The Stream, September 3: Mining Threatens Lakes and Rivers in Northern Europe

Pollution
More than 300 applications for mining permits have been filed in 2014 in northern European countries including Finland, Norway and Sweden, representing a growing interest in the Arctic’s mineral resources, the Guardian reported. Environmental groups are concerned that mining waste will pollute the region’s pristine waterways, while social groups worry mining could cause cultural losses for indigenous communities.

Approximately 2,700 people in Delaware lost their water supply after perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), possibly from fire-fighting foams, contaminated all three of their city’s public drinking water wells, The News Journal reported. The city of New Castle estimates that cleaning the wells could cost up to $US 1 million, highlighting the growing risk posed by PFCs to drinking water supplies across the United States.

Water Supply
A bankruptcy judge in Detroit did not stop water shutoffs to the city’s residents today, instead ordering two weeks of mediation between the city and the civil rights attorneys who asked for a temporary halt to the shutoffs, Reuters reported. The city has been shutting off water to residents as it tries to collect $US 90 million in unpaid bills.

Reducing water losses from supply infrastructure and making sure water users are billed accurately has dramatically improved water efficiency in Malta, despite a high population density and general water scarcity, according to the World Bank. The bank recently held a conference in Malta to encourage other countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region to adopt similar programs as climate change and population growth make securing additional water supplies more difficult.

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