Water

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  MedicalNewsToday: Water Quality

• How Plants And Bacteria 'Talk' To Thwart Disease

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  When it comes to plants' innate immunity, like many of the dances of life, it takes two to tango. A receptor molecule in the plant pairs up with a specific molecule on the invading bacteria and, presto, the immune system swings into action to defend against the invasion of the disease-causing microbe.

• Ag Biotech Industry Stands Behind IRM Program

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  The agricultural biotechnology industry maintains that the Insect Resistance Management (IRM) Plan has been one of the most successful industry stewardship programs implemented since pest-tolerant biotech crops were introduced more than a decade ago. A report released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) alleges that farmer compliance with the insect-resistance management requirement has declined somewhat in recent years.

• Air Pollution Increases Infants' Risk Of Bronchiolitis

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Infants who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution are at increased risk for bronchiolitis, according to a new study. The study appears in the November 15 issue of the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "There has been very little study of the consequences of early life exposure to air pollution," said Catherine Karr, M.D.

• Climate Change Is Biggest Global Health Threat To Children, Report Says

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  According to a report (.pdf) by Save the Children, climate change is the biggest global health threat to children in the 21st century, the Hindu reports.

• FDA And FSIS Collaborate To Improve Tracing Of Unsafe Food Products

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  A joint public meeting focused on improving the system for tracing of food products and ingredients that are causing illness outbreaks or presenting other risks to the health of consumers was announced today by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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  Circle of Blue

• Keith Schneider: Climate Treaty Will Come After COP15

  Keith Schneider

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

  Circle of Blue’s senior editor analyzes the Barcelona climate talks as the conference comes to a close and U.S. legislation remains at a standstill. BARCELONA (November 5, 2009) – It’s been 30 years since scientists first gained a clear understanding of the dangerous consequences of continuously adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This week during the five days of negotiations in Barcelona the world learned again that the formula for solving global warming is a diplomatic chemistry problem that still defies a solution. The problem has less to do with the regulatory and…

• Peter Gleick: California Water Bills. Is the New Water Legislation Better than Nothing?

  Dr. Peter Gleick

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

  A lot of people have asked me my opinion about the new water legislation just passed in Sacramento. Here is a longer version of my piece in the New York Times Bay Area blog page. After months of negotiations, wrangling, lobbying, and deal-making, much of it behind closed doors and out of public view, the California legislature has just passed a major new water package that includes both complex policy changes and a huge bond request that the voters will be asked to approve. Despite the happy face being put on by some of the bill’s supporters, including Governor Schwarzenegger, I doubt…

• Delegates Seek More Definition, Much More, in Barcelona Climate Talks

  Keith Schneider

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:56 pm

  Circle of Blue’s senior editor, Keith Schneider, lays the backdrop for the climate negotiations, highlighting the United States’ shortfalls. BARCELONA (November 4, 2009) — Given the scary hazards of climate change – more killer storms, rising seas, farmland turning to dust, and time running out on reaching agreement on a global plan that leads to a solution  – a bit of humor and irony is probably a good thing. Early Monday morning, at the start of the final negotiating session before a big climate conference next month in Copenhagen, delegates from 192 countries were…

• Keith Schneider: Advocates Try To Plug the Drain of Water From Climate Negotiations

  Keith Schneider

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:36 pm

  Circle of Blue’s Keith Schneider examines the Bangkok and Barcelona conferences to understand why water’s been pulled from climate negotiations. Schneider also talks with an advocate who’s determined to put water back on the table. BARCELONA (November 4, 2009) — Last month, when participants in Bangkok concluded another of the international negotiating sessions on climate change, a group of water policy specialists believed they were making progress. The Bangkok meeting concluded with the publication of a specialized report on the proceedings, known in United…

• Peter Gleick: Doing Desalination Wrong: Poseidon on the Public Dole

  Dr. Peter Gleick

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:57 am

  Many people believe that desalination of seawater is the ultimate solution to California (and the planet’s) water problems. I’ve written about desalination in previous posts (see here and here), and have made it clear that I love the idea. In theory. And in select locations. In practice, however, desalination in California is an idea whose time has not yet come. It remains too expensive, compared to untapped conservation and efficiency, recycled water, capturing stormwater, and smart trades with agriculture. The Institute wrote about the pros and cons of desalination in one of our…

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  Google News: Water

• DNR will enforce water well reporting - News-Leader.com

  7 Nov 2009 | 1:05 am

  DNR will enforce water well reportingNews-Leader.comThe Missouri Department of Natural Resources will start enforcing water well reporting rules, DNR chief Mark Templeton said Friday. and more »

• Venezuelans struggling with water shortages - The Associated Press

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:11 pm

  Seattle Post IntelligencerVenezuelans struggling with water shortagesThe Associated PressFILAS DE MARICHES, Venezuela — While a drought has put Caracas under widespread water rationing for the first time in years, for Venezuelans in this Venezuelans struggling with water shortagesNPRall 112 news articles »

• Privatizing water would cost city millions each year, foes' study says - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:36 pm

  Privatizing water would cost city millions each year, foes' study saysMilwaukee Journal SentinelPrivatizing the Milwaukee Water Works could cost water customers at least $17 million more each year than the city and more »

• State regulators cut water rate hike in half - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm

  State regulators cut water rate hike in halfPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewBy staff and wire reports Saturday, November 7, 2009 Pennsylvania American Water Co.'s proposed $58.1 million rate increase, which would have raised the Pa. American Water gets rate increasePhiladelphia InquirerPennsylvania American Water customers face 6.6% rate increaseScranton Times-TribunePennsylvania American Water Rate Case Settlement Includes Increased Funding CNNMoney.com (press release)PennLive.comall 17 news articles »

• Backers of Malibu septic ban rode wave of surfers' testimony - Los Angeles Times

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:38 pm

  Los Angeles TimesBackers of Malibu septic ban rode wave of surfers' testimonyLos Angeles TimesMalibu board riders' tales of illness due to pollution helped spur regional water officials to prohibit new tanks. By Martha Groves One after another, Water officials ban septic tanks in MalibuThe Associated PressWater board bans septic systems in central, eastern MalibuMalibu TimesSurfrider Foundation Wins Victory At MalibuSurfline.com Surf Newsabc7.com -89.3 KPCC -Malibu Surfside Newsall 227 news articles »

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  Topix: Water Utilities

• Suffolk County Water Authority adds electronic debit service

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

  The Suffolk County Water Authority has launched a new online direct debit payment service.

• Pennichuck reports $1.4 million in profits

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:57 am

  Customers used less water in the third quarter of this year, but Pennichuck Corp.

• American States Water Company Q3 2009 Earnings Call Transcript

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:06 pm

  American States Water Company November 4, 2009 2:00 pm ET Executives Bob Sprowls - President & Chief Executive Officer Analysts Nancy Doyle - MetLife Debra Coy - Janney Montgomery Garik Shmois - Longbow Research Presentation Operator Welcome to the American States Water Company conference call discussing third quarter 2009 results.

• SouthWest Water to Report Third Quarter 2009 Financial Results and...

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

  SouthWest Water Company , a leading provider of water and wastewater services through utility ownership and contract operations, will release its 2009 third quarter financial results by Monday, November 9, 2009 .

• Save the Salton Sea before it's too late

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:36 pm

  It's time for action on the state's largest lake before it turns into the nation's biggest toxic dust bowl.

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  U.S. EPA Water News

• EPA Region 7 to Participate at National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk Event

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:05 am

  Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Kansas City, Kan., Nov. 6, 2009) - EPA officials will attend the annual National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk event in Kansas City on Thursday, Nov. 12. Attendees will be available for news interviews in booth 70

• Fish processing plant in Haines, Alaska faces a possible $177,500 fine for discharging fish waste without a permit

  3 Nov 2009 | 3:27 pm

  (Haines, Alaska – Nov. 3, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filed a complaint against Chilkoot Fish & Caviar, Inc. for violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The violations occurred at Chilkoot’s fish processing plant located at Mile 5 Lutak Road in Haines, Alaska

• Kinnickinnic River Cleanup Means a Revitalized Milwaukee Neighborhood

  2 Nov 2009 | 12:52 pm

  For Immediate Release 09-OPA221 CONTACT: Karen Thompson, 312-353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov Kinnickinnic River cleanup means a revitalized Milwaukee neighborhood MILWAUKEE (November 2, 2009) -- U.S

• EPA Adds Raritan Bay Site to Nation’s Superfund List

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:57 am

  (New York, NY) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed the Raritan Bay Slag site in Sayreville and Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL)

• TMDL ‘Pollution Diet’ Meetings Set for W. Va.

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:12 am

  PHILADELPHIA (October 30, 2009) The U.S

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  WaterConserve.info

• Climate Change, Nitrogen Loss Threaten Plant Life in Arid Desert Soils

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Physorg: In the Mojave Desert winds howl across this hottest place in North America, blowing sands across Death Valley and through empty ghost towns, swirling across treeless land for hundreds of miles. But even in the otherworldly Mojave, life thrives. The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), an indicator species for this desert, defines the Mojave's boundaries. In spring when the rains come, brightly colored flowers bloom in profusion--nature's paintbrush on an otherwise monotone landscape. Now ...

• Canada to investigate disappearing Pacific salmon

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Reuters: Canada will launch an investigation into why far fewer sockeye salmon than scientists had predicted returned to the Fraser River on the Pacific Coast this summer. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the judicial inquiry on Thursday, saying the federal government was concerned about the declining sockeye population. Federal government scientists had predicted that as many as 13 million sockeye salmon would return to the river this year to breed, but it is now estimated that ...

• Numerous Challenges For Harare Water Supply

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Inter Press Service: Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda is a troubled man. When he took office in July 2008, one of his most immediate tasks was to resolve the water crisis in the capital. 

