Water News 2024
Rural water utilities in ‘poor condition’ and need $2.96 billion investment: report
CTV News
There are thousands of kilometres of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure connecting homes and businesses in rural Alberta – and no matter the type of utility you look at or the region it’s in, you’ll find this essential infrastructure is in poor condition and in need of significant investment, according to a new report from the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA). Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
B.C. atmospheric river a successful first test of community-led rain management project
CBC
The torrential rains that drenched the Lower Mainland last weekend were the first test for a new, community-led rainwater solution in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Brock research investigating potential neurotoxin in Lake Erie algae
Water Canada
Algae that wash up on shorelines and start turning black aren’t just a smelly eyesore they could also be the source of a dangerous chemical compound that contaminates the surrounding environment and endangers public health. Click here to read the story.
Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatisation
Public Services International
The Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC) launched the 4th edition of its annual Week of Action Against Water Privatisation, coinciding with the World Bank’s Annual General Meeting. This year’s event is being held from October 21st to October 26th, 2024, under the theme ‘Water Justice Over Profit’, highlighting the growing demand across Africa for equitable access to water, free from the constraints of privatisation and profit-driven policies. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Governance.
Engineers invent high-yield atmospheric water capture device for arid regions
Tech Xplore
The idea of turning the air around us into drinking water is a marvel on its own. And grabbing a sustainable amount of it from low-humidity environments has long been closer to science fiction than reality. Click here to read the story.
Funding for design plan to expand Lethbridge’s water treatment plant announced
CTV News
A design plan is now underway to increase the capacity of Lethbridge’s Water Treatment Plant. We know on peak days our demands exceed that 90 per cent of the plants current design capacity,” said Hyggen. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Millions in the US may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for drinking water supplies
Phys.org
Approximately 71 to 95 million people in the Lower 48 states more than 20% of the country’s population may rely on groundwater that contains detectable concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, for their drinking water supplies. These findings are according to a U.S Geological Survey study published in the journal Science. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Asheville Has Tap Water, but No One Knows When It Will Be Drinkable
The New York Times
Nearly a month after the remnants of Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina, running water has now been restored to most of the region around Asheville but you can’t drink it yet.” “What comes out of the tap is often yellow or brown, and while it can be used to flush toilets and take showers, it is still unsafe for human consumption. Officials have given no indication of when the water will be safe to drink again, and the reservoir that feeds the system still looks like it is filled with chocolate milk rather than pristine water. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: Water for a Desert Lake in Algeria
NASA Earth Observatory
Projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that while parts of the Sahara may receive more rainfall as global temperatures increase, other parts may receive less. “But the uncertainties in these projections are larger than the projected changes,” said Armon. “What’s going to happen in the Sahara remains very unclear, but we hope that we’ll eventually develop a better understanding of the Sahara’s future by studying these lake-filling events.”. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Construction to start on major Foothills-Okotoks water project
CBC
The Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project will see water pumped from the confluence of the Bow and Highwood rivers to treatment facilities in both the town and Foothills County. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Britain launches sweeping review of scandal-ridden water utility sector
The Globe and Mail
Britain on Wednesday launched a major review to tackle the crisis in its water utility sector after years of underinvestment and pollution scandals affecting rivers, lakes and seas, which could result in its regulator being abolished. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Risk of cardiovascular disease linked to long-term exposure to arsenic in community water supplies
Science Daily
Long-term exposure to arsenic in water may increase cardiovascular risk and especially heart disease risk even at exposure levels below the federal regulatory limit, according to new research. A study describes exposure-response relationships at concentrations below the current regulatory limit and substantiates that prolonged exposure to arsenic in water contributes to the development of ischemic heart disease. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: North Carolina farms face depleted, toxic soil after historic Helene flooding
The Guardian
Suddenly, there’s deep climate trauma here, in a place where we mistakenly thought hurricanes happened to Floridians and coastal communities, not us. It’s not just a question of what Helene, now the nation’s deadliest hurricane since Katrina, took. It’s also a question of what it left behind: tons of soil, sediment and toxic sludge in places where it shouldn’t be – including covering our region’s farms. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Compare and contrast: Combining satellite methods provides drought detection from space
Science Daily
Observing sites like the Amazon basin from space has underscored the capability of satellites to better detect signs of drought, according to a new study. The researchers combined Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE methods to improve monitoring of hydrological droughts. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Compare and contrast: ‘Environmental nonsense’: Here’s why France wants to ban bottled water
EuroNews Green
A French politician has called for a ban on small plastic water bottles, calling them “completely absurd” and “environmental nonsense”. In France, at least 13 billion plastic bottles are produced every year. To make it worse, a significant proportion of them are not recycled, with a large number of them ending up in the oceans, which causes vast environmental damage. Nevertheless, France does actually have extensive legislation covering single-use plastics already in place. Click here to read the story.
Replacing Canada’s crumbling water, road infrastructure would cost more than $300B: Statistics Canada
CBC
The Statistics Canada survey suggests that more than a tenth of Canada’s water systems are considered to be in “poor” or “very poor” condition. It estimates that replacing those systems would cost $106.5 billion. Click here to read the story.
‘We saw the water levels rise’: Langley-area neighbourhood hit by damaging flood
CTV News
“We saw the water levels rise and we were confused and concerned and after that we realized this was going to become a bigger problem.” Several neighbours told CTV News that they believe work being done nearby on Highway 1 resulted in a blockage to the draining system. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
How can B.C. protect itself from the next atmospheric river?
CBC
Environment Canada said daily rainfall records were set across the Lower Mainland, including in West Vancouver, which received about 190 millimetres of rain. As officials deal with the aftermath of the weekend storm, some are considering what more needs to be done to plan for heavy rainfall as severe weather events become more frequent. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: COP16: Colombia launches ‘Water Police’ to safeguard rivers and water sources
The City Paper Bogota
8,000 police officers will safeguard Columbia’s vital water resources, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, high-altitude wetlands – p ramos – and endangered watersheds, the new Water Police will be equipped with specialized training and technical expertise, enabling the officers to undertake educational, operational, and proactive initiatives aimed at addressing growing environmental threats. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Study combines woodchips and biochar to clean water of pharmaceuticals, nutrients
Science Daily
In a new study, researchers show how a simple system using woodchips and a bit of glorified sawdust — designer biochar — can dramatically reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and multiple common drugs in wastewater. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The 2022 European drought: What was the role of climate change?
Science Daily
A research team has now discovered that more than 30 percent of the extraordinary intensity and physical extent of the drought can be attributed to human-induced climate change. This extreme event was exacerbated by the fact that climate change had already caused soil moisture levels to drop continuously over the previous years. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
UK rivers contain ‘cocktail of chemicals and stimulants’ endangering aquatic life
The Guardian
The UK’s rivers contain a cocktail of chemicals and stimulants including caffeine, antidepressants and painkillers from water company sewage releases, polluting freshwaters at levels which can pose a risk to aquatic life, testing has found. Click here to read the story.
ALUS receives grant from Coca-Cola to support watershed health in communities across Canada
Water Canada
ALUS, a charitable organization supporting nature-based solutions in local communities, has announced a $162,500 grant from The Coca-Cola Company in Canada to bolster community-based efforts around nature-based solutions for water in the regions in which the company operates. This funding is critical to helping farmers and ranchers carry out projects to improve watershed health, supporting Canadian water systems. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Australia to toughen rules around acceptable levels of key PFAS chemicals in drinking water under draft guidelines
The Guardian
Australia could toughen the rules regarding the acceptable levels of key PFAS chemicals in drinking water, lowering the amount of so-called forever chemicals allowed per litre. Click here to read the story.
Toxic algal blooms threaten Canadian drinking water, but scientists are developing a way to protect against the harmful slime
CBC
Dangerous, slimy mats of blue-green algae are plaguing Lake Erie and other lakes across North America, not only interfering with ecosystems and recreational activities, but also complicating municipal water treatment processes. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Residents and activists in central Bosnia clean up a lake after massive floods
Toronto Star
Residents and activists on Sunday pulled out heaps of debris and trash from a lake in a central Bosnian region that was devastated by deadly floods and landslides more than two weeks ago.Using boats and motor vehicles, the volunteers scooped up plastics, wood and other objects that were swept away by raging waters during the rainstorm in early October and ended up in the Lake Jablanica. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Compare and contrast: Half of all global food threatened by growing water crisis, report says
NBC News
Densely populated areas such as northwestern India, northeastern China and southern and eastern Europe will bear the brunt of water mismanagement, according to the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. Click here to read the story.
Incoming atmospheric river prompts weather advisories in British Columbia, including for Rogers Pass
CTV News
A moisture-laden system in the upper atmosphere is heading toward the Pacific coastline and is expected to produce a large amount of precipitation. Special weather statements have been issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada in anticipation of this atmospheric river, advising 50 to 80 millimetres of rain is possible along the Trans-Canada Highway around Rogers Pass. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The system that moves water around the Earth is off balance for the first time in human history
CNN
Humanity has thrown the global water cycle off balance “for the first time in human history,” fueling a growing water disaster that will wreak havoc on economies, food production and lives, according to a landmark new report.” ” Decades of destructive land use and water mismanagement have collided with the human-caused climate crisis to put “unprecedented stress” on the global water cycle, said the report published Wednesday by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, a group of international leaders and experts. Click here to read the story.
Canadians drink more bottled water than most. That makes us part of the problem
Waterloo Region Record
Canadians are among the world’s heaviest drinkers of bottled water, about 97 per cent of which is sold in disposable plastic containers.” At $17.1 billion in annual spending on bottled water, Canada trails only the more populous U.S. ($87.7 billion), China ($67.7 billion) and Indonesia ($30.1 billion). Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: After hurricane, with no running water, residents organize to meet a basic need
Toronto Star
It takes water to flush a toilet and tens of thousands of North Carolinians have been without it since Hurricane Helene ripped through the state three weeks ago. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Montreal plans to stop adding fluoride to West Island tap water in 2025
CTV News
The West Island is one of the few places in Quebec that adds fluoride to the drinking water, but the City of Montreal plans to phase that out by 2025, and some in the community are upset. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: It could take over 40 years for PFAS to leave groundwater
Science Daily
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, known commonly as PFAS, could take over 40 years to flush out of contaminated groundwater. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Construction update: Bearspaw South Feeder Main phase three repairs begin
City of Calgary
The City of Calgary is preparing to begin phase three of repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, with pre-work scheduled to begin today, Oct. 16. Construction is expected to continue until late November. These repairs are much smaller in scope and will not require city-wide water restrictions because these sections can be isolated while keeping the feeder main running. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Nile basin nations say water-sharing accord has come into force without Egypt’s backing
The Canadian Press
A regional partnership of 10 countries says an agreement on the equitable use of water resources from the Nile River basin has come into force despite the notable opposition of Egypt. The legal status of the “cooperative framework” was formally confirmed by the African Union after South Sudan joined the treaty, the Nile Basin Initiative said in a statement Sunday. Click here to read the story.
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City of Saint John drinking water once again places among the top in Atlantic Canada
Water Canada
Saint John Water secured third place in the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association’s (ACWWA) annual “Best of the Best” tap water taste-testing competition. This year, the accolade was awarded to the Loch Lomond Drinking Water Treatment Facility, a previous winner in this prestigious event. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Atmospheric rivers are shifting poleward, reshaping global weather patterns
The Conversation – United States
Atmospheric rivers – those long, narrow bands of water vapor in the sky that bring heavy rain and storms to the U.S. West Coast and many other regions – are shifting toward higher latitudes, and that’s changing weather patterns around the world. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
MD of Bighorn weighs cost, benefit of automated groundwater monitoring system
Calgary Herald
The program proposes a system that would automate real-time groundwater level data collection at set frequencies, such as hourly, and thus allow trend analysis, but it would not make predictions of future water levels. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: AI-trained CCTV in rivers can spot blockages and reduce floods
Science Daily
Machine learning-equipped camera systems can be an effective and low-cost flood defence tool, researchers show. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Two high school students want to keep trash out of the Great Lakes. They think rivers are the key
The Narwhal
A few years ago, a news story caught Ritvik Manicka’s attention. Then a Grade 8 student in Regina, Sask., he read about a University of Toronto ecologist who, along with a research team, was tossing plastic bottles with GPS trackers into the Great Lakes. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Southern Africa endures its worst hunger crisis in decades. Drought from El Nino to blame, UN says
The Canadian Press
Months of drought in southern Africa triggered by the El Nino weather phenomenon have had a devastating impact on more than 27 million people and caused the region’s worst hunger crisis in decades, the United Nations’ food agency said on Tuesday. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Company fined $1 million for depositing toxic wastewater into the Peace River
CBC
Enforcement officers determined that on April 14, 2021, the company had deposited or permitted the deposit of more than 30 million litres of effluent – wastewater that was toxic to fish – from its pulp mill into the Peace River. Click here to read the story.
New global database of dams and reservoirs could transform water management
Water Canada
A groundbreaking database developed by the Global Dam Watch (GDW) consortium is set to transform the global understanding of dams and reservoirs. Co-ordinated and led by members of a research lab at McGill University, with funding from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the World Bank, the database integrates existing global datasets to provide the most comprehensive resource for large-scale analyses to date. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Climate change putting Alberta lakes on dangerously thin ice: U of C researcher
Calgary Herald
Dramatically-accelerating ice loss over the past 25 years means some areas of the Northern Hemisphere have seen a thaw arriving 45 days earlier per century, states the review paper published this week in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s journal Science. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel receives Canadian Project of the Year award
Water Canada
“I’m so proud that this major drinking-water infrastructure project, which will help us keep delivering water even after earthquakes, is being celebrated,” said Mike Hurley, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors. “Metro Vancouver is working on hundreds of projects at any given time. The Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel Project is an excellent example of the kind of award-winning, high-quality, on-budget work that our organization delivers.”. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Weekend water main break not related to big one in June: Calgary official
Global News
Ryan Kidd, the city’s deputy director of water services, says the recent break happened in a smaller, 250-millimetre cast-iron distribution line that serves the immediate area, which is near Bowness Road and 51st Street North West. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Millions of people across the US use well water, but very few test it often enough to make sure it’s safe
The Conversation – United States
Multiple studies show that, at best, half of private well owners are testing with any frequency, and very few households test once or more yearly, as public health officials recommend. Even in Iowa, which has some of the strongest state-level policies for protecting private well users, state funds for free private water quality testing regularly go unspent. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Dramatic images show the first floods in the Sahara in half a century
The Guardian
Two days of rainfall in September exceeded yearly averages in several areas of south-east Morocco and caused a deluge, officials of the country’s meteorology agency said in early October. In Tagounite, a village about 450km(280 miles) south of the capital, Rabat, more than 100mm (3.9 inches) was recorded in a 24-hour period. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Loss of lake ice has wide-ranging environmental and societal consequences
Science Daily
The world’s freshwater lakes are freezing over for shorter periods of time due to climate change. This shift has major implications for human safety, as well as water quality, biodiversity, and global nutrient cycles, according to a new review from an international team of researchers led by Carnegie Science’s Stephanie Hampton. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: San Francisco is suing the EPA over how specific water pollution permits should be
The Conversation – United States
This case asks the court to decide whether federal regulators can issue permits that are effectively broad orders not to violate water quality standards, or instead may only specify the concentrations of individual pollutants that permit holders can release into water bodies. Click here to read the story.
