The Stream, November 21: WHO Says Every $1 Invested in WASH Yields $4.3 Return

The Global Rundown

Chicago cannot shut off the water supply of a suburb that owes it $US 28 million in unpaid water bills, and the Utah wants to shut off the water supply to the NSA. 2.5 billion people do not have basic sanitation services, and half of the children in Yemen are malnourished. Germany has foregone a ban on fracking, and water intakes in Canada could soon be clogged with a jelly-like plankton that resembles caviar.

“We may not know yet what the post-2015 sustainable development agenda will look like. But we do know that water and sanitation must be clear priorities if we are to create a future that allows everyone to live healthy, prosperous and dignified lives.” – Michel Jarraud, Chair of UN-Water and Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, on a report released Wednesday by the World Health Organization. (U.N. News Centre)

By The Numbers

$US 26 Million Amount the suburb of Harvey owes the City of Chicago in unpaid water bills. Harvey regularly purchases water from Chicago, but has not paid for much of it since 2008. Chicago Tribune

50 percent Portion of children in Yemen who are malnourished, according to the Yemeni Agriculture Minister, who spoke at a U.N. conference on Wednesday. The minister cited water scarcity, climate change and political violence as the main drivers of malnutrition in his country, and asked the international community for more aid. Reuters

Science, Studies, And Reports

Every dollar invested in water and sanitation will bring a return of four dollars in reduced health care costs, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Health Organization. The report also noted that 2.5 billion people still lack access to basic sanitation services, and 1 billion practice open defecation. UN News Centre

In Canada, new research has shown that lakes have become acidic enough to cause a shift in dominant plankton. A jelly-like species called Holopedium is thriving, and there is concern that it could become abundant enough to clog water intakes. The start of the increase in Holopedium can be approximately traced to the year 1850 – the beginning of industrialization. The Washington Post

On The Radar

Germany’s latest draft of fracking legislation makes it clear that, while restrictions will be extremely tight, there will not be a ban on the practice. German industry pressured the decision, perceiving a potential lack of competitiveness with countries like the United States that are experiencing a surge in fracking (and cheap energy). Reuters

 Utah lawmakers are considering legislation that would eventually shut off water to a National Security Agency (NSA) data center in Bluffdale, Utah. The center uses more than 1 million gallons per day to cool its computers. The law would also prohibit any other cities from selling water to the NSA. The Salt Lake Tribune