But as the year draws to an end, many areas of Harare still do not have a reliable supply of the precious liquid. Even the man who superintends thousands of households has no piped water at his own home. 

"I also do not have water at my house in Chisipite (a plush suburb where most senior ...

• NASA satellite image reveals extent of drought in East Africa

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Mongabay: A new image from NASA shows the severity of the drought in East Africa, which impacted Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Three failed rains in a row brought the region to its knees: four million people were reported to be going hungry in Kenya alone; lakes and rivers dried up entirely; withered crops drove farmers into slums; wildlife, from elephants to hippos, perished; there were even reports of camels dying. Northwest Kenya, as shown in the image, was hit the hardest. ...

• Study: Nitrogen pollution worsens in Rockies lakes

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Associated Press: Airborne nitrogen pollution from vehicle exhaust and farm fertilizer is turning algae in the alpine lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park into junk food for fish, a study says. A similar phenomenon is occurring in Sweden and Norway, according to the study of about 90 high-elevation lakes set to be published in the journal Science on Friday. Arizona State University professor James Elser, the study's lead author, said the effect of airborne nitrogen on once-pristine lakes is ...

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  ScienceDaily: Water Conservation

• Chemists Describe Solar Energy Progress And Challenges, Including The 'Artificial Leaf'

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.

• Rainwater Is Safe To Drink, Australian Study Suggests

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  A new study into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink.

• Are The Alps Growing Or Shrinking?

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  The Alps are growing just as quickly in height as they are shrinking. This paradoxical result comes from a new study by a group of German and Swiss geoscientists. Due to glaciers and rivers, about exactly the same amount of material is eroded from the slopes of the Alps as is regenerated from the deep Earth's crust. The climatic cycles of the glacial period in Europe over the past 2.5 million years have accelerated this erosion process.

• United States Using Less Water Than 35 Years Ago

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new report.

• Nitrogen Loss Threatens Desert Plant Life, Study Shows

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  As the climate gets warmer, arid soils lose nitrogen as gas, reports a new study. That could lead to deserts with even less plant life than they sustain today, say the researchers.

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  Water SISWEB

• Three Gorges water plan postponed

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

  China has postponed a plan to raise the Three Gorges reservoir to its ideal height of 175 metres due to a lack of water, the firm running the dam said.8 Vote(s)

• Forests in the desert: the answer to climate change?

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

  Climate change could be cancelled out in a staggeringly ambitious plan to plant the Sahara desert and Australian outback with trees Some talk of hoisting mirrors into space to reflect sunlight, while others want to cloud the high atmosphere with millions of tonnes of shiny sulphur dust. Now, scientists could have dreamed up the most ambitious geoengineering plan to deal with climate change yet8 Vote(s)

• The World's Dirtiest Power Plants

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:31 pm

  Sixty percent of the world's electricity comes from plants burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon. Many of the highest-emission plants are concentrated in the United States and East Asia. Here, a look at the world's 200 biggest carbon offenders among power plants. Roll over any plant for more information.8 Vote(s)

• 15,000 reasons to worry about state's lakes

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pm

  Zebra mussels first turned up in North America in the summer of 1988, thanks to overseas freighters' longstanding - and ongoing - practice of dumping their contaminated ballast water in the Great Lakes, which are now home to more than 185 non-native species. Biologists say the damage being done to the world's largest freshwater system cannot be overstated, but the problem has become bigger tha8 Vote(s)

• Toxic Chemicals on Tap: How Natural Gas Drilling Threatens Drinking Water

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:12 pm

  In light of the increased pressure to drill for more natural gas in states across the country, this report focuses on the dangers to drinking water from gas drilling. In particular, we examined hydraulic fracturing (often called "fracking"), a commonly used process gas companies employ to extract natural gas or oil reserves. Natural gas exists in bubbles underground, much like bubbles in carbonat8 Vote(s)

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  On Water

• On Water news: 6 November

  jfridy

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:05 pm

  Septic tanks on their way out in MalibuL.A. Times / by Martha GrovesCity: Wastewater plant proceeding with or without VVWRAVictorville Daily Press / by Brooke EdwardsSmart water technologies to be a $16.3B industry by 2020Treehugger.com / by Jaymi HeimbuchAuction for Chino basin water supplies postponed until next yearContra Costa Times / by Mediha Fejzagic DiMartinoWastewater treatment facility opens in ClovisFresno Business JournalMWD launches 8th annual Solar CupReutersOriginal post blogged on b2evolution.

• On Water news: 5 November

  jfridy

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

  California lawmakers pass historic water packageSacramento Bee / by Steve WiegandCalifornia legislators strike a final water dealL.A. Times / by Bettina BoxallHistoric water accord reachedContra Costa Times / by Mike TaugherLawmakers approve major water deal with dams, conservation and restorationChico Enterprise-Record / by Samantha YoungBillions in earmarks helps ease passage of water dealCapitol Weekly / by Anthony York and John HowardSweeping state water vote changes law, includes borrowing billionsRiverside Press-Enterprise / by Jim MillerLegislature passes water-system overhaulS.F.

• Dam news: 5 November

  Paul

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:24 am

  Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal.Get Money for your Dam Removal Project American Rivers (blog) Rivers is once again working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to offer grants for stream barrier removal projects. Billions in earmarks helps ease passage of water deal Capitol Weekly The bond includes $100 million for the Lake Tahoe Conservancy, $100 million for Salton Sea preservation and $250 million for a dam removal project near Lake First Click -- Maryland Washington Post State to begin "emergency" dam removal Um, that'd be the emergency…

• On Water news: 4 November

  jfridy

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:48 pm

  California Legislature passes state water conservation billL.A. Times / by Bettina BoxallLawmakers pass water package after removing Sacramento projectSacramento Bee / by Jim Sanders and Steve WiegandCalifornia lawmakers approve water dealWoodland Daily DemocratOpinion: Capitol labors long on water but produces a drop in the bucketSacramento Bee / by Dan WaltersWater uncertainty frustrates busy Calif. FarmersSan Diego Union-Tribune / by Tracie ConePeripheral issue should be front and center Ventura County Star / by Timm HerdtCardoza demands accounting of everything affecting Delta smelt and…

• On Water news: 3 November

  jfridy

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:38 pm

  Legislature approves $9.9 billion water bond billOakland Tribune / by Denis C. Theriault and Mike TaugherSenate passes portions of state water reformL.A. Times / by Bettina BoxallLegislators continue talks on state water plan, now $9.99 billionSacramento Bee / by Steve WiegandMajor components of water overhaul pass SenateS.F. Chronicle / by Wyatt Buchanan and Marisa LagosLegislature's water action comes in dribblesRiverside Press-Enterprise / by Jim MillerPoliticos say they're being pushed aside in Delta talksVacaville Reporter / by Lisa VorderbrueggenAs water deal takes shape, old problems…

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  WEF Water Blog

• The Color Purple: Protecting Against Cross-Connections from Wastewater

  2 Nov 2009 | 10:31 am

  By Don Vandertulip, P.E.Principal, CDMMany individuals who follow industry developments are aware of revisions to the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) (see my 12.08 blog for background) that now require use of purple pipe on private property plumbing to convey any non-potable water. The International Plumbing Code (IPC) distributed by the International Code Council (ICC) has similar requirements. WEF’s primary objection to use of purple pipe for onsite non-potable water is the risk to the public through…

• Time to Reinvent the Clean Water Act?

  19 Oct 2009 | 6:19 am

  By Paul Freedman, 2009-2010 President of WEFAlmost 4 decades ago I decided to become a water quality professional, inspired by my personal experiences growing up in Cleveland. There the Cuyahoga River often caught fire and Lake Erie was truly eerie, not blue as you would expect of a Great Lake but rather turbid brown, with green swirls and dead floating fish. In 1972 the Clean Water Act was passed to address the main cause--pollution from poorly treated wastewater. Since then we as a profession have worked hard to successfully eliminate this pollution and improve national water quality. In…

• WEFTEC.09: Can’t Hide the Excitement!

  12 Oct 2009 | 12:00 am

  By Paul Bowen, Ph.D.As I conclude my last year as chair of the WEFTEC Program Committee, I am—-as always—-truly excited by the meeting’s technical program. Here at WEFTEC.09, our comprehensive program highlights new and innovative research as well as featuring fresh approaches to proven programs and operations. And this year’s high-quality workshops are in a class by themselves--it’s really exciting to see how everything has come together!WEFTEC is where you can meet and learn from some of the best and brightest minds in our field. They attend WEFTEC by the thousands and include my…

• Thanks for the Opportunities and the Memories

  28 Sep 2009 | 12:00 am

  By Rebecca West, 2008-2009 WEF PresidentWell I’m getting close to the end of my term, and I've got to say that it’s been an awesome ride! Like probably every other WEF President, I’m hoping to leave the Federation just a little bit further down the road in terms of providing the world’s best technical knowledge and training in water. To that end, I’m happy to report that Stormwater and Nutrients are two areas the Federation has targeted for resource development. And hot topics like these will be considered as a part of WEF’s latest efforts to “globalize” programming and…

• SYPC Gets Ready for Wet Work in Orlando

  18 Sep 2009 | 12:00 pm

  By Haley Falconer, Chair of SYPC Service Project SubcommitteeI’m excited to report that WEF’s Students and Young Professionals Committee (SYPC) will definitely enhance the environment in Orlando this year at WEFTEC! On Saturday October 10th, around 80 volunteers from WEF, consulting firms, universities, and industry are joining forces to complete the second annual community service project, “Wading for Wetlands,” at the Northwest Water Reclamation Facility outside of Orlando. This year we are focusing on harvesting plants from an established part of the wetland and replanting them in…

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  WaterOline Articles

• Pall Scientists Selected To Present Papers On Water Desalination And Reuse At IDA World Conference

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pm

  Senior scientists from Pall Corporation, a global leader in filtration, separation and purification, will present three papers at the International Desalination Association (IDA) World Congress 2009, which takes place in Dubai, UAE from November 7-12, 2009 at the Atlantis Resort on the Palm.

