The Stream, May 27: Great Lakes States’ Economic Hopes Rest on Water

A “blue economy” is developing across the Great Lakes region, as a network of industries develop water-related products and services in utilities, tourism, plumbing, and more. The goal, the Associated Press reported, is to retain and attract businesses with their relative abundance of freshwater as other regions struggle with scarcity.

Namibian Drought
An ongoing drought in Namibia could reduce harvest yields by 30 percent this year — a near-total crop failure. The drought will leave many households with dangerously low foodstocks of millet, maize, and sorghum, the country’s primary crops, AllAfrica reported.

Lone Star Funding
A hotly contested bill that funds $US 2 billion in water-infrastructure related projects for Texas reached Governor Rick Perry’s desk yesterday. The money would come from the state’s rainy-day fund, CBS Dallas Fort Worth reported, a move Perry has previously opposed.

Recycling Frack Water
Two national service providers for hydraulic fracturing wells are introducing water-recycling operations. The companies hope the new equipment will attract producers wary of high water pumping and disposal costs, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported—costs that can exceed $1 million per well.