Entries by Sarah Haughn

Water a thwarted conduit in West Bank conflicts

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RAMALLAH, West Bank – A drought in the West Bank is leaving the conflict-riddled region thirsty for change, Reuters reports. As Israelis experience “unprecedented shortages,” residential wells in drought-stricken Palestinian regions continue to dry up. Decreased rainfall and Israel’s tightening grip on water use add kindling to the political tinderbox. Read more about hydropolitics in […]

Water moguls speculate on rising demand in Asian cities

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SINGAPORE – As Asian countries like Vietnam and China urbanize, their demand for water increases dramatically, Reuters reports. At a water summit in Singapore, companies such as Black & Veatch, Siemens Water Technologies and Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, indicate their plans to capitalize on Asian countries’ surging demand for the resource. Read more here. […]

Climate Change Report Foreshadows Australian Hardships

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SYDNEY – According to a recent government-commissioned report in Australia, the country’s droughts and heatwaves are expected to escalate significantly. According to the Guardian newspaper, the study attributes the increase to climate change. A spell of dry weather renders current public funding for crop irrigation inadequate. “If we failed to review drought policy, if we […]

America 2050: Rebuilding and renewing U.S. water infrastructure

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WASHINGTON DC – The water infrastructure of the U.S. was one of the topics on tap at this year’s America 2050 summit, convened in May by the Regional Plan Association. The related report examined “new strategies for investing in vital transportation, water, and energy infrastructure.” The report says U.S. citizens are living “with the consequences […]

Bay Area looking for heros

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SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and a representative of Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums gathered at a San Francisco park Wednesday to announce a new “Water Saving Hero” campaign aimed at persuading residents to take little steps like turning off the tap when they brush their teeth and […]

“System of bribery” drives water politics in rural Pakistan

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BERLIN – When Pakistani farmers need access to water, one in four pay a “corruption tax” of nearly 3 percent of their income per hectare to government officials. In an article citing Transparency International’s June 2008 report, the Daily Times of Pakistan characterizes the country as one whose rural water politics materialize from a system […]

California water shortages to boost some crop prices

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OAKLAND, California – From saving fish to saving fields and fruit trees, California’s drought-riddled Central Valley is facing thousands of acres in lost crops due to lack of irrigation, reports the Christian Science Monitor. In combination with rising fuel costs, the water shortage affects not only farmers. According to Ross Siragusa, president of the California […]