Entries by Circle of Blue

New data show 5.9 million Chinese face drinking water shortages

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BEIJING, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) — The number of Chinese officially suffering drinking water shortages has more than doubled in less than a week after the government revised its statistics. The State Flood and Drought Relief Headquarters on Friday released new figures showing 5.9 million people with drinking water shortages, more than double that figure of […]

Water’s Urgent Message at the World Economic Forum

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“One of the problems that we face is that climate change is on the ascendant, and people are not always making the links to water as they perhaps should. I think that’s coming and over the next two to three years water will progressively build into a really central component of the Davos agenda.” — […]

Report: California Announces Snow Survey Results — Limits on Delta Pumping Go Effective

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Results of today’s snow survey by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) show Sierra snowpack conditions at 118 percent of normal for this time of year. While this would normally be a positive indication that the state’s water supply is in good shape, DWR also announced that it will need to further reduce Delta […]

Above Normal Sierra Snowpack Still Not Enough

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The Sierra snowpack continues to exceed normal levels, which is good news for skiers and the state’s water users. But water officials say itis not enough to wipe out the state’s water-supply deficit, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the […]

Infographic: U.S. Water Use by State

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A visualization of water use by U.S. state in the year 2000. See it here. Source: ManyEyes. Related: U.S. water usage by state on Google Earth Graphic: Water shortages – GAO report proves prophetic Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s resource crises. www.circleofblue.org/about/

Tennessee Gives Georgia a Big Wet One

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Drought-parched Georgia got a “cool wet kiss of friendship” on Wednesday from neighboring Chattanooga, Tennessee. The love came in the form of a truckload of bottled water was delivered to lawmakers at the State Capitol. Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s resource crises. […]

Tougher Law = Cleaner Water in China

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BEIJING, Feb. 29 (China Daily) — China’s top legislature on Thursday adopted an amended water pollution law that toughens punishment of company officials through hefty fines.The Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law was passed at the 32nd session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), which concluded here on Thursday.The law, with […]

Ethanol and Water Don’t Mix

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Officials in Tampa, Florida, got a surprise recently, when a local firm building the state’s first ethanol-production factory put in a request for 400,000 gallons a day of city water. The request by U.S. EnviroFuels would make the facility one of the city’s top 10 water consumers overnight, and the company plans to double its […]

Buyback Program Could Make Water Prices Skyrocket

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AUSTRALIA, Feb. 28 (ABC News) — The Federal Opposition’s environment spokeswoman says the Rudd Government’s plans to buy water from Murray irrigators will threaten the industry.Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s resource crises. www.circleofblue.org/about/

Olympics ‘threat to water supply’

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The diversion of water for the Beijing Olympics threatens the livelihoods of millions of people, a senior Chinese government official has said.Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s resource crises. www.circleofblue.org/about/

FL Counties Prepare to Battle Over River Water

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The ranks of Seminole County opponents continues to grow in Northeast Florida. The county’s plan to draw 5.5 million gallons of water a day from the St. Johns River will be formally opposed by St. Johns County. Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s […]

China water supplies resume along China’s algae-affected Hanjiang river

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Drinking Water is Flowing Again from the Hanjiang River.Water supplies resumed on Wednesday to almost 200,000 people along the three tributaries of Hanjiang river affected by an algae bloom, local authorities of central China’s Hubei Province said. Read more here. Circle of BlueCircle of Blue provides relevant, reliable, and actionable on-the-ground information about the world’s […]