The Stream, May 5: Soaring Population

The world’s population could explode to 10.1 billion by the end of the century, according to a new report by the United Nations population division. Can the planet sustain that?

The State of Maryland plans to file a lawsuit against Chesapeake Energy, the company that operated a gas well that ruptured in Pennsylvania, spilling chemicals that eventually reached the Chesapeake Bay, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, environmental groups sued Chicago for dumping sewage water in its region. Frequent runoff of untreated sewage into local waterways during storms contributes to the algae growth in several Midwestern rivers and the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the environmental coalition.

The Zijin Mining Group, one of China’s top gold producers, will have to pay $4.62 million for causing a toxic spill into the Ting River in July 2010 that killed or poisoned thousands of fish, and affected the water supplies for about 60,000 people.

Gas is cheaper than water in Venezuela. See how gas prices vary around the world.

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.