The Stream, October 11: Spotlight on Water Investments

Interest in water investments is on the rise around the world. Some private sector groups are helping governments meet tougher environmental standards, Reuters reported, while other investors view water as an alternative tool to bonds and equity markets.

Pollution, Shortage Crises in India

Yesterday the government of Tamil Nadu made an official move to take legal action against Karnataka’s chief minister in India’s Supreme Court. The contempt proceedings, The Times of India reported, began only a day after Karnataka cut off Tamil Nadu’s water supply from the Cauvery river.

Immersion, the practice of dunking statues of idols in rivers, is polluting Indian waterways. Trace amounts of heavy metals from cosmetics, The Times of India reported, accumulate over time to dangerous levels.

Moving, Creating Water in California

San Antonio is exploring a technology called electrocoagulation to create clean water. A current and a reactor can separate clean water from brackish water with suspended solids, KENS 5 News reported.

Residents of Discovery Bay, California, are afraid a major north-south water transfer project will endanger their way of life. The planned tunnels, residents told The Wall Street Journal, would jeopardize farming, water quality and economic activity in the area.

Dry Alaskan Winter

Villages in a small Alaskan community are facing water shortages this winter. Officials, ABC News reported, had hoped to pull 1 million gallons of water from a nearby river, but pumping was halted early by cold.

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.