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AFN national chief urges all parties to support First Nations clean drinking water legislation
CBC
With over 30 long-standing boil water advisories still in place on First Nations across the country, the Assembly of First Nations is hoping all parties support legislation that would set drinking water standards on reserves. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Governance.
The fight for life downstream of Alberta’s tailings ponds – full of arsenic, mercury and lead
The Narwhal
In their own words: residents of Fort Chipewyan talk about their experiences – and fears – downstream from the Alberta oilsands’ trillion-litre tailings ponds of toxic byproducts. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Polluted waste from Florida’s fertilizer industry is in the path of Milton’s fury
The Canadian Press
As Hurricane Milton pummeled Florida’s west coast with powerful winds and flooding rain, environmentalists worry it could scatter the polluted leftovers of the state’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry and other hazardous waste across the peninsula and into vulnerable waterways. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Canada stresses ‘political’ nature of commitment to providing First Nations clean water
CBC
Scott Farlinger, legal counsel with Justice Canada, told court on Tuesday that Canada “readily acknowledges” previous governments have underfunded water services for First Nations. But, in the current government’s view, “things are not the same at present as they were in 1995,” Farlinger told Federal Court Justice Paul Favel in Ottawa. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Governance.
Compare and contrast: These 5 ‘post-truth’ claims are fuelling the water wars in Australia
The Conversation – Australia
Water policy in Australia is now at a crucial juncture. This year is the 20th anniversary of the National Water Initiative that was meant to lay the foundations for sustainable water management. The completion date of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, accompanied by billions of dollars in funding, is just two years away. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Governance.
Compare and contrast: Climate change boosted Helene’s deadly rain and wind and scientists say same is likely for Milton
The Canadian Press
Human-caused climate change boosted a devastating Hurricane Helene ‘s rainfall by about 10% and intensified its winds by about 11%, scientists said in a new flash study released just as a strengthening Hurricane Milton threatens the Florida coast less than two weeks later. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: Salmon swim freely in the Klamath River for 1st time in a century after dams removed
The Canadian Press
For the first time in more than a century, salmon are swimming freely along the Klamath River and its tributaries – a major watershed near the California-Oregon border – just days after the largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed. Researchers determined that Chinook salmon began migrating Oct. 3 into previously inaccessible habitat above the site of the former Iron Gate dam, one of four towering dams demolished as part of a national movement to let rivers return to their natural flow and to restore ecosystems for fish and other wildlife. Click here to read the story.
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UCalgary’s new flow facility advances pipeline leak detection research
Water Canada
Water pipeline leaks were a big issue in Calgary this past summer, plunging the entire city into two extended periods of water-use restrictions after a mainline suffered a major break in June. But research at a new University of Calgary flow facility is helping make advancements to pipeline leak detection and related water infrastructure, including finding ways to reduce energy lost in water treatment when such incidents occur. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries
Science Daily
The solar-powered system removes salt from water at a pace that closely follows changes in solar energy. As sunlight increases through the day, the system ramps up its desalting process and automatically adjusts to any sudden variation in sunlight, for example by dialing down in response to a passing cloud or revving up as the skies clear. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Water gushes through palm trees and sand dunes after rare rain in the Sahara Desert
The Canadian Press
“It’s been 30 to 50 years since we’ve had this much rain in such a short space of time,” said Houssine Youabeb of Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology. Such rains, which meteorologists are calling an extratropical storm, may indeed change the course of the region’s weather in months and years to come as the air retains more moisture, causing more evaporation and drawing more storms, Youabeb said. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Compare and contrast: Water companies in England and Wales told to pay £158m penalty to customers
The Guardian
The regulator, Ofwat, announced the penalties as part of its annual review of companies’ performance. The report showed that companies reduced sewage spills by just 2% between 2020 and 2024, way behind a target of 30% for the 2020-25 period. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Biden sets a 10-year deadline for US cities to replace lead pipes and make drinking water safer
The Canadian Press
A decade after the Flint, Michigan, water crisis raised alarms about the continuing dangers of lead in tap water, President Joe Biden is setting a 10-year deadline for cities across the nation to replace their lead pipes, finalizing an aggressive approach aimed at ensuring that drinking water is safe for all Americans. Click here to read the story.
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Save Kississing Lake – stop acid mine drainage
Water Canada
Acidic water laced with heavy metals from a Province of Manitoba mine remediation project has been contaminating Kississing Lake with cadmium, aluminum, copper, zinc and iron concentrations in excess of Canadian Water Quality Standards for years. Sept 2024 samples show pH 5.86 at the discharge point from Camp Lake, where millions of tonnes of sulfide-bearing mine tailings are submerged. A spring 2024 sample was pH 4.91, well below the water quality environmental standards for Canada. Discharge of wastewater pH below 5.0 is subject to criminal charges in the USA. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: An unusual hurricane season goes from ultra quiet to record busy and spawns Helene and Milton
The Canadian Press
Explosively intensifying Hurricane Milton is the latest freaky system to come out of what veteran hurricane scientists call the weirdest storm season of their lives. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: The world’s rivers faced the driest year in three decades in 2023, the UN weather agency says
The Canadian Press
The U.N. weather agency is reporting that 2023 was the driest year in more than three decades for the world’s rivers, as the record-hot year underpinned a drying up of water flows and contributed to prolonged droughts in some places. The World Meteorological Organization also says glaciers that feed rivers in many countries suffered the largest loss of mass in the last five decades, warning that ice melt can threaten long-term water security for millions of people globally. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Water First internship is training the next generation of First Nation water operators
National Observer
For many First Nations, securing a treatment plant is only one hurdle. Finding experienced operators is another. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Flash floods and landslides hit parts of Bosnia, killing at least 16
The Guardian
Huge volumes of rain fell in the area around Jablanica and nearby Konjic, causing sudden flooding that inundated people’s homes as they were sleeping. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Federal government transfers more than $16M through the Canada Community-Building Fund to Newfoundland and Labrador
Water Canada
This is the first transfer through the recently renewed CCBF agreement with the province. This agreement runs from 2024-2034, and under it Newfoundland and Labrador will receive more than $168.7 million over the next five years, including more than $32.1 million this fiscal year. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Drought shrinks river that feeds the Amazon to lowest level ever recorded
CBC
One of the Amazon River’s main tributaries has dropped to its lowest level ever recorded, Brazil’s geological service said Friday, reflecting a severe drought that has devastated the Amazon rainforest and other parts of the country. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Drought.
Compare and contrast: How bad will flooding get by 2100? These AI images show US destinations underwater
The Guardian
Sea levels along the US coastline could rise as much as 12in from 2020 to 2050 due to climate crisis, scientists warn. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Compare and contrast: Wastewater bacteria can breakdown plastic for food
Science Daily
Comamonadacae is a family of bacteria often found growing on plastics in water. A new study finds a bacterium in this family can break down the plastic for food. Researchers also identified the enzyme the bacterium use to degrade plastic. The discovery opens new possibilities for developing bacteria-based engineering solutions to help clean up difficult-to-remove plastic waste. Click here to read the story.
UCalgary addresses big water challenges through global collaborations
Water Canada
This summer, Albertans were reminded of the importance of water security when drought and water shortages led to increased concern around water usage. These concerns underscore a broader conversation about our relationship with water, its impact on our lives and how we manage this precious resource. Click here to read the story.
Groundwater testing shows ‘high levels’ of cyanide near mine disaster: Yukon
The Canadian Press
Yukon officials say they are working to understand how groundwater moves through an area where a failure at a mine released millions of tonnes of cyanide-laced ore into the surrounding environment, about 480 kilometres north of Whitehorse. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Federal Spending for Flood Adaptations
Congressional Budget Office
New “Federal Spending for Flood Adaptations” report. Highlights:
1) Last 10 yrs, US flood damage averaged $46 B/yr rising 25-33% by 2050.
2) Households and the feds main beneficiaries of damage reductions.
3) ROI is USD $2-$6 / 50 yrs – interesting benefit-cost discussion. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Flood.
Climate change is causing algal blooms in Lake Superior for the first time in history
The Conversation – Canada
Lake Superior is known for its pristine waters, but a combination of nutrient additions from increasing human activity (including farming and development), warming temperatures and stormy conditions have resulted in more frequent blooms of potentially harmful algae. Click here to read the story.
Sask. irrigation analysis finds economic benefit
The Western Producer
Rehabilitating the Westside Irrigation Project at Lake Diefenbaker will boost gross domestic product by at least $5.9 billion over 50 years, according to the Saskatchewan government. It said the $1.15 billion project will generate 30,000 person years of employment and 9,500 construction jobs while adding 90,000 acres of irrigation. Tax revenue to governments is conservatively projected at $770 million with value added processing. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Hurricane Helene leaves thousands without clean water in its wake
The Guardian
Boiling water advisories and water conservation orders are in place in counties in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. More than 160 boil water advisories were in effect in North Carolina as of Tuesday. On Sunday, officials in Asheville said that nearly 100,000 residents may not get access to water for weeks. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Enwave expands Deep Lake Water Cooling System with Toronto Water, recognized by the UN
Water Canada
Enwave Energy Corporation has commissioned the expansion of its Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) System, adding a fourth intake to the sustainable energy system. The expansion, in partnership with Toronto Water, will allow more buildings across the city to connect to the innovative cooling system, which provides an environmentally friendly alternative for managing energy demand. The commissioning took place at Enwave’s John Street Energy Centre. Click here to read the story.
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Anticipated La Nina wet weather pattern could ease drought conditions in B.C.
National Observer
Citing the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fleming, who works in UBC’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, said early projections show a 71 per cent chance that an La Nina weather pattern will move in. La Nina is a climate phenomenon resulting from the flow of warmer water in the Pacific Ocean that typically brings lower temperatures and higher precipitation. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Here’s how to remove some persistent pollutants from your drinking water at home
The Conversation – Canada
The most effective way to treat drinking water is to modernize treatment plants to eliminate PFAS, thereby guaranteeing safe drinking water for everyone, whatever their socio-economic status. This modernization effort is all the more essential given that conventional water treatment is often ineffective in eliminating these substances. However, specific treatments for PFAS can be costly and time consuming to implement. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Hurricane Helene Lays Bare the Growing Threat of Inland Flooding
Inside Climate News
Climate change is causing more severe tropical storms, which can inundate communities hundreds of miles from the coast. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Floods are wreaking havoc around the world. Vienna might have found an answer
The Guardian
The reason the city escaped the worst of the floods is because of human engineering and political foresight dating back to the 1960s, which emerged in response to earlier floods that devastated parts of the city. Click here to read the story.
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Tofino wastewater treatment plant now operational, protecting marine ecosystems
Water Canada
The District of Tofino has officially opened its new wastewater treatment plant, marking a significant achievement for the community and its partners. The $79.25 million project, the largest capital investment in Tofino’s history, will end the discharge of untreated sewage into the marine environment, safeguarding local ecosystems for future generations. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: EPA’s drinking water limits for PFAS are under threat – and that’s nothing new
The Guardian
Utilities have successfully helped kill, delay or weaken virtually all proposed limits on toxic substances like lead, the rocket fuel perchlorate, and carcinogenic disinfectants. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Untapped potential: Study shows how water systems can help accelerate renewable energy adoption
Science Daily
As power grids rely more on renewable energy sources like wind and solar, balancing energy supply and demand becomes more challenging. A new analysis shows how water systems, such as desalination plants and wastewater treatment facilities, could help enhance grid stability and create new revenue streams. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: On Navajo Lands, Ancient Ways Are Restoring the Parched Earth
Yale Environment 360
Farming once thrived in the Black Mesa region, before overgrazing and climate change wreaked havoc with the land. Today, the Navajo are restoring their watersheds – and boosting their food sovereignty – with earthen berms and small dams made of woven brush, sticks, and rocks. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Joliet, Illinois, Plans to Source Its Future Drinking Water From Lake Michigan. Will Other Cities Follow?
Inside Climate News
The aquifer from which Joliet, Illinois, sources its drinking water is likely going to run too dry to support the city by 2030 – a problem more and more communities are facing as the climate changes and groundwater declines. So Joliet eyed a huge water source 30 miles to the northeast: Lake Michigan. Click here to read the story.