• Monash Study Suggests Rainwater Is Safe To Drink

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:29 pm

  A world first study by Monash University researchers into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink.

• Water-Conserving Irrigation Strategies Minimize Overwatering, Runoff

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:56 pm

  Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two of the most important issues confronting container nursery operations.

• Aqwise Named Israel's Fastest-Growing Technology Company

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:06 am

  Aqwise, provider of advanced water and wastewater treatment solutions, was ranked first at the "Deloitte Technology Fast 50" competition for Israel 2009.

• City Of Phoenix Acquires Bentley's SewerGEMS To Enhance Analysis, Design, And Operation Of Wastewater Infrastructure

  2 Nov 2009 | 11:59 pm

  The city of Phoenix, Ariz., has acquired Bentley's SewerGEMS multiplatform software for sanitary sewer systems to enhance its ability to analyze, design, and operate its extensive wastewater infrastructure.

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  Water - Use It Wisely

• U.S. uses less water in 2005 than 1975 despite population increase. Good news right?

  Ryan

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  Technically, the nation is using less water in 2005 than it did in 1975 despite a 30 percent population increase over that same time. Good news right? Of course. But, according to the same Geological Survey report, human consumption has also steadily increased over that time. That can be expected considering the population increase, and Andrew Nusca and Larry Dignan of “Smart Planet” do a great job of breaking down the survey here. The bottom line is the downturn in water-use has stemmed from more effecient technologies in irrigation systems and power plants. This, of course, is…

• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-23

  Park

  23 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

  Water - Use It Wisely debuts new video series, “Tinkling with Ryan” - http://tinyurl.com/yzs7dqr #

• Gardens Demonstrate the Beauty of Xeriscape

  City of Glendale

  21 Oct 2009 | 3:49 pm

  Visiting a xeriscape, or low-water-use, demonstration garden is an excellent way to get new and innovative ideas for your home landscape. You won’t have to travel far, as many of the Water – Use It Wisely partners feature unique demonstration gardens located throughout the Valley. To see a list of over 15 demonstration gardens throughout Arizona, visit http://wateruseitwisely.com/region/arizona/links-and-resources/demonstration-gardens/ At xeriscape demonstration gardens, you’ll get the opportunity to see interesting plant combinations and plants at their mature size. Discover creative…

• WUIW debuts video series - “Tinkling with Ryan”

  Ryan

  19 Oct 2009 | 9:49 am

  Water - Use It Wisely invites you to check out its new video series, “Tinkling with Ryan.” The series provides regular entertaining takes on water conservation news and tips. In the first episode, Ryan shows you how easy it is to install a water-saving shower head. Believe me, if this guy can do it so can you.

• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-16

  Park

  16 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

  Catch the first episode of “Tinkling with Ryan” and learn how to install a water-saving shower head - http://tinyurl.com/yjve9ty #

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  Aquafornia

• Friday’s top of the scroll: Legislature passes sweeping revamp of California water management: An in-depth look at the legislation

  Aqua Blog Maven

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am

  From the law firm of Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard, this extensive look inside the provisions of the recently passed water legislation: “On November 4, 2009, the Legislature passed a sweeping package of legislation that seeks to improve water supply reliability throughout California. Upon signature by the governor, the package will create a new Delta Stewardship Council [...]

• Norcal water leaders say deal will need watching

  Aqua Blog Maven

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:55 am

  From the Chico Enterprise-Record: “State legislators wrapped up their wranglings on water issues this week, sending five bills and a plan to ask voters to approve $11.1 billion in bonds to pay for a host of programs, including reservoirs and environmental programs. The bills don’t include a peripheral canal around the Delta, but they do make it [...]

• Vacaville-area agencies studying water legislation

  Aqua Blog Maven

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  From the Vacaville Reporter: “With the approval of this week’s state water plan, local agencies will have to begin working on how to comply with some of the new rules. As news began rippling through the area, people like David Okita, general manager of the Solano County Water Agency, began versing themselves in the new material. Having [...]

• Water bond presents puzzle for North Coast

  Aqua Blog Maven

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am

  From the Contra Costa Times: “A massive water bond developed by state legislators for the November 2010 election presents a conundrum for supporters of removing the Klamath River’s dams. In the $11.1 billion bond measure is $250 million that would satisfy California’s portion of funding to remove four dams on the Klamath. The legislative package passed Wednesday contains [...]

• Leak of the Week: Delta flow chart

  Aqua Blog Maven

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am

  So what’s the new governance system for the Delta going to look like? Capitaol Weekly shows us: “Below is a flow chart that was circulated by lobbyists this week in an attempt to illustrate the convoluted governance plan of the Sacrament/San Joaquin River Delta. The Legislature approved a sweeping bill package this week that, among [...]

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  AWRA Water Blog

• Westlands Water District: Your Tax Dollars At Work

  Michael "Aquadoc" Campana

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:37 pm

  Lloyd G. Carter just published this provocative article in the Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal. Here are the first few paragraphs of Reaping Riches in a Wretched Region: Subsidized Industrial Farming and Its Link to Perpetual Poverty:  In the last few decades, well over a billion dollars in taxpayer aid has been provided to a [...] Related posts:Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Climate Change Portal Bob Teeter, the librarian at the SCV Water District, just...Putting the Civil Rights Act to Work for Environmental Justice Noah Hall’s excellent Great Lakes Law…

• A Nobel Laureate for Us Common WaterWonks

  Michael "Aquadoc" Campana

  22 Oct 2009 | 7:49 pm

  It is not too often that those of us in the water community can claim some disciplinary kinship with a Nobel Laureate, especially one from the economics realm. But this year we can take pride in seeing Elinor (Lin) Ostrom of Indiana University share the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. She is the first woman to win [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

• New Hydrophilanthropy: SafeWater4Kids

  Michael "Aquadoc" Campana

  14 Oct 2009 | 3:17 pm

  I just learned of a new organization, SafeWater4Kids (SW4Ks). Its mission is to provide sustainable safe drinking water to children and families in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Read more here. Laura R. Brunson, whom I met a few years ago at the University of Oklahoma’s WaTER Center, is the Director of Marketing and Development. [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

• Water Alternatives Issue – Hydraulic Bureaucracies: Flows of Water, Flows of Power

  Michael "Aquadoc" Campana

  9 Oct 2009 | 8:13 am

  Most of the current (October 2009) issue of the open-access journal Water Alternatives is devoted to Hydraulic Bureaucracies: Flows of Water, Flows of Power. There are some great articles here, including one by Aguanomics czar David Zetland: The end of abundance: How water bureaucrats created and destroyed the southern California oasis Download Zetland Art2-3-4  You can download the [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

• Happy Water New Year!

  Michael "Aquadoc" Campana

  1 Oct 2009 | 11:10 am

  It’s the start of a new water year! Drink a toast of cool, clean tap water to the new year. Thanks to Michael Furniss for the photo and the reminder.  “Civilization exists by hydrological consent, subject to change without notice.” – apologies to Will Durant No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

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  On the Water Front

• Water policy reform package is good for California

  Spreck Rosekrans

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:33 pm

  Laura Harnish is the California Regional Director. Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF. Environmental Defense Fund is delighted that the package of water policy reform bills has passed both houses of California’s legislature and will be sent to Governor Schwarzenegger for his signature. We believe this package provides a foundation that will guide environmental protection and sustainable water supply management for many years to come. And we expect that as a result, California’s farms and cities, as well as fisheries in the Bay Delta and Central Valley watershed, will be better…

• Sausage Making and California Water Legislation

  Cynthia Koehler

  28 Oct 2009 | 5:13 pm

  Cynthia Koehler is Senior Consulting Attorney for EDF. The California Legislature is on the cusp of voting for an historic water deal. The Senate could vote within the next few days. And as the famous saying goes, there are two things that you don’t want to watch: sausage making and the legislative process. The latest attempted additive to the sausage: an amendment that would jeopardize the long-standing and foundational water law premise that requires that all water use in California be “reasonable” and not wasteful. For the better part of a century, California–like most of the…

• Groundwater monitoring is important for California

  Spreck Rosekrans

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:12 pm

  Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF. Groundwater is one of the more contentious aspects of the water reform legislation currently under consideration in Sacramento. Some legislators have indicated that they would not sign the bill if it contains even modest language requiring that groundwater levels be monitored. This makes no sense to us. Reasonable people may differ on how much groundwater should be pumped in any particular region under certain conditions. But to have no limits at all assures a “race to the bottom”, akin to two hungry kids, each with a straw, sharing a single…

• Within Reach: Transforming California’s Water System

  Spreck Rosekrans

  13 Oct 2009 | 10:44 am

  Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF. Our water system isn’t working for anyone – not for cities, not for farms, and certainly not for fish. For the first time in over a decade, the California legislature has a chance to address our outdated water system and our broken Bay-Delta ecosystem. At the end of the last legislative session, a water policy package was put forward that proposed critical steps needed to provide a resilient water supply for all Californians and badly needed environmental protections as well. Like others in the environmental community, EDF…

• A wild and wooly week of water

  Spreck Rosekrans

  2 Oct 2009 | 3:59 pm

  Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF. The 2009 water year ended this week amidst a plethora of activity, conflict and entertainment. On Tuesday, as NASA rocket scientists were talking water in Pasadena, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart responded to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on the Daily Show. On Wednesday, PacifiCorp agreed to terms for removing four controversial dams on the Klamath River. On Thursday, after years of litigation and negotiation spearheaded by our colleagues at NRDC, releases from Friant Dam to the San Joaquin River were made–rewetting a riverbed that is often dry…

