The Stream, May 9: Water Suspended in Chinese City Due to Quality Concerns

Water Quality
The water supply for approximately 680,000 was shut off in Jingjiang City, China today due to concerns about its quality, Reuters reported. Supplies, which came from the Yangtze River and were flagged because of a strange smell, were later turned back on using an alternative source, according to Bloomberg News.

Proposed regulations in Iowa could help the state better comply with federal Clean Water Act standards by imposing stricter requirements on manure management at confined livestock operations, the Associated Press reported. Environmental groups and city water managers—who have had to contend with extremely high nitrate levels from farm runoff—say the proposed rules don’t do enough.

Water Pollution
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is starting a process that could eventually require oil and gas companies to report what chemicals they use to hydraulically fracture wells, Bloomberg News reported. Companies have often been reluctant to disclose what they consider trade secrets, but proponents of disclosure say uncertainties about the chemicals are a risk to public health and the environment.

Increasing levels of iron and sulfate in Germany’s Spree River have prompted the government to nearly double the budget for its cleanup to $US 21 million, Bloomberg News reported. The pollution is a threat to drinking water in Brandenburg and Saxony, as well as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

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