Wildfire suppression in rural BC fuelled by proactive water mapping
Water Canada
Easy access to local knowledge of water sources is a critical asset for firefighting crews, especially those arriving from outside the region or country. By compiling, digitizing and transforming local knowledge into interactive maps, the collaboration between ASAP and Living Lakes helped crews to quickly orient themselves and gain situational awareness at a critical time. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Calls for failing English water firms to be taken over using special administration
The Guardian
Triggering special administration would put Thames and other failing companies in government control, removing company directors and ending the dividends paid to shareholders. The companies could then be transferred to new owners who could be publicly owned or controlled. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Watch water form out of thin air
Science Daily
Palladium, a rare metallic element, can rapidly generate water from hydrogen and oxygen. Researchers witnessed this process at the nanoscale for the first time with an electron microscope. By viewing the process with extreme precision, researchers discovered how to optimize it to generate water at a faster rate. Process could be used to generate water on-demand in arid environments, including on other planets. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: AI Is Everywhere Now – and It’s Sucking Up a Lot of Water
Inside Climate News
Artificial intelligence has become a part of everyday life, but there’s little regulation thus far of its deployment and use. Currently, there’s no law on the books in the U.S that requires AI companies to disclose their environmental impact in terms of energy and water use. Concerned researchers rely on voluntary data from companies like Apple, Meta and Microsoft. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: New research reveals why the mighty Darling River is drying up – and it’s not just because we’re taking too much water
The Conversation – Australia
Water flows in mainland Australia’s most important river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, have been declining for the past 50 years. The trend has largely been blamed on water extraction, but our new research shows another factor is also at play. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The Fate of Thousands of US Dams Hangs in the Balance, Leaving Rural Communities With Hard Choices
Inside Climate News
Dams across the country are aging, and also facing pressures from urban sprawl and intensifying floods wrought by climate change. Click here to read the story.
Ontario announces $70M for Collingwood water treatment plant expansion
Water Canada
The Ontario government has committed nearly $70 million towards the expansion of Collingwood’s water treatment plant, a critical project that will support housing and growth in both Collingwood and New Tecumseth. The funding, part of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, was announced by Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey, on September 26. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Hurricane Helene’s Devastation Shows No Region Is Safe from Climate-Fueled Disaster
Scientific American
The swath of devastation, which cut hundreds of miles inland from Florida’s Gulf Coast into southern Appalachia, is a stark reminder of the worsening impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures are fueling stronger, deadlier hurricanes with impacts that can ripple across the country. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Melting glaciers force Switzerland and Italy to redraw part of Alpine border
The Guardian
Glaciers in Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, are retreating at an accelerated pace because of human-caused climate breakdown. Click here to read the story.
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Durham Region secures $34.9M provincial grant for water infrastructure upgrade
Water Canada
The Region of Durham has received a $34.9 million grant from Ontario’s Housing Enabling Water System Fund to support a major rehabilitation project at the Oshawa Water Supply Plant. The $47.8 million project will increase system capacity to support future growth and housing development across the region. Click here to read the story.
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Alberta First Nation angered over lack of consultation in dam decision
CBC
A southern Alberta First Nation says it will fight a government decision on a dam because the province broke promises to take its concerns into account. Click here to read the story.
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Lowering costs for municipalities
Government of Alberta
Municipalities play an important role in shaping Alberta’s vibrant communities and contributing to a stronger province. The province will now lend money to local authorities, which include municipalities, airports, counties and irrigation districts, at a lower rate. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Helene now a tropical storm after speeding through Florida with deadly force
CBC
Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall in northwestern Florida as a hurricane, bringing “nightmare” storm surge and dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.S. There were at least five reported storm-related deaths. Click here to read the story.
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In an era of drought, can B.C. rely on Site C and other hydro projects?
CBC
By the fall of 2025, when all six turbines are expected to be online, the $16 billion mega project that straddles the Peace River in northeast B.C. will churn out 5,100 gigawatt hours of energy per year. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘We used to sail and fish and play’: how did an Argentinian lake the size of New York City disappear?
The Guardian
Drought and mismanagement have turned Lake Colhu Huap into a virtual dustbowl. Now the race is on to save its sister lake from the same fate. If nothing is done to improve water management, the disappearance of both lakes will be irreversible. Click here to read the story.
The Future of Home Heating? It’s in the Dishwater
The Tyee
Every time someone takes a shower, washes the dishes, runs the laundry or flushes the toilet in Vancouver’s Olympic Village, something special happens. The heat from the raw sewage produced by those everyday acts is captured and turned into power. Click here to read the story.
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The lonely Lake Superior caribou and a lesson in limits
The Narwhal
Ontario’s southernmost herd illustrates how hard it is to bring a species back from the brink – and why we need to recognize tipping points before we reach them. Click here to read the story.
Atmospheric rivers deluge parts of B.C. as storm season begins
The Canadian Press
A series of atmospheric rivers has been moving across British Columbia’s north and central coasts and spreading into the Interior, bringing heavy rain. The River Forecast Centre is maintaining high-stream flow advisories and several flood watches throughout the province, while a higher-level flood warning has been downgraded for the Telkwa River in northwestern B.C. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Soil and water pollution: An invisible threat to cardiovascular health
Science Daily
Pesticides, heavy metals, micro- and nanoplastics in the soil, and environmentally harmful chemicals can have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system, according to a review paper. The article provides an overview of the effects of soil and water pollution on human health and pathology and discusses the prevalence of soil and water pollutants and how they negatively affect health, particularly the risk of cardiovascular disease. Click here to read the story.
Ghost River location selected for new Bow River Reservoir
Government of Alberta
After reviewing multiple options, the Alberta government has determined that the relocated Ghost Dam option is significantly better than the Glenbow East option due to its lower cost, ability to mitigate future droughts and floods, and fewer social and environmental impacts. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Baltimore City Is Investing in Wetlands Restoration For Climate Resiliency and Adaptation. Scientists Warn About Unintended Consequences
Inside Climate News
Wetlands restoration and shoreline rehabilitation efforts in South Baltimore promise to make communities resilient against climate change and severe weather while spawning new green spaces. Scientists say it’s a new science that needs careful and closer scrutiny. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Global heating ‘doubled’ chance of extreme rain in Europe in September
The Guardian
Researchers found global heating aggravated the four days of heavy rainfall that led to deadly floods in countries from Austria to Romania. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding
Science Daily
A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH). The results have implications for efforts to decrease atmospheric methane and mitigate its impact on climate change. Click here to read the story.
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Newfoundland and Labrador becomes Canada’s first Well-Being Province with focus on safe and clean water
Water Canada
As part of the declaration, the provincial government is committed to improving the overall health and well-being of residents by addressing the social determinants of health – factors that influence quality of life, including access to clean water, safe housing, financial security, and education. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Eye on the Fertile Crescent: Life Along the Mideast’s Fabled Rivers
Yale Environment 360
A series of dams and years of conflict have transformed the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which gave rise to some of the world’s earliest civilizations. Kurdish photographer Murat Yazar focused his lens on these rivers of his homeland and on the people who live alongside them. Click here to read the story.
2024-2025 Student Action on Canadian Water Attitudes Competition announced
Water Canada
The Safe Drinking Water Foundation (SDWF) has launched the 2024-2025 Student Action on Canadian Water Attitudes competition, thanks to funding from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and RBC. The initiative aims to engage students from kindergarten to grade 12 across Canada in addressing water issues within their communities. Click here to read the story.
Concern over dead fish, water levels in reservoir southwest of Edmonton
Global News
Hundreds of dead fish have washed ashore, after an Alberta creek’s water levels dropped significantly. A family who’s lived in the area for generations believe the Alberta Energy Regulator needs to step in to help save the ecosystem. Click here to read the story.
Ontario invests $25M in water infrastructure to enable over 2,200 homes in Cobourg
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing up to $25 million in water infrastructure to support the construction of 2,266 new homes in the Town of Cobourg. The funding is part of the first round of investments under the province’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, which includes $970 million to help municipalities develop, repair, and expand drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems essential for housing development. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: GAR Special Report 2024: Forensic Insights for Future Resilience – Learning from Past Disasters
UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
The UNDRR’s new report is 10 case studies of global disasters. Included are 2024’s Lebanon floods, 2023’s Central American drought, 2020-23’s Horn of Africa floods and drought, 2021’s Jamaica floods and 2023’s Canada wildfires. What makes the report particularly interesting is the methodology applied. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Ecuador cuts power in half of its provinces amid historic drought
Reuters
Ecuador’s government has announced the suspension of electricity service for nine hours on Sunday in 12 of the Andean nation’s 24 provinces and placed 19 areas on red alert due to a drought that has reduced the water levels of hydroelectric plants. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Six water firms in England ‘overcharged customers by up to £1.5bn’
The Guardian
Six water companies overcharged customers between £800m and £1.5bn by “significantly or systematically” underreporting the true scale of their sewage pollution of rivers and waterways, a tribunal has heard. Click here to read the story.
Small town on hook for $5M after B.C. Hydro impacts water quality
CBC
Residents of a town affected by the construction of the Site C dam are set to vote on whether their district should borrow nearly $5 million to pay for a new water treatment plant. Click here to read the story.
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PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Quebec’s Water Supply; Class Action Launched
Water Canada
PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products, including non-stick cookware and water-repellent fabrics. Known for their persistence in the environment and resistance to breaking down, these substances have been linked to serious health problems such as cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues in children. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Heavy rain triggers landslides and floods in northern Japan
The Guardian
The deluges caused swollen rivers to overflow, flooding homes and leaving some people stranded in a region still recovering from the deadly 1 January earthquake. Click here to read the story.
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Kashwakamak Dam rebuild to bolster flood and drought protection
Water Canada
The Kashwakamak dam is set for a major rebuild to mitigate the risks of failure and flooding, thanks to a nearly $6 million joint investment from the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority and the federal government’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). This project will provide critical protection for Kashwakamak Lake and surrounding communities in the Mississippi River watershed. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: New tool to help decision-makers navigate possible futures of the Colorado River
Science Daily
The Colorado River is a vital source of water in the Western United States, providing drinking water for homes and irrigation for farms in seven states, but the basin is under increasing pressure from climate change and drought. A new computational tool developed by a research team, led by Penn State scientists, may help the region adapt to a complex and uncertain future. Click here to read the story.
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Federal boost to tackle Great Lakes pollution and secure clean water for communities
Water Canada
The federal government has announced a historic $76 million investment to support 50 community-led projects aimed at restoring and protecting freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes watershed. The funding, part of the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative, is one of the largest commitments to freshwater restoration in Canadian history. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary ends water restrictions, ‘effective immediately’
CTV News
The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update. “Today is the day we have been waiting for,” said Francois Bouchart, Calgary’s director of capital priorities and investment. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Midwest States Struggle to Fund Dam Safety Projects, Even as Federal Aid Hits Historic Highs
Inside Climate News
Many dams in the Midwest do not meet grant eligibility requirements, leaving safety officials and residents worried about how they’ll prevent future collapses as flood risks increase. Click here to read the story.
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Researchers using AI models say the North is susceptible to severe droughts in decades ahead
CBC
Canada’s North could see some of the most severe drought conditions in the country over the coming decades, according to a new study that used artificial intelligence and historical data to map future drought zones. Click here to read the story.
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Town of Lincoln secures $13.6M for Prudhommes watermain upgrades
Water Canada
The Town of Lincoln has received $13.64 million in provincial funding to advance the Prudhommes Watermain Upgrades Project. The funds, provided through Ontario’s Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF), will help meet the growing water infrastructure needs of the community as outlined in the Prudhommes Secondary Plan. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘You basically have free hot water’: how Cyprus became a world leader in solar heating
The Guardian
The country, which has more 300 days of sunshine a year, has embraced rooftop systems that harness the sun’s energy. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Breakthrough study predicts catastrophic river shifts that threaten millions worldwide
Science Daily
Researchers have uncovered key insights into the dangerous phenomenon of ‘river avulsion,’ offering a way to predict when and where rivers may suddenly and dramatically change course. Click here to read the story.
Network promotes better farm drainage communication
The Western Producer
“When it comes to drainage management and irrigation, I think we have a lot of leaders and experts across the province but not necessarily communicating all the time,” said Candace Mitschke, executive director of the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association (SaskFSA). The network will pull farmers, industry, researchers and regulators into the same room to identify challenges and solutions around the sometimes contentious issue. Click here to read the story.
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Volunteers help Parks Canada with riparian restoration at Cascade Creek
CTV News
It takes a lot of staff and volunteer hands to transplant well over 6,000 plants to date, along the banks of Cascade Creek that will stabilize the environment, regulate water temperatures, and enhance the habitat. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: New Study Suggests Major Climate Reports May Be Underestimating Drought Risks
Inside Climate News
North America and Southern Africa, in particular, may endure longer dry spells than water managers expect, but research shows rising emissions magnifying both wet and dry extremes. Click here to read the story.
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Invasive species are reshaping aquatic ecosystems, one lake at a time
The Conversation – Canada
In recent years, there have been numerous outbreaks of invasive species in Canadian lakes. Zebra mussels continue to spread in Québec and Manitoba. Chinese mystery snails are increasingly found in lakes in eastern Canada. Eurasian watermilfoil has spread to the maritime provinces. Meanwhile, goldfish have become superabundant in small lakes and ponds throughout the country. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Q&A: Near Lake Superior, a Tribe Fights to Remove a Pipeline From the Wetlands It Depends On
Inside Climate News
Dubbed the “Everglades of the North,” the region boasts thousands of acres of marshes and wild rice beds, thriving populations of sturgeon and rare mammals such as the Canada Lynx. It also contains a section of Line 5, a 30-inch diameter crude oil pipeline that transports up to 540,000 barrels of hydrocarbons per day from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. Built 71 years ago, the structure cuts directly through the Bad River reservation – a point of contention between the tribe and the pipeline’s owner, Canadian company Enbridge. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Nigeria warns of possible flooding as Cameroon releases water from dam
The Canadian Press
The flooding has worsened the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, where armed violence especially in the troubled northern region has already displaced millions. West Africa has experienced some of the heaviest flooding in decades this year, affecting more than 2 million people, three times more than last year. In 2022, more than 600 people were impacted by flooding in Nigeria when water was released from the same Lagdo dam in Cameroon. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary water restrictions will be lifted ‘sometime this weekend’: city
CTV News
Calgary’s water restrictions should be lifted in the next three or four days, officials say. Calgary returned to Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions on Monday, Aug. 26 as work to repair problem sections of the Bearspaw feeder main began. The restrictions were implemented with a request to voluntarily curb indoor usage. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Rising rivers threaten southern Poland as flooding recedes elsewhere in Central Europe
The Canadian Press
Several Central European nations have been hit by severe flooding, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania as a result of a low pressure system that began dumping record rainfall in the region last Thursday. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Why Have Record-Breaking Rains Drenched the Carolinas and Europe?
