Water News
Alberta Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Alberta and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.
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Compare and contrast: Every Bitcoin payment ‘uses a swimming pool of water
BBC News
Every Bitcoin transaction uses, on average, enough water to fill “a back yard swimming pool”, a new study suggests. That’s around six million times more than is used in a typical credit card swipe, Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, calculates. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Forever chemicals’ found in drinking water sources across England
The Guardian
Potentially toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in the drinking water sources at 17 of 18 England’s water companies, with 11,853 samples testing positive, something experts say they are “extremely alarmed” by. Click here to continue reading
Town of Orangeville signs with Neptune Technology Group for water meter replacement
Water Canada
The Town of Orangeville’s water meter replacement project is moving forward after signing an on-budget contract with Neptune Technology Group on November 10. The new water meters will be non-mechanical and equipped with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology, which means they can be read remotely and that meter accuracy will be drastically improved. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Future floods: Global warming intensifies heavy rain — even more than expected
Science Daily
The intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall increases exponentially with global warming, a new study finds. The analysis shows that state-of-the-art climate models significantly underestimate how much extreme rainfall increases under global warming — meaning that extreme rainfall could increase quicker than climate models suggest. Click here to continue reading
Asbestos cement water pipes petition tabled in House of Commons
National Observer
On Nov. 9, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May tabled a parliamentary petition on an issue few Canadians are even aware of — asbestos cement pipes. National Research Council studies state that as these aging pipes deteriorate, they shed asbestos fibres into the water, and this comes with cancer risks. Asbestos is not regulated in Canadian water, so very few municipalities test for asbestos, even as the pipes break more and more frequently. Click here to continue reading
Déjà vu and heavy criticism for Alberta Energy Regulator at federal environment committee
National Observer
Critical questions about tailing pond leaks at Imperial Oil’s Kearl facility are still unanswered after the second round of testimony by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) president, say some MPs. Laurie Pushor and his lawyer appeared via Zoom before the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development on Nov. 28 after he was legally summoned to testify. Click here to continue reading
Dal[housie] researchers tested the water in a local lake for viruses. Here’s what they found
Water Canada
A novel, simple and inexpensive way to test wastewater for the COVID-19 virus is now being used around the world to identify the presence of the pathogen in water systems and can also be detect viruses in freshwater lakes. Click here to continue reading
Wave-Powered Desalination System Produces 13,000 Gallons of Drinking Water a Day From Each Buoy
Good News Network
If a new Canadian startup is successful with its product, it could decarbonize the whole desalination industry, using only energy from the sea to turn seawater into drinking water. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: An ambitious plan to save the world’s oceans: What happened at the IUCN nature conference
EuroNews Green
The second IUCN Leaders Forum brought together over 400 participants to identify solutions to protect and restore nature. This year’s theme was ‘Global goals for nature: Tracking progress, financing success.’ Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Pristine Coral Reefs Discovered Are Thousands of Years Old And Teeming With Life
Good News Network
An international expedition from the Schmidt Ocean Institute to the Galapagos islands has revealed the presence of two pristine, cold-water coral reefs growing alongside the walls and bases of several seamounts over 1,000 feet below the surface. Click here to continue reading
Some good news for giving Tuesday. Please donate to help us keep the news flowing!