Water

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    Circle of Blue

  • Pakistan Negotiates Domestic, International Water Disputes

    Brett Walton
    9 Feb 2010 | 11:51 am
    Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces disagree on water flows while a farmers’ union wants the Pakistani government to address India’s dam building. Jbhangoo / CC BY-ND 2.0 Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority will discuss the Sindh province’s accusation that Punjab province is stealing its water on Thursday at its advisory committee meeting, the Daily Times of Pakistan reports. Persistent drought has left the country with 30 percent less irrigation water than average for the spring crop. Meanwhile representatives from the Sindh government have accused their Punjabi…

  • Liquid Assets: Tide Turns Against Privatization of City Water Systems

    Steve Kellman
    9 Feb 2010 | 11:10 am
    By Steve Kellman Circle of Blue There’s nothing like a fiscal deficit to prompt municipal leaders to think hard about how to save money. Everything is on the table and no city service or asset is untouchable. So last November when the mayor of Carbondale, Illinois made several suggestions for bailing out the cash-strapped city, the idea of selling the municipal water and sewer system gained serious traction. Water plant, Carbondale, Illinois. According to Mayor Brad Cole, the $42 million sale would supply enough cash to erase the budget deficit, pay off pension fund obligations, repeal…

  • Obama Administration Pledges $78.5 Million To Fight Asian Carp; Great Lakes Governors Want More Than Cash

    Steve Kellman
    8 Feb 2010 | 8:30 pm
    A $78.5 million pledge from the Obama administration and a plan for part-time closure of Chicago-area locks isn’t enough to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp, Michigan’s governor declared Monday. Photo © Jason Lindsey Following a Monday “carp summit” at the White House with Obama administration officials, Governor Jennifer Granholm said in a statement that she was “very disappointed” with the administration’s plans. “While we did have some areas of agreement with the White House, we believe that the plan does not adequately address the concerns we have been voicing…

  • Peter Gleick: Bottled Water Wars, and the War on Tap Water

    Dr. Peter Gleick
    8 Feb 2010 | 10:07 am
    There is a war going on. The target? Tap water. In a month or two, I have a new book coming out from Island Press called Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. Look for it at your local… well, wherever you buy books now. The book is a popular account of the reasons we buy bottled water, the manipulations of the private water bottlers to get us to buy it, the industry war on tap water, the history of weird claims made for bottled water, and much more. It explores the remarkable explosion in bottled water sales and the recent consumer revolt that is beginning…

  • Asian Carp Threat Prompts Protest Near Lake Michigan Shore

    Steve Kellman
    7 Feb 2010 | 1:07 pm
    Fishing enthusiasts and state representatives rallied on the banks of Traverse City’s Boardman River Saturday against Illinois’ opposition to the closure of Chicago-area locks. Photo © Steve Kellman Michigan representatives Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City), Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard), Andy Neumann (D-Alpena) and Dan Scripps (D-Leelanau), from left to right, take turns speaking to a crowd of 100 people gathered in Traverse City, Mich., Saturday to protest inaction by Illinois and federal officials on the threat that Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes. The rally followed a similar one…
 
 
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    Water SISWEB

  • Bangladesh: 3 rivers now biologically dead: DoE

    9 Feb 2010 | 10:48 am
    Experts at the Department of Environment have classified three rivers in the capital as "biologically dead." Laboratory tests have proven that the water in most parts of the Buriganga, Turag and Balu rivers contains no dissolved oxygen and is therefore totally devoid of aquatic life. A senior DoE scientific official said, "According to official standards, the minimum level of dissolved oxyg7 Vote(s)

  • Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustaninable Irrigation at the Basin Scale

    9 Feb 2010 | 9:18 am
    The objective of this paper is to review the state of art on integrated water resources management (IWRM) approaches for sustainable irrigation at the basin scale under semi-arid and arid climatic conditions, with main emphasis on Latin America, but including case studies of other semi-arid and arid regions in the world. In Latin America the general concept of IWRM has proved to be hard to implem7 Vote(s)

  • Stirring the Pot: John Briscoe on the Practice and Teaching of American Water Management in a Changing World - WaterWired

    9 Feb 2010 | 6:40 am
    'Stirring the pot' is an understatement. A colleague sent me this editorial from the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management by John Briscoe, former World Bank employee with 40 years' experience in international water resources management. Briscoe is now at Harvard University developing a campus-wide water initiative. Briscoe's unorthodox ideas on water resources management in develop7 Vote(s)

  • No mere pipe dream

    8 Feb 2010 | 11:58 pm
    UCI engineers are working on robotic technology to rehabilitate the nation's aging water infrastructure. The growing U.S. infrastructure crisis involves more than crumbling roads and bridges. Underground and out of sight looms a worsening problem every bit as critical. Thousands of miles of aging water pipes are breaking down. Each day, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers -8 Vote(s)

  • Bottled waters has lightest environmental footprint

    8 Feb 2010 | 8:52 pm
    A new study finds that water, in all its forms, has the least environmental impact of any beverage choice. And when compared to other packaged beverages, including soft drinks, sports drinks, enhanced waters and juices, bottled water has the lightest environmental footprint.8 Vote(s)
 
 
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    On Water

  • On Water news: 8 February

    jfridy
    9 Feb 2010 | 12:13 pm
    'Niagara' of mud hits homesL.A. Times / by Rong-Gong Lin II, Victoria Kim and Ruben VivesEvacuees return to L.A.-area homes swamped with mudSan Jose Mercury News / by Raquel Maria DillonLa Cañada Flintridge digs out as a new storm nearsL.A. Times / by Ruben Vives, Corina Knoll and Carla RiveraJudge eases curbs on delta pumpingL.A. Times / by Bettina BoxallWater Commission wary of delta planChico Enterprise-Record / by Heather HackingLakes brimming, rain taking a breakSanta Rosa Press Democrat / by Bleys W. RoseLake Mendocino moves into flood poolUkiah Daily Journal / by Zack CinekRains…

  • Dam news: 9 February

    Paul
    9 Feb 2010 | 11:40 am
    Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. Key Enviro Group Retreats From Klamath River Settlement New York Times In total, dam removal is estimated to cost about $500 million. Oregon has guaranteed $180 million of that funding through new charges on state ratepayers. Friends of River Withdraws from Klamath Settlement Agreement Bay Area Indymedia “We believe passionately in the dam removal goal of the Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement, however, there is too much uncertainty that this agreement Blogs Aquafornia By Aqua Blog Maven Conservation Director Steve Evans stated that the…

  • Free Pubs list - February 2010

    jfridy
    8 Feb 2010 | 1:59 pm
    It's time for the Fabulous February Free Pubs list! As always, to request one of the titles below, send an email to wrcaill@library.berkeley.edu with the subject line "Free pubs request." Please include your name, mailing address, and the full detail of each item requested. Note that due to postage costs international requests are limited to two items per posting. Those local are encouraged to visit WRCA to pick up items. This list will be continually updated through the month of January, crossing off titles as they are requested. Though not required, reimbursement for the postage to mail…

  • Dam news: 8 February

    Paul
    8 Feb 2010 | 11:24 am
    Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. Removing Savage Rapids Dam International Water Power and Dam Construction The final outcome for the 88-year-old structure proved to be dam removal. Richard D Benik, Robert Hamilton and John Redding from the US Bureau of Blogs Environment News - Kerala By Sabu The silt removal will also be done in Kalampuzha, Aanakal and Andazhi. The dam satisfies the drinking water needs of the residences in the Palakkad municipal i ty and the panchayats of Malampuzha, Marutharoad, Pudussery, Pirayiri, Original post blogged on b2evolution.

  • Dam news: 6-7 February

    Paul
    8 Feb 2010 | 9:15 am
    Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. Gold Hill Dam Removal — WaterWatch WaterWatch of Oregon page about the removal of Gold Hill Dam on the Rogue River. 200 gather for hatchery groundbreaking on Elwha River (video below) Peninsula Daily The hatchery is a key component of the National Park Service's $308 million removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams. Actual dam removal will begin in Flood costs slowly growing Plattsburgh Press Republican it held back and washing some of the river bank away with it. The water in the area was about 7 feet deep before the dam removal,…
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    WEF Water Blog

  • Urban Rivers: Don’t Miss the Boat to a Sustainable Future for Our Cities!

