Entries by Codi Kozacek

The Stream, February 10: Report Finds Irrigated Agriculture Could Make Northern Australia “Food Bowl” Possible

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Water Projects A 2-year federal government study assessing the feasibility of agricultural expansion in northern Australia found that up to 50,000 hectares of crops could be irrigated with water from the Flinders and Gilbert rivers and their tributaries, the Australian reported. The report findings have been challenged by environmental organizations that warn diverting water from […]

The Stream, February 7: India Looks to Solar Power for Agricultural Water Pumps

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Agriculture A switch to solar-powered irrigation pumps could save India $US 6 billion each year in electricity and fuel subsidies, Bloomberg News reported. The government is looking to replace 200,000 old pumps with solar pumps in the next five years, but will require farmers that receive subsidies to buy the new pumps to switch to […]

The Stream, February 6: Decision on Africa’s Inga 3 Dam Postponed

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Energy A grant worth more than $US 70 million is at stake when the World Bank decides whether or not to go ahead with initial funding for the Inga 3 hydropower project in the Democratic Republic of Congo—a decision that has now been postponed indefinitely, International Rivers reported. Nongovernmental organizations have raised concerns about the […]

The Stream, February 5: Drought Emergencies Put Water Supplies at Risk Around World

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Drought As California endures a drought that could be the worst in 500 years, federal politicians are wrangling over how best to allocate available water supplies, the San Jose Mercury News reported. You can see Circle of Blue’s reporting on California’s drought and water pollution here. Severe droughts are also threatening water supplies for communities […]

The Stream, February 4: Mexico City Aims to Improve Confidence in Drinking Water

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Drinking Water An initiative to install water filters in 65,000 restaurants in Mexico City aims to improve the safety of drinking water, and consumers’ confidence in it, the Associated Press reported. The city’s drinking water has a bad reputation for being contaminated, which experts say often happens in the distribution systems between water treatment plants […]

The Stream, February 3: Heat, Water Shortages Spark Economic Concerns in Brazil

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A heat wave and ongoing drought in Brazil is expected to raise energy prices and could harm crops if the weather continues, while water shortages are a risk in cities like Sao Paulo, Reuters reported. The problems could have political ramifications for Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, who is seeking reelection this year. North America An […]

Infographic: West Virginia Chemical Spill Spreads to Ohio River

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Spill shut down drinking water for 300,000 people. Infographic by Codi Kozacek/ Circle of Blue ; Source: Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission The chemical spill plume moved from West Virginia’s Elk River to the Kanawha River and eventually into the Ohio River. Click image to enlarge On January 9,2014 a chemical storage tank on […]

The Stream, January 31: Water Supplies Shrinking in Iran

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Climate change, dam construction, irrigation and groundwater use are causing water supplies in Iran to shrink rapidly, a phenomenon epitomized by the near disappearance of Lake Urmia, The New York Times reported. Lake Urmia is estimated to contain just 5 percent of the water it once held, and though it is a saltwater lake, Iran’s […]

The Stream, January 30: Stalled Political Talks Bad for Water in Gaza

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Political disagreements between Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and Israeli officials have left a new wastewater treatment plant sitting idle, the Guardian reported. The plant is meant to improve water quality in an aquifer that supplies water to Gaza, where most citizens have to buy water from vendors and can pay as much as a third […]

The Stream, January 29: Some California Communities Have Only 60 to 120 Days of Water

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Water Scarcity A worsening drought in California has left 17 mostly rural communities with just 60 to 120 days of remaining water supplies, according to the state, the San Jose Mercury News reported. Drinking water officials are looking at everything from desalination to trucking in water from other areas to sustain the communities if their […]

The Stream, January 28: Months After Typhoon, Philippines Communities Still Lack Safe Water

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Some communities in the Philippines still don’t have access to reliable sources of safe water, despite months of relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan, AlertNet reported. Aid agencies have been hindered by wet, stormy weather, but even the water trucks and tanks that they have been able to supply are temporary solutions to the water problem. […]

The Stream, January 27: UK’s Environmental Regulation Overhaul Affects 73 Percent of Rules

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In an effort to cut red tape for businesses, 73 percent of the United Kingdom’s environmental rules are being changed or removed, the Guardian reported. The overhaul is expected to save businesses $US 1.6 billion over five years. China After achieving record grain production in 2013, China aims to become completely self-sufficient for its grain […]