Entries by Andrew Maddocks

The Stream, February 21: China’s Ongoing Pollution Woes

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Despite a promised $US 650 billion investment over the next decade, China may not be able to mitigate the effects of decades of heavy pollution. Central and local governments plan on funneling $US 200 billion more into the effort, Reuters reported, but the limited success of a $US 112 billion cleanup investment from 2005-2010 indicates […]

Australia’s Water Markets Succeeding, Yet Severe Challenges Loom

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Limited water supplies and competing agricultural, environmental, industrial, and municipal interests challenge Australia’s water-trading system.

The Stream, February 18: Ethiopia’s Planned Nile River Dam Could Affect Water Supply for Millions

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Ethiopia is building a dam that will give the country control over the Nile River’s primary water source. The dam has far-reaching consequences for Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, and the millions of people who depend on the river, The Ohio State University’s Andrew Carlson reported, and raises questions about who owns the river. Shifting Scarcity in […]

The Stream, February 14: Major Water Loss Across Middle East

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The Tigris and Euphrates’ river basins lost almost as much water as the Dead Sea from 2003-2007, according to a new study from the University of California, NASA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The biggest contributor to the loss, Middle East Online reported, was groundwater pumping, especially from wells that were drilled after […]

Washington Water Main, February 11: Energy and Infrastructure Initiatives

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Democrat and Republican leaders, anxious to focus national attention on energy and water legislation, released competing proposals this month. Meanwhile, a Senate committee, signaling just how much Congress is willing to spend on infrastructure, hosted a hearing related to funding the Superstorm Sandy recovery.

The Stream, February 11: Water Shortages in Northeast U.S.

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Droughts and water scarcity in Texas, Colorado and Mississippi might be dominating the headlines, but some Northeast U.S. states are running into water-supply challenges of their own. The University of Connecticut, NPR reported, wanted to use water from a local river in its expansion plans, but some fear climate variability and distance from the river’s […]

The Stream, February 7: Damage from Mining Found on Great Barrier Reef

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Coal-exporting ports are expanding along the coast of Queensland, Australia, leading to dredging and dumping operations that threaten the Great Barrier Reef. Dredged sea floor soil, the Guardian reported, can contain contaminants like heavy metals that reverse the progress made in mitigating agricultural-runoff pollutants’ harm to the Reef. Chinese Dam Construction Officials in Beijing recently […]

The Stream, February 4: Smart Metering Facing Resistance

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Smart water meters—digital meters that measure usage and transmit data wirelessly—are coming under fire from opponents across the U.S. They argue that high up-front costs and more accurate readings will push water utility rates up, USA Today reported, without any lasting benefits for most. Water as Power Every gallon of fuel pumped into cars requires […]

The Stream, January 31: Energy Sector’s Demand for Water to Double by 2035

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In 22 years, the energy sector will demand twice as much water, driven primarily by booming coal-fired electricity and increasing biofuel production. That’s the central finding of an International Energy Agency projection, National Geographic reported. The total increase in demand is equivalent to four times the volume of the U.S.’s Lake Mead. Measuring Risk, Expecting […]

The Stream, January 28: Drinking Water from the Depths

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U.S. environmental regulators often consider water in mile-deep aquifers too deep for regular use, so they often grant permits allowing energy and mining companies to inject pollutants directly into the aquifers. Mexico City now plans to extract drinking water from a mile-deep aquifer of its own, ProPublica reported, challenging the premise of U.S. regulators’ pollution-permitting […]

The Stream, January 24: Conflict in Kenya

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Violence broke out between the Massai and Kikuyu tribes in Kenya over water access that left hundreds homeless and 80 dead. The Kikuyus are farmers who trade for a living, AlertNet reported, while the Maasai are pastoral herders, and water scarcity often leads to violent disputes over the two for regular access. However, encouraging signs […]