    1 Feb 2010 | 5:25 am
    By Paul Freedman, 2009-2010 President of WEFThere was a time when large urban cities, like Boston, saw their waterfront locations as assets in transporting wastes away from the city and supporting navigation, commerce, and manufacturing. These urban cities still see the waterfront asset today, but in a different light. Today’s cities want to integrate their waters into urban life as part of building greener, cleaner places for living, recreation, and supporting business and commerce. I mentioned Boston because it’s the site of WEF’s Cities of the Future and Urban River Restoration 2010…

  • So You Want to Run a First-Class Utility?

    15 Jan 2010 | 2:25 pm
    Once again, a new year has started and folks everywhere are reviewing goals for personal growth and setting new ones. On the professional side, water quality leaders have the Water Environment Federation’s vast and varied resources to help them grow and become even better at protecting the world’s water. Utility managers (and I was one for some 23 years) have a special resource to support their goal-setting and desire for top operational efficiency--the Effective Utility Management Primer for Water and Wastewater Utilities.I wanted to blog about the EUM because those who care about great…

  • Putting the 'Special' in 2010 Specialty Conferences

    4 Jan 2010 | 6:20 am
    By Jeanette Brown, 2009-2010 President-Elect of WEFWelcome to 2010 at the Water Environment Federation, where this year’s Specialty Conference series looks to be better than ever before. As a participant in the 2009 Nutrient Conference, I gained so much both professionally and personally because of the technical content and the ability to network with experts in the field. I have participated in and attended other specialty conferences this past year where the experience was just as rewarding. These conferences are exclusive and wonderful ways to learn about select areas from leaders in the…

  • Speaking of Holiday Magic...

    14 Dec 2009 | 7:00 am
    By Paul Freedman, 2009-2010 President of the Water Environment FederationIt’s the season when families and friends gather to share gifts and holiday cheer, and festive music, decorations, and lights are everywhere. Some say it’s the most magical time of the year, and I’d agree, although I’d also point out that water is pretty magical too, and that’s all year round. Water is the only element that naturally changes before our eyes from liquid, to gaseous, to solid forms. Every time you see a waterfall, a cloud, or this time of year, a snowflake, you are looking at the magic of water…

  • Stormwater Management: The Future is Now

    30 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    By Tyler Richards, Deputy Director of Operations, Gwinnett County Department of Water ResourcesNot long ago, when utility managers heard ‘stormwater management,’ they probably thought about drainage and flooding , I know I did. But managing stormwater today involves so much more, especially given its impacts on water quality and local streams. Trends related to climate change, urban sprawl, and fertilizer/pesticide use all affect stormwater management, which will play an increasing complex role in preserving and enhancing the water environment, WEF is focusing resources to meet this…
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    WaterOline Articles

  • Wastecorp Announces New Diaphragm Pump For Solids Handling

    21 Dec 2010 | 2:09 am
    Wastecorp Pumps, manufacturer of the Mud Sucker® diaphragm pump, today unveiled a new pump that simplifies the transfer of waste oil, vegetable oil, wastewater, dirty water, slurry and more.

  • Advanced Bioremediation Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Energy Use While Saving Cities Money

    1 Dec 2010 | 1:28 am
    Use of the Bacta-Pur® System, to optimize wastewater transport and treatment in the US alone, could reduce CO2 by millions of metric tons per year and energy consumption by billions of kWh annually.

  • AWWA Standards To Serve People Of India

    9 Feb 2010 | 11:15 am
    At a Jan. 29 ceremony in Jodhpur, India, the American Water Works Association and the Indian Water Works Association signed an historic collaboration agreement that licenses IWWA to distribute 27 AWWA standards in India.

  • Meeting Tomorrow's Challenges: Start With Science

    9 Feb 2010 | 10:43 am
    In a fiscally responsible budget that emphasizes cost containment, management efficiencies and program savings, the President's proposed $1.1 billion budget for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in fiscal year 2011 reflects his commitment to use science as the basis for natural resource management decisions.

  • Carbonate Veins Reveal Chemistry Of Ancient Seawater

    9 Feb 2010 | 3:42 am
    The chemical composition of our oceans is not constant but has varied significantly over geological time. In a study published this week in Science, researchers describe a novel method for reconstructing past ocean chemistry using calcium carbonate veins that precipitate from seawater-derived fluids in rocks beneath the seafloor.
 
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    Water - Use It Wisely

  • If Roses are Red, and Violets are Blue, is Greening Valentines Day, Really the Thing to Do?

    Park
    9 Feb 2010 | 6:06 am
    The chaps at DoTheGreenThing.com are trying to romance up V. Day. They’ve produced these funny virtual Valentines that are a can’t miss. Well, a can’t miss if your special someone has a sense of humor. If not, I’d default to the Whitman’s Sampler. Click on the legs to send your Valentine a green thing.

  • Desert Plants Are Great at Multi-Tasking

    City of Mesa
    3 Feb 2010 | 9:38 am
    February is a great time to plant in the low desert as temperatures are still cool and roots can get established before the heat sets in. Whether planting an entire landscape or just replacing lost plants, hundreds of desert plants are available for just about any function in your landscape. Would you like to attract birds or butterflies to your yard? Desert plants are up for the challenge! Perhaps you are looking for year-round color, or maybe a living fence or a cool, shady retreat? This hybrid palo verde shows two desert adaptations - small leaves are more water efficient and a green stem…

  • “60 Minutes,” CBS News puts major emphasis on America’s water supply…

    Ryan
    14 Jan 2010 | 9:57 am
    Two recent segments from CBS news are worth highlighting. The first is the “60 Minutes” report on California’s drought and the toll it’s taking on the state and nation. Second is a recent feature in the CBS News series “Where America Stands,” entitled, “America’s Dwindling Water Supply.” The article details some sobering facts including how the U.S.’s water use stacks up against the rest of the world. According to the article Americans average using 150 gallons of water per day with 30 gallons being used by 9 a.m. Compare that to the…

  • Harvesting Rainwater for Your Landscape

    City of Mesa
    18 Dec 2009 | 7:47 am
    Rainfall amounts may be minimal here in the low desert, but harvesting rainwater to channel to your landscape plants can be well worth the effort–especially with state tax credits available. Over 7,000 gallons of water a year can be harvested from the rooftop and other surfaces around a typical home. Rainwater is free and contains lots of minerals and nutrients that will boost plant growth. Learn how you can harvest multiple benefits with rainwater collection from the City of Mesa’s January $ustainability $avings Tip(PDF). You may also want to attend Mesa’s January Living Green…

  • Report details water conflicts around the world…

    Ryan
    15 Dec 2009 | 2:32 pm
    Every now and then we stumble across something that really puts what we do into perspective. That happened recently when we read the Pacific Institute’s “Water Conflict Chronology” report. This report, which began in 1980 to better understand the connection between water resources, systems, and international security and conflict, details nearly every conflict involving water dating back to 3000 B.C. The results are staggering. Looking at a study like this underscores how important it is that we value the water we have and work to ensure everyone around the world has access…
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    Aquafornia

  • Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Pumps blast water to west Valley farmers

    Aqua Blog Maven
    9 Feb 2010 | 9:00 am
    From the Fresno Bee: “Federal officials are pumping an extra billion gallons of river water daily into San Luis Reservoir for west Valley farmers, thanks to a federal judge’s order and a string of winter storms. But if the storms disappear, the full-blast pumping could stop far sooner than the two weeks ordered by the judge. West San [...]

  • Ecologists say unrestricted pumping will harm fish

    Aqua Blog Maven
    9 Feb 2010 | 8:57 am
    From the Silicon Valley Mercury News: “Environmentalists say a federal judge’s order to temporarily allow unrestricted pumping in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta threatens to push endangered salmon into extinction. Last week’s decision by U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger freed up irrigation supplies for farms hammered by years of drought. Farmers had complained that pumping restrictions in [...]

  • On the Public Record: Fish, farms, feedback loops.

    Aqua Blog Maven
    9 Feb 2010 | 8:52 am
    From the On the Public Record blog: “With the House Congressional hearings and Judge Wanger’s decision to allow pumping for a couple weeks right now (on the grounds that the pumps are allowed to kill about 23,000 juvenile salmon and so far have only killed about 1,200, so, you know, might as well pump a little), [...]

  • Doug Obegi: Westlands’ legal strategy causes less water for farming, more dead fish?

