9 billion to purchase river water from farmers to revitalize Australia's river systems so devastated by drought.

"We know there have been over-allocation problems and therefore we're happy to talk to the government about buying back water as long as it's from willing sellers," said Ben Fargher, CEO of the National Farmers' Federation.

Brian Sharp, a mayor in a Murray River farming district, said, "The cost of food will certainly rise; the nation's exports will drop."

"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.

The largest portion of the investment will be used to reduce water waste and increase water use efficiency in Australian cities and farms.

Australia is the driest continent in the world after Antarctica and all major cities are running low on drinking water, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the International Herald Tribune.

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April 28, 2008

In Milwaukee An Effort to Limit Water Runoff Pollution

A new regional citizen's group, at the annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lakes conference, held in Milwaukee, WI today announced advocating investment of $480 million to reduce the contaminants flowing off the landscape whenever it rains or snow melts.

This effort is to reduce nonpoint pollutants, which include soil, road salt, pet and livestock waste, oil and grease from vehicles, garbage, fertilizers and pesticides, and other substances washed off the landscape by rain and melting snow.

The plan, to be published later this year by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, states that water quality in the Milwaukee, Menomonee, Kinnickinnic and Root rivers, Oak Creek and the Milwaukee harbor cannot meet federal standards for recreation without first reducing nonpoint pollution sources.

"We need to bring new resources to bear to improve water quality," Cheryl Nenn of Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers said. "We expect to increase funding available to correct storm water problems." "In addition to seeking additional federal and state funding, some new dollars likely will come from national and local foundations," she said.

"Implementing the commission"s water quality plan likely will take 15 to 20 years or longer," said Mike Hahn, the commission's chief environmental engineer.

"And I'm not going to sugarcoat it, it will cost a huge amount of money," Hahn said, referencing the $482.6 million to finance recommended nonpoint control activities, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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April 23, 2008

Southampton, MA Judged to Have the Best Tasting Water

At the ninth annual Great American Water Taste Test, held in Washington, D.C., Southampton, MA was judged to have the best tasting water in the nation, after sampling entries from 39 states, during the Earth Day event, at the annual meeting of the National Rural Water Association.

"I can't believe that we won it against so many entries, that a little town in Western Massachusetts could beat out the whole country, but we did," said Joseph F. Slattery, Southampton's water superintendent who personally drew the water sample used in the competition off one of the town's wellheads near College Highway this past Saturday.

Southampton"s entry came out of the Barnes Aquifer. "It's natural water. It meets such a high standard with the state that we don't even have to treat it," Slattery said.

Yesterday's competition consisted of blind tests for smell and clarity by three judges.

"The judges said the top three were just so close in quality. They said they were separated by just decimal points," said Michael R. Harris, a spokesman for the National Rural Water Association, as reported by The Republican.

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April 22, 2008

South African Children Die From Drinking Unsafe Water

Approximately 80 young children in the South African Eastern Cape district of Ukhahlamba have died from diarrhea and other complications stemming from drinking tainted water, and no action was taken by local health authorities.

Though there most obviously is evidence of a lethal epidemic in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality (UKDM), which included the towns of Barkly East, Maclear, Sterkspruit and Elliot, municipal authorities had not yet issued a public warning .

Apparently last October there was a health report that water purification had broken down, and urgent action was called for but nothing was done. The report was even tabled last week at a closed
door council meeting.

The UKDM's municipal manager, Zolile Williams pointed his finger at the Cloete Joubert Hospital in Barkly East for the deaths saying that they had delayed in determining the cause of death in a timely manner for an investigation.

A senior hospital manager, who asked not be named, said they had informed the municipality but nothing was done until the first 15 deaths were reported, as reported by the Pretoria News.

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April 21, 2008

Jordon to Spend $990 Million to Assure Amman Water

Jordon's Water Minister Raed Abu Soud announced yesterday that a project to make certain the capital city of Amman (pictured) would have potable water in the future.

"The capital will get water from the aquifer for the coming 100 years," he said, adding the project was expected to be completed within three-and-a-half years.

Abu Soud said a Turkish firm, GAMA Energy, has been contracted to extract 100 million cubic meters of water each year from the 300,000 year old Disi aquifer, which lies 325 kilometers south of Amman.

Jordon, where 92% of the land is desert, depends mainly on rainfall for its fresh water, yet has experienced in the past two years a decline in rainfall amounting to virtually half the required amount.

Global warming issues like this make it very important for Jordon to take on a water project of this size at this time, as reported by Agence France-Presse and published by Dow Jones & Company.

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April 17, 2008

More Water Pollution in China: Now it is Lake Taihu

An area of algae, 100 yards wide has been found in China's third largest lake, Lake Taihu (pictured), which supplies fresh water to 30 million people.

The country's Ministry of Environmental Protection, making this report today, noting that this algae pollution is similar to the one in Lake Tahiu in May, which made tap water undrinkable for 1 million people for about 10 days in bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

"Even under very strictly controlled conditions, this phenomenon will last three to five years, or even longer," said Jin Xiangcan, director of the Research Institute of Water Environmental Science at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. He added the quality of water in the lake is level five, the worst quality, meaning the water is useful only for agriculture.

The governor of Jiangsu said in Beijing last month that the lake's pollution would be eliminated in 10 years, according to the Xinhua News Agency, and environmental protection would be a top priority while achieving industrial growth in the future, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by the International Herald Tribune.

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April 16, 2008

The Clean Water Act Must be Restored

A bill to restore the Clean Water Act, which was gutted by a Supreme Court decision in 2005, and is most important to protect our nation's rivers, streams, and wetlands, is getting a hearing today by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, just days after a Senate committee heard testimony about the proposal.

In 2005, the Supreme Court struck down federal jurisdiction over small, isolated wetlands that aren't clearly connected to navigable water, thus leaving unprotected 59% of our streams and ponds.

"This is the most important clean water legislation in the last 35 years," said Joan Mulhern, Senior Legislative Counsel with Earthjustice. "Congress has made the right move to propose the Clean Water Restoration Act. More than 110 million Americans get their drinking water from the same streams and headwaters that could lose their federal Clean Water Act protection. Every day, the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA are making decisions that remove federal protection for these waters. Without this bill, polluting streams, filling wetlands, and burying waters will be common practice," as reported by The Daily Green.

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April 10, 2008

Barcelona, Facing Drought, to bring in Water Via Ship

Barcelona, Spain, with their drought leading to a water emergency, has made arrangement to import water by ship from Marseilles, in southern France; Tarragona, a Catalan industrial port; and desalination plants in southern Spain.

With Spain having only one-third of average year rainfall, the drought is now in its 18th month. The City's reservoirs are now only 20 percent full.

The Catalan Water Agency has chartered 10 tankers to transport water to Barcelona for at least six months, or at least until rainfall returns to normal, at a cost of $35 million a month.

"Unfortunately, costs are sky-rocketing due to the urgency of the situation and the lack of scruples of shipping companies," says Pedro Arrojo of the University of Zaragoza, who is an expert in the economics of water management.

Barcelona has taken steps to reduce water usage this summer by stopping all city fountains, turning off beach showers, plugging leaks in the water system, banning garden watering, and the filling of swimming pools, as reported by The Financial Times Limited.

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April 09, 2008

Oil & Gas Industry Workers to Address Global Water Crises

Industry's Humanitarian Support Alliance NGO (IHSAN), which was formed by Oil & Gas Industry employees, is to address the United Nations' estimates that approximately 1.1 billion and 2.6 billion people currently live without water and proper sanitation. Also that a lack of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation/hygiene is the world's greatest cause of illness which kills 10,000 people a day.

The employees have felt that, with their collective expertise, skills, equipment, and profits, they should be doing more for disadvantaged communities. IHSAN's membership consists of over 200 volunteers, in 25 countries.

On March 22, 2008, World Water Day, IHSAN announced funding for four new projects, including construction of water pumps, eco-sanitation toilets, rainwater harvesting systems, open dams, and water education programs throughout Sierra Leone, Kenya, India, and Ghana, as reported by Business Wire 2008, and published by Investors.com.

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April 08, 2008

No Surprise, EPA says U.S. Water Pipes are Crumbling

As should come as no surprise, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that over the next 20 years water utilities will have to invest $277 billion to repair or improve the infrastructure that delivers water to the nation's cities.

The American Water Works Association, an industry group, has said that the only way to pay for such a monumental project will be for the cost of water to increase.

"Our generation hasn't experienced anything like this. We weren't around when the infrastructure was being built," said Greg Kail, spokesman for the water industry group. "We didn't pay for the pipes to be put in the ground, but we sure benefited from the improvements to public health that came from it."

Utilities currently spend about $10.4 billion annually on large-scale repairs and improvements on drinking water infrastructure, a figure that has been relatively flat during the past two decades, the EPA said.

"The amount of water being lost is inconsequential, given that reservoirs are so full," said New York City Environmental Commissioner Emily Lloyd. But she said "it is important to fix the leaks now because there is no way to tell how the system might deteriorate in the next 30 years," as reported by the Associated Press and published by ABC News.

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April 07, 2008

USGS to take National Water Supply Census

It has been 30 years since the last survey of the U.S. water resources, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is set to conduct a census now.

A USGS official said that the study is needed because growing communities are putting more stress on the nation's river systems and underground water sources, farmers are pumping more ground water to irrigate crops, and outdoor enthusiasts are demanding that more water be set aside for the environment.

The 10-year, $95 million study will divide the country into 21 major river basins, said Robert Hirsch, USGS associate director for water. It will look at stream flows, ground water levels and recharge, water pollution, population trends and water use, he said.

"Usually, states are not keen about having a neighboring state look over their water resources," Hirsch said. "Frankly, there's a lot of distrust among the (states), and having a neutral federal agency, the USGS, could help bring up the level of trust," as reported by the Gannett News Service, and published by the Tennessean.

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April 03, 2008

Vermont Lawmakers Seek to Protect Ground Water

Lawmakers in Vermont are gathering information as they prepare legislation to protect the ground water in the state.

"It's going to surpass energy as a national security issue for the United States," said Maude Barlow, an Ottawa-based environmentalist, referring to potable water.

"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 State Senate has passed, and the State House panel is about to take up legislation which declares the groundwater under Vermont a "public trust." This will protect the state's aquifers from abuse by limiting their use by individuals, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by Forbes.

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April 02, 2008

South Florida Conserves Water and Pays More for it

Through water conservation effort in Palm Beach and Broward Counties in south Florida, revenues at the water utilities suppling water to the area have declined due to less water demand.

Palm Beach County commissioners approved a water rate hike yesterday will cause the average water bill to increase $5.

"It is crazy to say you are using less but you are going to have to pay more," said Commissioner Burt Aaronson, acknowledging that many people will struggle to grasp the reasoning for the new charges. "But that's the way it is if you are going to drink clean, pure water."

"Shortfalls like this are plaguing every utility," said Bevin Beaudet, director of Palm Beach County's Water Utilities Department.

Beaudet said, "Palm Beach County's $100-million-a-year water system just isn't selling as much water as it did prior to the restrictions, and yet, he said, it has fixed operating costs," as reported by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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April 01, 2008

In Manaqua, Nicaragua They Opt for Protecting Water Over Devlopment

Managua, Nicaraqua Mayor Dionisio Marenco has sponsored and surrounding rural suburbs have adopted a ban on the construction of housing units to the south of the city where aquifer that supplies drinking water to the city is located.

"In the name of free enterprise and progress, they have hurt the city's water resources and the country," said the mayor. "In that area, they have destroyed forests without any controls, leveled the land, made sources of water disappear and polluted the water reserves that are going to supply the city for the next 30 years."

The development ban had the support of the town councils in El Crucero, La Concepcion, Managua, Nindirí and Ticuantepe, and of the president's office, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) and the state-run water and sewage company (ENACAL).

"They do business without paying, without making rational use of the water, while polluting it and refusing to bring their construction projects to a halt," ENACAL president Ruth Selma Herrera said.

Víctor Campos, an expert in water resources at the Humboldt Center, a local environmental organization, said, "If there's anything that Nicaragua has it is water: 15 percent of the territory is liquid. The entire country is an enormous aquifer; what is needed is the know-how, investment and research to exploit our water sources," as reported by the Inter Press Service News Agency.

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March 31, 2008

Manila Water to Raise $150 Million for Future Expansion

Manila Water Company, a division of the Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corporation, has announced it is seeking to raise $150 million over the next two years to fund its expansion.

"We need to (secure) new (loan) facilities well in advance before the actual use or need arises given the conditions in the financial markets," Manila Water chief financial officer Sherisa Nuesa told reporters after the company's annual stockholders' meeting today.

"The company wants to take advantage of the currently low interest rates before they go up considering that inflation is likely to push interest rates upward," said Nuesa.

