The Stream, October 30: Iran & India’s Presidents Call for Water Conservation

Water Conservation
Iran’s newly elected president, Hassan Rouhani, has said that it will take “national will” for Iran to conserve its scarce water supplies, urging his top ministers to create a national plan for water conservation, Bloomberg News reported. The president outlined priorities such as curbing illegal well drilling and improving the efficiency of irrigation systems.

India’s president, Pranab Mukherjee, is also calling for national efforts to conserve water as the country’s per capita water availability continues to decline, UPI reported. He stressed the importance of creating a better legal framework to govern water use, including clearer and stricter regulations.

Water Management
A documentary from PBS Newshour explores what the United States can learn about flood management from the Netherlands, where dams, dikes, and windmills have been keeping the water at bay for centuries. Some Dutch engineers are proposing similar solutions for places like New York City that are expected to face more flood challenges due to climate change.

Some water taps in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro stayed dried for more than a week—not because of a drought, but because of maintenance work that extended far beyond its initial deadline, the Associated Press reported. The delay in basic services adds to concerns about the city’s ability to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Water Footprint
Bottled water requires just 1.39 liters of water to create 1 liter of water sold, a lower amount than soda, beer and wine, according to a study released by the International Bottled Water Association, NPR reported. Critics, however, point out that the study did not take into account the water used in the supply chain, which would include the amount used to make the plastic bottles and labels.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek