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Levin and Voinovich – co-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force – today introduced legislation to ratify the Great Lakes Compact, a bipartisan agreement among the Great Lakes states to protect the Great Lakes through better water management, conservation and public involvement. The legislation is the next step towards the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact becoming law because it must be ratified by Congress. In 2000, Congress passed legislation directing the Great Lakes Governors to negotiate a water management agreement. In 2005, the Great Lakes Governors, in coordination with the Canadian Premiers of Ontario and Quebec, completed negotiations of the eight-state Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. The Council of Great Lakes Governors was tasked with creating the Great Lakes Compact and is a partnership of the governors of the eight Great Lakes states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and the Canadian provincial premiers of Ontario and Quebec. The Compact, which will manage water diversions, withdrawals and consumptive use proposals, has been approved by the eight state legislatures and must be consented to by Congress to achieve full force and effect as an interstate compact. News Release_ 7/23/08 University team creates chlorine-tolerant desalination membrane A chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin is part of a team that has developed a chlorine-tolerant membrane that should simplify the water desalination process, increasing access to fresh water and possibly reducing greenhouse gases. The research will be published July 28 in the German Chemical Society’s journal Angewandte Chemie. Professor Benny Freeman worked primarily with James E. McGrath of Virginia Tech University and Ho Bum Park of the University of Ulsan in South Korea for more than three years to develop the chlorine-tolerant membrane made of sulfonated copolymers. A patent has been filed. The development could also have a direct impact on reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming. The other co-authors of the article include Mehmet Sankir and Zhong-Bio Zhang, both of Virginia Tech. Funding for the research was provided by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation-Partnerships for Innovation Program. News Release_ 7/22/08
2008 Hurricanes Dolly now a hurricane WaterWebster.org Staff Report July 22, 2008 Dolly was officially classified as a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday afternoon as it headed toward the Mexico-Texas border packing winds of 75 miles an hour and predictions of heavy rain along the coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said a hurricane warning remains in effect along the Gulf coast from Brownsville, Texas to Rio San Fernando, Mexico.A hurricane warning, according to forecasters, means "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion." Dolly is expected to reach land Wednesday and a few tornados are possible overnight across the lower and middle Texas coast. On Tuesday afternoon, the center of the storm was about 165 miles east-southeast of Brownsville, Texas. Tropical Storm Cristobal, meanwhile, continued to move north and away from land. On Tuesday afternoon, the storm was about 170 miles south-southeast of Halifax Nova Scotia and moving toward the northeast with winds of about 50 miles an hour. Around the U.S. Canal plan may solve California water distribution issues Fresno Irrigation District to stop water deliveries The Fresno (Calif.) Irrigation District will cease water deliveries July 31 after a five-month season because of dry spring conditions. The district covers about 245,000 acres and operates about 800 miles of canals and pipelines. In a normal year, Fresno Irrigation District handles about 500,000 acre-feet of water and delivers most of it to agricultural users. By season's end, the district will have delivered about 432,000 acre-feet of water. Deliveries started March 1. Growers will need to rely upon groundwater for any late summer or fall irrigations. The district will offer hardship water deliveries to the east side of the district beginning Aug. 1 and continuing through September. In addition, reclaimed water will continue to be delivered on the Houghton and Dry Creek systems. Fresno Bee_7/17/08 Bottled Water International Bottled Water Association tips for using and storing bottled water in emergencies The IBWA today is providing consumers with tips for bottled water and drinking water supplies during emergency situations. In view of the recent Midwest floods and the onset of tornado and hurricane season, IBWA reflects upon lessons learned by underscoring the critical need for clean drinking water for