Manila Water, which is partly owned by Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation, will spend about 8 billion pesos in 2008 to build a new a water treatment plant, raising production to 100 million liters per day, as well as constructing three new regional sewage treatment plants, according to company president Antonino Aquino.

Manila Water is bidding for projects in Hong Kong, Vietnam, India and China, as reported by Thomson Financial, and published by Forbes.

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March 26, 2008

Houston, TX Water Projects Get Funding

The Texas Water Development Board has awarded a total of $50 million to two Houston, TX area water authorities for water supply projects.

The Coastal Water Authority is to receive $28 million for a water conveyance system that will transfer up to 448,000 acre-feet per year of raw water from the Trinity River Basin to the San Jacinto River Basin in the Houston area.

Meanwhile, the Central Harris County Regional Water Authority is to get the remaining $22 million for the construction and installation of a series of surface water transmission lines, so as to participate in a re-pumping station to be built by the North Harris County Regional Water Authority, as well as for the construction of a secondary surface water transmission system to its member districts.

These projects should provide Houston's water requirements to 2060, as reported by the Houston Business Journal.

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March 25, 2008

Salmonella Outbreak in Alamosa, CO Cause Linked to Water

In Alamosa, CO, about 160 miles south of Denver, over 200 people have been sickened by salmonella poisoning linked to the municipal water supply.

The municipal system has begun to run chlorine through it to disinfect it.

According to Lisa Stigall, a spokeswoman with the state emergency response team, "The aquifer that's the town's water source appeared to be fine."

"There are many unknowns," Stigall said. "Many questions will be answered as they move through this process."

"The first salmonella victim began showing symptoms around March 8, and state health officials became aware of the outbreak a week later," said Ned Calonge, the health department's chief medical officer.

By March 19, Alamosa residents were told not to drink the water, as reported by the Associated Press, and published by MSNBC.

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March 24, 2008

Drought in Cyprus Leads to Water Rationing

In Nicosia, Cyprus today, emergency water rationing as well as a request to import water from Greece was ordered as a result of a severe water shortage as a result from drought over the last four years.

Reservoir reserves have plunged dangerously low and desalination plants cannot keep up with a growing demand for water. The island's reservoirs are now 10.3 percent full and there has been little rainfall since 2003.

"Cuts are essential to cover the needs of the population," said government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou. "This is an extremely grave situation."

Cyprus has two desalination plants running at full capacity, with a third is due to come on stream in June, as reported by Reuters.

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March 20, 2008

Oil May bring Wealth, but Water is Precious.

Macae, Brazil (pictured), the oil business has brought great wealth to this once small fishing village, but the lack of infrastructure to bring water to the now greatly expanded population is making is a precious commodity.

Nova Holanda, a nearby village where the workers live, has only one standpipe which is connected to the city's primary water supply, so makeshift systems are being used to get needed water.

"Son, in Nova Holanda you've got just two options. Either you pay people to take that water for you or you have a nice pump to do it yourself,",taxi driver and entrepreneur Edvar Santos, 58, said.

Nelio da Cunha, a 23-year-old migrant from Bahia, works for state-owned Petrobras in Macae as a machine operator on the nightshift, but during the daytime he pumps water to make extra money.

"Macae is an expensive city and not everybody has the money like those executives. This is the best solution we found to stay here. There's no rent and no water bill. I think we adapted well," he said.

According to environmentalist Katia Junqueira, "Water and royalties are the same issue. Like other oil cities, Macae had no policy to deal with migration and occupation of the urban area."

"The hoses are an innovative solution, the only one heard of in Brazil, but they also show how those people have been neglected for ages," she said.

City spokesman Romulo Campos said, "We cannot end those infrastructure flaws that have lasted decades. We are also concerned that oil production is not growing as much as in the previous years. Eventually, it will be finished, maybe in 30 years. What happens then, only God knows," as reported by Reuters and published by the Washington Post.

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March 17, 2008

Pawtucket, RI Rainfall Fills Water Supply

February rain filled the reservoir's which supply Pawtucket's water to over capacity, lifting the drought advisory put in affect last fall.

According to Allen Champagne, source water manager for the Pawtucket water system, at the Arnold Mill and Diamond Hill (pictured) reservoirs, the water is "going over the dam."

James L. DeCelles, the water board's chief engineer and general manager, said, "the board voted to lift the advisory at its meeting Tuesday night."

The Pawtucket Water Supply Board is the second largest water utility in Rhode