Both Central Europe and eastern North Carolina have seen torrential downpours and devastating flooding in recent days – with 18 inches in certain locations of each region. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: South Africa’s Gauteng province launches water data hub – residents can now keep track of shortages and repair issues
The Conversation – Africa
Caroline Southey from The Conversation Africa put questions to Craig Sheridan, the director of the Centre in Water Research and Development at the University of the Witwatersrand, about the creation of a new platform, or dashboard, that features up-to-date information about the Integrated Vaal River System, which feeds the region. The aim is to keep residents informed and authorities accountable. Click here to read the story.
Clean water for First Nations needed before next elections, House committee hears
National Observer
MP Charlie Angus, who represents the Neskantaga First Nation, 436 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, told a federal committee the community’s pipes are rotting. Click here to read the story.
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Metro Vancouver moves forward with North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant audit
Water Canada
Metro Vancouver has taken a key step toward an independent review of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Program by retaining John J.L. Hunter, K.C., a retired judge and founder of Hunter Litigation Chambers, to advise the Metro Vancouver Board. Click here to read the story.
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Dam dreams loom large over East Coast energy future
National Observer
In Labrador, a proposed hydro dam twice the size of British Columbia’s Site C megaproject, looms large over the East Coast’s energy future. The project is called Gull Island, and it is a beast. Gull Island would be built about 300 kilometres from the Quebec border on Labrador’s Churchill River. The hydro plant would generate 2,250 megawatts (MW) of electricity – roughly the equivalent of five million solar panels or enough power for more than 1.5 million homes. Click here to read the story.
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Turning seawater into fresh water through solar power
Science Daily
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have designed an energy-efficient device that produces drinking water from seawater using an evaporation process driven largely by the sun. Click here to read the story.
Repaired Calgary feeder main expected to be filled in 3 days, officials say
CTV News
Calgary officials say the filling of the repaired feeder main is expected to begin Tuesday after weather conditions delayed work this week. In an update on Monday afternoon, officials said rain through the weekend delayed work. Click here to read the story.
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‘Not that simple’: Trump drags Canadian river into California’s water problems
CTV News
Tricia Stadnyk, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Calgary who has researched continental water resource supply and is also a Canadian research chair in hydrologic modelling, says it’s “not that simple.” “To me, it’s an uninformed opinion. It’s somebody that doesn’t fully understand how water works and doesn’t understand the intricacies of allocating water not only between two countries but also for the environment,” Stadnyk said. Click here to read the story.
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Will B.C.’s massive new Site C dam on the Peace River have downstream impacts on Alberta?
CBC
At a construction cost of $16 billion, the Site C hydroelectric dam and reservoir on the Peace River in northeastern British Columbia is the most expensive public infrastructure project in the province’s history. But as the dam gets closer to going into operation, worries persist – in Alberta and beyond – that it could lower water levels in the Peace and other rivers downstream. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Is pollution in England’s rivers really getting worse? There’s more good news than you might think
The Guardian
Many rivers in England are polluted, but we need to recognise that this is not an emerging issue but a much longer-standing one that has been largely ignored by the media and politicians for decades. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Floods claim more lives as heavy rain batters central Europe
CBC
Some parts of the Czech Republic and Poland faced the worst flooding in almost three decades, as towns evacuated thousands of people. A quarter of a million Czech homes were without power. Click here to read the story.
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Drought preparation continues to be a priority
The Western Producer
Though some regions got more rain this year than they have in the past four, Lardner said it doesn’t mean they are out of the woods. After such a prolonged period of drought, the ground hasn’t been recharged. Click here to read the story.
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Water restrictions on schedule to end in Calgary next weekend: City
CTV News
Water restrictions which have been in place all summer will end next weekend, the city’s director of water services said Saturday. Nancy Mackay delivered the news at a Saturday afternoon update that all of Calgary has been waiting to hear for a while now. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: The Key to Fix California’s Inadequate Water Storage? Put Water Underground, Scientists Say
Inside Climate News
A new University of California Riverside study on California agriculture and climate proposes a plan for new water capture, storage and distribution systems throughout California that will sustain agriculture and keep up with climate trajectories. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Big Cities Disrupt the Atmosphere, Often Generating More Rainfall, But Can Also Have a Drying Effect
Inside Climate News
The world’s largest urban areas have an outsized influence on regional weather and climate patterns, often creating “wet islands,” with more rainfall over cities and adjacent downwind areas, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Lake Powell Plumbing Will Be Repaired, but Some Say Glen Canyon Dam Needs a Long-Term Fix
Inside Climate News
Federal water managers will repair a set of little-used pipes within Glen Canyon Dam after discovering damage earlier this year. The tubes, called river outlet works, have been a focus for Colorado River watchers in recent years. If Lake Powell falls much lower, they could be the only way to pass water from the nation’s second-largest reservoir to the 25 million people downstream of the dam. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Maine officials trying to hide scale of ex-navy base PFAS spill, advocates suspect
The Guardian
A former US navy base in Maine has caused among the largest accidental spills of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” ever recorded in the nation, and public health advocates suspect state officials are attempting to cover up its scale by reporting misleading and incomplete data. Click here to read the story.
Alberta First Nation suing federal government over unclean tap water
CBC
The Ermineskin Cree Nation says Ottawa’s proposed legislation on First Nations drinking water fails to recognize that people on reserves have the same right to trust what comes out of their tap as every Canadian. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary pipeline repairs to be complete by this weekend
CBC
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says construction work has been going well and is expected to be wrapped up by this weekend, with restrictions being lifted by Sept. 22. “Thanks to round-the-clock work that’s being done by construction crews as well as the advance planning that’s being done by city experts, we are expecting construction on the Bearspaw south feeder main to be completed this weekend.” Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Severe drought drops water level to historic low on the Paraguay River, a regional lifeline
The Canadian Press
A powerful drought in Brazil’s Pantanal region led on Monday to the lowest water levels on the Paraguay River in more than a century, disrupting commerce on the major waterway, creating hazards for local transport and offering a grim warning for other parts of the world. Click here to read the story.
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Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Sarah Nathan honoured with prestigious conservation award
Water Canada
Sarah Nathan, Manager of Provincial Operations for Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) in British Columbia, has been awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for her exceptional contributions to environmental conservation. The honour was presented by Nathan Cullen, B.C. Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, recognizing Nathan’s tireless work in protecting and restoring critical wetland habitats across the province. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Low Mississippi levels threaten exports
The Western Producer
Low water conditions have led to several barges running aground along a key stretch of the lower Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard said last week, just as the busiest U.S. grain export season gets underway. Click here to read the story.
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Work on Calgary water main ahead of schedule, restrictions could be lifted sooner
CTV News
Calgarians and area residents kept their water use in check for a second day in a row, building momentum on some good news that repair work could be finished ahead of schedule. Residents and businesses used 484 million litres of water on Wednesday, up from the 481 million litres used on Tuesday. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Brazil’s hydropower faces risk from drying river basins
Reuters
Soil moisture in Brazil’s main river basins used for hydropower generation has fallen to nearly two-decade lows threatening a prolonged impact from a serious drought even after rains return. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: In arid New Mexico, rural towns eye treated oil wastewater as a solution to drought
Reuters
A growing group of New Mexico politicians want the state to develop regulations allowing for the millions of gallons of so-called produced water gushing up daily alongside the Permian basin’s prolific oil and gas to be treated and used and who are encouraging companies to figure out how to make it happen cheaply, safely and at scale. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Flash flood sweeps away hamlet as Vietnam’s storm toll rises to 155 dead
The Canadian Press
A flash flood swept away an entire hamlet in northern Vietnam, killing 30 people and leaving dozens missing as deaths from a typhoon and its aftermath climbed to 155 on Wednesday. Click here to read the story.
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Nipissing First Nation constructs wetland to enhance environmental resilience
Water Canada
A new wetland project in Nipissing First Nation will help convert nutrient-rich wastewater into safe, non-potable water to support vital plant species, thanks to a $90,000 investment from the federal government’s Natural Infrastructure Fund. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: What’s really ‘fueling’ harmful algae in Florida’s lake Okeechobee?
Science Daily
Historically, Lake Okeechobee was thought to be impaired only by phosphorus, focusing efforts on reducing agricultural runoff. However, new comprehensive sampling across the Lake Okeechobee Waterway and its connected estuaries shows that toxic algal blooms also are driven by rising nitrogen levels from human waste and urban runoff. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Italy’s Marmolada glacier could disappear by 2040, experts say
The Guardian
Rising temperatures causing largest glacier in Dolomites to lose 7-10cm of depth a day, according to scientists. Click here to read the story.
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Alberta farmers ahead of schedule on harvest, but remain on knife’s edge of drought
CBC
Farmers across Alberta are ahead of schedule on their harvest this year after seeing warmer than average temperatures over the past month, but that doesn’t mean yields are necessarily higher. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: In the Brazilian Amazon, seedlings offer hope for drying rivers
Mongabay
In an effort to restore drying springs, Indigenous people in the Rio Pindaré reserve are mapping headwaters and planting species native to the Amazon rainforest along their margins. Scientists say this type of reforestation could help restore balance to water cycles in the region, mitigating the broader impacts of drought and climate change. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: During Brazil’s worst drought, wildfires rage and the Amazon River falls to a record low
The Canadian Press
Brazil is enduring its worst drought since nationwide measurements began over seven decades ago, with 59% of the country under stress – an area roughly half the size of the U.S. Major Amazon basin rivers are registering historic lows, and uncontrolled manmade wildfires have ravaged protected areas and spread smoke over a vast expanse, plummeting air quality. Click here to read the story.
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New stormwater infrastructure is needed for Canadian cities to handle increased urban flooding
The Conversation – Canada
Urban flooding is increasingly concerning in Canada, where water drainage systems are at risk of being overwhelmed. Natural watersheds have been greatly altered by construction disturbing the natural ways that water flows from rainfall, across the land and into water bodies. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Deserts’ biggest threat? Flooding
Science Daily
A new study has found that the increase in soil erosion in coastal areas due to desertification is worsening flood impacts on Middle Eastern and North African port cities. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary’s water use drops, residents able to collect rainwater
CTV News
Some overnight rain in Calgary brought relief to residents worried about their gardens and lawns as well as city officials concerned about the strain on the city’s water system. On Monday, residents and businesses used 496 million litres of treated water, down 13 million litres from the day before. Click here to read the story.
What will filling the Site C reservoir do to NWT water levels?
Cabin Radio
A hydrologist with the territorial government, said water levels on Great Slave Lake have dropped by more than 120 cm due to climate-driven drought over the past two years. He projects filling the Site C reservoir will temporarily cause the lake to drop up to another 8.5 cm. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The solar pump revolution could bring water to millions of Africans but it must be sustainable and fair
The Guardian
Solar power could enable 400 million Africans without water to tap into groundwater aquifers. However, we must ensure smaller projects do not lose out in the rush for new technology. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Groundwater use can be accurately monitored with satellites using OPENet
Science Daily
Groundwater is often pumped to the surface to irrigate crops, and meters that measure the flow of pumped water have historically offered the best information on groundwater use. These meters are rare, however, so DRI scientists set out to determine whether OpenET, a platform that measures evapotranspiration using satellite data, could help fill this information gap. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘Citizen scientists’ to check UK rivers for sewage and pollution
The Guardian
Rivers will be checked for sewage and other pollution by the general public this month in an attempt to assess the health of British waterways. Cuts to the UK regulators and a change in the law to allow water company self-monitoring of pollution in England mean there is little independent monitoring of the state of rivers in the UK. Click here to read the story.
Calgary daily water use remains higher than sustainable levels
CBC
Demand has remained at or above 500 million litres per day since Labour Day, despite daily pleas from city officials to cut levels by an additional 20 to 25 per cent to accommodate repairs to the city’s water feeder main. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Customers Sue an Arizona Water District Amid Drought and Surging Demand
Inside Climate News
In Strawberry, Arizona, a lack of community outreach and confusion over how drought was impacting the water district sparked a messy battle over drilling a new deep well. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: South Carolina Is Considered a Model for ‘Managed Retreat’ From Coastal Areas Threatened by Climate Change
Inside Climate News
The state has identified hundreds of thousands of homes that will need to be abandoned. But at one flagship buyout, only one in 10 eligible homeowners signed up. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: How Last Year’s Wildfires Reignited a Battle Over Water Rights on Maui
Mother Jones
For more than a century, corporations have controlled the island’s water. That could be changing. Click here to read the story.
Counting the Costs of Climate Change
Canadian Climate Institute
Climate change is fuelling more frequent and more extreme fires, floods, and droughts. These unnatural disasters are threatening the places we love, making life more expensive, and burning through the budgets of governments, businesses, and households across Canada. The CCI has released a tracker monitoring flood, drought and wildfire in Canada. Click here to read the story.
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From oil well to wetland: meet the B.C. First Nations reclaiming old oil and gas wells on their homelands
The Narwhal
In an effort to reach more oil and gas, rig operators started horizontally fracking to make the oil or gas flow from difficult-to-access rock formations. The practice consumes massive amounts of freshwater and raises long-term water concerns. Click here to read the story.
Federal government and the Northwest Territories renew $94M investment in infrastructure
Water Canada
The federal government and the Northwest Territories have announced the renewal of the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF), ensuring sustained investment in critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater services. Under the agreement, the Northwest Territories will receive $94.5 million over the first five years, delivering long-term and stable funding to communities across the region. Click here to read the story.
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How atmosphere affects extreme rainfall
The Western Producer
The two main conditions almost always present for extreme rainfall are plenty of moisture and slow movement. On a warming planet, these two conditions look to become more prevalent. Click here to read the story.
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Provincial funding to improve Fort McKay’s water infrastructure
Water Canada
The community of Fort McKay is set to receive a significant boost to its water supply infrastructure with a $10 million grant from the Government of Alberta’s Drought and Flood Protection Program (DFPP). The funding will support the Fort McKay Water Supply Infrastructure Rehabilitation project, which aims to enhance water security in the region. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: India’s new mega-dam will roil lives downstream with wild swings in water flow every day
The Conversation – United States
Oner of India’s largest hydropower dams is nearing completion. The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project is linked to several concerns for downstream communities, including flood and erosion risk, earthquake risk, the loss of water flow for fishing and groundwater recharge, and the survival of species including river dolphins. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Debate Flares Over Texas’ Proposed Oil and Gas Waste Rule
Inside Climate News
While environmentalists say the new rule doesn’t do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells. Click here to read the story.