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  We All Live Downstream

• Big Stone II – Stopping the Coal Fired Power Plant That Couldn’t Be Stopped

  jdecock

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:54 am

  When an expansion of the Big Stone coal-fired power plant was announced, conventional wisdom said that it couldn’t be stopped. Utilities across the country forecast the need for large numbers of new plants to satisfy our insatiable demand for more and more electricity. Big Stone II, as the project became known, seemed like one of an inevitable wave of new coal-fire power plants sweeping the nation. Mary Jo Stueve, Clean Water Action organizer in South Dakota, wasn’t buying it. Mary Jo turned on the full power of grassroots and began organizing South Dakotans around the impacts of…

• Want to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? Reduce Your Trash Footprint!

  jdecock

  23 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pm

  The Product Policy Institute has recently released two new reports that confirm product and packaging waste contribute forty-four percent of U.S. Greenhouse gas emissions. The reports, produced by the U.S. EPA and the Product Policy Institute, look at both products produced within the U.S. and those that are imported into the U.S. These reports help make the connection between EPR and reducing GHG emissions. Our appetite for trash is an all-consuming force in our lives.  Most people, given any kind of choice, would not opt for heavy plastic blister-packs to protect their purchases.  Most…

• The Clean Water Act Birthday Celebration Continues

  jdecock

  21 Oct 2009 | 12:03 pm

  –From Guest Blogger Lynn Thorp– The Environmental Protection’s Agency (EPA) has invoked a little-used Clean Water Act authority to review a previously-issued permit for a mountaintop removal project in West Virginia.  Acting Region 3 Administrator William Early announced the permit review in an October 16 letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  This is a good start in EPA’s stated intent to review numerous mountaintop removal coal mining projects. There’s plenty of background on section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act and on why EPA believes this action is warranted due…

• 37 Years of the Clean Water Act Thanks To Clean Water Action

  jdecock

  18 Oct 2009 | 8:35 pm

  Today’s Guest Blogger is Lynn Thorp, National Programs Director for Clean Water Action.  Lynn and our team of water warriors are leading the battle to restore the integrity and effectiveness of the Clean Water Act, a landmark piece of legislation that was born from the vision of our organization and damaged by administrative assaults and poorly rendered supreme court decisions during the tenure of George W. Bush.   We are going to repair this damage with the passion and energy we brought to the original fight. Clean Water Action was founded in 1971 to push for passage of a visionary…

• Tsunami of Support for Clean Water Action in Philadelphia

  jdecock

  15 Oct 2009 | 10:34 pm

  Guest Post by Brady Russell of Clean Water Action Philadelphia.  If you’re in Philly, stop by the party.  If you aren’t check out the opportunity to buy an amazing piece of art developed for the event. As if I wasn’t already excited enough about this Friday’s 13th Annual Clean Water Action Party on Boathouse Row, we have something new on offer this year. Environmentally inspired artwork. I have to confess, I’m blown away by what’s been offered. I met Dave Holley at InLiquid’s Art for the Cash Poor this summer and started talking to him about the…

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  WesternWater Blog

• My View: Chromium 6 still threatens California's drinking water

  Matthew Cunningham

  26 Oct 2009 | 9:46 am

  By Erin Brockovich  - Special to The Sacramento Bee Polluters who contaminate drinking water and make people sick shouldn't get off easy. That has been the focus of my work for two decades, and I'm not planning to stop now. My work focused the attention of the world on a carcinogen called hexavalent chromium (hex chrome). In 1996, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. – a multibillion-dollar corporation – paid $333 million in damages to the people of Hinkley for contaminating their drinking water and covering up the problem for decades while people got sick and died. This victory was…

• Editorial: Water reform package is worth saving

  Matthew Cunningham

  20 Sep 2009 | 7:24 am

  Sacramento Bee  - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers came very close earlier this month to a historic pact aimed at restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and ensuring the future of California's water supply. They should get back to work and close that deal. The package that died at the end of the legislative session was like a glass half full. It was missing some crucial elixers – the result of some hasty, last-minute bartending. But now there is time to finish the job and give the proposals the public vetting they deserve. Why wait? This package included some…

• As California Legislative Session Ends, Lawmakers Push for Water Package

  Matthew Cunningham

  10 Sep 2009 | 6:31 am

  By Jack Phillips Water pours into an irrigation canal on April 17, 2009 near Firebaugh, California. California's State Legislature will close this Friday after a nine-month session which has been largely bogged down by the budget crisis. Issues ranging from the ailing prison system to the water crisis have now been pushed to the forefront. Lawmakers hope to make some crucial breakthroughs by the end of the week. The state's water issues are taking precedent, with a special committee meeting last Tuesday, which included representatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

• California Conference Committee on Water Charged with Solving States Water Woes

  Matthew Cunningham

  3 Sep 2009 | 3:00 pm

  By: Logan Andrews/Sacramento Citizen Email: SacCitizen.LoganAndrews@gmail....    With only a matter of days left in the 2009 legislative year, lawmakers have formed a Legislative Conference Committee on Water. The conference committee is charged with creating a series of reforms that help reform and shape California’s antiquated water system and lead to a reliable supply of water for the state's water users. On Wednesday Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) and Republican Senators Huff, Cogdill and Aanestad, along with members of the…

• The denominator problem: Misleading use of water numbers

  Matthew Cunningham

  27 Aug 2009 | 8:28 am

  By Dr. Gleick, Pacific Institute I'm a believer in the power of facts and numbers to help make public policy. I believe that without good science and without good numbers, it is difficult to make good public policy. And it is impossible to make good public policy with bad numbers. The good news is that most policy makers understand this. The bad news is that there are people and groups (on both the left and the right) who work to produce or disseminate bad numbers as a way of influencing policy decisions in their favor. I've addressed these broad questions of the misuse of science in…

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  Water News Update

• Friday’s Water News: Increased Funding Coming for Water and Sewer Systems

  bengann

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:06 pm

  Last Week, President Obama signed the FY 2010 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill which substantially increases federal funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. Included in the legislation is $2.1 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, $1.38 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and $157 in direct grants to communities for water infrastructure projects. Headlines A water main break has forced officials to temporarily shut down a New Jersey Turnpike rest area in the northern New Jersey borough of Ridgefield. Glen Cove, New York Mayor…

• Thursday’s Headlines: California Passes Legislation Overhauling Water System

  bengann

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:58 pm

  California lawmakers passed legislation overhauling the state’s  water system on Wednesday. It is the most comprehensive legislation to emerge from the state legislature since the 1960s, when the state’s system served a much smaller population of users. The bills include an $11.1 billion bond issue, which voters will be asked to approve next November. The rest of the roughly $40 billion in projects will be paid for by localities, largely through new user fees. Headlines Residents in a Boston neighborhood say the city failed them after a water main break two weeks…

• Wednesday’s Water News: JP Morgan Reaches $700M Settlement in Sewer Bond Case

  bengann

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:16 pm

  J.P. Morgan Chase has agreed to a settlement worth more than $700 million over federal regulators’ charges that it made unlawful payments to friends of public officials to win municipal bond business in Jefferson County, Alabama. The move lowers the county’s bond debt to about $3.2 billion from $3.9 billion, but officials had no immediate comment on whether that was enough to help the county avoid filing what would be the largest municipal bankruptcy ever. Headlines A water main break in Cleveland Heights, Ohio  on Wednesday morning caused water to shoot into the air about 30…

• Tuesday’s Water News: $35 Million Project Starts in Chicago Suburb

  bengann

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:11 pm

  The Chicago suburb of Itasca, Illinois is constructing a $35 million wastewater treatment plant to prepare for business and population growth. The plant will take about two years to build and will increase wastewater treatment capacity from 2.65 million to 4 million gallons per day. Headlines It was a rude awakening for several residents in Apple Valley, California after a broken water main flooded their yards and caused a sinkhole in one homeowner’s driveway. A six-inch water main ruptured in a Los Angeles neighborhood this morning, just one day after another broken main created a…

• Monday’s Water News: California City Fined $2.3 Million for Sewer Overflow

  bengann

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:28 pm

  The City of Pacifica, California faces a $2.3 million fine imposed by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for discharge of partially treated sewage estimated at 6.9 million gallons into the Pacific Ocean during a rainstorm on January 25 and 26, 2008. Headlines Last week’s combined sewer overflow from the Essexville (Mich.) Wastewater Treatment Plant totaled 1.4 million gallons. Plant personnel said the area received about 1.4 inches of rain, which overwhelmed its system and caused the overflow of partially treated sewage and stormwater runoff into the Saginaw River. It’s…

• 
  WaterWired

• I've Died and Gone to Heaven: CSIS/Water Advocates WASH Universities Initiative

  Aquadoc

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:20 am

  The Global Water Futures project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Water Advocates have joined forces to create the WASH Universities Initiative. Wash universities? Are they dirty? Read more about it from this email I received: The Global Water Futures Project and Water Advocates have gathered representatives from U.S. universities and colleges, NGOs, and the U.S. State Department to brainstorm how to raise the profile of WASH [WAter, Sanitation, and Hygiene] in universities and opportunities for interested students. To continue the discussion of this…

• Sleepless in Seattle: AWRA Annual Conference Final Program

  Aquadoc

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

  Okay, time to do a little heavy lifting for one of my professional societies, the American Water Resources Association. Also time for some full disclosure here: I'm on the AWRA Board of Directors, and on 1 January 2010 I become its President-Elect. Anyway, our 2009 Annual Conference begins in Seattle on 9 November 2009. Here is the final program: Download AWRA_Seattle_Final_Program This is going to be a great one. Hard to beat the venue, too! Hope to see you there. "Wish AWRA had been around when I was doing hydrology!" -- O.E. Meinzer  

