The Stream, February 25: Water Rationed Near Malaysia Capital

A drought in Malaysia has drawn down reservoir levels in the state of Selangor, putting water supplies in “critical condition” and forcing water rationing near the nation’s capital, Bloomberg News reported. Extended drought conditions could have negative consequences for oil palm plantations in the region, but the current dry spell began in early February.

South America
Chile and Peru are both seeking to increase the amount of desalinated water used by the mining industry, with Chile’s president ordering that any new copper mines use desalinated water, Bloomberg News reported. As a result, desalination companies expect their industry to grow 6 to 8 percent annually in the region during the next several years.

Scientists led by glaciologist Cedomir Marangunic are trying a different tactic to conserve—and even create—freshwater supplies. The team is attempting to grow glaciers in Chile, efforts that have had mixed results and have been largely dismissed as too costly or unreliable, Inter Press Service reported.

Extreme Weather
An interactive map produced by the Guardian details the extreme weather events that took place all around the world in the first month of 2014. There were quite a few, ranging from unusually cold temperatures in the eastern United States to unseasonably dry conditions in Brazil and Norway to heavy rain that led the United Kingdom to its wettest winter on record.

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