    Aqua Blog Maven
    9 Feb 2010 | 8:49 am
    From Doug Obegi at the NRDC Swirchboard blog: “Last week, Westlands Water District filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to eliminate pumping restrictions in California’s Bay-Delta estuary that protect endangered salmon and steelhead runs. Although salmon fishermen, environmentalists and the federal government all opposed the motion, the Court granted it. High pumping levels [...]

  • Bay-Delta blog: Here come the Delta smelt restrictions

    Aqua Blog Maven
    9 Feb 2010 | 8:46 am
    The Bay-Delta blog notes that while Judge Wanger may have issued a temporary restraining order for implementing the salmon bi-op, he did not do so for the Delta smelt bi-op: ” … a parallel process has been playing out with the delta smelt. The 2008 BiOp for the pelagic delta smelt was prepared by the [...]
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    AWRA Water Blog

  • Two DC Water Events on 24 February 2010

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    6 Feb 2010 | 9:14 am
    Over at WaterWired I posted about Jim Thebaut’s water event scheduled for 24 February 2010 in Washington, DC. The event will be held, but it’s now been split into two events, one in the afternoon (noon – 2 pm) and one in the evening (6 – 8:30 pm). [Disclosure notice: Jim is a good friend of mine, [...] Related posts:Capitol Hill Briefing on University WASH Initiative – 3 March 2010 This is one of those ’save the date’ notices. I... National Water Policy Event, 28 July 2009 in DC Jim Thebaut, friend and filmmaker extraordinaire,and the man behind the…

  • Hydrophilanthropists Needed in Haiti

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    3 Feb 2010 | 8:08 am
    I received the following message from Lori Carpenter, a longtime friend and former student (an alumna of my GEOL 484/684 – Groundwater Hydrology at the University of Nevada-Reno many years ago). I know Lori and her husband Dr. Clay Cooper, another veteran of GEOL 484/684 as well as GEOL 783 – Groundwater Hydraulics, very well. They have [...] Related posts:Helping Haiti No need to explain what this post is about. Right... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • Capitol Hill Briefing on University WASH Initiative – 3 March 2010

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    30 Jan 2010 | 9:34 am
    This is one of those ’save the date’ notices. I will post more information when I receive it.    [Disclosure notice: I am part of this initiative and will be a presenter]   Capitol Hill Briefing on new University WASH Initiative Prominent university and college leaders working on international water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues  will participate in a congressional [...] Related posts:Two DC Water Events on 24 February 2010 Over at WaterWired I posted about Jim Thebaut’s water event... Water Advocates’ NYT Ad: Link Between Disease and WASH Yesterday …

  • Well-Worn Water Words

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    25 Jan 2010 | 8:54 pm
    Tired of a failure to connect the dots? Maybe not, but I suspect you’re tired of the expression “failure to connect the dots.” A Tweet from Robert at Watercrunch provided the impetus for this post. In response to my saying that I was getting ‘burned out’ on water wars he suggested that we declare a truce and [...] Related posts:Western Water: Words of Wisdom Two days ago I finally met Sarah Bates, who is... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • Richard Heggen’s Excellent ‘Underground Rivers’ Book

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    24 Jan 2010 | 9:54 am
    Richard Heggen is one of the savviest WaterWonks (and a pretty good upright bassist) I know. Even though he lives here in Corvallis (where he grew up) and got his PhD in Civil Engineering from OSU, I met him in Albuquerque when I arrived at the University of New Mexico in 1989. There, Richard was a [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
 
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    On the Water Front

  • National Academy of Sciences Delves into the Delta: So Far So Good

    Ashley Rood
    28 Jan 2010 | 4:38 pm
    Ashley Rood is a Research & Outreach Associate with EDF. Beginning this past Sunday with an address by Congressman Costa, the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) started its review of water management in the Bay Delta. The nation's elite scientific panel will analyze and either support or refute the science (otherwise known as the Biological Opinions) behind how much water can be pumped out of the Delta for cities and farms while preventing the extinction of endangered species. I was at UC Davis this week, along with my colleagues Ann Hayden and…

  • We reiterate Gleick – Water for Haiti Now

    Laura Harnish
    14 Jan 2010 | 10:53 am
    Laura Harnish is the California Regional Director. We here at EDF are saddened by the catastrophe that has struck Haiti and the stark realization that things will continue to get worse as the shortage of freshwater begins to claim even more lives. Read Peter Gleick’s blog about how the need for freshwater is critical in Haiti. Although we are consumed in our daily lives with California's "water crisis" this is an excruciating reminder that many other areas of the world are much more vulnerable to water shortages, especially in a disaster. Give what you can to support Haiti in…

  • For Tom…One More Time

    Cynthia Koehler
    13 Jan 2010 | 10:07 am
    Cynthia Koehler is Senior Attorney and California Water Legislative Director for EDF. This weekend’s Celebration of the Life of Tom Graff at the Scottish Rite Temple in Oakland was all that one might imagine. Hundreds of Tom’s friends, family, fans, colleagues old and new came together to share favorite stories, fond memories, laughs and of course a tear or two, or more, for California’s foremost eco-Godfather (or Delta Force, as a legal rag once notably labeled Tom). Looking out over the standing-room only crowd filled with public officials, water agency folk, enviros and so many…

  • 60 Minutes misses opportunity to identify solutions

    Spreck Rosekrans
    29 Dec 2009 | 12:00 pm
    Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF. CBS’ 60 Minutes began last night’s show with a piece titled “California: Running Dry”. It was perhaps too much to expect comprehensive coverage of our complex water issues within a 13 minute segment. The show began quoting the adage, sometimes ascribed to Mark Twain, that “whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting” and offered only the opportunity to spend up to $40 Billion as a way to solve our problems. As a result, 60 Minutes missed the opportunity to tell its viewers how we can be smarter, and must be smarter, about using…

  • An important week in CA water: the Feds take on the Bay-Delta Crisis

    Ann Hayden
    22 Dec 2009 | 2:18 pm
    Ann Hayden is a Senior Water Resource Analyst at EDF. We know that the Feds have been paying close attention to the crisis in the Bay Delta over the past few months—from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's tours of the Central Valley, to Central Valley Congressman Devin Nunes' failed attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act. But we're happy to hear several key announcements this week solidifying the Delta as a focus of the federal agenda. The National Academy of Sciences announced its 15-member review of recent biological opinions in the Bay Delta officially called…
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    We All Live Downstream

  • Clean Energy? Part 1, Nukes – Toxic, Expensive and Not Carbon Neutral

    jdecock
    2 Feb 2010 | 4:35 pm
    Inspired by my colleague Roger Smith’s recent post “What is Clean”, this the first of a series of postings on dirty energy sources that abuse the long-suffering adjective “clean”. To review, Roger had a great summary of what it means to be clean in the context of energy.  He said: Clean Energy is replenished as it is used. Clean Energy doesn’t contribute to global warming. Clean Energy doesn’t degrade our water resources Clean Energy makes our air quality better, not worse. Clean Energy doesn’t burden future generations with toxic waste. Clean Energy doesn’t permanently…

  • What is Clean?

    jdecock
    29 Jan 2010 | 2:06 pm
    Today’s guest blog by Clean Water Action Energy and Climate Program specialist, Roger Smith, offers his take on changing the political climate as Congress gears up to complete long-overdue work on comprehensive energy and global warming legislation. What is Clean? Recent weeks and months have seen increasing use of the word “clean” to describe coal, nuclear power, and even oil described as “clean.” Though this crescendo of confusion if one can conclude anything, it’s that Washington has its own special brand of logic. Since when are oil spills clean?  How many more times must we…

  • A Letter To Lisa

    jdecock
    13 Jan 2010 | 3:51 pm
    Dear Senator Murkowski, Hope you are well.  Hey, some of us were talking and we were wondering what the deal is with this amendment to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating green house gases.  I’m sure you’ve got your reasons, or rather the polluters who did the ghost writing of  the amendment have their reasons, but we actually prefer to have the Environmental Protection Agency, well, you know…protecting the environment. I know it’s frustrating to be a Senator from the right when you no longer have your guy in the White House.  Remember those…

  • Compromise, Entropy and Taking Responsibility

    jdecock
    7 Jan 2010 | 9:41 am
    Government, politics, relationships and most of life are all filled with compromise.  Most people have a point beyond which they won’t compromise and the art of aligning those points among the negotiating parties determines the quality of an agreement.  It is very often the case that the parties to an agreement are both equally satisfied or dissatisfied and the agreement suffers in quality because there is no strong perspective left to drive the outcome.  Such is life. There are two recent examples of compromise which are giving me more than the usual amount of concern because of…