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Big wind and solar build-out needed as Canadian hydropower becomes ‘less reliable’
National Observer
But the country’s heavy reliance on a hydroelectric network that is seeing reservoir levels fall due to climate change combined with sluggish roll-out of wind and solar farms are set to impact Canada’s energy transition goals. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Spurring more biofilm growth for efficient wastewater treatment
Science Daily
Wastewater treatment could be more effective using foamed plastic carriers in the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process, a research team has found. Their study showed that biofilm formation increased by 44 times compared with smooth plastic carriers. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Water bosses could be jailed if they cover up sewage dumping under new law
The Guardian
Water bosses in England and Wales could be jailed for up to two years if they cover up sewage dumping, under legislation proposed by the Labour government. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Levels of one ‘forever chemical’ are increasing in groundwater
Science Daily
Rain and water in ponds and lakes slowly seeps into the soil, moving through minute cracks to refill underground aquifers. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often described as forever chemicals, can tag along into groundwater that’s later removed for drinking. Researchers analyzed water from over 100 wells in Denmark for one particularly persistent PFAS: trifluoroacetate. Click here to read the story.
Important Notice: 2024 Water Shutoff and Storage Update
St. Mary River Irrigation District
On August 30th, 2024, the SMRID updated that allocation will remain at 9 inches, and water shutoff for the irrigation season will be on October 4th, 2024. Work will be conducted on maintenance projects during the shutoff. Start up is expected for late April, or early May, dependent on weather. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Algal Blooms Ravaged New York’s Finger Lakes During Final Week of August
Inside Climate News
The six largest Finger Lakes all had days with at least half a dozen confirmed blooms – even Skaneateles Lake, which is known for its water purity. Skaneateles, which provides unfiltered drinking water to Syracuse, logged 13 confirmed blooms on both Aug. 26 and Aug. 29. Click here to read the story.
BC Hydro begins reservoir filling for Site C project
Water Canada
BC Hydro has started filling the Site C reservoir, marking one of the final phases in the construction of the hydroelectric project on the Peace River. The process is expected to take between two and four months, with water levels rising from 30 centimetres to three metres per day. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary retools pumps to ease some strain on water system, hands out 5 bylaw tickets
Global News
Thompson says the city has determined that by retooling some pumps it can sustainably handle daily water use of 485 million litres during the roughly month-long water main outage. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘Drowning in fashion’: How much water could you save by buying second-hand jeans and T-shirts?
EuroNews Green
Globally, the fashion industry uses enough water to fill 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools a year. Buying just one pair of preloved jeans and a T-shirt saves the equivalent of 20,000 standard bottles of water, according to Oxfam. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The Rural Americans Too Poor for Federal Flood Protections
Inside Climate News
A data-driven disaster tool shows “bias” against rural communities partly due to the valuation of at-risk assets and assessed risks. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: EU officials pledge to develop more water-saving technologies in farming as droughts worsen
The Canadian Press
The promises came during a gathering in Cyprus of the so called MED9 countries – France, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Malta, Spain and Slovenia – to address growing water scarcity as a result of climate change, especially in the Mediterranean region, which they say is being affected to a greater degree than other parts of the 27-member bloc. Click here to read the story.
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Toronto and Federal Government Invest in Flood Protection for Rockcliffe-Smythe Area
Water Canada
In response to increasing flood risks exacerbated by climate change, the federal government and the City of Toronto have announced a joint investment of more than $323 million to modify the Black Creek and Lavender Creek channels in the Rockcliffe-Smythe area. This initiative aims to protect the community from the impacts of future storms. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: The risk of global water scarcity is greater when accounting for the origin of rain
Science Daily
Securing the world’s water supply is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Researchers are now presenting an alternative method for quantifying the global risk of water scarcity. Results indicate higher risks to water supply than previously expected if accounting for the environmental conditions and governability where rain is produced. Click here to read the story.
ACFN chief slams $50K penalty against Imperial Oil for Kearl seepages
CTV News
The chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) says the $50,000 fine the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has levied against Imperial Oil for allowing wastewater to leak from its Kearl mine into the Athabasca River is insufficient to deter future leakages. Click here to read the story.
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Demand for cheap, clean hydropower is soaring. Can Quebec keep up?
CBC
Every second, eight million litres of water rush through the Beauharnois Generating Station – enough to fill three Olympic-sized pools – producing energy to power almost 400,000 homes. Quebec is a hydroelectric powerhouse, with 61 generating stations in rivers and reservoirs across the province, and in a normal year, it’s the top exporter of electricity in the country. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Many protected landscapes owned by English water firms in disrepair, data shows
The Guardian
Water companies are allowing important natural landscapes they own to fall into disrepair, data shows, with only 16% of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) under their control in good condition. Click here to read the story.
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Calgary’s water use drops by 2M litres on Sunday
CTV News
The City of Calgary has inched closer to its target daily consumption rate, dropping by 2 million litres, according to new data posted online. On Sunday, Calgary residents and businesses used 473 million litres of water, down from 475 million. Click here to read the story.
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Many Alberta farmers found relief after staring down drought. But the story doesn’t end there
CBC
Province’s south has endured several dry years and the environment is dynamic. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Desalination and circularity: How Catalonia is planning to solve its water crisis without rain
EuroNews Green
Catalonia is planning to spend €2.3 billion by 2040 on solving its chronic water shortage problems. The regional government has set itself the goal of “guaranteeing water security and ceasing to depend on rainfall”. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Why is water-related violence getting so much worse – and what can be done to stop it?
EuroNews Green
New research has revealed that violence over water resources increased dramatically in 2023, continuing a steep growth trend of such incidents over the past decade globally. The study by the Pacific Institute, a global water think tank, confirmed that these violent events include attacks on water systems, unrest and disputes over the control of and access to water, as well as the use of water as a weapon of war. Click here to read the story.
Is another pipe failure looming? A health check of Canada’s water mains
CBC
About one in every five kilometres of large water mains in Canada is in poor or entirely unknown condition, according to survey data – an unsettling figure following a summer of high-profile infrastructure failures. Click here to read the story.
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UBC engineers may have the solution to ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
National Observer
A water treatment system that catches and destroys a class of dangerous chemicals known as per-and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) is being developed by a team of engineers as a low-cost solution for public water systems or the clean up of industrial waste streams, said lead researcher Dr. Johan Foster, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at UBC. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Engineers develop AI system for real-time sensing of flooded roads
Science Daily
Roadway-related incidents are a leading cause of flood fatalities nationwide, but limited flood-reporting tools make it difficult to evaluate road conditions in real time. Click here to read the story.
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New program to provide master class on soil agronomy
The Western Producer
“It will offer a master class in soil health agronomy, water management and diversified cropping systems, covering established and emerging stewardship practices in topics like residue management, zone mapping, variable rate technology and tillage reduction,” the news release said. Click here to read the story.
Flooding: Is it time to stop living in basements?
The Conversation – Canada
Repeated flooding is neither inevitable nor exceptional. Whether it’s the result of a river overflowing, torrential rain or even a failure in the water supply network, flooding has become part of our daily lives. Every year, taxpayers pay a heavy price for the damage these disasters cause. Click here to read the story.
Efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty provide an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past
The Conversation – Canada
The Columbia River Treaty is a landmark water-management agreement, ratified in 1964, by the United States and Canada which aimed to co-ordinate water management within the Columbia River Basin. Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden announced an “Agreement in Principle” for the modernization of the treaty. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Digging riverbeds in Zimbabwe in desperate search for water
BBC News
One of the worst droughts in living memory is sweeping across southern Africa, leaving close to 70 million people without enough food and water. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Workers breach key Klamath dams, allowing salmon to swim freely for the first time in a century
The Canadian Press
Workers breached the final dams on a key section of the Klamath River on Wednesday, clearing the way for salmon to swim freely through a major watershed near the California-Oregon border for the first time in more than a century as the largest dam removal project in U.S. history nears completion. Click here to read the story.
Ma-Me-O Beach residents handed $20K bill to pay for failed sewage project
CBC
It’s to pay for a failed $5 million wastewater project that has saddled the community on the southeast shore of Pigeon Lake with debt for years. Ma-Me-O Mayor Christine Holmes said nearly 40 per cent of the community has paid so far, and there will be consequences for those who don’t. Click here to read the story.
Water users dealing with a dry Milk River following siphon burst
CTV News
It’s been just over two months since a siphon burst in Montana led to the Milk River drying up. Since then the Town of Milk River has been doing what it can to manage the problem. Before it failed, the siphon diverted water from the St Mary River to the Milk River. Now the flow rate of the river has gone from over 17 cubic metres per second to less than one. Click here to read the story.
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How much microplastic are you drinking? New tool can tell you in minutes
Science Daily
Low-cost, portable tool accurately measures plastic released from everyday sources like disposable cups and water bottles. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: When a Glacier Melts, What Does It Leave Behind?
Inside Climate News
In the past few years, scientists have discovered greenhouse gases, toxic metals and dead bodies emerging from melting glaciers. Click here to read the story.
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Potential reservoir near Red Deer could be first of many new water projects for Alberta, expert says
Calgary Herald
Alberta’s decision to explore a new water reservoir west of Red Deer could be a harbinger of future water projects, as temperatures make the region more hospitable for agriculture, an expert says. Click here to read the story.
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Ontario government invests $5.77M in water infrastructure for Gananoque housing
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing $5,771,984 to enhance water infrastructure in the Town of Gananoque, facilitating the construction of over 400 new homes. This funding is part of the first round of investments under the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, which aims to support municipalities in developing, repairing, and expanding essential water infrastructure. Click here to read the story.
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Wet spring helped fend off harsh summer drought for Alberta farmers
CTV News
A cold and dry winter set the stage for a challenging summer, but rain in May and June helped alleviate many concerns. However, winter is coming. We don’t want to hear the word, but it brings cooler temperatures and potentially more humidity. Click here to read the story.
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Manitoba sets first-ever nutrient targets to protect Lake Winnipeg
Water Canada
In recent years, Lake Winnipeg and its tributaries have seen increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, contributing to more frequent and severe algal blooms. These blooms pose significant economic, health, and environmental risks, contaminating beaches, reducing water quality, and affecting communities and industries dependent on these water bodies. Click here to read the story.
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City officials plead with Calgarians to use less water amid feeder main repairs
CBC
With Tuesday marking the second day of Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions in the city, officials appealed to citizens to reduce their water use by 25 per cent. The daily water-use target for the city is 450 million litres, but on Monday it reached 533 million litres. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: As ‘Doomsday’ Glacier Melts, Can an Artificial Barrier Save It?
Yale Environment 360
Relatively warm ocean currents are weakening the base of Antarctica’s enormous Thwaites glacier, whose demise could raise sea levels by as much as 7 feet. To separate the ice from those warmer ocean waters, scientists have put forward an audacious plan to erect a massive underwater curtain. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘Nature is punishing us’: Drought imperils farmers and bees in Mexico’s north
Reuters
The largest state of Mexico has a dry or semi-dry climate at the best of times, but has faced unusually low rainfall levels in recent years. Near the town of Buenaventura, the Las Lajas dam is near empty and the little water left is infested with dead fish. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Public trust in drinking water safety is low globally
Science Daily
A new study finds more than half of adults surveyed worldwide expect to be seriously harmed by their water within the next two years. Click here to read the story.
Goldfish cull using controversial chemical to resume at west Edmonton storm pond
CTV News
Epcor, the Edmonton-based utility responsible for operating and maintaining the city’s water systems, told CTV News Edmonton in a statement on Monday that Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) has instructed them to move ahead with the use of a chemical treatment including rotenone to eradicate invasive goldfish at a storm pond in the Glastonbury neighbourhood. Click here to read the story.
Leaders in Fort Chipewyan, Alta., urge people to avoid Lake Athabasca over contamination concerns
CBC
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam and Fort Chipewyan Metis president Kendrick Cardinal have both posted messages on social media recently, asking people in the community to stay away from the shoreline, not swim in the water and not consume the lake water. Both cited concerns about possible contamination in the water and said they’re awaiting water quality results. Click here to read the story.
Improving water storage in central Alberta
Government of Alberta
Alberta’s government will launch a study to examine the feasibility of a new reservoir east of Red Deer to help fight drought and support communities. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: A dam collapses in eastern Sudan after heavy rainfall and local media report dozens missing
The Canadian Press
The Arbat dam in Sudan’s eastern Red Sea state has collapsed sending water flooding over nearby homes, the country’s health ministry said. Local media said dozens of people are missing. The dam supplied drinking water to Port Sudan. Click here to read the story.
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Extended ‘nightmarish’ drought puts heavy strain on British Columbia water systems
National Observer
Less than a tenth of British Columbia has enough water to supply municipal drinking water systems, farms and ranches, hydro dams, and sustain freshwater ecosystems – despite recent rainfall in parts of the province. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: New Lake Okeechobee Plan Aims for More Water for the Everglades, Less Toxic Algae
Inside Climate News
Today the natural course of the water has been altered forever by some of the most complex water management infrastructure in the world. This infrastructure has drained the river of grass to a fraction of its former size and made modern Florida possible. A $21 billion federal and state restoration effort underway in the Everglades is among the most ambitious of its kind in human history. Click here to read the story.
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BC Hydro begins filling reservoir as Site C dam megaproject nears completion
The Canadian Press
BC Hydro says it has begun filling the reservoir created by the massive Site C dam project in northeastern British Columbia. The provincial electric utility says in a statement that the filling of the reservoir is one of the last steps toward starting operations for the controversial dam project, located about 14 kilometres southwest of Fort St. John, B.C. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Bangladeshis taking refuge in emergency shelters after heavy flooding
The Guardian
Nearly 300,000 Bangladeshis are taking refuge in emergency shelters from floods that inundated vast areas of the country, disaster officials said. Click here to read the story.
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Help shape the future of Lake Minnewanka
CTV News
Parks Canada is seeking input from the public as they work to preserve and improve the Lake Minnewanka area. Officials are drafting a plan that will outline the long-term direction for managing the area. People can find out more about the Lake Minnewanka area plan and provide input online at letstalkmountainparks.ca until Oct. 25. Click here to read the story.