• Earth to Copenhagen: Include Water in Climate Change Text

  Aquadoc

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:40 am

  Nothing like good news from the international climate change community. Turns out that the CC mavens at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Barcelona have decided to delete clear references to water in the latest document, Non-Paper 31.  Don't you love that name? I guess it was a paper produced by non-intelligent people. Here is some language from the Global Water Partnership press release announcing this omission: To a large extent, the global climate crisis is a global water crisis. Yet the latest iteration of the negotiating text on adaptation, the so-called…

• My Truckee River Symposium Keynote Address

  Aquadoc

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:15 am

  Yesterday I delivered the keynote address at the Nevada Water Resources Association's Truckee River Symposium (TRS), 3-5 November 2009, at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, NV. Download TR_Symp_Program The Truckee River flows from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. It is about 110 miles long and has to be one of the 'hardest working' rivers in the USA. Here's the pdf of my presentation: Download Campana_TRS_3_ Nov_2009 It's always good to return to Reno. Lots of good WaterWonks and others here. And gorgeous scenery! "It's not what you don't know that…

• Westlands Water District: Reaping Riches in a Wretched Region - Subsidized Industrial Farming and Its Link to Perpetual Poverty

  Aquadoc

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:25 am

  Lloyd G. Carter just published this provocative article in the Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal. Here are the first few paragraphs of Reaping Riches in a Wretched Region: Subsidized Industrial Farming and Its Link to Perpetual Poverty: In the last few decades, well over a billion dollars in taxpayer aid has been provided to a few hundred growers in the Westlands Water District (Westlands), which is part of the San Luis Unit of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation‘s Central Valley Project (CVP)  in Central California. The CVP is the largest publicly funded water-management…

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  Water For The Ages

• Guest Post: Photo essay on water loss due to leaks

  waterfortheages

  25 Oct 2009 | 11:41 pm

  A guest blog post originally published on the India Water Portal (IWP) by my friend and colleague Praveena Sridhar. She has given me permission to re-publish her beautiful pictures and insightful post about water leakage in India. As I had been waking up to a leaky tap in my new house for quite some time, I thought it would be interesting to look at the different ways water gets wasted. In this post, I attempt to do a photo blog from my past photo collections on this subject from different parts of the country. This is an image of a leaking pipe from a tanker used by Municipality to provide…

• Kids and Songs for Safe Water and Good Hygiene in Tamil Nadu

  waterfortheages

  12 Oct 2009 | 10:50 pm

  About 6,000 children die EACH DAY from water- and sanitation-related illnesses. But, did you know, songs can save lives. One NGO in rural Tamil Nadu is teaching songs to children about the importance of safe water and good hygiene practices to help them and their families lead longer and healthier lives. Around 2.6 billion people worldwide lack access to proper sanitation facilities. Poor water and sanitation conditions lead to illnesses such as diarrhea, parasites, and malaria. Young children have weaker immune systems unable to protect them from these sicknesses. Simple actions like washing…

• The New and Improved India Water Portal

  waterfortheages

  23 Sep 2009 | 6:46 am

  An updated India Water Portal was just released, and my internship is at the same place as the people that designed this great website. Here is what they have to say about the remade site: India Water Portal (http://indiawaterportal.org) is a knowledge and social portal for exchanging knowledge, experiences and ideas on the water situation in India. Over the past few months, we have been working to transform the website into a much more user-friendly, participative and fun resource. The new website is now released and we encourage you to visit it now! They have flickr, facebook, Twitter, and…

• Water for the Ages in India: Two Weeks at Arghyam

  waterfortheages

  16 Sep 2009 | 4:23 am

  Two weeks ago I started my internship, and time has been traveling at unstoppable speeds. I am over my jetlag, learning to cross the road without getting pummeled, increasing my caffeine tolerance by drinking chai and coffee daily, making new friends, and experiencing life working at a dynamic water-NGO in India. The Arghyam office is in a converted bungalow in the neighborhood of Indiranagar in Bangalore. Lucky enough, I live within walking distance. So what does a week look like for me? After arriving to the office in the morning, I hear people chatting about water and sanitation projects…

• Water for the Ages in India: Impressions of H20 in Bangalore

  waterfortheages

  31 Aug 2009 | 5:59 pm

  Thursday was my first day in Bengaluru (aka Bangalore). Before arriving, it was impossible for me to comprehend the size of the city. Bangalore is huge with a population of around 6.5 million people. This is the largest city that I have ever visited, and there are people, buildings, and vehicles everywhere. Quickly, I am learning to adapt to life (and water) here. While walking around town, I saw water tankers with pipes going into businesses and buildings. A man from a local restaurant explained to me that the city only provides water on alternate days. On days when the city does not provide…

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  Akvo

• Handwashing made simple — the Tippy Tap

  Mark Tiele Westra

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm

  If you don’t have a tap, washing your hands in a hygienic way isn’t easy. You could place a bowl of water on a table, but then you would be washing your hands in the dirty water other people left behind. You could walk to the hand pump and ask somebody else to pump while you wash your hands. But that needs two people and wastes a lot of water. Can we do better? Enter the Tippy Tap. A plastic container with a small hole near the lid is suspended on a stick through the handle, which can be tipped by a piece of wire or string attached to the lid. The string is attached to a piece of wood on…

• Dutch Schoolkids Walk for Water. Raise €1m. And now it can happen anywhere

  Kathelyne

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:09 am

  Walking for Water is a fundraising and awareness-raising concept where school children aged 10-13 walk 6 kilometres, carrying 6 litres of water in a backpack. This event is held during the week of World Water Day March 22nd. Funds are raised by the kids themselves, mainly as donations from friends and family. It’s a perfect community initiative to build excitement and engage our youngest generation in the month immediately before Live Earth’s global Run for Water. Here you can see how Live Earth is promoting the concept on their website The money raised is used to finance water…

• PVC against poverty

  Mark Tiele Westra

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:05 am

  In the field of water supply, there is hardly a subject on which opinions very so widely, and on which temperaments flare so easily, as on the subject of hand pumps. Basically, you can divide proponents of different types of hand pumps into two camps, which I will call ‘no-repairs-needed’, and ‘repairable’. I am firmly in the ‘repairable’ camp. For people in the no-repairs-needed camp, the goal is to make a hand pump that is of such a good quality, that it does not need any maintenance, and will never break down. To the ‘repairable’ camp, on the other hand, I count people that…

• Join us at Engineers Without Borders “Know How Now”

  Mark Charmer

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:24 am

  Engineers Without Borders UK is hosting a ‘Technical Support Service’ Fair and Forum this Friday in Westminster, London. It will bring together today’s leading providers of technical knowledge in the international development and disaster relief sectors for a day of exchange and collaboration. Proper engineers that they are, here’s their (brief) details: When: Friday 6th November 11am – 5pm Where: Great Hall, The Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, London Topic: Technical Knowledge for International Development RSVP: knowhownow@ewb-uk.org “The…

• Mission Water Pump: South American Edition

  Mark Charmer

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:42 am

  Thomas Thömmes has interviewed and photographed each of the course participants at the latest month-long EMAS training course, and shared the material so we can feature it here. Outside La Paz in Bolivia, German engineer Wolfgang Eloy Buchner has created a unique Technology Demonstration Centre called EMAS, a Spanish acronym for Mobile School for Water and Sanitation. More on that here. The participants on this October’s course form a really diverse group, including well drillers, a music teacher, a cattle farmer, and an agricultural extension worker. They share one thing: they all want to…

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  Watercrunch

• Toccoa Falls Dam Failure Anniversary

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:19 am

  Just after midnight 32 years ago today on November 6, 1977, the Kelly Barnes Dam failed, releasing 176 million gallons of water just above Toccoa Falls College campus in northern Georgia. Thirty-nine people lost their lives.I wrote a series of blog posts about this incident a couple years ago.Part I - Unseen DangerPart II - A Wall of Water, Get Out!Part III - After the FloodHere is a video I also made with the series.

• The Single Most Important Day to Learn About Water

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:22 am

  I think we have topped ourselves from last year. Although I am a bit biased, we have lined up some impressive speakers this year. This one-day water resource workshop will be held in Columbia, SC on December 2, 2009. Registration is now open. You can register here. Take a look the flyer below (I had fun creating it!).South Carolina Water Resource Workshop

• The Miracle Behind the World's Biggest Cruise Ship

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:11 am

  Hook, line, and sinker. I am a sucker for the big-isms when explaining something that is the world's biggest. I was hooked when I read last week about Royal Caribean's newest cruise ship.Let me uncork these -isms so I can share the cool construction pictures: Right off the bat, this ship is longer, taller, and wider than any other passenger ship ever built. The smokestack had to be retracted this weekend just so it could squeeze under a bridge in Denmark and make it to the Atlantic and on to its home port, Port Everglades in Florida. Amazingly it had less than a 2-foot gap between the bridge…

• 7 Engaging Videos about Hurricane Hugo : 20 Years Later

  21 Sep 2009 | 4:22 am

  I was a freshman at Clemson when twenty years ago this Category 5 hurricane struck Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, South Carolina and North Carolina in September of 1989, killing 82 people.Some quick facts:Hugo's toll in dollars was greater than the total insured losses of the 10 most costly hurricanes prior to it. In South Carolina, there was one insurance claim for every four households.Duke Energy (then Duke Power) used or replaced 8,800 poles, 700 miles of cable and wire, 6,300 transformers, 165,000 automatic splices, 37,500 meter sockets, 17,000 electric meters, 600…

• Abandoned Nuclear Power Plant from The Abyss

  24 Aug 2009 | 2:50 am

  James Cameron had a problem. The script was done, but he had no location to shoot his movie called "The Abyss". Do you remember this movie from 1989? Civilian divers encounter aliens while trying to rescue a stricken nuclear submarine. Most of the action was underwater. He could shoot the movie at sea, but he would be at the mercy of waves, weather, and way out of this world insurance premiums.Not far from the peach fields of Gaffney, SC, a perfect location was found in an abandoned nuclear power plant. In the 1970s Duke Power began construction on a new nuclear plant. After spending over a…