  • Public Opinion Snapshot: Public Rejects Conservative Views on Global Warming

    jdecock
    23 Dec 2009 | 2:23 pm
    From our friends at the Center for American Progress, some great polling data on how unswayed the public is by the right wing noise machine on global warming: “Conservatives are trying to convince the public of three things on global warming. The first is that human-induced climate change either isn’t really happening or is vastly exaggerated. The second is that the United States should not sign any international agreements designed to combat climate change. And the third is that action against global warming will wind up killing jobs and harming the economy.” Read More at the…
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    Water News Update

  • Friday’s Water News: U.S. and Canada End Dispute Over “Buy American”

    bengann
    5 Feb 2010 | 10:03 am
    A yearlong dispute between the U.S. and Canada over “Buy American” rules in the economic stimulus package has been settled. The deal will allow use of Canadian products in many local U.S. projects funded by the stimulus program. Municipalities receiving stimulus funding for water and sewer projects have complained that a shortage of products, including water filters made by General Electric, were causing construction delays. Headlines Officials in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin say it might be days before residents can safely drink water after a water main break Friday morning caused a…

  • Thursday’s Water News: Milwaukee Wastewater Treatment Good in 2009

    bradhannon
    4 Feb 2010 | 10:52 am
    The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s (MMSD) deep tunnels and two sewage treatment plants collected and cleansed more than 98.3% – or 72.2 billion gallons – of the sewage and storm water that entered regional sewers in 2009. The average annual percentage of total wastewater captured and treated by MMSD over the last 16 years is 98.2%. Headlines A road in Charlotte, North Carolina reopened yesterday after Public Works crews  fixed a water pipe that broke causing a sinkhole.  Crews made repairs overnight in the 12-foot deep hole, patching a sewer line that was…

  • Wednesday’s Water News: State of Iowa Awards $2.5M for Wastewater Project

    bradhannon
    3 Feb 2010 | 12:40 pm
    Iowa Governor Chet Culver has announced that the Town of Clinton will be receiving $2.5 million from the state to help construct a new wastewater treatment plant and pump station. The award–which was made possible by a statewide construction program called I-JOBS–has spent $55 million in water infrastructure improvements across the state. Headlines A 16-inch main broke this morning in a residential area of Northridge, California, prompting a water-service interruption that affected nearby apartment residents.  Water from the broken main flooded the street several inches deep…

  • Tuesday’s Water News: Aging Pipes Lead to Sewer Overflows in San Francisco Area

    bradhannon
    2 Feb 2010 | 3:07 pm
    During the storms that rained on the San Francisco Bay Area a couple of weeks back, a total of 630,000 gallons of raw sewage spewed into the bay at 47 spots. Even worse, 170 million gallons of partially treated sewage was discharged from three East Bay Municipal Utility District “wet weather” overflow plants. Headlines Layton Hills Mall in Layton, Utah was closed Monday after a major water line broke Sunday and damaged electrical components, knocking out power to the building. The city of Utica, New York is eyeing four sewer projects that will cost about $12 million. The…

  • Monday Headlines: SRF Programs Receive $3.3M in President’s Budget

    bengann
    1 Feb 2010 | 12:42 pm
    In President Obama”s Fiscal Year 2011  Budget released today, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund received $2 billion and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund received $1.287 billion. The proposed budget levels for the SRF programs are $100 million less than each program is receiving for FY 2010, but near its historical highs. Headlines Sewer problems are plaguing a street in Gautier, Mississippi that has a lingering sewer smell that has affected residents for years after every heavy rain. The city is spending $12,000 to clean out a sewer line that affects the street and…
 
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    WaterWired

  • Stirring the Pot: John Briscoe on the Practice and Teaching of American Water Management in a Changing World

    Aquadoc
    9 Feb 2010 | 12:57 am
    'Stirring the pot' is an understatement. A colleague sent me this editorial from the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management by John Briscoe, former World Bank employee with 40 years' experience in international water resources management. Briscoe is now at Harvard University developing a campus-wide water initiative. Download John_Briscoe_editorial_American_water_management Briscoe's unorthodox ideas on water resources management in developing countries have already received attention (below is a pdf version). Download HSPHFall09johnbriscoe In the JWRPM…

  • Emily Green's The Week That Was (in Water), 31 January - 6 February 2010 (and More!)

    Aquadoc
    8 Feb 2010 | 12:40 am
    Emily Green's wonderful weekly post is back after a brief hiatus. Just in the nick of time, too - some of my followers were afraid I would once again post about the water travails of a certain Southwestern USA metropolis. Actually, I could post about said travails without mentioning a certain city in Nevada, because I'm now in Scottsdale, Phoenix's wealthy neighbor. I am at the Fairmont Scottsdale for a two-day meeting sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives for volunteer leaders. I'm here because of my 'Crown Prince' status with…

  • Roll, With It, Baby - You Can't Beat the Q Drum!

    Aquadoc
    7 Feb 2010 | 7:07 am
    Megumi Iwasaki alerted me to this nifty, labor-saving device for transporting water. Megumi represents EcoNetworks, which is involved in the production of a WWW site called ecoideasnet. From Megumi's WWW site: The idea of the Q Drum originated in response to the needs of rural people in developing countries who have a problem carrying adequate quantities of potable water from a reliable source. In Africa for example, many debilitating back and neck injuries are a result of women carrying heavy water on their heads. The Q Drum holds 50 liters of water.   “In the business…

  • Keeping Girls in School Through Better Sanitation

    Aquadoc
    7 Feb 2010 | 12:37 am
    Many people, including yours truly, have written about the link between clean water, sanitation, and the education of girls in developing countries. This recent post by John Oldfield at Blogging on Water elucidates the issue quite well as he cites a study led by University of Oxford marketing professor Linda Scott. John begins: It's times like this when I wish this blog had a billion readers instead of just several hundred million. Below is an important piece from Voice of America on sanitation/hygiene/water/girls in school (or NOT in school) in Ghana. You put a bunch of…

  • Final Agenda: Capitol Hill Briefing on University WASH Initiative on 3 March 2010

    Aquadoc
    6 Feb 2010 | 12:15 am
    Recently I posted on this event. The date is now firm and the final agenda is now available: Download University WASH 3-3 event final agenda 2010-02-05 I will be making a brief presentation. Prominent university and college leaders working on international water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues  will participate in a congressional briefing on a new University WASH Initiative from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on March 3, 2010, in Room SVC 203/202 of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.  Presentations will feature the variety of ways in which U.S. colleges and universities are already addressing…
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    Water For The Ages

  • Disaster in Haiti: Loss of Life and Lack of Water

    waterfortheages
    16 Jan 2010 | 7:46 pm
    Most know a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. The 7.0 magnitude quake was centered offshore the populated capital of Port-au-Prince. Thought one of ten deadliest in history, causalities range from 50,000 to 200,000 people. Almost three million of the country’s nine million people are affected. Many are still trapped in the rubble. Aid efforts have been hampered by the scale of impact and current instability of the Haitian government. Survivors are in desperate need of drinking water. Running water is not available due to damaged pipes. A lack of clean drinking…

  • 20 Water Facts (by Charity Water)

    waterfortheages
    13 Jan 2010 | 3:20 pm
    Another humble reminder brought to you by Charity Water. Posted in general Tagged: global water, sustainability

  • 10 Facts on Women and Water

    waterfortheages
    2 Dec 2009 | 3:33 am
    10 Facts on Women and Water Above Photo: Generations of Women and Girls Women and children fetch the majority of water for household uses in rural areas. Often this keeps them from attending school or working at a job. The average distance that women and children walk for water in Africa and Asia is six kilometers (3.7 miles). Women carry heavy loads of water (about 20 liters) on their heads in some locations in the world. This causes severe damage to the neck and spine over time. Women make most household water and sanitation decisions, but they are rarely invited to be involved in planning…

  • Women Need Water Rights, Not Just Technologies by Masum Momaya

    waterfortheages
    2 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am
    Just finished an interesting article examining roles and limitations of technology for solving problems in water access, planning, and management for women around the world. “In poor communities, technologies are often touted as panaceas for poverty. For women in productive and reproductive roles, technologies, such as those for fetching and storing water, can make daily tasks easier. But do such technologies actually ensure women’s rights?” Read the article called Women Need Water Rights Not Just Technologies by Masum Momaya on the AWID website. Above Photo: Two Women Washing…

