The Stream, March 20: Water Cleanup Halted at Fukushima Due to Malfunctions

Asia
Water cleanup systems meant to decrease the radioactivity of wastewater at Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant have malfunctioned, prompting the Tokyo Electric Power Company to suspend water cleanup operations, the Japan Times reported. One of the three systems was not sufficiently reducing levels of radioactive substances in the water, and officials stopped the other two systems as a precaution.

Extreme storms and rising sea levels are a growing threat to China, where they cost the country $US 2.6 billion last year, AlertNet reported. Sea levels in China have risen more than the global average, increasing the risk of coastal floods, erosion and saltwater intrusion, according to China’s State Oceanic Administration.

Africa
Ethiopia has announced that it plans to begin generating power from its Grand Renaissance dam on the Nile River in as few as 18 months, Reuters reported. The dam has become a political flashpoint between Ethiopia and its neighbors that support the hydropower development, and Egypt, which sees the dam as a threat to water supplies on the Nile.

Lesotho is going beyond using its vast reservoirs to produce hydropower and is also using the water to grown trout, Reuters reported. The fish are being exported directly to Japanese retail markets, and Lesotho plans to increase production from 2,000 tons to 10,000 tons annually.

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