The Stream, July 2: Factory Accused of Water Pollution in Somaliland

Drinking Water
Polluted water supplies are creating health concerns and driving away livestock trade in Somaliland, where locals accuse a Chinese-owned tanning factory of dumping industrial waste into the water, the Guardian reported. The company says the factory complies with local and international rules for the industry, and the government is reluctant to crack down on what it sees as vital foreign investment, according to the report.

A proposed oil pipeline near Mobile, Alabama would cross through the watershed that supplies the city’s drinking water, Fox10 News reported. The local water utility aims to relocate the pipeline outside of the watershed, and local officials have raised concerns, with one county commissioner stating that the risk to drinking water is “non-negotiable”.

A newly developed “water chip” could make desalination more energy efficient, using an electrical field to extract salt, United Press International reported. The prototype chip is tiny—creating 40 nanoliters of water per minute— but researchers believe the technology could be applied to much larger desalination projects.

Agriculture
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is considering new regulations that would allow higher levels of the herbicide glyphosate, which is applied to fields to kill weeds while leaving genetically-modified crops intact, to exist in foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, IPS reported. Those against the measure argue that it would be harmful for human health and ecological health, citing surface water samples that contain residues of the herbicide.

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