The Stream, July 30, 2020: Ammonia Pollutes Delhi’s Water Supply

The Global Rundown

Water supply in parts of Delhi are being hit with massive amounts of ammonia. The water in over a thousand households in a Virginia city might be shut off. A new report finds that water stress could put companies around the world at financial risk. A study out of Texas predicts the next century will bring dry conditions and a lack of surface water in the state. Australians reflect on life after the nation was plagued by wildfires last year, including how it’s affected the country’s waterways.

“I knew as soon as we had heavy rain the river was being hammered by ash and erosion.” – Mark Lintermans of the University of Canberra. Two wildfires decimated most of Australia’s Namadgi national park. The Cotter River, which supplies most of the city of Canberra’s water, was not spared. After the fires left vegetation near the river charred, heavy rains caused sludge to run into the water, leaving layers of ash and baked soil. Litermans said that while people across the world have flocked to save other animals in Australia, like koalas, native fish have been forgotten. The Guardian

In context: Rain Alleviates Bushfires in Australia, but Threatens Waterways

Latest WaterNews from Circle of Blue

Where Water Is Scarce on Native American Reservations Covid-19 Spreads More Easily – For Indigenous people living across the United States, the Covid-19 pandemic is the newest chapter in a long history of fighting against disease.

What’s Up With Water – July 27, 2020 – This week’s What’s Up with Water episode looks at a fuel spill in Russia that cost the world’s largest producer of palladium and nickel around $2 billion, severe rain and flooding in Asia and Covid-19 outbreaks in Egyptian prisons and police stations due to lack of sanitation.

HotSpots H2O: In Burkina Faso, Seasonal Floods Spread Illness, Uproot People – The rainy season has hit Burkina Faso, and with it an array of flooding and waterborne disease that has uprooted people from their homes.

By The Numbers

1000+ The number of households that may experience water shutoffs in Lynchburg, Virginia. City officials said this week that households behind on their bills could have their water turned off as soon as September. Water shutoffs had been paused in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As more households fall behind on their bills, coronavirus cases are rising in the region. WJLA

In context: Water Shutoffs Are Suspended, But the Bills Will Still Be Due 

60 percent The percentage of global real estate investment trust, or REIT, properties that will experience high water stress by 2030, according to a new report from BlackRock. The investment management company’s report explained the causes of water stress around the world and why the risk is often overlooked by investors. The report found that as the risk for water stress continues to increase, companies with production facilities in stressed regions could face higher operating costs and insurance premiums, with industries like agriculture, electric power, food and beverage and REITs at the highest risk due to baseline water stress. Bloomberg

Science, Studies, and Reports

A new study from Texas A&M University and University of Texas at Austin predicts that Texas will experience drier conditions over the next century than it has in the last 1,000 years. The report stated that climate change will lead to more megadroughts, higher temperatures will cause surface water levels to decrease while population and demand for that surface water will increase. The study identified four key stakeholder groups–agricultural producers, large surface water suppliers, small groundwater management districts and regional water planning districts–that will be most affected by a decline in water supply. Advancing Earth and Space Science

On the Radar

Water supply in parts of Delhi is being threatened by increased levels of ammonia in raw water. The Delhi Water Board tweeted the urgent message on Sunday, asking citizen’s affected by the pollution to use water “judiciously” until the matter is resolved. There has been no indication when the water supply will be fixed, but officials have said they are working tirelessly to restore clean water to Delhi’s residents. Hindustan Times

Jane Johnston

Jane is a Communications Associate for Circle of Blue. She writes The Stream and has covered domestic and international water issues for Circle of Blue. She is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University, where she studied Multimedia Journalism and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. During her time at Grand Valley, she was the host of the Community Service Learning Center podcast Be the Change. Currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jane enjoys listening to music, reading and spending time outdoors.