affected communities. "Hurricane Katrina was a tremendous eye-opener for government officials, emergency response professionals, communities, and industry, alike," said IBWA President and CEO Joseph K. Doss. "We saw how critical bottled water is for disaster-stricken communities and the importance of a coordinated, effective response to get drinking water to people in need." IBWA has developed the online IBWA Emergency Response Directory (ERD), which contains a list of organizations and government agencies responsible for emergency and disaster response activities. IBWA members and other interested parties can successfully navigate the proper channels and help provide bottled water and other resources to those in need by downloading the ERD at http://www.bottledwater.org/public/downloads/erd.pdf. IBWA is a partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) and assists in producing the annual National Preparedness Month activities each September. According to DHS guidelines, all households should maintain an emergency supply of water -- at least one gallon per person per day for three days -- for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene -- in the event that public drinking water service is interrupted or if its safety is compromised during an emergency event. For more IBWA tips, click here. News Release_ 7/21/08 India's BPCL to enter bottled water market to boost profits Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), the country's second largest oil marketing company, plans to diversify into bottled water and direct to home (DTH) services in an attempt to boost its profits. The company reported a 91 per cent decline in its fourth quarter net profit as it was forced to sell fuel below the prevailing market price. The company is seeking the approval of shareholders, through a postal ballot, for the new line of business. The result of the postal ballot would be known by August 22. The bottled industry is witnessing increased competition, with global cola giants, Pepsico and Coca-Cola Company slugging it out with local players including industralist Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher. The size of the bottled market in India has, however, not been estimated. Business Standard_ 7/19/08 Fiji Islands water bottlers may shut down after government delays lifting tax The interim Cabinet decided to delay revisiting the bottled water tax in their meeting on Thursday. Bottled water spokesman Jaya Dayal said the decision by the interim Cabinet would leave them no choice but to shut down their operations completely. He said all bottled water companies spent dozens of hours last week providing information to FIRCA and the interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. “We believe the Government has sufficient information to determine that these onerous taxes, if left in place, will effectively shut down Fiji’s bottled water industry for good,” Dayal said. Fiji Daily Post_ 7/19/08 In a split decision, Maine's Supreme Court affirmed a County Superior Court's decision to uphold state land regulators' permitting of a permit to allow Poland Spring's parent company Nestle Waters North America Inc. to develop a pumping station on about 1,000 acres the company owns off Redington Road in Dallas Plantation. The permit allows Poland Spring to extract up to 184 million gallons of water annually from Rangeley Water District's aquifers and to use 100 tanker trucks a day in and out of the station. The facility went on-line more than a year ago. Two justices, Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley and Jon D. Levy, dissented. Saufley wrote that rezoning, with its inherent public airing and thorough review of the newly proposed uses, should be undertaken before Nestle is allowed to engage in the extraction and transportation of the Rangeley Lakes Region's valuable water resources. Cathryn Thorup, co-founder of the Rangeley coalition said, "The community of Rangeley is obviously deeply disappointed with the split decision. We are pleased that two justices, including the chief justice, came down on our side, but obviously we wish we could have prevailed. To anyone who asks in five or 10 years, 'How could you let this happen?' We can say we took this fight just as far as we could." SunJournal.com_7/18/08 Construction Colorado's $3 billion water expansion builds worries for some Nearly $3 billion of ambitious new water projects along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains are in various stages of launching - from completing a lengthy federal permitting process to actually breaking ground. The pending boom includes seven new or expanded reservoirs and at least one major pipeline. Barely recovered from the 2002 drought and with projected shortages looming, the water districts