  • Live Blogs and Tweets from the Water Harvesting, Storage, and Conservation Conference 2009

    waterfortheages
    22 Nov 2009 | 8:47 pm
    For the next three days, YOU can virtually attend a conference on Water Harvesting, Storage, and Conservation (WHSC) by reading and commenting on blog posts and tweets posted in real-time by Praveena Sridhar on the India Water Portal here. The conference, at the Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, India, will focus on the technology, policy, and implementation of solutions to some of the world’s most pressing water problems. Some topics of discussion will include: National policy support for planning by basin. Water harvesting for agriculture. Storm water…
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    Akvo

  • How to give money to Akvo projects

    Mark Tiele Westra
    5 Feb 2010 | 8:00 am
    At Akvo, we have a host of fantastic projects all deserving of your money, but what’s the most effective way to actually donate? In an ideal world, every cent of a donation would go directly to the project, but in the real world, this is surprisingly hard to achieve. For instance, PayPal – the most used payment gateway – currently charges 3.9% plus 35 cents of each transaction. In the Netherlands, the banks have put together a rather neat new payment system, called iDeal. The idea behind it is that people can handle online payments using their own bank’s system, and…

  • The rope pump

    Mark Tiele Westra
    5 Feb 2010 | 4:46 am
    A rope pump mounted on a well in Zambia. Using the rope pump allows the well to be covered, which vastly improves the water quality. Photo Henk Holtslag In the water sector, as elsewhere, good ideas can be surprisingly old. One such old idea is the rope pump, which is over 2000 years old and was used in ancient China. A rope pump consists of a pipe that reaches down to the water, a rope or chain through the tube, washers attached to the rope that fit snugly inside the tube, and a wheel on top to draw the rope with washers through the pipe. The water is held between the washers in the pipe,…

  • Making sense of now

    Mark Charmer
    1 Feb 2010 | 6:46 am
    If you’re in the UK and able to use BBC iPlayer, I’d encourage you to watch the first episode of “The Virtual Revolution”, Dr Aleks Krotoski’s exploration into how the world wide web “is reshaping every aspect of our lives”. I began working in information technology in 1992, in ICL, a kind of British version of IBM that didn’t really survive the death of the mainframe. It was full of people trying to preserve the way IT had been sold and delivered in the 1980s. Big expensive deals with big companies and governments, involving armies of advisors…

  • Pump Aid lifts the lid on Live Earth UK

    Mark Charmer
    28 Jan 2010 | 7:30 am
    I got the chance to talk this morning with Stephen Brown and Rachael Phillips at Pump Aid about the launch plans for Live Earth London and Manchester. Photo: City Hall, London, where Live Earth London’s PR kicks off this Monday morning, on “the scoop” steps, with an 8am media photocall. It will feature 250 pairs of training shoes, emphasising the number of people in a community that a single Pump Aid Elephant Pump can provide with clean water. (CC-BY-SA – by Mark Charmer) In the video below, they outline plans, including a photo-launch this Monday, and their social…

  • The aid information challenge

    Mark Charmer
    26 Jan 2010 | 8:32 am
    I got together with the team yesterday behind the Aid Information Challenge, a ‘barcamp’-style series of parallel events that will be held in London and New York on Friday March 5th (NYC) and Saturday March 6th (London), 2010. Photo: Simon Parry, Jonathan Gray and Cormac Nolan. Borough Market, Southwark, London. 25 January 2010. The London event’s being driven by two key organisations – the Open Knowledge Foundation and Publish What You Fund – and seeks to build a community of people who are interested in (and capable of working with) datasets generated around…
 
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    Watercrunch

  • Mudhole Water Skiing Southern Style

    13 Jan 2010 | 3:00 am
    Honestly, I was going to write this morning about a new water permitting bill being proposed in South Carolina. I was going to breakout its major components, but it's just going to have to wait. This is another reason why I love living in South Carolina. There is no shortage of ingenuity, adaptibility, and perseverance. Bring on climate change. As long as there is some muddy water left and a little carbon to burn, we are fine.This spurred me into making a motivation poster.Ok. Just one more poster.Must stop now. I could have fun with this all day long.

  • Debunking the #1 Water Scarcity Myth

    11 Jan 2010 | 3:01 am
    I thought CBS News's story about water scarcity was good considering the short duration (Watch the video here). However, one myth continues to be spread in the popular press. The myth is that 36 states will face water shortages.This statement comes from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in a report published in 2003 titled "FRESHWATER SUPPLY: States’ Views of How Federal Agencies Could Help Them Meet the Challenges of Expected Shortages" The report was generated after the 2002 drought to help federal agencies determine how their activities affect states and how they can be more…

  • CBS News's Water Scarcity Story

    10 Jan 2010 | 4:47 am
    I finally watched CBS News's coverage of water scarcity that was shown last Friday. Coverage was above normal and I liked the use of graphics. However, there is a pervasive water statistical myth mentioned that still bugs me. I'll write about it tomorrow morning.Watch CBS News Videos Online

  • Reclaiming the Everglades in the 19th Century in Pictures

    8 Jan 2010 | 3:25 am
    19th century progress in the Everglades.Interesting.

  • Homemade Southern Style Snow Making

    6 Jan 2010 | 3:49 am
    We all have gifts. Some lay hidden for years, some we unwrap and toss into the closet, while some we look for, but they are simply not there. The mechanical gift is missing for me. I have no patience when it comes to working on a car or building or retrofitting most anything. My brother, however, has this gift. Before Christmas I wrote about making your own white christmas. Well, by gosh, my brother built a homemade snow maker out of parts and pieces from Lowe's. I thought I would share these pictures. Pretty cool. I am jealous. You want to build it? Click here for the plan. Just don't ask me…
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    Stormwater Authority

  • Pump Station Project to Reduce Trash in the Los Angeles River includes CDS Stormwater Treatment System

    8 Feb 2010 | 4:00 pm
    (West Chester, OH, February 9, 2010) Today marks the groundbreaking ceremony of Pump Station SD11, in Long Beach, California, where a CDS hydrodynamic separator  will be installed in order to remove trash from urban runoff flowing into the Los Angeles River. This is one of three projects recently designed by the city of Long Beach to help contribute to achieving the Los Angeles Riv

  • Federal Agencies Plan to Ease Water Crisis in California Bay-Delta

    30 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm
    WASHINGTON, DC, December 31, 2009 (ENS) - To address the water crisis in California's Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta-San Francisco Bay Estuary, the Obama administration has released a coordinated interim action plan that involves six federal agencies. Issued December 22, the plan is undertaken in accordance with a Memo of Understanding signed at the end of September by the federal agencies - the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, Agriculture and the Army as well as the U.S.

  • Ottawa River Cleanup Started After Months of Delay

    27 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm
    TOLEDO, Ohio, December 28, 2009 (ENS) - On December 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Ottawa River Group and the state of Ohio began construction on phase one of a $49 million cleanup of the Ottawa River and Sibley Creek in Toledo. The work was supposed to begin this past summer, but was held up by months of delays in government bidding procedures. Under the federal Great Lakes Legacy Act, the project partners will remove 260,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment

  • Stormwater Success Stories Featured on New EPA Website

    23 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm
    WASHINGTON, DC, December 24, 2009 (ENS) - A collection of stormwater success stories on a new U.S. EPA website are intended to inform and educate stakeholders about the benefits of developing pollution reduction budgets, called total maximum daily loads, TMDLs, to protect and restore water quality in their own watersheds.  The site provides short fact sheets as well as technical fact sheets of four to five pages, that are representative of TMDLs prepared by states around the co

  • Nearly Half U.S. Lakes in Fair to Poor Condition

    20 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm
    WASHINGTON, DC, December 21, 2009 (ENS) - The condition of only 56 percent of the lakes in the United States is rated as good and the remaining 44 percent are in fair or poor condition, according to a draft study released by Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A total of 1,028 lakes were randomly sampled during 2007 by states, tribes and EPA in a study that marked the first time the EPA has used a nationally consistent approach to survey the ecological and water qual
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    NUPRANA

  • The Great Water Deal of 2009

    By Peter Schrag, California Progress Report On the rare occasions when the biggest players in Sacramento blow kisses to one another for a historic achievement, the object of the celebration deserves a hard second look. It happened again last week when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, legislative leaders and a gaggle of other politicians and lobbyists reached the [...]

