Entries by Kaye LaFond

The Stream, May 7: Investors Warn Water Crisis Threatens Food and Beverage Sector

/in /by

The Global Rundown Groundwater in Jordan is declining under the full weight of the conflict in Syria, and poppy farmers in Afghanistan will be planting a more potent and water-efficient opium crop this year. Satellite-based flood forecasting capabilities are in danger, and the food and beverage sectors could be curtailed by water scarcity. “Many of […]

The Stream, April 30: Dead Zones Appear in Open Waters of the Atlantic

/in /by

The Global Rundown Dead zones are appearing in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A water theft is being investigated in Colorado, and a McDonald’s frozen fry processing plant has been fined for polluting water in China. “The fact that the water is missing, there really is no doubt about that. The question is how […]

The Stream, April 30: Iran Water Adviser Warns of Mass Migration

/in /by

The Global Rundown A water official in Iran has warned that mismanagement in the country may prompt a mass exodus, and the government of Jordan has warned the international community that more financial assistance is necessary to provide water for Syrian refugees. Egypt, Sudan, and Chad have agreed to develop the world’s largest fossil water […]

Infographic: Price of Water in 30 Major U.S. Cities (2010-2015)

/in , , /by

Cities raise rates to pay for repairs and to respond to conservation. The average price of residential water increased by 6 percent between 2014 and 2015, according to Circle of Blue’s comparison of water rates for 20 of the largest U.S. cities and 10 regional representatives. Prices have climbed by 41 percent since 2010. Both […]

Infographic: 2015 Price of U.S. Water, Sewer, and Stormwater

/in , , /by

Map of the cost of water service in 30 major U.S. cities. The price of a monthly bill for water, sewer, and stormwater service varies greatly across the United States. Since 2010, Circle of Blue has tracked water prices for 20 of the largest U.S. cities and for 10 regionally representative cities. However, 2015 is […]

The Stream, April 23: Manila Water Seeks Compensation from Philippines Government

/in /by

The Global Rundown The Philippines‘ largest water company is seeking compensation after a government decision limiting prices it can charge. Fracking companies in North Dakota are trying to turn their waste into clean energy. An environmental activist abandons his Earth Day attempt to swim a toxic New York canal half-way through. “It’s like swimming into a […]

The Stream, April 17: China to Close Water-Polluting Businesses

/in /by

The Global Rundown China is cracking down on polluting businesses in a bid to turn around the country’s water quality problem, and Mozambique is blaming changing floodplains on climate change. Des Moines is treating nitrates in its water supply. Rural women are being encouraged to start water treatment businesses. “Females are our best entrepreneurs. They […]

Infographic: Emergency Water Funds for California Communities (May 2014-July 2015)

/in , , , /by

State emergency funds help public water systems and private well owners. By Kaye LaFond Circle of Blue When its fiscal year ends on June 30, the state of California will have spent $US 19 million on emergency drinking water assistance over 14 months. Even more money is coming in the next fiscal year, as the […]

The Stream, April 16: Yemen’s Food Security Further Deteriorates

/in /by

The Global Rundown Vanuatu‘s access to safe water has not been fully restored one month after Cyclone Pam, and a small Philippine island’s shallow aquifer is still contaminated 17 months after Typhoon Haiyan. Single-serve brewers are reducing overall coffee demand, and fighting in Yemen is further threatening Yemenis’ food security. Celebrities and CEOs in California […]

The Stream, April 10: Jerry Brown Defends Water for Agriculture

/in /by

The Global Rundown California Governor Jerry Brown is responding to criticism of the state’s water regulations on farmers, while Turkmenistan and Kathmandu also grapple with water crises. Global organizations are calling for better groundwater management. Thailand‘s annual New Years’ festival is pretty wet, and so is Mars (but the red planet is also very cold). “Agriculture in […]

The Stream, April 9: Half of India’s Rivers Are Polluted

/in /by

The Global Rundown Sewage has turned half of India‘s rivers into a mess, and water used at Fukushima is turning into a cumbersome storage problem for Japan. Thailand‘s second rice harvest is its smallest in 15 years, and Baltimore is 1/40th of the way to collecting all it is owed in past due water bills. “In view of […]

The Stream, April 3: Bangladesh Earmarks Funds to Green Textile Industry

/in /by

The Global Rundown Bangladesh is getting a big jolt of money to green up its textile industry. The United States has seen hundreds of cases of antibiotic-resistant diarrhea since last May. A Texas state court of appeals has sided with ‘first-in-line’ water rights. “If it’s something that’s for the public, the public can pay for […]