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  Stormwater Authority

• Chesapeake Bay Gets Clean Water Funding; $1.5B More for Stormwater Proposed

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  WASHINGTON, DC, November 5, 2009 (ENS) - To pay for better clean water accountability and regulatory enforcement in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Congress has authorized new funding to reduce pollution in local rivers and streams flowing into the bay. Legislation passed by the House and Senate contains a record $50 million for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Bay cleanup efforts, with $19 million in new funding for regulatory enforcement and accountability. "Congress has c

• Mandatory Questionnaires Part of New EPA Stormwater Rulemaking

  1 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  In support of this rulemaking, EPA will seek approval to distribute three mandatory questionnaires under the authority of the Clean Water Act, to inform the rulemaking that the agency says would strengthen national stormwater regulations and establish a comprehensive program to reduce stormwater discharges from newly developed and redeveloped sites. EPA is requesting comments on the proposed Information Collection Request, including the associated burden estimate, but is not reque

• EPA Studies Permeable Surfaces at Experimental Stormwater Parking Lot

  28 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm

  EDISON, New Jersey, October 29, 2009 (ENS) - Polluted runoff from hard surfaces such as parking lots remains a complicated problem, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is renewing its quest for solutions. On Wednesday, the agency announced a study that will investigate ways to reduce pollution that can run off paved surfaces and improve how water filters back into the ground. EPA is testing permeable pavement materials and rain gardens in the parking lot at th

• North Carolina Agencies Streamline Water Quality Permits on Two Rivers

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm

  RALEIGH, North Carolia, October 26, 2009 (ENS) - The North Carolina state divisions of Coastal Management and Water Quality are working together to streamline environmental permitting in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River basins. The agencies have agreed to allow Coastal Management permitting staff to review and approve certain activities within the Neuse River and Tar-Pamlico River riparian buffer areas. The memorandum of agreement grants the Division of Coastal Management t

• Washington State Limits Copper and Zinc in Industrial Discharges

  22 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm

  OLYMPIA, Washington, October 23, 2009 (ENS) - The Washington Department of Ecology Wednesday placed new limits on pollution in stormwater runoff from industrial facilities, affecting some 1,200 permitted facilities across the state. Changes under the state’s new industrial stormwater permit reduce how much copper and zinc the industries can have in their stormwater discharges. Copper and zinc harm salmon and aquatic life. Copper is commonly found in brake pads, p

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  NUPRANA

• Connecticut’s Experiment with Bottled Water Deposits

  By Gregory B. Hladky, Fairfield County Weekly Starting last week, the soft gurgling of the estimated 561 million bottles of water sold every year in Connecticut was supposed to translate into the sweet clink of millions upon millions of nickels rolling into the threadbare pockets of state government. Oct. 1 was the ...

• Water: The World’s #1 Security and Health Concern

  By Zachary Shahan, Ecoworldly Water scarcity resulting from climate change is the number one issue the world will have to grapple with in the future, according to chief climate scientist and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri. On the one hand, we will have more water around us with sea level ...

• Dangerous Toxins Taint Drinking Water in Schools

  The Associated Press (AP) is breaking with news that not only has the drinking water at thousands of schools nationwide been found to contain a variety of dangerous toxins, but its investigation found these contaminants to be present in schools in every state. Unsafe and dangerous levels of pesticides, leads, and ...

• Alternative Energy vs Water?

  By Todd Woody, New York Times AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nev. — In a rural corner of Nevada reeling from the recession, a bit of salvation seemed to arrive last year. A German developer, Solar Millennium, announced plans to build two large solar farms here that would harness the sun to generate electricity, ...

• National Academy of Sciences to Study California’s Water Woes

  By Bettina Boxall, LA Times In a bow to a summer of angry complaints about water cutbacks to Central Valley farms, the Obama administration said Wednesday it would invite the National Academy of Sciences to examine the environmental measures restricting some water shipments from Northern California. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he ...

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  Water News Portal

• Eco-Logic Living helps householders and businesses in Cumbria reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  Eco-Logic Living is helping local householders and businesses reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint. The company offers everything from property assessment, grant advice, system design and installation through to servicing and after care. Judy and Islam Pearson decided to set up Eco-Logic Living after their experiences in property development. "By choosing renewable energy sources hous ... [more]

• Standard Renewable Energy to install solar panels on Chipotle restaurants

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm

  Chipotle Mexican Grill is partnering with Houston-based Standard Renewable Energy (SRE) to install solar panels on approximately 75 Chipotle restaurants over the next year. In all, Chipotle has committed to panels that will produce 500 kilowatt hours of electricity, making Chipotle the largest direct producer of solar energy in the restaurant industry. "Our effort to change the way people think ... [more]

• Top 10 energy saving products

  22 Oct 2009 | 4:36 am

  Nigel's Eco Store has compiled a list of top 10 energy saving products, which will help you save money and protect the planet: 1. ECO Showerdrop Meter ( GBP11.99) save water and money A family of four could save GBP180 per year, 40,000 litres of water and over 600kg of CO2. Taking a shower is considered to be better for the environment, and your pocket, than having a bath (which uses 80 to 100 litr ... [more]

• Ocean Power Technologies to develop a demonstration wave power station in Japan

  12 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm

  Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with a consortium of three leading Japanese companies to develop a demonstration wave power station in Japan. The Japanese consortium comprises Idemitsu Kosan Co., Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., and Japan Wind Development Co. (the "Consortium"). Further, OPT has been invited to become a member of the Tokyo Wave Power Init ... [more]

• Honeywell solar arrays help Fort Dix decrease energy and water consumption

  14 Sep 2009 | 8:52 am

  Honeywell has installed two solar arrays at Fort Dix, N.J., a training and mobilization center for the U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard. The solar installations are part of a $17.6-million program that will decrease energy consumption at the post by almost 10 percent and water use by more than 5 percent. The program, which includes a variety of energy-efficient facility and infrastructure upgr ... [more]

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  Aguanomics

• Weekend Discussion -- Good, Bad or Ugly Water Policies?

  8 Nov 2009 | 2:33 pm

  NOTE: This post will stay here until Sunday night. Posts for Saturday and Sunday morning go below this post. Dear Aguanauts, Discussion posts allow you to discuss a topic among yourselves -- exchanging views, learning and teaching. (I only read the comments.) If you are interested, take a moment to check out (and add to!) the last week's discussion on Good water management. After that, please give us your thoughts on... Good, Bad or Ugly Water Policies. I am looking for stuff that teaches us lessons in what to do, what not to do and WTF are they doing in the water world. Extra points for URLs…

• Solar Power at Home

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:40 pm

  This [unedited] guest post is by a student in my EEP100 class (background post). Please praise/critique/comment on its economic quality and importance to you. Alessandro Ku says: Nowadays, we can adopt solar power at home by installing solar panels on the rooftop or on the ground. It is environmental friendly that the solar power can be converted into electricity for daily use. But in an economic point of view, is it efficient or relevant that we can now use this method nationwide? The electricity generated by this kind of solar insert can generally cover up to one-third of electric bill of a…

• Why are the Chinese intent on damming the Mekong?

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

  This [unedited] guest post is by a student in my EEP100 class (background post). Please praise/critique/comment on its economic quality and importance to you. Kim Thai says: Simple. The answer to any economics question is that they want to profit. The Chinese, who already have political and economic power over Southeast Asian countries of the ASEAN, are ensuing new development projects in the Mekong River. They are hoping to lessen the power of rapid waterfalls of the Mekong through building dams so that they could better transport their goods by water to countries such as Laos, Thailand, and…

• Bringing Dynamism to Bureaucracy

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:27 am

  The Economist discusses the status and dynamics of public service, making the point that it's hard to get people hired and that new hires want exciting, challenging jobs. This reminded me of one of my pet ideas (oh no, not again!): term limits for bureaucrats. [Note that a bureaucrat is an administrator -- not an academic or researcher.] That means limiting one's total government service (at all levels -- city, state, national) to 20 years. Here are the (intended) consequences of this policy: Employees would know that they would have to work in the private sector at some point. This knowledge…

• The Problem of Boundaries

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:42 pm

  Fleck observes that aggregate storage levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell are about the same over the past few years. As Mead has fallen, Powell has risen. He makes the excellent point that these lakes reservoirs are managed by two different branches of BurRec (Lower and Upper Colorado Basin, respectively), which makes it hard to see the system as a whole. So, Pat Mulroy's Las Vegas is getting hammered because it's in the Lower Basin. I wonder how long it will be before Mulroy moves to merge districts (and then take over both!)? Bottom Line: Some of our water mismanagement results from using…

• 
  Water and Wastewater Blog

• Use Innovation to Turbo-Charge Your Organization

  Don Dunnington

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:43 am

  In "3 Tips for Becoming an Energizing Team Member" I discussed Rosabeth Moss Kanter's take on how the best leaders lead with positive energy. I recently came across research that suggests creativity and innovation may be an organization's most important source of positive energy. Harvard Business Review contributing editor Bronwyn Fryer posted this interview "How Do Innovators Think? " with Professors Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen. In the Q&A interview the professors discuss the results of a six-year study in which they surveyed 3,000 creative executives and…

• 3 Tips for Becoming an Energizing Team Member

  Don Dunnington

  30 Sep 2009 | 1:10 pm

  It's not just the Energizer Bunny that needs to keep things going with its never-quit energy. According to Harvard's business professor and chronicler of leadership and innovation, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, becoming an energizer (Harvard Business Blog) is an essential leadership skill. Kanter's article on leadership and personal effectiveness is aimed at organization leaders, but the benefits of positive energy apply equally to anyone who has a role on a group or team. That covers just about all of us, and I think it applies particularly well to those on engineering teams or…

• Make Your Nominations Here for Water and Waste Water's Engineering Rock Stars

  Don Dunnington

  13 Aug 2009 | 8:21 am

  Last night I saw Ajay Bhatt on TV for the first time. He's Intel's latest "rock star" in their "Sponsors of Tomorrow" marketing campaign. You can see Bhatt's rock idol video here. He is an Intel fellow and the co-inventor of USB, today's standard for connecting devices to computers. Bhatt is a good sport in playing what must have been an uncomfortable video role. But this send up of modern fan adulation does more than bring attention to one of Intel's many stellar engineers. Intel's rock star video serves as a reminder that real people make the things that make the world a…

• Water-security: Should urban water use, like rural water use, be capped?