  • Missouri Pours Money on Water Projects

    JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Jay Nixon on Monday announced $146 million in federal stimulus funds to speed infrastructure construction across Missouri. The grants, in conjunction with $120 million in low-interest loans provided by the state, will pay for more than 50 wastewater- and drinking-water system improvements statewide, including projects in and around Kansas City. Kansas City will [...]

  • 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 trigger date for expanding Connecticut’s [...]

  • 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 rising. Drought caused by climate [...]

  • 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 an array of other chemicals [...]
 
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    Water News Portal

  • Carbon Trust funds tidal and wave power projects in the UK

    4 Feb 2010 | 4:14 am
    Earlier this week, the Carbon Trust has launched the GBP22M marine proving fund a scheme which will see between GBP2m and GBP5m awarded to four tidal and two wave power projects in the UK. The money will help bring the projects through from the prototype stage to commercial propositions. AECOM has backed plans by the Carbon Trust to fund the development of marine and tidal energy in the UK. AECOM's ... [more]

  • Practical Installer puts the latest innovations in renewables under the spotlight

    21 Jan 2010 | 3:34 am
    At Ecobuild 2010, Practical Installer will put the latest innovations in renewables under the spotlight dispelling the myth that renewable technologies are complicated and showing that, in some cases, they are more straightforward than traditional technologies. With live and interactive sessions throughout the day, including the latest solar panels being installed on a demonstration roof and ... [more]

  • First Neptune Proteus tidal stream generator produced on Wearside

    19 Jan 2010 | 5:53 am
    A new chapter is set to unfold in one of North East England's former thriving shipyards as the first of a new generation of tide driven energy generators recently completed. The first tidal generator to be manufactured at the site of Sunderland's former shipbuilding yards is now complete and will be shipped to Humberside where it will be put into action in a series of trials. The million-pound ... [more]

  • Zummer homes achieve zero dependence on fossil fuels

    15 Jan 2010 | 4:52 am
    By incorporating eco-conscious elements behind every door, wall, floor and window and in every nook and cranny, Zummer homes achieve zero dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas and are 100% off the electrical grid. In fact, owners receive checks from the their local electric provider by selling unused electricity back to the company. Living in a green, energy free home, one with ... [more]

  • American Water to lower its greenhouse gas emissions per volume of water produced by 16 percent

    31 Dec 2009 | 4:00 pm
    American Water has set a goal to lower its greenhouse gas emissions per volume of water produced by 16 percent by the year 2017. American Water plans to achieve the 16 percent reduction through a combination of increased pump efficiencies, purchasing cleaner generated energy sources, reducing its fleet, and increasing the use of onsite solar and other alternative energy producing methods. "The ... [more]
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    Aguanomics

  • Water Chat with John Quiggin on Australian water

    9 Feb 2010 | 5:15 am
    I spoke to John Quiggin of the University of Queensland about water issues in Australia and Queensland. I learned that California and Australia are similar in many ways (dams, salinity, politics, paper water rights, ag trading, desalination, etc.) I was quite surprised to hear that Brisbane's dramatic drop in per capita use (to 130 liters/capita/day) was accomplished with regulations more than prices. (BUT, they -- the water managers -- did pay a lot of attention to metered water volumes.) Here's our 50 min chat [17 MB mp3] It turns out that we agree on "some water for free, pay for more" (on…

  • "The Future of Irrigated Agriculture - Where's the Water?"

    8 Feb 2010 | 6:28 pm
    On UC Berkeley's campus Tuesday, Juliet Christian-Smith from the Pacific Institute will be speaking along with David Zoldoske from Fresno. There is no abstract yet, but hopefully it will be be informative. If you have questions, put them in the comments and I will try to ask one or two and write up the details tomorrow...

  • Profit seeking

    8 Feb 2010 | 1:39 pm
    Jack Ceadel over at Global Water Intelligence wonders what is going on: Mostly we talk about market consolidation, but over the past decade, the reverse has been happening in the desalination industry. Growth has sucked more and more players into the industry, to the extent that the market leaders have actually been losing market share. It is such an unusual phenomenon that I am not sure there is a word for it. I call it market proliferation.No Jack, it's called profit seeking, as in... businesses with extraordinary profits attract entrants, and these entrants drive down profits for…

  • Monday Funnies

    8 Feb 2010 | 10:16 am

  • Wasting our most precious resource?

    8 Feb 2010 | 3:49 am
    "California's Central Valley will be the Appalachia of the West" says the Economist. It won't be if California's scarce water is traded at market prices, instead of allocated to historic users. That's the fastest way to maximize the value of our scarce asset. No change will merely enrich a few while producing crops (and goods and services) is lesser value. Speaking of precious resources, this conservative pundit says that "economic growth depends strongly on an expanding population." He goes on to equate more babies with more prosperity. I've got four objections to his line: He's got it…
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    Water and Wastewater Blog

  • Another Fabulous Tool from Apple and a Book that Wants You to Unlock Your Own Fabulous Works

    Don Dunnington
    31 Jan 2010 | 6:32 pm
    Last week, two possibly world-changing launches took place: On Tuesday Seth Godin introduced his latest book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? The next day Apple introduced the iPad. Most observers instantly declared both fabulous, though a few found fault with some iPad details. You’d have to be on an extended trip to another planet to miss the news of Apple’s iPad, the long-anticipated tablet computer that may do to book, magazine and newspaper publishing what iTunes did to the music business. The buzz on Seth’s new book is nearly as intense in the blogging/marketing…

  • Read this Blog and Boost Your Brain Power

    Don Dunnington
    8 Dec 2009 | 12:11 pm
    Web surfing may be improving your mind in more ways than you expected. UCLA scientists have announced results of a study in which they found, according to the University's Rachel Champeau, "middle-aged and older adults with little Internet experience were able to trigger key centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning after just one week of surfing the Web." The findings were presented at the 2009 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. According to Champeau, "Research has shown that mental stimulation similar to that which occurs in…

  • 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…
 
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    Water Conservation Blog

  • RELEASE: Global Campaign to Protect and Restore Old Forests Gaining Traction

    9 Feb 2010 | 9:05 am
    Campaigns to end industrial primary rainforest logging in Papua New Guinea and Madagascar based upon ecological science, and meant to end corruption and ecological harm By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet (EI) CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org Ecological Internet’s (EI) ongoing campaigns in Madagascar [1] and Papua New Guinea [2] (PNG) to end primary forest logging [search] (please continue to take action below), is part of EI’s global network’s campaign to globally protect and restore old forests. Ecological science reveals forest and other…

  • Action Alert: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Logging Violence and Corruption Flare in Ramu, Madang’s Mighty Rainforests

    6 Feb 2010 | 10:20 am
    TAKE ACTION! Local landowner initiated court case has shut down logging for two months. The PNG Forest Authority's review of the granting of the right to log to notorious Rimbunan Hijau [search] of Malaysia in Ramu River valley expected soon. Industry and corrupt government officials pulling out all stops to re-grant permit to this violent and corrupt criminal-enterprise. Massive cash payments and brutal violence – to intimidate communities resisting logging – is rife. Yet local protest to logging continues to intensify in Madang [search], as do calls to end all industrial primary…

  • ALERT! Protest Madagascar's Legalization of Rosewood Log Export from Protected National Parks

    26 Jan 2010 | 6:33 pm
    TAKE ACTION! Delmas shipping, a subsidiary of French shipping giant CMA-CGM, is being pressured by the transitional Madagascar government to ship hundreds of containers of illegally logged ancient rainforest logs from Madagascar to China anytime soon. Post-coup illegal log and wildlife trade continue to threaten Madagacar's biodiversity rich rainforest remnants, ecological sustainability and future potential for national advancement. TAKE ACTION!

