The Stream, May 6, 2021: Water Supply Low In Parts of Delhi Due to Drying Yamuna River

YOUR GLOBAL RUNDOWN

• A new report finds that for Australia to be completely carbon neutral by 2035, the country’s largest energy company needs to shut down.
• Replacing the Grand Canyon’s only water supply pipeline could affect tourism in the coming years.
• Low water on the Yamuna River is affecting water supply in parts of Delhi, India.
• Dayton, Ohio, is suing an air force base and the Department of Defense for PFAS contamination in the city’s water.

A group of community organizations near Corpus Christi Bay are banding together to stop a plastics plant that could strain the region’s water supply.

“Exxon’s gonna get their water. We don’t have any hopes on Exxon. They’re here. We know they’re not going away. The margin of profit on plastics is so great that Exxon will proceed with their operations. What we’re going to have to do at this point is just make certain we don’t get any more of those industries here.” – Errol Summerlin, founder of Portland Citizens United. A group of community organizations known as Coastal Alliance to Protect Our Environment (CAPE) is trying to stop an Exxon SABIC plastics plant from opening around Texas’ Corpus Christi Bay, Rolling Stone reports. If the plant operates as planned, it would use 20 million gallons of fresh water a day. Water supply in Corpus Christi is already scarce. The region has been in stage 1 drought since December.

IN RECENT WATER NEWS

In Case You Missed It:  

Some Rural California Residents Doubt They’ll Ever Get Clean Water – Some rural California communities have waited nearly a decade for state regulators to repair their tainted drinking-water systems. This piece is part of the Tapped Out collaboration, exploring power, justice & water in the West.

Chemical Impact: Microplastic Pollution More Complex Than We Think, Says New Research – Microplastic pollution has been building up in the Great Lakes for at least four decades, but our understanding of its impact on fish and other aquatic creatures is only just catching up. This piece is part of the Great Lakes: Ready or Not? series, which explores what it may take to prepare the Great Lakes region for the future climatologists say we can expect.

New Report Calls for Shutting Down Australia’s Biggest Energy Company

A new Greenpeace report found that unless AGL, Australia’s largest energy company, closes the country will be unable to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. The report found that AGL is Australia’s worst offender for air and water pollution. According to the report, three-quarters of all fines for environmental license breaches issued to energy generators in Australia have been to AGL.

TODAY’S TOP WATER STORIES, TOLD IN NUMBERS

12.5-MILE PIPELINE

Millions of people visiting and living in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park rely on a single 12.5-mile pipeline built in the 1960s. National Geographic reports that the pipeline direly needs replacing, but doing so will undoubtedly impact tourism by closing popular campgrounds and trails in the next few years.

194 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

The Indian Express reports that the Delhi Jal Board said low water levels in the Yamuna River will decrease water supply in parts of Delhi on Thursday. All three of the city’s water treatment plants will be affected, as they currently are only receiving 194 million gallons of water per day, rather than the typical 250 million gallons.

ON THE RADAR

The city of Dayton, Ohio, is suing Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the U.S. Department of Defense for contaminating the city’s water supply with PFAS chemicals. The Associated Press reports that the city gave notice in March that it planned to file a lawsuit unless the air force cooperated on mitigation measures against PFAS contamination.

• In context: Who Pays? PFAS Lawsuits, Legislation Raise Question of Pollution Liability

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.