The Stream, January 22: Pakistan Proposes New National Water Policy

The Global Rundown

A draft of Pakistan’s new national water policy tackles topics from water pricing to transboundary water management. The second largest lake in Bolivia has completely evaporated, and a court in Brazil has shut down one of the world’s most important iron ore ports over pollution concerns. India hopes to save electricity by replacing millions of irrigation pumps. Farmers in drought-hit southern Australia are calling for pipelines to deliver water from reservoirs. The administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency region that oversees Michigan resigned over lead-contaminated water in Flint.

“This is a picture of the future of climate change.” –Dirk Hoffman, a glaciologist who studies glaciers in Bolivia, on the complete drying of the country’s second largest lake, Lake Poopó, in December. An El Nino-linked drought, water diversions, and disappearing glaciers are blamed for the lake’s evaporation. (Associated Press)

By The Numbers

30 million Number of water pumps India plans to replace with more efficient models in an effort to cut the amount of electricity used for irrigation by one-third. Bloomberg

82.5 million metric tons Amount of iron ore shipped from Brazil’s Port of Tubarão in the first nine months of 2015, making it one of the most important iron ore ports in the world. A Brazilian court shut down port operations citing concerns over water pollution. Reuters

Science, Studies, And Reports

Pakistan has released a draft of its new national water policy. The policy addresses water pricing for irrigation, transboundary water management, and groundwater management. The Third Pole

Dry weather across southern Australia is likely linked to climate change, not natural variation, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Water shortages in southwestern Victoria have prompted farmers to ask for water pipelines to be built connecting the area to regional reservoirs. Guardian

On The Radar

The administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwest region resigned over a lead-contaminated drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Her resignation will take effect on February 1. 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