The Stream, April 14: Water Insecurity Costs World $500 Billion Annually

The Global Rundown

Droughts, floods, sanitation problems and other water risks are costing the world billions each year. Farm pollution is worsening in China, the Solomon Islands refused to let a gold mine release untreated water from its tailings dam, and Pakistan found eight bottled water brands to be unsafe for consumption. Saudi Arabia should consider rate increases for water and electricity, officials say.

“For Solomon Islands you cannot distance environment from the people or humans. We interact with the environment, we live with the environment we use the water for cooking and all that. To distance the environment in this case from humans is impractical for the downstream communities.”–Christopher Vehe Sagapoa, an official with the Solomon Islands Office of the Prime Minister, on the island nation’s decision to reject the release of untreated water from a gold mine tailings dam. A report by the World Health Organization found the water to be safe. (Radio New Zealand International)

By The Numbers

8 bottled water brands Number sold in Pakistan that are unsafe for human consumption, according to a report by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources. Dawn

5.2 percent Annual increase in China’s fertilizer use over the past three decades. The country’s agricultural ministry warned that soil and water pollution from farming is worsening. Reuters

Science, Studies, And Reports

Water insecurity is costing the world economy as much as $US 500 billion each year due to droughts, floods, and sanitation threats, according to a report released this week by the Global Water Partnership and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The report found that South Asia is the most vulnerable to water risks overall. Bloomberg

On The Radar

Low prices are helping to drive a rapid increase in consumption of electricity and water in Saudi Arabia, leading one of the country’s deputy electricity ministers to call for rate increases. Reuters

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