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Here’s what you need to know about Calgary’s water situation
CBC
Starting Monday, Calgary’s most critical water main will be shut down again. This means mandatory Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions come back into effect, certain roads will be closed for construction, and residents and businesses will be asked to cut back on treated water use. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: South Africa’s scarce water needs careful management – study finds smaller, local systems offer more benefits
The Conversation – Africa
South Africa is a water-scarce country, the 30th driest in the world. Using water wisely will become more and more important as the population grows and droughts related to climate change increase. Water governance arrangements in three provinces were assessed for efficacy. Click here to read the story.
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Groundwater projects to inform communities, protect water and ecosystems
CTV News
Living Lakes Canada, a non-governmental organization dedicated to freshwater protection, announced a new Alberta-based groundwater monitoring project being piloted in the Oldman Watershed and starting up this fall. The goal of the Alberta Groundwater Program, announced last month, is to gather valuable data and support drought resiliency. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Water campaigners are right about enforcement. Labour’s plans are still too vague
The Guardian
The organisers of the March for Clean Water – that’s Feargal Sharkey and River Action, supported by organisations that range from Surfers Against Sewage to the RSPB to the Women’s Institute – make an excellent point: while it’s nice that the government will bring a water bill to parliament, the initiatives revealed so far “are not nearly extensive enough to address the scale of the UK’s water pollution crisis”. Click here to read the story.
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B.C. communities to benefit from $7.6M in water infrastructure upgrades
Water Canada
Four communities across British Columbia are set to receive significant upgrades to their water infrastructure, thanks to a combined investment of over $7.6 million from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. The announcement was made by MP Wilson Miao, Minister Anne Kang, and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. Click here to read the story.
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Utility constantly monitors Edmonton’s 4,000 km of water mains to help minimize damage from breaks
CTV News
The utility that manages Edmonton’s water distribution system says it has contingency plans in place and that it continually monitors its extensive network of pipes in efforts to minimize damage from potential water main breaks like those seen in other major Canadian cities in recent months. Click here to read the story.
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Humidity often overlooked but potentially severe
The Western Producer
By its simplest definition, humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. The warmer the air, the greater the distance between air molecules and therefore the greater the holding capacity of air for water vapour. Warm air has the capacity to hold much more water than cold air. Click here to read the story.
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Bridgewater secures $69.4M for climate-resilient infrastructure
Water Canada
The town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia is set to receive a significant boost in its fight against the impacts of climate change, thanks to a $69.4 million investment from federal, provincial, and municipal governments. The funding will be used to upgrade the town’s wastewater and stormwater systems, ensuring better protection for the community and the LaHave River. Click here to read the story.
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David Parker: Around Town with Ionic Solutions
Calgary Herald
Imagine a world where water scarcity didn’t exist, and desalination wasn’t environmentally harmful. That’s the dream that Calgary-based Ionic Solutions is working hard to achieve, and it believes it has the technology to make it happen. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Bangladesh floods maroon nearly three million people, kill two
Reuters
Relentless monsoon rains and flooding have stranded nearly three million people in Bangladesh and killed two, submerging vast areas and damaging homes and infrastructure, officials from the country’s disaster management ministry said on Thursday. Click here to read the story.
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Cull of invasive goldfish using chemical treatment stopped at west Edmonton stormwater pond
CTV News
Epcor, the Edmonton-based utility that manages the city’s drainage system, has halted the use of a chemical treatment including rotenone to cull the invasive species in Glastonbury after some people asked the provincial body to stop using it, Epcor told CTV News Edmonton in a statement on Tuesday. Click here to read the story.
AI approach to drought zoning
Science Daily
A recent study by the University of Ottawa and Laval University shows that climate change may cause many areas in Canada to experience significant droughts by the end of the century. In response, the researchers have introduced an advanced AI-based method to map drought-prone regions nationwide. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Drought is devastating southern Africa’s crops: why it’s happening and what can be learned
The Conversation – Africa
Southern Africa’s worst drought in years has destroyed crops of the staple food, maize, across the region. Crop failures in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe – the largest maize producers in southern Africa – have destabilised food security in the whole region. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has now announced that 68 million people need urgent food aid. Click here to read the story.
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Sask. ‘moving forward’ with $1.15B Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Project despite incomplete feasibility study
CBC
The government of Saskatchewan says it is “moving forward with constructing” a $1.15-billion irrigation project, despite having never completed or publicly released a feasibility study that was supposed to examine whether it is a good use of public money. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Some of Arizona’s Most Valuable Water Could Soon Hit the Market
Inside Climate News
CRIT has rights to divert a large volume of Colorado River water nearly 720,000 acre-feet in Arizona and California combined, which is more than twice Nevada’s allocation from the river. To this point, the water has remained within the bounds of the CRIT reservation. But soon, the water might flow to lands far beyond CRIT’s borders. Click here to read the story.
Council urged to extend grant program for businesses slammed by water restrictions
Calgary Herald
A federation that represents 2,000 of Calgary’s small businesses is calling on city council to expand a grant program that provides economic relief to storefronts that are impacted by city-led construction projects in two inner-city neighbourhoods. Click here to read the story.
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These bodies of water in Alberta are under a blue-green algae advisory
CTV News
The bacteria can cause skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and or diarrhea. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: After $615 Million and 16 Months of Tunneling, Alexandria, Virginia, Is Close to Fixing Its Sewage Overflow Problem
Inside Climate News
Another 700 municipalities have similarly antiquated combined sewer systems, designed to overflow into rivers and creeks during storms and heavy rains. Climate change is making the problem much worse. Click here to read the story.
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Pictou invests in coastal protection and stormwater infrastructure upgrades
Water Canada
The Town of Pictou is set to bolster its coastal protection and stormwater infrastructure, thanks to a significant investment from the Province of Nova Scotia. These projects are designed to enhance the town’s resilience against climate change and support long-term community growth. Click here to read the story.
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Report shows salmon numbers have slowed after B.C. landslide
CBC
A new report is providing some early insight on how last month’s landslide into the Chilcotin River affected the run of salmon that swims up the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers every year to reproduce. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Forest loss intensifies climate change by increasing temperatures and cloud level, which leads to decrease of water
Science Daily
In the last two decades, as much as 18 % of Africa’s montane forests were lost due to deforestation, which resulted in a warming and cloud level rise two times higher than that caused by climate change. Research resulted that air temperature has increased by 1,4 centigrades, while cloud level has risen by 230 meters during the last 20 years. Click here to read the story.
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B.C. fines Teck Coal over $220K for unauthorized waste spills
CBC
A mining company has been fined close to $221,000 for almost 30 instances of discharging waste into the environment without authorization in southeastern B.C. Click here to read the story.
Is urban flooding becoming a more pressing threat as Canada’s infrastructure ages?
CBC
After multiple water main breaks and floods across the country this summer, municipalities and experts are warning that urban flooding could become more common as Canada’s infrastructure ages. Click here to read the story.
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Kwikwetlem First Nation and Coquitlam Partner on $19.9 Million Flood Mitigation Program
Water Canada
A new flood mitigation program is set to bring significant improvements to the Lower Mainland as Kwikwetlem First Nation and the City of Coquitlam collaborate on a $19.9 million project aimed at safeguarding the region from increasing flood risks. The initiative, supported by federal and provincial funding, was announced August 15 by MP Ron McKinnon, MLA Rick Glumac, Councillor John Peters, and Mayor Richard Stewart. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘The land is becoming desert’: drought pushes Sicily’s farming heritage to the brink
The Guardian
While tourists flock to the Italian island in greater numbers, a water crisis is intensifying for its rural population. Click here to read the story.
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Boil-water advisory lifted in eastern Montreal after water main break
CBC
The preventative advisory affected about 150,000 residents in the eastern half of the island of Montreal south of Sherbrooke Street, including Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Riviére-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles and Montréal-Est. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Computer simulations suggest more than half of people on Earth have limited access to safe drinking water
Phys.org
In 2020, organizations around the world estimated that approximately 2 billion people globally lacked access to safe drinking water. In this new study, the researchers found evidence that the actual number is more than double that. Click here to read the story.
Water Canada Awards 2024 recognizes significant advancements and leaders in water sector
Water Canada
Water Canada celebrated the country’s most innovative water projects, policies, technologies, and leaders at the Water Canada Awards on August 13, hosted by Actual Media’s Vice President of Content and Partnerships, Corinne Lynds. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Air and rain samples in Detroit show high levels of TFA ‘forever chemical’
The Guardian
Rain and air samples collected in metro Detroit that researchers checked for toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” showed the highest levels of TFA, an alarming finding because the compound is a potent greenhouse gas and more toxic than previously thought, but not well-studied. Click here to read the story.
Muskoday First Nation celebrates opening of new water treatment plant
Water Canada
Muskoday First Nation, located in Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan, marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art water treatment plant on August 15, 2024. The $8.6-million facility, funded by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), will provide safe and reliable water to all homes and key community buildings. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Fracking frenzy in India: A water crisis in the making?
Science Daily
India’s plans to scale up fracking operations without robust regulations could spell disaster for the country’s finely balanced water security, according to research from the University of Surrey. Click here to read the story.
City of Vancouver secures data monitoring software for sewer and drainage systems
Water Canada
The City of Vancouver has awarded a three-year contract for real-time data monitoring software to infinitii ai inc., following a competitive bid process. This contract will enhance the city’s ability to monitor and manage its sewer and drainage systems, ensuring better water quality and infrastructure management. Click here to read the story.
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21 pipe segments of Bearspaw south water main need rehabilitation, 16 to 18 dig sites expected
CBC
Road cutting work is set to run Aug. 20-23. The repairs and Stage 4 water restrictions are scheduled to occur between Aug. 26 and Sept. 23, a date the city says is subject to change as crews work through repairs and visually inspect the pipe. Click here to read the story.
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Great Lakes beach safety tests are often outdated and unreliable
The Narwhal
Even a green or blue flag flying on a Great Lakes beach does not necessarily mean it’s safe to swim. Checking government beach monitoring websites is not a surefire solution either. These two findings are central to a public health research project, the Great Lakes Microbial Water Quality Assessment, that has set out to measure microbial and chemical threats in Great Lakes waters and how to reduce the number of illnesses they cause each year. Click here to read the story.
Federal government invests in New Brunswick’s infrastructure
Water Canada
The federal government has allocated over $24 million to New Brunswick as part of the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) for the first instalment of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This investment will support critical infrastructure projects across the province, including upgrades to water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: As Baltimore’s Sewer System Buckles Under Extreme Weather, City Refuses to Help Residents With Cleanup Efforts
Inside Climate News
A sewage cleanup program meant to assist Baltimore residents with backups in their homes has been in limbo for more than a year because of a deadlock between city authorities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Click here to read the story.
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Bringing Salmon Home to the Columbia River
The Tyee
Massive dams, beginning with Grand Coulee in Washington, have blocked salmon from returning to the headwaters of the Columbia River for almost a century. In the 1960s, under the Columbia River Treaty, more dams were built without consultation with our Indigenous nations on our unceded territories in B.C. Click here to read the story.
Flooding takes a toll on mental health. Here’s how Quebecers can help each other cope
CBC
Borrelli’s home in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., in which he’s lived since the 80s, was among those impacted by severe flooding after last week’s record-breaking downpour remnants of tropical storm Debby. Click here to read the story.
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Alberta releases more targeted drought response plan
Government of Alberta
In May, Alberta released the 2024 Drought Response Plan with the entire province placed in Stage 4, the second-highest stage. Since then, some areas have seen significant rains, while others are still experiencing droughts and water shortages. With conditions varying, a more targeted approach is needed. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Faced With Heavier Rains, Cities Scramble to Control Polluted Runoff
Yale Environment 360
To manage contaminated stormwater, Philadelphia went all in on “green” infrastructure, like rain gardens and permeable pavement. But an increase in extreme rain events is spurring other U.S. cities to double down on traditional sewer upgrades that can handle the overflow. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: As Colorado River states await water cuts, they struggle to find agreement on longer-term plans
The Canadian Press
The federal government is expected to announce water cuts soon that would affect some of the 40 million people reliant on the Colorado River, the powerhouse of the U.S. West. The Interior Department announces water availability for the coming year months in advance so Western cities, farmers and others can plan. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Major incident in West Midlands after sodium cyanide spill into Walsall canal
The Guardian
The risk is to people and pets who have direct contact with the canal water. According to the UK Health Security Agency sodium cyanide can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, nervousness, confusion, changes in heart rate, drowsiness, fitting, vomiting, low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Click here to read the story.
Floodwaters washed away the only road out, so this Quebec city set up an emergency water taxi
CBC
But last week, heavy rainfall and flooding trapped him in the enclave of the small city in Quebec’s Mauricie region located about 140 kilometres southwest of Quebec City in a way he has never seen in his 60-plus years as a resident. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Scientists achieve more than 98% efficiency removing nanoplastics from water
Science Daily
The liquid-based solution uses a solvent to trap the plastic particles, leaving clean water behind. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Activists warn of ‘extreme anger’ if ministers fail to reform water regulator
The Guardian
Campaigners say the watchdog, Ofwat, has been too lax on the water companies and prioritised low bills over spending on improving sewer systems. Click here to read the story.
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2024 Irrigation Season Water Supply Update July 2024
St. Mary River Irrigation District
Allocation within the SMRID remains at 9- inches, based on information provided by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. Allocation is expected to remain at 9-inches for the rest of the 2024 season. The St. Mary Headworks Reservoirs were at 92% of Full Supply Limit on July 24, 2024, with minor storage gains since June. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: WHO to scrap weak PFAS drinking water guidelines after alleged corruption
The Guardian
The move follows allegations that the process of developing the figures was corrupted by industry-linked researchers aiming to undercut strict new US PFAS limits and weaken standards in the developing world. Click here to read the story.
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Our tires shed toxins that kill fish. Here’s a partial fix
National Observer
Scientists at the University of British Columbia are experimenting with ways to keep chemicals shed by vehicle tires from entering waterways and causing widespread coho salmon deaths. Click here to read the story.