  Joseph Taylor

  23 Jul 2009 | 10:18 pm

  “What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander" – a proverb of unknown origin. The so-called cap on surface water use in the Murray-Darling Basin is widely acclaimed as a success.  This cap is dynamic and designed to limit the amount of surface water that may be taken from rivers in the each part of the Basin. The cap’s main purpose is to keep water use and development within an agreed limit and maintain a degree of supply reliability at the individual level.  If someone wants access to more water than is currently allocated to them, someone else…

• Will Investors Find Gold in Water Incorporated?

  Don Dunnington

  16 Jun 2009 | 6:22 pm

  Steve Hoffmann, founder of WaterTech Capital, a private investment company focused on the water industry, is betting water will become the world's most precious resource in the near future. You can read all about his rationale for investing in what you might call "Water Incorporated" in his new book, Planet Water: Investing in the World's Most Valuable Resource. The book was reviewed recently in The Wall Street Journal (May 27, 2009) by Roger Bate, who concedes Hoffmann is "a financier, not a writer" but reading the book "might well guide [you to] some very…

• 
  CO Water Information Program

• Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting (Durango, CO)

  denise

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:26 pm

  Start: 11/10/2010 2:30 pm Start: 11/10/2010 2:30 pm For more information, contact (970) 565-7562.

• Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting (Cortez, CO)

  denise

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:25 pm

  Start: 09/08/2010 2:30 pm Start: 09/08/2010 2:30 pm For more information, contact (970) 565-7562.

• Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting (Durango, CO)

  denise

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:23 pm

  Start: 07/14/2010 2:30 pm Start: 07/14/2010 2:30 pm For more information, contact (970) 565-7562.

• Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting (Cortez, CO)

  denise

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:21 pm

  Start: 05/12/2010 2:30 pm Start: 05/12/2010 2:30 pm For more information, contact (970) 565-7562.

• Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting (Durango, CO)

  denise

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:20 pm

  Start: 03/10/2010 2:30 pm Start: 03/10/2010 2:30 pm For more information, contact (970) 565-7562.

• 
  Google Blog Search: Water

• Find Environment Responsive Solar Water Heater

  solarlightings

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:42 pm

  Who does not want to save money and energy? Hence, solar water heater is the ideal appliance for you. EESI (Environment & Energy Study Institute) also.

• U.S. using less water than 35 years ago | Farm and Dairy - The ...

  Other News

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:38 pm

  WASHINGTON --The US is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent.

• Water Vapor / Flashcards - Create Free Flashcards

  crislawson

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:51 pm

  Evaporation, Water changes from a liquid state to a gas... 7. Water Vapor, The gas state of water. 2. What happens to a wet paper towel in an open... The water in the towel evaporates, leaving... 8. Seriate, To put object in order by ...

• Imagine H2O Prize Competition to Drive Water Innovation | Triple ...

  3p Guest Author

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:26 pm

  As 3p readers know, the growing scarcity of freshwater is causing significant social and environment problems around the world. From a rise in cholera in parts of Africa to chronic water shortages in Australia as a result of drought, ...

• » Why Does Water Heater Relief Valve Is Leaking? Repairs Tips Blog

  admin

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:56 pm

  I'm not sure where on your heater the valve is located, but the best way to do it is to shut the water supply off to the heater(that may involve shutting off your house water supply) Shut the power off to the heater(and gas if it's a ...

• 
  Water Conservation Blog

• 4 Nov 2009 | 10:56 am

  4 Nov 2009 | 10:56 am

  By Ecological Internet's Climate Ark Climate Change Portal TAKE ACTION HERE NOW! Copenhagen climate talks must not provide Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) carbon market funds for old, natural forest logging, or for conversion of natural or semi-natural forests and other ecosystems to plantations. Ending deforestation and degradation of old and relatively ecologically intact primary and old growth forest ecosystems, and the ecological restoration of late-successional old growth forests, are keystone responses to maintaining the global climatic system. TAKE ACTION!

• ALERT! Madagascar's Protected Rainforest Hardwoods Continue to be Selectively Logged

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:54 am

  TAKE ACTION! Loggers and wildlife traders continue to violate Madagascar's biodiversity [search] rich rainforests including protected areas. In March of this year controversy surrounding leasing of agricultural land resulted in a military coup. In the chaos that ensued, armed gangs funded by Chinese traders entered Madagascar’s Marojejy and Masoala National Parks, two world-renowned World Heritage Sites, and logged rosewood, ebonies, and other valuable hardwoods. NGOs operating in Madagascar report continued armed, open and organized plundering of precious wood from several natural forests,…

• New York City Activists Unfurl 35-foot Banner on High Line to Protest Park's Use of FSC-Certified Amazon Wood

  24 Sep 2009 | 7:21 pm

  From Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet (EI) Contact: Tim Doody: rainforestsny@gmail.com Simon Counsell: info@fsc-watch.org Dr. Glen Barry: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF BANNER: http://RFNY.org http://www.flickr.com/photos/32461153@N08/ September 24th, New York: This morning, environmental activists unfurled a 35-foot banner blocking the iconic view of 10th Avenue from the High Line park to protest the Amazon wood [search] used in the park for bleachers, benches and decking. The banner read, "High Crime on the High Line! FSC Lies: Amazon Wood Is Not…

• EARTH MEANDERS: Ecological Overshoot: Climate, Inequity and Corruption

  19 Sep 2009 | 3:25 pm

  By Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet Earth Meanders come from Earth's Newsdesk A call for reluctant Earth revolutionaries to unite and slay the economic growth machine consuming ecological being. A disease is ravaging Earth as ever more people, consume ever more, destroying natural ecosystems that are our shared habitat. In a few short centuries the violent, expansionist and deeply ecologically unsustainable Western mindset has become virtually universally accepted. The meaning of life is more, ever more of everything, at the expense of a finite biosphere. The emptiness of such a vacuous…

• ALERT! Join Borneo's Penan Indigenous Peoples in Standing up to Malaysian Rainforest Destruction

  7 Sep 2009 | 3:25 am

  By Rainforest Rescue with Ecological Internet's Rainforest Portal with TAKE ACTION! Malaysia is the world's leading rainforest destroying nation. Insist Malaysian authorities respect native customary land rights and boundaries of Penan's last remaining ancestral rainforest reserves; halt rainforest destruction in Sarawak for oil palm, pulp plantations and hydro-electric dams; and ensure rainforest destruction and abuse of indigenous rights by Malaysian companies end globally. MORE INFORMATION AND TAKE ACTION NOW:…

• 
  European Water News

• Siemens to equip Jeddah Sewage Treatment Plant

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:50 am

• European Water Gets Smart

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:45 am

• Atlanta Floods Extremely Rare

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:42 am

• Amnesty Report Claims Israel is Denying Water

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:39 am

• Three Gorges Water Plan Postponed

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:37 am

• 
  Living in Actively Moving Water

• turning blue into green

  chris corbin

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:49 pm

  Lotic has implemented a new mantra for our work:"Turning Blue in Green." What does this mean? Water rights have historically been one dimensional- the claimed use and appropriation. We call this monolithic view of water BLUE. In contrast, Lotic is pursing opportunities associated with GREEN. Green represents wealth, efficiency, sustainability, and future management. Rather than taking a static view of water, the company focuses on the new market opportunities associated with change. Our business is turning blue into green.Montana Associated Technology Roundtables recently posted a write-up on…

• the lotic story

  chris corbin

  28 Oct 2009 | 10:54 am

  the lotic storyView more presentations from Lotc Water Marketing .

• environmental water marketing - interview with brandon scarborough

  chris corbin

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pm

  The following summarizes an interview with environmental water market prodigy, Brandon Scarborough. Yes, I just called Brandon a prodigy. Included is interesting observations on market development, transactions, the regulatory process, water banking, and the future. Granted a longer post than normal, but it is well worth the read.Brandon Scarborough is a research fellow at PERC currently focused on the use of water markets in the West to restore stream flows for wildlife, fish and other environmental amenities.He is the co-author of Saving Our Streams: Harnessing Water Markets and is…

• thirst

  chris corbin

  26 Oct 2009 | 7:31 pm

  THIRSTView more presentations from Jeff Brenman.I don't think this post needs a description.

• lotic stickers have arrived

  chris corbin

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:09 am

  We just received our first batch of Lotic stickers: 1,000 to be exact. They measure 2" X 4" and are printed on outdoor vinyl with UV resistant inks. More importantly, they look great on vehicles, refrigerators, binders, tables, foreheads, and just about any other smooth, flat surface. If you want some stickers (free of charge) send me an email at chris@loticwater.com

• 
  Thirsty in Suburbia

• Love that Dirty Water

  Gayle Leonard

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:13 pm

  I can think of a dozen hysterical, pun-loaded punch lines for this, none of which are appropriate for this sorta-family-friendly forum! From engrishfunny.com.

• The Golden Poo Awards. Really.