and cities involved say it is imperative that the projects be built now. When completed, the combined projects will make for one of the largest water development eras in Colorado history. State water officials and analysts, however, worry that the fragmented nature of the plans constitutes a $3 billion free-for-all, and that the lack of a coherent regional or statewide plan will prove costly for both the consumer and the environment. Rocky Mountain News_ 7/18/08 Desalination Marin County, California, official hopes conservation can end need for desalination plant A new push to conserve water is beginning to take hold in Marin and could avert the need for a desalination plant, according to a Marin Municipal Water District official. Officials say water demand in Marin is greater than the supply, although the situation has been masked by recent wet years. The district supplies water to 190,000 people in a 147-square-mile area between Sausalito and San Rafael. Within 10 years, Marin's annual "water deficit" is expected to increase from the present 3,200 acre-feet to 7,060 acre-feet, as demand grows and less water flows south from the Russian River because of greater demand in Novato and Sonoma County. The district is looking at a desalination plant costing up to $173 million to convert bay water to drinking water as a way to meet the need. But if the district can save about 10 percent - or about 3,000 acre feet - of water each year, there might not be a need for the desalination plant, said board member Alex Forman. Other water officials have said conservation probably wouldn't save enough to supply the county with enough water in case of a severe drought. Marin Independent Journal_ 7/20/08 Everyone in Bahrain to have safe tap drinking water within a few months: Water Authority Tap water received now by more than 80 per cent of Bahrain's population can be used for drinking. The entire country will be covered by potable water within a few months, said Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) production and transmission deputy chief executive Batool Abdul A'al. The EWA has abandoned the policy of blending ground water with the desalinated water and has started converting desalinated water into potable water. Gulf Daily News_ 7/19/08 Environment In a changing climate, cities worsen water quality A new study of more than 1000 Maryland streams finds that as climate patterns change, urban sprawl can pollute water with more nitrate than previously thought. A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds that urban areas become a bigger source of nitrogen pollution to water when rainfall patterns are more variable. This concerns scientists who are struggling to clean up water, because global warming is expected to cause exactly the kind of weather extremes that could make the problem worse: dry spells followed by intense rain. In 2003, the Chesapeake Bay saw both high rainfall and record-setting hypoxia (low-oxygen conditions linked to excess nitrogen that create lifeless dead zones), says biogeochemist and study coauthor Sujay Kaushal of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). These conditions spurred researchers to ask whether local streams were flushing more nitrate into the Bay than before and whether booming land use by humans in the region played a role. The research is part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, a long-term project funded by the National Science Foundation. The Chesapeake Bay is not alone, says Nancy Grimm, an ecologist studying urban and desert streams in central Arizona. Environmental Science & Technology/American Chemical Society_ 7/8/08 International News A report released Sunday on the state of the nation's largest river system said the situation was critical in the Murray-Darling system, which provides water to Australia's "food bowl", a vast expanse of land almost twice as big as France that runs down the continent's east coast. Australia is in the grip of the worst drought in a century, which has stretched for more than seven years in some areas and has forced restrictions on water usage in the country''s major cities. The report said the Murray-Darling system, accounting for more than 40 percent of the gross value of Australia's agricultural production, should provide enough drinking water for 2008-09. But the report from senior federal and state government officials warned there could be problems supplying drinking water after that if rains did not come. The Murray-Darling Basin stretches from Queensland in the north, through New South Wales to Victoria in the south and South Australia. AFP_ 7/20/08 Legal Issues Former Severn Trent's water bosses escape action Severn Trent Water has announced it will not take action against former management over its £2 million fine for giving false information on leakages. The company also said it would not appeal against the fine, issued in July for offences in 2001 and 2002. Chairman Sir John Egan said there were "indefensible shortcomings" in Severn Trent's previous leadership. He said the current management had spent four years putting the firm back on track. BBC News_ 7/22/08 U.S. Droughts California drought takes some big reservoirs to lowest levels in decades State Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow told a congressional committee Monday that water levels in the state's second-largest storage reservoir will end the year with the lowest amount of water in more than 30 years. Farmers, climate change experts and regional politicians also testified at the hearing in Fresno of the House Subcommittee on Water and Power. Representatives from environmental and fishermen's organizations, as well as Native American tribes, were not called to testify. State officials are already preparing for another year of drought in 2009, prompted by low storage levels, court-ordered cutbacks, increasing demand for water and forecasts of another dry winter, Snow said, adding, next year "could be the worst drought in California history." AP/USA Today_ 7/22/08 Wastewater European Investment Bank lends 200 million euros to finance water and wastewater projects in Rome The European Investment Bank is lending EUR 200 million to ACEA to finance water and wastewater investments in the Province of Rome. ACEA is one of the largest Italian water sector operators, with a population served in excess of 8 million. finchannel.com_ 7/19/08 Two steps completed in repair of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, waste treatment plant; one more step to go Cedar Rapids' wastewater treatment plant won't be back to pre-flood operation until the end of September, but officials at the plant announced Friday that major progress has been made. Of the three steps in treatment, 100 percent of the city's wastewater is going through the first two steps as of Friday, Environmental Manager Steve Hershner said. The plant, which is along the Cedar River on Bertram Road southeast of Cedar Rapids, was severely damaged in the flood. Bids will be received Thursday on restoring the third step of the process, and whichever contractor is chosen will be expected to have the job done by Sept. 30. Cedar Rapids Gazette_ 7/18/08 Water Rates Water rates increasing in northern and western suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia Water rates across much of Atlanta's northern and western suburbs will increase by at least $3.25 monthly for the average family, beginning in October. Blaming rapid increases in fuel and construction costs, the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority on Monday voted for the increase, about 50 cents per thousand gallons. The increase includes a previously approved increase of 15 cents per thousand gallons that was to have taken effect next January. Authority General Manager Glenn Page said a decrease in demand brought about by water conservation was responsible for " 25 to 33 percent" of the rate hike. Atlanta Journal-Constitution_ 7/21/08 And Finally Continental Airlines to cut the amount of drinking water on board Continental Airlines is reducing the amount of drinkable water and magazines on its flights. And planes are switching to a lighter, more durable life vest. The Houston-based carrier on Thursday reported those and other cost-saving measures aimed at the soaring cost of fuel. Continental said a combination of record high fuel prices, weakening economic conditions and a weak dollar resulted in the worst financial statement for the airline since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Cleveland Plain Dealer_ 7/17/08 Headlines from July 10-July 23, 2008 2008 Hurricanes Tropical Storm Dolly heads toward the Texas coast WaterWebster.org Staff Report July 21, 2008 Season's fourth tropical storm forms off Mexico's Yucatan Penninsula; Bertha spins slowly toward Iceland WaterWebster.org Staff Report July 20, 2008 Tropical Storm Cristobal moves along Carolina coast; Hurricane Bertha keeps on going WaterWebster.org Staff Report July 19, 2008 Bertha becomes history's longest tropical storm--for July WaterWebster.org staff report July 15, 2008 Bertha barely a hurricane WaterWebster.org Staff Report July 12, 2008 Around the U.S. Grosse Ile, Michigan to join two others in a study of dropping Detroit water Detroit Free Press_ 7/15/08 Racism denied public water to mostly black neighborhood near Zanesville, Ohio; Jury awards victims $10.9 million Columbus Dispatch_ 7/10/08 Pure New York City tap water may be muddied by climate change Bloomberg_ 7/7/08 download the EPA report pdf GAO: Farmers owe feds more than $450 