Entries by Kayla Ritter

HotSpots H2O, December 10: Inequality Fuels Water Quarrels in India’s Second Most Populous State

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The Rundown In late October, the government of Maharashtra, home to more than 114 million people, declared drought in 151 of the state’s 353 talukas (sub-districts), a move that allows the state to seek relief funding from India’s central government. Other talukas in Maharashtra criticized the declaration, asserting that they are also suffering water shortages. […]

The Stream, December 7: Heat and Drought in UK Made 30 Times More Likely by Manmade Climate Change, Study Claims

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The Global Rundown The United Kingdom’s scorching summer was made 30 times more likely by human-driven global warming, a government report claims. Heavy rains cause flash floods in recently-burned areas of southern California. A 2015 Colorado mine spill did not cause long-lasting impacts on fish and other aquatic life, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. […]

The Stream, December 6: El Paso, Texas, Plans to Convert Sewage Water to Drinking Water

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The Global Rundown El Paso, Texas, plans to turn treated sewage water into drinking water. Heavy rains in Benghazi, Libya, swamp the city’s airport and hamper transportation. Flint, Michigan, announces the replacement of 7,000 lead water lines, but thousands of hazardous lines remain. A disruption of the Atlanta, Georgia, water system earlier this week could […]

The Stream, December 5: El Niño Could Cut Colombia’s Rainfall by 80 Percent, Environmental Minister Warns

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The Global Rundown The emerging El Niño weather pattern may slash Colombia’s rainfall by 80 percent in the first months of 2019, the country’s environment minister warns. Newark, New Jersey, continues to grapple with lead contamination in its water supply. Atlanta, Georgia, lifts its citywide boil-water advisory. Tourism is straining water supplies on Thailand’s Phi […]

The Stream, December 4: Sanaa, Yemen, Sterilizes Water Supply as Cholera Resurges

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The Global Rundown Officials in Sanaa, Yemen, sterilize the city’s water supply as cholera cases surge. The World Bank pledges to provide $200 billion in funding between 2021-25 to combat climate change. Low water pressure at a pumping station in Atlanta, Georgia, leaves large parts of the city without water. A new analysis shows that […]

HotSpots H2O, December 3: Water Infrastructure Still a Target in Ukrainian Conflict

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Attacks on civilian water infrastructure remain a strategic vulnerability in the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian military and separatists.

The Stream, November 30: Illinois Coal Plants are Threatening Nearby Waterways, Analysis Shows

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The Global Rundown A new analysis shows that toxic waste from 22 Illinois coal plants is threatening nearby water sources. Cape Town, South Africa, announces plans to relax its Level 5 water restrictions. California researchers begin collecting water samples to determine the impact of recent wildfires on the state’s waterways. 2018 is expected to be […]

The Stream, November 29: Charleston, South Carolina, Bans Plastic Bags, Straws to Tackle Water Pollution

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The Global Rundown Citing concerns about water pollution, the city of Charleston, South Carolina, bans plastic bags, straws, and foam containers. Violence over water and pasture flares again in drought-stricken Kenya. An Indian court panel rules that Tamil Nadu had insufficient grounds to permanently close a water-polluting copper smelter. After months of dry weather, torrential […]

The Stream, November 28: Desperate, Displaced Afghan Families Marry Off Children to Survive Drought

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The Global Rundown Desperate Afghan families begin marrying off young children to help survive the country’s severe drought. The UN World Meteorological Organization says there is a 75-80 percent chance of an El Niño weather event occurring by February. Thousands of drought-resistant trees are planted in the Lake Chad Region to combat climate change. Impoverished […]

The Stream, November 27: Warmer Weather, Drier Summers, Predicted in UK by 2070s

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The Global Rundown A UK government report warns that Britain will experience warmer temperatures, driers summers, and wetter winters by the 2070s. Egypt expands sugar beet planting as a water-saving alternative to cane sugar. Government pressure fails to deter farmers in Zimbabwe from planting maize crops. Officials say the deadliest California wildfire of all time […]

HotSpots H2O, November 26: Delays and Disagreements Hinder Africa’s Largest Hydropower Dam

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The Rundown The fate of a controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on a Nile tributary remains unclear, despite recurring negotiations with downstream neighbors Egypt and Sudan, who are concerned about reductions in water flows. In October, Sudan’s irrigation minister said the three countries made progress on a timeline for filling the reservoir behind the […]

The Stream, November 23: PFAS Found in Drinking Water of Australian Indigenous Communities

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The Global Rundown Indigenous communities across Australia struggle with arsenic, PFAS, and other contaminants in their drinking water. The Irish Environmental Protection Agency warns that up to a million people may be at risk of E. coli contamination in their private wells. Low river levels in Germany continue to slow fuel transportation, forcing the government […]