  • EARTH MEANDERS: Ode to Madang

    18 Jan 2010 | 6:21 pm
    By Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet Earth Meanders come from Earth's Newsdesk Yet another paradise lost? Prime Minister Michael Somare of Papua New Guinea is ruling as a Mugabe like thug bent upon becoming a tin-pot dictator. Once a great man that led his country to independence, Mr. Somare is now using his “Grand Chief” status for corrupt personal, family and tribal gains – illegally and immorally allocating huge swathes of his great nation’s forest and marine resources without landowners’ prior and informed consent. On the bidding of Somare’s increasingly despotic and erratic…

  • EARTH MEANDERS: Resisting Global Ecological Change

    4 Jan 2010 | 10:57 pm
    By Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet Earth Meanders come from Earth's Newsdesk Shared survival requires powering down, going back to the land, and ecological resistance. The human family faces imminent and (Copenhagen would suggest) inevitable collapse of the biosphere – the thin layer of life upon an otherwise lifeless planet – that makes Earth habitable. Marshes and rivers and forests and fish are far more than resources – they and all natural ecosystems are a necessity for humanity’s existence upon Earth. A few centuries of historically unprecedented explosion in human numbers…
 
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    Living in Actively Moving Water

  • another water value: fun

    chris corbin
    5 Feb 2010 | 11:14 am
    I realize I spend most of my time discussing how we can utilize markets to efficiently allocate water where demand is high and supply is low. As a change of pace, I thought the video above provides a friendly reminder of the aesthetic values of water.

  • are exempt wells fair?

    chris corbin
    1 Feb 2010 | 1:16 pm
    A picture is worth a thousand words. At least, that was my initial reaction to this aerial photo taken in Gallatin County, Montana. This picture accurately depicts the growing exempt well controversies across Montana (Petitions, TU, Aquadoc) and Washington (Governor, CELP, DOE). If you don't fully understand the photo, here is a little clarification: 1. Permit. Represents a permitted irrigation water right. 2. Exempt. Represents a new residential development, quenching its thirst and watering its lawns, on several exempt wells (water rights). In my mind, this begs the question: are exempt…

  • should any groundwater pumping be exempt?

    chris corbin
    25 Jan 2010 | 7:41 pm
    I've refrained from jumping into the middle of the exempt well discussion. I can't hold myself back any longer. I'll keep it short. See image above. With rapidly declining aquifer levels, should any groundwater pumping be exempt?

  • montana water right transfer question?

    chris corbin
    16 Jan 2010 | 4:03 pm
    I just received the following email:Hi Chris,What is Montana's policy or law regarding irrigation water that can be sold? Leased? Is it the calculated amount of consumptive use, amount diverted, amount specified in the water right or?This represents a great question and one frequently asked. Rather than reply to the email, I've decided to answer the question below. If you are not in the mood to read, and just want to know the short answer, I'd recommend scrolling down to the very bottom for the Cliff Notes Version. First, I've touched on this topic in three previous post:1. Do efficiency…

  • water marketing: what is marketable water?

    chris corbin
    11 Jan 2010 | 12:19 pm
    With water right basin closures and moratoriums occurring across the West, there is an increasing demand for existing irrigation water rights. In the last year, I've found myself, more frequently, using the term "MARKETABLE WATER." As I defined previously, marketable water is water that can be transfered to another use or appropriated to additional acreage. An increasingly popular stance from state water agencies is that an irrigation water right's transferable water represents the water associated with its consumptive use. For example, if alfalfa has a consumptive of 1 acre-foot per acre and…
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    Thirsty in Suburbia

  • Speaking the Universal Language of Cute

    Gayle Leonard
    8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am
    These spots from Nickelodeon Latin American are meant to teach kids “green” behaviors, but people of all ages can certainly delight in their irresistible cuteness. Sadly, I happen to know that people of all ages can learn a few tips from the not-so-elementary lessons! Little green box-guy “Verdito” was created as a companion to “Cubit,” who’s the little orange box-guy mascot of Nick Latin America. I love these spots because they’re so simple, funny and appealing that we don’t notice any age, language or cultural barriers. Just the…

  • h2o mp3: A Pipe Dream and a Promise - Finale

    Gayle Leonard
    5 Feb 2010 | 11:22 am
    Such drama these past weeks for Las Vegas water watchers!* But what’s a good drama without a driving soundtrack? It will surely be soon that we see the straight-to-DVD epic Mulroy’s List. Or better yet…the new reality series on Bravo, Launch my (Pipe)Line! Either way, we propose backing it with this 2009 track by Detroit rapper Finale, A Pipe Dream and a Promise. Lyrics My mother, my grandma, my grandfather My brother, my sister, my girl landlord, the bands and my compadres, I promised the world the world that. You only come up short (?) ere’time My chase ain’t…

  • I Put A Spell On You! This Water Drop is Carved in Stone

    Gayle Leonard
    4 Feb 2010 | 5:15 pm
    You might wear your heart on your sleeve, but I’m going to wear my water drop on my neck! Check out this unique charm, given to me by my daughter. It is a blue chalcedony, a mineral sometimes associated with the water element. To those who believe in the mysterious power of crystals, this one is power-packed with some good vibes including (according to dkwcrystals.talktalk.net: A Creative Stone. Thought to alleviate hostilities, irritability and melancholy. Helping to create and enhance generosity, responsiveness and receptivity. Also said to help open the mind to assimilate new ideas…

  • Pet Poop Risk Assessment. Seriously.

    Gayle Leonard
    3 Feb 2010 | 10:20 pm
    Pet poop pollutes! So it makes sense that there have been increased efforts of late to educate the public on BMPPPs (Best Management Pet Poop Practices.) Some campaigns are creative, some are forgettable, but this one is just unbelievable!  Courtesy of Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, is HAPPI-Home Flyer 16: Pet Waste Management. (In their defense: this is dated August 2000 and they might well be shocked to learn that it is floating around live on the World Wide Web in 2010.) After some general background…

  • Nag About Water Savings the Modern, Twitter Way

    Gayle Leonard
    2 Feb 2010 | 6:00 pm
    I’m old fashioned, I guess… my method of encouraging conservation around the house involves nag, nag and nag some more. I’ve seen the light though via Jason Garland (jgarland79water on Twitter). His spiffy new water meter keeps careful tabs on water use, then sends out a seemingly never-ending series of tweets about it! If a high annoyance level will motivate us to change our behavior, this ought to do the trick! Jason’s twitterfeed now boasts nearly 4,500 tweets, every single one of which reminds him of his daily and monthly totals. Below, see Jason’s You Tube…
 
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    Blue Living Ideas

  • Climate Change Alters Gray Whale Migration

    Jennifer Lance
    4 Feb 2010 | 8:31 am
    It’s the peak of gray whale southern migration off the central and southern coast of California. Between 20 to 30 whales an hour are being spotted in Monterey, but gray whales are also being spotted up north in Washington state months ahead of their typical migration schedule. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, these Washington [...][Climate Change Alters Gray Whale Migration from Blue Living Ideas]

  • We Pay Too Little for Water in California

    Susan Kraemer
    3 Feb 2010 | 8:39 am
    Even in water starved California, water is probably our cheapest monthly bill. Because public water utilities are regulated, they have to keep prices low. Yet water utilities have costs for water that are rising fast for infrastructure replacement, energy to move it around, regulatory compliance treatment, and population growth. Water is priced [...][We Pay Too Little for Water in California from Blue Living Ideas]

  • Himalayan Glacial Error Leaves Himalayan Water Truth in Doubt

    Scott James
    2 Feb 2010 | 8:07 am
    The backlash over the recent revelation that the 2007 IPCC report included an erroneous alarm that the Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035 has been well-documented. Much of the concern flowed from the fact that the glaciers feed several major rivers in South Asia and Southeast Asia where millions of people live. General opinion now [...][Himalayan Glacial Error Leaves Himalayan Water Truth in Doubt from Blue Living Ideas]

  • Maldives Pledges 100% Emissions Cut by 2020

    Scott James
    1 Feb 2010 | 8:20 am
    Before Copenhagen, the Maldives went scuba-diving to hold an underwater cabinet meeting, emphasizing the threat of rising sea levels to their nation. Years ago they pledged to become a carbon-neutral country, utilizing clean energy and offsetting all airline flights to their tourist resorts. And now, as countries around the world send their emissions cuts to [...][Maldives Pledges 100% Emissions Cut by 2020 from Blue Living Ideas]

  • CalWater Project to Study the Impact of Climate Change on California Water

    Scott James
    28 Jan 2010 | 8:38 am
    California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called California’s water troubles a “holy water war… north versus south, California versus the feds, rural versus urban….” As divisive as the state’s water issues are, they are just as poorly understood. Population growth, inconsistent weather and the threat of drought are well known factors that make water planning difficult, [...][CalWater Project to Study the Impact of Climate Change on California Water from Blue Living Ideas]
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    Water Blog

  • Portland Water Bureau Web site now includes monthly sampling results

    31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm
    The Water Bureau reconfigured its Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2) Web site and is now posting monthly results of the intensive year-long water quality sampling program.   The results from 12 months of sampling will be used to demonstrate whether treatment for Cryptosporidium is necessary to protect public health due to the nature of the source water of the Bull Run watershed.   The bureau began collecting and testing water within the City’s Bull Run watershed in accordance with the Sampling Plan and Study in Support of a Variance Application to the…

  • Water Main construction in intersection of SW 45th Avenue at SW Multnomah Boulevard

    31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm
    FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Susan Kelly Public Outreach Work: 503-823-6020 Cell: 503-823-8891   Construction crews from the Portland Water Bureau (PWB) will begin work to relocate a section of water main at the intersection of SW 45th Avenue and SW Multnomah Boulevard on Tuesday, February 9th and Wednesday, February 10th.   The work will take place between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm on both days.  One lane of traffic will be closed during construction hours. All traffic lanes will be reopened when no work is underway.   The traffic signal light will be shut-off. Flaggers will…

  • Energy Efficient Improvements Pay Off ... Literally!