  Gayle Leonard

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  Toilet humor (humour) has moved out of the school yard and into the studios of some of the UK’s most creative animators. I thought I was good at the potty puns and chuckles, but the threshold has been raised to astounding heights with the winners of the short film “Golden Poo Awards” announced October 15th. In fact, it’s so over the top, I spent a few minutes pondering if it could be some sort of prank! PooP Creative (really!) and The London International Animation Festival (LIAF) jointly promoted the competition to tackle the serious issues of sanitation and hygiene…

• Is There Tap Water in a Time Warp?

  Gayle Leonard

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  Travelers must get desperately thirsty zipping through the space-time continuum, and one shouldn’t trust the quality of the tap water in a time warp, I’d think. (The “Doctor” character in the famous British TV series Dr. Who has the power to regenerate his body when near death… I guess that means both he AND his licensed single-use container are recyclable!) Photo: Approved by Dr. Who water by St. A on Flickr

• Goose-Steppin’ at Zombie Lake

  Gayle Leonard

  31 Oct 2009 | 3:32 pm

  For your Halloween pleasure…the 1981 B-flick (as in “bad”) Zombie Lake. A review from badmovies.org helps us set the stage: A single female wanders through an idyllic copse sheltering a secluded gazebo, wherein she gets into her birthday suit and heads for the water. Before you can swallow that first fist full of popcorn, Ms. Skinny Dipper is getting dragged to her doom by a zombie wearing a costume patterned after the regular army uniform of either the Wehrmacht or Panzergrenadiers. Let me repeat that: An innocent nubile young woman is attacked by an Aqua Nazi Zombie while…

• h2o mp3: We Still Drink the Same Water - Teitur

  Gayle Leonard

  30 Oct 2009 | 12:43 pm

  Teitur is 34-year-old singer-songwriter Teitur Lassen, who the NY Daily News described as “The Norse Whisperer.” He was born in the Faroe Islands, a lightly populated groups of islands between Iceland, Scotland and Norway. It is a place, he says, that is “an idyllic place for kids to grow up, because people can always see the water from wherever they are.” We Still Drink the Same Water is from the 2008 release The Singer. The album has been called quiet, beautiful, harsh and contemplative, very natural and somehow Nordic sounding. It’s also been called…

• 
  Water Blog

• Recent Poll Finds Budget Conscious Consumers Benefitting from Value of Tap Water!

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  A recent Harris Poll found that one thing economical-minded consumers have been cutting out of their budgets in this tight economy is bottled water.   In fact, the poll of 2,293 adults surveyed online in October 2009, finds that 36% of adults "switched to tap water and refillable bottles instead of bottled water."   What great news! It sounds to me like people are truly starting to see the economic benefits of tap water.   In Portland:   748 gallons (1 ccf) of Bull Run tap water $2.44 1,000 gallons of Bull Run tap water $3.26 3 gallons of Bull Run…

• Wiley Coyote Makes an Appearance at Powell Butte

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  You're probably familiar with Powell Butte Nature Park because of the Water Bureau project that is going on up there... or from a nice, long hike you and your family took over the summer summer...I know that my husband and I have enjoyed many a hike through the tall reeds and trees of Powell Butte. Maybe you even attended a summer concert up there... PWB was happy to be able to co-sponsor two of those concerts. What you're probably less familiar with is Powell Butte's resident coyote... we'll just call him Wiley!   Water Bureau…

• Images of SRX (Sandy River Crossing Project)

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  Many of you have followed our work on the Sandy River Crossing Project, a project outside of the bureau's Sandy River Station that is intended to safeguard the two Bull Run conduits that are currently located at this vulnerable site.   Kevin Magwood of Performance Welding and Fab, is one of the contractors working inside the tunnel that has been created from this project. He sent in some really cool photos that I thought I'd share with you.             Jennie Day-Burget Public Information Officer

• Tapping the Berkeley Bike Scene!

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  Kendra Poma of Berkeley, CA sent in this photo of her "I Only Drink Tap Water" sticker being used as bicycle art. Thanks for sending in your photo, Kendra!                                                 Jennie Day-Burget Only Drinks Tap!    

• The World of Water Bureau... From Above

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  Most of you probably don't know that our fearless Water Bureau leader, David Shaff, has a very fear-inducing hobby (small planes scare ME!); David likes to fly planes and indeed, flies often.   But, so typical of David, out cruising the skies last weekend on what should have been a totally non-Water Bureau WEEKEND day for him, David was thinking only of... the Portland Water Bureau!   David flew over both the Bull Run watershed and the Mt. Tabor Reservoirs and caught some beautiful aerial perspectives of these PWB properties on camera.     Here are some…

• 
  Washlink

• EcoSan video focusing on Urine as Fertilizer

  washlink

  18 Oct 2009 | 7:05 pm

  Here is great video showing  how the EcoSan toilet works, stressing: 1 You don’t need water to us  an EcoSan toilet, saving a precious resource 2  There is a huge benefit to use urine as a fertilizer The video the workings of toilet itself. What I find wonderful is  that  this video  explains  & shows the full sequence of steps taken to  after urination to get the urine onto the the field as fertilizer. This is followed by a wonderful comparison of crop yields comparing side by side  fields, on fertilized with urine the other fertilized with commercial fertilizer.  The…

• WHO’s new report: “Diarrhoea: why children are still dying and what can be done”

  washlink

  15 Oct 2009 | 6:18 pm

  While this is being covered everywhere , I thought it is worth  mentioning.  It seems important that in this report  WHO is stressing Zink tablets in conjunction   the oral rehydration solution (ORS)  The tables and charts provide excellent statistic for fundraisers and agencies wanting to bring help and awareness. For those in the field there are important points to note but ones  in the field may ask  “tell us something we don’t know” Recognition  of the reality that “WASH/WATSAN”  address seems to be following the same slow path of   Global Warming…

• Commercial Launch of HYLENEX for use in Pediatric Rehydration anounced by Baxter

  washlink

  11 Oct 2009 | 4:08 pm

  a new drug for use in Pediatric Rehydration the question is  with all drug  how long must the clock tick before it becomes available in the most neediest of places, at a price point that makes it  affordable to be subsidized by agencies. Perhaps we should have a site that is a  virtual wall of  timers each labeled with a drug count the years before the neediest op people are able to benefit. excerpt  from from the press release found in  press room room of BAXTER HYLENEX BOSTON – October 5, 2009— Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) today announced the commercial launch of…

• NAPO pushes Crofelemer for Pediatric Populations

  washlink

  7 Oct 2009 | 6:43 pm

  Excerpt From Napo press release: SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Napo) recently hosted an educational panel to address the impact of the lack of access to clean water and enteric disease on global health, the environment, and human rights. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Napo’s Environmental Advisor, discussed the negative consequences of non-sustainable development on indigenous peoples and the environment. Other speakers included E. Benjamin Skinner, who has written about the connection between the war on diarrhea and modern-day slavery in his…

• WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies prepared by WEDC

  washlink

  4 Oct 2009 | 6:53 pm

  from WEDC The Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) at Loughborough University “Please be advised that the latest version of the WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies prepared by WEDC…” http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/knowledge/notes_emergencies.html Titles include: Please click below to view pdfs of the World Health Organization Technical Notes for Emergencies. Cleaning and disinfecting wells Cleaning and disinfecting boreholes Cleaning and disinfecting water storage tanks and tankers Rehabilitating small-scale piped water distribution systems Emergency treatment of…

• 
  Hydro-Logic

• SMOS is up!

  M. Garcia

  2 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm

  As I discussed quite a while ago in a post on ESA's Earth Observation Missions, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission was successfully launched on Sunday (U.S. time) from a site in northern Russia. With the satellite in a sun-synchronous, nearly circular orbit at about 760 km, mission parameters call for a check-out period of six months followed by an operational period of 2.5-4.5 years. The new science satellite will have a repeat-time of about 23 days but, with its coverage swath, will generate maps of ocean salinity at a resolution of about 200 km (due to spatial averaging)…

• Working on things...

  M. Garcia

  27 Oct 2009 | 3:14 pm

  With apologies to my readers, I am indeed still working on writing for my blog here. I have a few items in process, including a short series on the ''Water-Energy nexus'' in the American southwest and a commentary on the recent Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University for her work on extra-market dynamics in the commons. Then there's the things I have that I want to get posted from prior work, including a collaborative submission to the Google 10^100 contest that may be worth reading for some of you, and recent grant proposal submissions that I'm still waiting…

• Water for People $1M Challenge

  M. Garcia

  16 Sep 2009 | 1:26 pm

  The organization Water for People has recently announced their second, seemingly annual Rosenthal Million Dollar Challenge Grant. Between 15 September and 15 November 2009, if WFP raises $500,000 through donations from people like you and me, Stephen and Sandy Rosenthal of New Orleans will match it for a total of $1M in new funding for WFP. They did this last year and succeeded greatly, so WFP is eager to see it happen again. In addition to ongoing efforts at proving clean water and sanitation facilities in many countries of Central and South America and Africa, WFP has recently expanded its…

• New CNA report links energy issues with climate change

  M. Garcia

  3 Aug 2009 | 8:37 pm

  It was quite a while ago that I referred a new report by the CNA Corporation entitled "National Security and the Threat of Climate Change" to fellow blogger Tom Barnett in the hopes that he might put forth serious consideration to the idea that climate change impacts can indeed become drivers of conflict on regional scales. Issues in Darfur were heating up, and for the most part that was explained away as a conflict between the agricultural black Africans and pastoralist Arabs over simple matters of territory and access. That explanation barely scratches the surface of the issues, however, so…

• Stormrise, east of Tucson

  M. Garcia

  21 Jul 2009 | 10:14 pm

  Stormrise over Redington Pass between the Catalina and Rincon Mountains, east of Tucson, Arizona. Photo around 6 pm on 21 July 2009.