T’Sou-ke Nation to develop hybrid stormwater system and green space
Water Canada
The T’Sou-ke First Nation in B.C. is set to develop an innovative hybrid stormwater management system and naturalized green space, thanks to a joint investment exceeding $1.3 million from the federal government and the community. This initiative marks a significant step in enhancing the Nation’s resilience to the increasing rainfall linked to climate change. Click here to read the story.
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Carbon capture? A river runs through it
National Observer
Halfyard, who has spent most of his career helping to find science-based solutions to the challenges facing recreational fisheries that produce salmon, striped bass, and trout with respect to conservation, has also been focused on the negative impacts of acid rain on waterways and those same fisheries. Click here to read the story.
B.C. is home to ‘high-risk’ toxic mine waste sites. Here are 5 you need to know about
The Narwhal
Mining operations in B.C. store wet waste in tailings ‘ponds’ shored up by a dam. A dam failure could be catastrophic for watersheds and communities. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Pantanal waterway project would destroy a ‘paradise on Earth’, scientists warn
The Guardian
Dozens of scientists are sounding the alarm that carving a commercial waterway through the world’s largest wetlands could spell the “end of an entire biome”, and leave hundreds of thousands of hectares of land to be devastated by wildfires. Click here to read the story.
IWA World Water Congress 2024 honours global water leaders
Water Canada
The 2024 IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition kicked off in Toronto on August 11 with an inspiring opening ceremony that celebrated excellence in the water sector. Three distinguished awards were presented, recognizing outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing sustainable water management worldwide. Click here to read the story.
London begins major stormwater projects to combat flooding
Water Canada
Several stormwater management infrastructure projects are planned to begin construction soon this summer helping improve London’s resiliency to severe weather, flooding, and the impacts of climate change. Click here to read the story.
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The City of Calgary is considering replacing the water pipe that ruptured
Global News
City officials are weighing options to strengthen a key water main for the long term – including building a new one – after a June rupture forced Calgarians to cut their water use and further inspection found more weaknesses. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Effective new catalyst brings hope for cleaner energy, wastewater treatment, and green chemistry
Science Daily
A catalyst that significantly enhances ammonia conversion could improve wastewater treatment, green chemical and hydrogen production. Click here to read the story.
Key water infrastructure projects launching in Southwest Saskatchewan
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is set to invest over $2 million in the design and construction of five critical water infrastructure projects across Southwest Saskatchewan. These initiatives aim to reinforce dams, weirs, and reservoirs in the region, significantly enhancing public safety. Spanning from Lafleche to Cypress Hills, the projects are scheduled to commence in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: US landfills are major source of toxic PFAS pollution, study finds
The Guardian
Toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” that leach from landfills into groundwater are among the major pollution sources in the US, and remain a problem for which officials have yet to find an effective solution. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Sicily’s population fed up of water shortages as rationing starts to bite
EuroNews Green
Water restrictions began in February when the Italian island declared a state of emergency in the face of a drought. Residents in Sicily, Italy, have been described as “resilient” in the face of water scarcity – but their patience with this year’s shortages is running out. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Arizona Residents Fear What the State’s Mining Boom Will Do to Their Water
Inside Climate News
Nearly 80 percent of Arizona lacks any form of groundwater regulation, allowing big users like the copper mines supplying the energy transition to consume vast amounts of the scarce resource. Click here to read the story.
Calgary builders hope to work with city to reduce impact of new water restrictions
CTV News
Calgary builders say they’re glad the city has given them advance notice of a renewed water shutdown to help them cope with what has been a summer of setbacks that have cost millions of dollars. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Wildfires in Brazil’s Pantanal wetland fuelled ‘by climate disruption
The Guardian
Devastation in Brazil wetlands was made at least four times more likely by fossil fuel use and deforestation, scientists say. Click here to read the story.
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Ontario Invests $970M in water infrastructure to support housing construction
Water Canada
The Ontario government has announced a significant investment of $970 million to support the construction of more than 500,000 new homes across the province. This funding, part of the first round of the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, will be distributed across 54 projects in 60 municipalities to develop, repair, rehabilitate, and expand drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: New device for on-the-spot water testing
Science Daily
Researchers at University of Galway have developed a new, portable technology for on-the-spot testing of water quality to detect one of the most dangerous types of bacteria. Ireland regularly reports the highest crude incidence rates of the pathogen Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli – STEC for short – in Europe over the recent years. Click here to read the story.
Groundwater’s invisible role in sustaining lakes
The Conversation – Canada
Nearly 90 per cent of North America’s lakes are located in Canada. That’s why they make up such an enormous part of our landscape. Among their many vital functions, lakes are essential to the biodiversity of our territory and constitute indispensable oases for rest and relaxation. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Study Links Permian Blowouts With Wastewater Injection
Inside Climate News
Fracking wastewater, injected underground for permanent disposal, traveled 12 miles through geological faults before bursting to the surface through a previously plugged West Texas oil well in 2022, according to a new study from Southern Methodist University. Click here to read the story.
In Saskatchewan, North America’s largest inland river delta is under threat
CBC
Carriere, who is from Cumberland House Cree Nation in northern Saskatchewan, is one of many trappers, environmentalists and First Nations leaders raising concerns over the deterioration of the ecosystem. The Saskatchewan River Delta is the largest freshwater river delta in North America, stretching 9,700 square kilometres from northeast Saskatchewan into western Manitoba. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Residents in Alaska capital clean up swamped homes after an ice dam burst and unleashed a flood
The Canadian Press
About 100 homes and some businesses were damaged by rapidly rising floodwaters that crested around 3:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to initial estimates. In some areas, cars floated as people scrambled to evacuate. Fischer’s daughter, Alyssa, who lives across the street, said the water in the road at one point reached her hips. Click here to read the story.
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Much of Alberta overcame long-term severe drought — but the roller-coaster isn’t over yet
CBC
Alberta’s dry winter conditions saw a turnaround thanks to spring rainfall across much of the prairies — but that doesn’t mean the province is done with drought yet. Parts of Alberta exited winter this year in long-term drought, raising concerns for how the harvest season would play out. Click here to read the story.
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Stricter outdoor water restrictions to return to Calgary as urgent feeder main repairs needed
CTV News
Calgary will return to Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions later this month as city crews begin repair work on 16 new sites on a feeder main affected by a major break two months ago. Click here to read the story.
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B.C. landslide river surge reaches Lower Mainland
CBC
Max Paulhus says he could hear wood breaking and a roaring sound before an approaching surge of water raced down the Fraser River after breaking free from a landslide upstream. Click here to read the story.
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Disaster Dodged in Chilcotin River Landslide
The Tyee
Authorities, still urging caution, got the gradual flow they were hoping for. Click here to read the story.
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Province announces first round of grants tied to drought and flood mitigation
CBC
The Alberta government says it has approved grants to 14 municipalities, two First Nations and one Metis settlement seeking to develop drought and flood mitigation projects. Click here to read the story.
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Hopes of bumper crop evaporate
The Western Producer
A prolonged hot and dry spell has withered notions of a Prairie-wide bumper crop. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Research catalogs greenhouse gas emissions tied to energy use for interbasin water transfers
Science Daily
Much of the water in the West is transported across vast geographical areas by large infrastructure projects known as interbasin water transfers. Two of these projects in particular make up 85% of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions associated with U.S. interbasin transfers — one in Arizona and the other in California — according to the new research. Click here to read the story.
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Nova Scotia’s rivers still suffer from acid rain. Restoring them could also help the climate
CBC
On the shore of a narrow river in Pictou County, research scientist and CarbonRun chief technical officer Eddie Halfyard inspects the interior of a silo that towers over the forest. This river, like many others throughout the region, continues to suffer from the effects of acid rain. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Almost 500 chemicals found in England’s rivers and groundwater
The Guardian
Almost 500 different chemicals, some of which are banned, have been found in various mixtures across all 171 river and groundwater catchments tested in England in 2024, according to data from the Environment Agency, analysed by the Guardian and Watershed Investigations. Click here to read the story.
As Canadian River Shrivels, Northern Communities Call for a Highway
Yale Environment 360
With the Mackenzie River too low for barge traffic, villages in the Northwest Territories are flying in food, fuel, and other essentials. A proposed highway could offer a lifeline as climate change further reduces flows, but the project faces big challenges in a warming Arctic. Click here to read the story.
CWN launches ambitious strategic plan to tackle water challenges
Water Canada
The Canadian Water Network (CWN) has unveiled its new strategic plan for 2024 to 2029, aiming to foster cross-sector collaboration in addressing the critical water challenges affecting communities, health, and the climate. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Tropical Glaciers in the Andes Are the Smallest They’ve Been in 11,700 Years
Inside Climate News
“It’s a sad milestone to hit for these glaciers, said Mateo. But the milestone helps researchers understand the unprecedented changes happening in the tropical Andean region, he explained. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Struggling Thames Water faces $133 mln fine over sewage spills
Reuters
Britain’s water regulator plans to fine debt-laden Thames Water 104 million pounds ($133 million), close to the maximum penalty allowed, after an investigation into historic sewage spills. Click here to read the story.
Will we ever be able to drink water from the moon? This Waterloo company thinks so
CBC
A Waterloo, Ont., water purifying company is inventing a way to extract and purify water on the moon. The Canadian Space Agency has chosen WaterPuris as one of the eight semi-finalists in the Aqualunar challenge. The goal of the challenge is to invent low-energy water purifying technology. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Plant-inspired polymers for water purification
Science Daily
Researchers have synthesized a bio-inspired polymer for water purification. The polymer was designed to mimic phytochelatin, a plant protein that selectively captures and neutralizes harmful heavy metal ions. The hyperconfinement of the polymer enabled a flow-through system and effectively removed cadmium ions from contaminated water, making it safe to drink. Click here to read the story.
Residents worry about waterways 10 years after Mount Polley spill
CBC
The tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine, about 231 kilometres north of Kamloops, B.C., failed that day, sending toxic mine waste into nearby lakes and streams. It is widely regarded as one of the worst if not the worst mine disasters in Canadian history. Click here to read the story.
Evacuations ordered in B.C. as water flows over landslide that dammed Chilcotin River
CTV News
The B.C. government says it’s “extremely unsafe” to be near the banks of the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers both upstream and downstream from a massive landslide after water started flowing through the slide early Monday. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘It made me cry’: photos taken 15 years apart show melting Swiss glaciers
The Guardian
A tourist has posted staggering photos of himself and his wife at the same spot in the Swiss Alps almost exactly 15 years apart, in a pair of photos that highlight the speed with which global heating is melting glaciers. Click here to read the story.
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Flash floods ‘imminent’ after Chilcotin landslide: officials
CBC
The Tŝilhqot’in National Government (TNG) has declared a local state of emergency after a landslide blocked the Chilcotin River in British Columbia’s Cariboo region. The announcement came Thursday afternoon following a slide of soil and debris upstream of Nagwentled, also known as Farwell Canyon, around 285 kilometres north of Vancouver. The TNG said the landslide is currently fully blocking the river. Click here to read the story.
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Irrigation must take soil needs into account: specialist
The Western Producer
Len Hingley, an irrigation specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, urges irrigators to consider proper rates based on soil media. Click here to read the story.
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Transforming municipal wastewater facilities into sustainability hubs
Water Canada
Canada has to replace, refurbish or build a sizable proportion of its vital municipal environmental infrastructure to accommodate demands for new housing and meet its climate change commitments. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has estimated that one housing unit will require an average investment of $107,000 in municipal capital assets. Over 50 per cent of that cost would be for water and wastewater infrastructure alone. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: China sees highest number of significant floods since records began
The Guardian
So far this year officials warnings have been issued for 25 floods, and China is only halfway through its peak flood season. Click here to read the story.
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First Nation calls for removal of mining firm from managing Yukon disaster site
The Canadian Press
The Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation in Yukon wants the company that owns the gold mine where a massive ore slide and cyanide spill occurred in June to be removed from managing the cleanup, and it’s calling for a public inquiry into the disaster. Click here to read the story.
‘Incredibly disappointing’: Ontario halts wastewater testing for COVID, other viruses
The Canadian Press
Ontario is officially ending its COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program as of Wednesday in a move some public health experts say is shortsighted. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: The Seine hosts Olympic triathlon: How much did Paris spend on cleaning up the polluted river?
EuroNews Green
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo famously swam in the river to prove it was safe. Then tests showed the water contained unsafe levels of bacteria on the day she swam. Click here to read the story.
Wildfires devastated Jasper. The soot and ash are putting Alberta’s glaciers at risk, scientists warn
CBC
Ash is darkening Athabasca Glacier, causing it to absorb more solar heat and hastening glacier melt. Click here to read the story.
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Blue-green algae found in Pigeon Lake, Half Moon Lake
CTV News
Alberta Health Services is advising visitors and residents of Pigeon Lake and Half Moon Lake to take precautions because of blue-green algae found in their waters. Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, occurs naturally in hot, calm weather. Click here to read the story.
B.C. on lookout for floods after landslide blocks Chilcotin river, forces evacuations
National Observer
A government statement says the landslide Wednesday blocked the river that feeds into the Fraser River, and a sudden release of water “may cause rapid rises in river levels downstream along the Fraser River” south to Hope, B.C. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Underwater mapping reveals new insights into melting of Antarctica’s ice shelves
Science Daily
Clues to future sea level rise have been revealed by the first detailed maps of the underside of a floating ice shelf in Antarctica. An international research team deployed an unmanned submersible beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf in West Antarctica. Click here to read the story.
Clean. Drain. Dry.
Government of Alberta
Alberta is increasing public awareness to stop zebra mussels, quagga mussels and other dangerous invasive species from entering the province. Click here to read the story.
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Invest in water to protect the summer we love
National Observer
Fresh water has always been key to making summer memories with friends and family, but it is also how most people will feel the impacts of climate change. Click here to read the story.
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Federal government invests in 17 new projects to protect Lake Winnipeg
Water Canada
Canada is taking action to help protect and manage freshwater ecosystems, including the Lake Winnipeg basin. Lake Winnipeg and its basin sustain a diverse range of environmental, economic, and social benefits, such as commercial and recreational fishing and tourism, while also supporting the livelihoods and cultural practices of First Nations and Metis peoples and communities. Click here to read the story.