    31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm
    The Water Bureau is investing in energy-efficiency improvements and getting paid for it!   Recently, bureau electricians replaced 12 inefficient fixtures on the Interstate Facility loading dock and the covered parking area with high-efficiency fixtures. The switch will result in 8,198 kilowatt hours of energy savings annually, reducing energy use of the lights by 35 percent!   The bureau received an incentive from the Energy Trust of Oregon for $0.111 per kilowatt-hour saved through the upgrade, a total of $910. The cost of the project before the incentive was $2,568 and so,…

  • Annual Water for People Gala TOMORROW NIGHT!

    31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm
    Imagine waking up tomorrow morning, sliding into your slippers, and discovering a world where you no longer have access to a safe water source or reliable sanitation. Right there, it’s going to be a bad day for me. Yet, lack of cleaning drinking water and sanitation is a challenge that many of our global neighbors face on a daily basis.    Now imagine a world where the cycle of water poverty is broken and we all have access to clean water and sanitation. Water for People (WFP) is working to build that world where all people have access to safe drinking water and…

  • Main Break Photos - SE 109th & Division

    31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm
    6:00 PM All lanes of SE Division are now open. Thank you for your patience.   4:50 PM   I just spoke with afternoon crew supervisor, Dennis Hughes. Dennis informed me that crews have replaced the broken portion of the main. Once the main is secured in place, crews will begin back-filling the hole.   Sweeper trucks will come out to clean up the site tomorrow morning.   The hole will receive a temporary pavement patch until the site can be paved over next week.   Crews hope to have all traffic lanes up and running by early evening.     1:00 PM   Main…
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    Washlink

  • new reprort Financing On-Site Sanitation for the Poor

    washlink
    24 Jan 2010 | 8:12 pm
    Financing On-Site  Sanitation for the Poor A Six Country Comparative Review and Analysis is Available From WSP Water and Sanitation Program is 174 page pdf doc dated January 2010 On-Site Sanitation for the Poor “The study was written by Sophie Trémolet (independent consultant) under the leadership and guidance of Eddy Perez (Water and Sanitation Program – WSP) and Pete Kolsky (World Bank)…” It starts with a quick overview of current conditions quoting from a variety of existing publications: “…sanitation costs the economies of four Southeast Asian…

  • The effects of urine storage conditions on struvite recovery

    washlink
    24 Jan 2010 | 5:10 pm
    This Came up in a google news watch  – worthy of noting – originally published in 2006 by Elizabeth  Anne Tilley Absract: “Phosphorus, like oil, is a non-renewable resource that must be harvested from finite resources in the earth’s crust. An essential element for life, phosphorus is becoming increasingly scarce, contaminated, and difficult to extract. Struvite, or magnesium ammonium phosphate (MgNH₄P0₄.6H₂0) is a white, crystalline phosphate mineral that can be used as a bioavailable fertilizer and can be recovered from aqueous solutions such as digestor…

  • the latest revised version of the WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies

    washlink
    13 Jan 2010 | 5:59 pm
    posting per request Please find the latest revised version of the WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies freely available at: http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/knowledge/notes_emergencies.html Other free downloadable resources for emergencies are available from the WEDC Bookshop, including: Emergency Water Supply Emergency Sanitation Controlling and Preventing Disease Excreta Disposal in Emergencies Emergency Vector Control Visit: http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/knowledge/bookshop.html PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO COLLEAGUES WHO MAY FIND THESE RESOURCES HELPFUL. Thank you WEDC Publications

  • Urine diversion toilet components – A Technology Review

    washlink
    8 Jan 2010 | 8:15 pm
    This was first noted/posted  by SuSanA( EN FR ES ) and worthy of    “post duplicating” GTZ Has published a set of technology reviews the last Quarter of 2009 dealing with “some technologies commonly used as toilets or as treatment systems in ecosan systems.” GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit translated- German Agency for Technical Cooperation) is federally owned and “…supports the German Government in achieving its development-policy objectives.” according to its about us web page Thier focus is sustainable development. …

  • Construction Technology How-to video’s for Watsan Devices Published on YouTube

    washlink
    4 Jan 2010 | 7:36 pm
    An organization out of Germany called EMS has produced and posted on YouTube  a great set of educational videos surrounding the building of  of storage tanks, pumps, solar heater, wells, latrines and many other relate watsan devises.  It is apparent that it comes from their first hand experience:  “More than 10,000 wells have been drilled in South America since introduction of the EMAS concept “assistance to self-help”. EMAS stands for “Escuela Movil Aguas Y Saneamiento Basico” (Mobile school for drinkable water and sanitation) Their home site site is also in…
 
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    Rainbow Water Coalition

  • Hollywood's Gaffes and Gagas over Greywater

    8 Feb 2010 | 9:28 am
    Green living is making quite a splash on TV.  Previous postings introduced the South African Love and Mortar reality series that started in January, and based on my review of the trailer and episode summaries, it is "must see" TV. The "greywater episode" is not scheduled until mid to late March, but I recommend a visit to the show. Michelle and Riaan have a hit.But what about a power-house eco-couple for the US? One exists!  Ed Begley and his eco-partner Rachelle have starred in a reality TV series for a couple of years now.  Who is Ed Begley?  He has been acting…

  • Getting Loaded on Greywater

    5 Feb 2010 | 3:51 pm
    The Oregon DEQ Graywater Advisory Committee is meeting for the third time on February 11 in Salem, Oregon.  The agenda can be viewed above. Greywater is becoming quite the topic du jour, with an invitation to speak at the annual Oregon Soil Science Society meeting at McMenamins Edgefield (if you have not visited the McMenamins in Oregon, you will find the funkiest brewpubs, wineries, hotels, restaurants on the planet).  The Oregon Section of the American Water Resources Association also invited me to speak at their monthly meeting in March at La Margarita as outlined in the attached…

  • Say it ain't so, Sonny

    3 Feb 2010 | 9:41 pm
    According to this article, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue introduced the Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010 today which included greywater as part of the state water conservation portfolio.  If the state follows through with this very important legislation, Georgia will be the first southeastern state to embrace greywater reuse (I am not including Texas in the southeast, but rather part of the "west" since they already have a greywater program). Georgia is not new to the water challenged arena as expertly outlined by many posts on WaterWired.  They have seen the big picture by…

  • Getting Rid of the Grey

    3 Feb 2010 | 5:34 am
    Most of the reuse of greywater appears to focus on irrigation and perhaps toilet flushing.  What if you wanted to reuse the greywater for indoor use?  How would one get rid of the "grey"?  Search no further, as the Greywater Gadget of the Week is the Kingspanwater Ezy-Filter. According to the website, "The key to the system is the patented filter cartridge that effectively converts soaps, detergents and other impurities into clear recycled and usable water.  The filter uses saline solution extracted from sea water as its main component. Combined with activated carbon, the…

  • Golden Greywater

    2 Feb 2010 | 10:35 am
    Leave it to the environmentally friendly Canadians to come up with a plan that not only permits gold mining, but also links greywater to the process.  (Disclosure: I am from Newfoundland, so I am not harassing Canadians).  According to this press release, Canadian-based Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc. is developing the Zaruma Gold Project in Ecuador.  Recent improvements to their facility? - you guessed it: "The grey water treatment facility constructed by the Company supplies all the water used at the plant. Water that is required is…
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