The Stream, September 17: Iraq Oil Production Restricted by Water Scarcity

Water Scarcity
Shortages of water are hurting production at two major oil fields in southern Iraq, with one field citing water as a reason its output has declined 40 percent since last year, Reuters reported. Water scarcity in general threatens Iraq’s plans to grow its oil production capacity, which may rely on pumping seawater to the oil wells.

California will begin regulating groundwater resources for the first time following new legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported. The laws require local agencies to create groundwater management plans and allow the state government to step in if these are not effective.

Pollution
A U.S. Department of Energy study of hydraulic fracturing both during and after natural gas production found that contaminants remained 1,500 meters below drinking water aquifers and did not pose a pollution threat, the Associated Press reported. Shoddy well construction and surface spills of wastewater, however, have been implicated in contamination in other studies of fracking.

Peru
Peru is looking to attract more private investment in its water and sanitation sector, with the hope of extending access to safe water to its entire population, Bloomberg News reported. The country hopes private investments will fund $US 19 billion of water infrastructure projects by 2021.

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