million for California water project AP/San Jose Mercury-News_ 1/17/08 (logon required) download full GAO report Alabama, Florida, Georgia Water Sharing Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle hosts radio discussion of Georgia, Alabama, Florida water issues AccessNorthGeorgia_ 7/11/08 Corps of Engineers officials take three-day river trip to see Florida-Georgia border area Red Orbit_ 7/10/08 Southeast U.S. still faces drought despite spring rain Montgomery Advertiser_ 7/10/08 Alabama working on laws and enforcement powers for water use Birmingham News_ 7/7/08 Bottled Water Maine water district and Poland Spring water deal may be dead Fiji Water: Bottled water and tap not in competition U.S. News & World Report_ 7/15/08 Fiji Commerce Commission says it's illegal for bottled water industry to take group action against higher taxes Fiji Times_ 7/7/08 Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority monitors stocks of bottled water in tax dispute FijiVillage.com_ 7/6/08 Fiji bottled water execs to meet with interim finance minister over tax issue FijiVillage.com_ 7/6/08 U.S. Conference of Mayors votes to ban bottled water WaterWebster.org staff report 6/23/08 (Editors: To learn how you can republish this story at no cost, click here.) Business News Suez and Gaz de France form giant global energy firm AFP_ 7/16/08 Parsons Brinkerhoff named owner's engineer for Qatar's biggest power and desalination plant AME Info_ 7/6/08 Call For Papers ECSM'08 - European Conference on Sludge Management Liège, Belgium September 4-5, 2008 Colorado River Water standoff between Utah and Nevada goes to the heart of western U.S. water laws Salt Lake Tribune_ 7/5/08 Bureau of Reclamation plan manages Colorado River in drought: 'everyone shares the pain' Salt Lake Tribune_ 11/2/07 download the final environmental impact study Construction California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. Dianne Feinstein propose $9.3 billion water bond plan for fall ballot San Diego Union-Tribune_ 7/11/08 Desalination Nine arrested in Australian desalination plant protest Herald Sun_ 7/15/08 Qatar and Texas A&M to test innovative desalination project Gulf Times_ 6/30/08 More research still needed, but desalination can boost U.S. water supplies: National Research Council News Release_ 4/24/08 download pdf of the full report Desalination: A national perspective Environment EPA sued over fertilizer runoff standards AP_ 7/17/08 New water-saving technique gives oil and gas a greener look MarketWatch_ 7/17/08 White House rejects conclusion that global warming is a threat to public welfare Los Angeles Times_ 7/12/08 (logon required) download the report .pdf EPA proposes first-ever rule to capture carbon and keep drinking water safe Medill Reports_7/16/08 Mosquitos are fussy about their water New York Times_ 7/15/08 (logon required) Great Lakes Water Issues Scientists: $200 million loss from Great Lakes invasives; Close the St. Lawrence Seaway? FoxNews_7/17/08 International 2.5 billion live with poor sanitation facilities More people using drinking water from safe sources:UN report Click here to download the full report (note: large,16Mb PDF file) World Health Organization 7/17/08 Northern Cyprus to get water pipeline from Turkey AFP_ 7/19/08 Greek tanker with much-needed drinking water for Cyprus discards it due to contamination BBC News_ 7/16/08 French nuclear leak pollutes water Sydney Morning Herald_ 7/13/08 Israel not alone in water troubles Jerusalem Post_ 7/12/08 Report: Beijing faces collapse due to water crisis Click here to download the full report. AFP and PI_6/27/08 World Health Organization reports lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene urgent health issues worldwide WHO_ 6/27/08 download the full report Legal Issues Canada sets trial for Detroit-based DTE Energy in water pollution suit AP/Forbes_ 7/8/08 (logon required) Mars Water Water 'widespread' on early Mars BBC_ 7/17/08 Mars once held seas that may have been suitable for life Wired_ 7/16/08 Regional Water Issues Las Vegas urges early hearing on importing more water from Utah-Nevada border area AP/Salt Lake Tribune_ 7/15/08 Technology Swiss research group Eawag tackles arsenic in drinking water Science Daily_ 7/12/08 Water found on the moon ABC News_ 7/10/08 Wastewater High chloride levels found in two Columbia, Missouri city drinking water wells Columbia Missourian_ 7/15/08 Zimbabwe embarks on sewer plant upgrade to save Harare's drinking water Zimbabwe Sunday Mail_ 7/6/08 Water Rates Water rates in northern California's East Bay region to rise 10% to aid conservation San Francisco Chronicle_ 7/9/08 And Finally Seattle's automated toilets go way of the box and chain New York Times_ 7/17/08 (logon required)
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