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Residents raise concerns over use of chemical in stormwater ponds to combat invasive goldfish
CTV News
Epcor manages Edmonton’s drainage system, including bodies of water such as a stormwater management facility in the neighbourhood of Glastonbury, where it has been using a broad-spectrum pesticide to kill invasive species of fish, specifically goldfish. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Thousands of birds and fish threatened by mining for clean energy transition, study finds
Science Daily
Our increasing demand for metals and minerals is putting over four thousand vertebrate species at risk, with the raw materials needed for clean energy infrastructure often located in global biodiversity hotspots, a study has found. Click here to read the story.
Engineering regulator launching review of City of Calgary practices following water main break
CTV News
An Alberta-based engineering and geoscience regulator is launching a practice review on the City of Calgary, following a major feeder main break last month. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Unveiling transboundary challenges in river flood risk management: learning from the Ciliwung River basin
European Geosciences Union
To cope with massive development, many urban and surrounding rural areas have been agglomerated into a greater metropolitan area, aiming for regional economic development. Many of these metropolitan areas have experienced a dramatic increase in impacted area and economic loss from annual flooding. Click here to read the story.
Hamilton refused to fix flooding stormwater channel for 23 years, now must pay $3M in damages
CBC
For over 23 years, the City of Hamilton refused to repair its own drainage channel even after a local company complained it flooded its property with stormwater and untreated sewage, causing millions of dollars in damages and shutting down work. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Aggressive Algae Bloom Clogged Water System, Prompting Boil Water Advisory in D.C. and Parts of Virginia
Inside Climate News
The algal blooms caused a drop in water supply at the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant on the Maryland-D.C. border. All water treatment operations were switched to the McMillan Treatment Plant in Northwest D.C. to ensure adequate supply of water, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) said in its July 3 advisory. Click here to read the story.
TC Energy executives celebrate ‘ground game’ for Ontario pumped storage project
The Narwhal
The Calgary-based energy giant has proposed a pumped storage project in Meaford, Ont., on the shores of Georgian Bay a man-made reservoir built on the Niagara Escarpment that would draw (or pump) nearly 7,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water in and out of the bay to generate and store electricity. Click here to read the story.
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New Living Lakes Canada report sheds light on importance of lake foreshore conservation
Water Canada
Living Lakes Canada undertook a four-year lake study from 2019-2023 to understand how lake foreshores in the B.C. Columbia Basin region are changing due to urbanization and development. Using a lake survey methodology called Foreshore Integrated Management Planning, or FIMP, the project targeted Columbia Basin lakes with federally designated aquatic Species at Risk and 10 lakes were surveyed or re-surveyed. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: As the Rio Grande runs dry, South Texas cities look to alternatives for water
The Texas Tribune
The Rio Grande is no longer a reliable source of water for South Texas. That’s the sobering conclusion Rio Grande Valley officials are facing as water levels at the international reservoirs that feed into the river remain dangerously low. Click here to read the story.
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Lac Seul First Nation set to finally receive compensation for flooding of reserve land
National Observer
The Lac Seul First Nation and Canada have finalized a multi-million dollar settlement agreement to compensate the nation for flooding its reserve lands without consent close to a century ago. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Bold moves needed for California agriculture to adapt to climate change
Science Daily
California should take urgent and bold measures to adapt its $59 billion agriculture sector to climate change as the amount of water available for crops declines, according to a collaborative report by University of California faculty from four campuses. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘Roadspreading’ returns: how Pennsylvania’s oil industry quietly dumped waste across the state
Grist
Spreading fracking wastewater on roads is banned. Oil and gas companies do it anyway. Wastewater dumping is an open secret on Pennsylvania roads. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: White House Looks to Safeguard Groundwater Supplies as Aquifers Decline Nationwide
Inside Climate News
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology is working with local stakeholders to determine how the federal government can help communities dependent on groundwater protect the dwindling resource. Click here to read the story.
Hydroelectric clean power project brings sweet sounds of silence to high Arctic
National Observer
Since October 2023, Inukjuak has halved its reliance on fossil fuels and aims to eliminate their use for heating and electricity in residential buildings by October 2024. The solution has been the construction of a new hydropower facility – clean, locally generated electricity has replaced the loud noise from diesel generators across Inukjuak, including Kasudluak’s home. Click here to read the story.
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Repair work underway in Montana to get water flowing into Milk River
CTV News
It’s been over a month since the St. Mary siphon in Montana burst. Repair work has now begun to get water flowing into the Milk River again. Click here to read the story.
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Blue-green algae alert for Hastings Lake east of Edmonton
Edmonton Journal
Alberta Health Services on Friday issued a cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, warning for Hastings Lake. The lake is about 46 kilometres east of Edmonton in Strathcona County. Click here to read the story.
Stantec and MPE engineering firms selected for Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project
Water Canada
This week, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the awarding of the next planning and engineering design work for Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) to Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms. Click here to read the story.
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Feeder main ‘stable’ as city waits to remove Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions
CTV News
No new wire snaps were detected Saturday as the city continues to play a waiting game before removing outdoor water restrictions. That came after three snaps Thursday and one on Friday. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Residents evacuated as dam collapses in west-central Russia
EuroNews Green
A reservoir damn collapsed in the Ural Mountains region of Chelyabinsk on Friday night, forcing residents of nearby villages to evacuate their homes. The dam at the Kialimskoye reservoir was unable to hold back rising waters due to heavy rainfall and broke, impacting four villages in the nearby region. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Climate Change Contributes to Shift in Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms
Inside Climate News
Algal blooms occur when cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, grow out of control due to a combination of excess nutrients, weather patterns and other ecological factors. The blooms can be a serious public health problem because some types of cyanobacteria produce toxins. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Northern Scotland’s Flow Country becomes world heritage site
The Guardian
Planet’s largest blanket bog is first peatland to be designated by Unesco after a 40-year campaign by environmentalists. Click here to read the story.
Star Blanket Cree Nation lifts long-term drinking water advisory
Water Canada
A new state-of-the-art water treatment plant is providing clean drinking water to all homes and supporting Star Blanket Cree Nation in living without a drinking water advisory for the first time in over 17 years. The community’s dedication and commitment to providing clean, safe drinking water has helped them to lift the boil water advisory that had been in effect since 2007 for the 300 residents living on reserve. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Great Salt Lake a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions
Science Daily
Newly announced research examining greenhouse gas emissions from the drying lake bed of Great Salt Lake, Utah, calculates that 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were released in 2020. This research suggests that drying lake beds are an overlooked but potentially significant source of greenhouse gases, which may further increase due to climate change. Click here to read the story.
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Toronto seeks to make commercial and industrial sectors pay for stormwater runoff
National Observer
After last week’s severe storm and flooding, Toronto’s controversial stormwater charge, dubbed “the rain tax” by critics, has resurfaced at city council with a motion by mayor Olivia Chow. Click here to read the story.
To address the growing issue of microplastics in the Great Lakes, we need to curb our consumption
The Conversation – Canada
In the Great Lakes, plastic pollution along the shorelines poses a major challenge: 86 per cent of litter collected on Great Lakes beaches is either partially or completely composed of plastic. This is worrisome, given the lakes supply 40 million people with drinking water and represent a combined GDP of US$6 trillion. Click here to read the story.
‘Containment breached’: how an oil spill in northwest Toronto made its way to Lake Ontario
The Narwhal
Last summer, contaminated sludge from a fire at a chemical plant reached Lake Ontario. The spill report raises questions about what the province told the public. Click here to read the story.
Canada’s premiers forced to confront escalating climate change-related disasters
The Canadian Press
As Canada’s premiers reckoned with housing, health care and their contentious relationship with Ottawa during meetings last week in Halifax, many of them remained consumed by climate change-related natural disasters that have only escalated since they returned home. Click here to read the story.
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Ducks Unlimited Canada releases field guide to Yukon’s valuable wetlands
Water Canada
As a companion resource supporting the Yukon government’s Policy for Stewardship of Yukon’s Wetlands, this comprehensive guide provides detailed information to help users identify and classify the various wetland types found across the Yukon. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Waters along Bar Harbor, Acadia home to billions of microplastics
Science Daily
Researchers reveal there are an estimated 400 billion microplastic fibers on the surface of Frenchman Bay, which borders Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, and several connected rivers and estuaries where freshwater from rivers meet salty seawater. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: German government signs off on hydrogen import strategy
Reuters
Hydrogen, provided it is green, so produced in an electrolysis of water using renewable electricity, can help the transition to a lower carbon economy. Click here to read the story.
N.W.T. is asking Alberta to keep it more informed about spills in its water. It’s waiting for an answer
CBC
The Northwest Territories is suggesting updates to a water agreement with Alberta that will keep it more in the know about spills that could flow into its waterways, but says it’s still waiting for a full response from Alberta on its proposal. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Drawing water from dry air
Science Daily
A prototype device harvests drinking water from the atmosphere, even in arid places. Click here to read the story.
Calgary moves to Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions
CTV News
Michael Thompson, the city’s general manager of infrastructure services, acknowledged it’s news Calgarians have been waiting for. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Germany records its wettest year ever: What’s needed to protect citizens during deadly floods?
EuroNews Green
Germany has just gone through its wettest year on record, with rainfall up by 35 per cent. An average of 1,070 litres of rain per square metre fell across the country from July 2023 to June 2024, compared with the 1961-1990 average of 789 litres. Click here to read the story.
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Flushing the ‘ick’ factor
CBC
Sewage as drinking water? It’s one secret weapon as North America seeks solutions to a water crisis. Click here to read the story.
Sea to Sky communities to receive water infrastructure upgrades
Water Canada
Pemberton will make upgrades after a combined investment of more than $8.1 million from the federal and provincial governments, and the Village of Pemberton. This project will construct a new water treatment plant to provide efficient and reliable water treatment services. It will include an oxidation and filtration system to lower iron and manganese levels in the source water, thereby increasing quality of the drinking water. Click here to read the story.
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Milk River to be a ‘dry town’ as repairing burst water pipeline to last into next year
CBC
Some communities and farms in the Milk River basin are facing extended water challenges after officials announced repairs to two century-old siphons near the Canada-U.S. border won’t be complete until late summer or early fall 2025. Click here to read the story.
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St. Albert pauses non-essential municipal water use, no measures anticipated for Edmonton
CTV News
The City of St. Albert has announced it is enacting “water demand management measure B,” effective immediately and has discontinued non-essential use of potable water for municipal operations. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: UK water companies fail to get basics right, environmental regulator says
Reuters
Britain’s Environment Agency on Tuesday lambasted the country’s water companies for spewing sewage into rivers and seas, saying the majority of them were failing to get the basics right, as it outlined plans for a tougher regulatory approach. Click here to read the story.
How the PC government was going to end private drinking water testing in Ontario
The Pointer
In one of last year’s reports from the Provincial Auditor General was a piece of information that caught the attention of a civil servant. The Auditor General had detailed a plan by the PC government to gradually discontinue testing of private drinking water sources across Ontario. Click here to read the story.
Blue-green algae could be coming to a lake near you as Alberta heat wave continues
CBC
Albertans are being warned to be on the lookout for potentially toxic blue-green algae in lakes as an ongoing heat wave creates prime conditions for the blooms to thrive. Click here to read the story.
Town of Portugal Cove – St. Philip’s to receive improved drinking water system
Water Canada
A cost-shared investment of approximately $3.8 million between the Provincial Government and the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s will support necessary drinking water supply upgrades for the town. Click here to read the story.
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Invasive fish species dumped in Manitoba water bodies disrupting ‘very delicate’ ecosystems: fisheries manager
CBC
Native fish populations once thrived, but some now declining because of illegally introduced predators. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Could lead overcome reverse current and advance a green hydrogen economy?
Science Daily
Researchers developed a catalyst that enhances the stability of alkaline water electrolysis systems. Click here to read the story.
Calgary staying put with Stage 2 outdoor water restrictions, citing issues with water intake pumps
CBC
“This morning, we learned that there have been some issues with water intake pumps at both the Bearspaw and Glenmore treatment facilities, because of the hot weather,” Gondek said. “There have also been a total of three wire snaps that were detected over the weekend.” Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: In Idaho, Water Shortages Pit Farmers Against One Another
Inside Climate News
This summer, a short-lived curtailment order brought a dispute to a head between farmers irrigating from the Snake River and those dependent on groundwater. Without a long-term plan to share water, the cuts could come back next year. Click here to read the story.
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Will a $1-billion flooding bill finally make the GTA take stormwater seriously?
The Narwhal
Shoring up our cities to withstand the impacts of extreme weather may not be the most exciting proposal for city budgets, but flooding in the Greater Toronto Area this week is proof that it is critical. Click here to read the story.
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Yukon government ready to step in after mine disaster, firm’s silence ‘unhelpful’
The Canadian Press
Yukon’s deputy mining minister says it’s “unfortunate and frankly unhelpful” that the owners of the Eagle Gold mine have been “silent in general” about action to remedy a disastrous ore slide that spilled hundreds of millions of litres of cyanide solution. Click here to read the story.
Yukon water regulator said miner ‘flouted’ licence, saved millions, long before spill
The Canadian Press
Two years before the disastrous ore slide and spill of cyanide solution last month at the Eagle Gold mine in Yukon, the former head of the Yukon Water Board accused the mine’s owner of violating conditions of its water licence. The then director of the Yukon Water Board, told a court that Victoria Gold “flouted” conditions of the licence, increasing environmental risks while saving millions by allegedly failing to re-contour slopes at the mine. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: When a Retired Scientist Suggested Virginia Weaken Wetlands Protections, the State Said, No Way
Inside Climate News
After the Supreme Court weakened federal protection of wetlands last year, a Trump transition team member from Fairfax County urged the state to follow suit. But Virginia’s top environmental regulator stood his ground. Click here to read the story.
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Toronto dumps 1,300 megalitres of partially treated sewage into Lake Ontario after storm
Water Canada
An overwhelmed sewage system during Toronto’s downpour earlier this week resulted in more than 1,300 megalitres of partially treated wastewater spilling into Lake Ontario. That’s enough sewage to fill 500 Olympic-sized (50-metre) swimming pools. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: ‘It is devastating’: unprecedented floods in US strain small businesses
The Guardian
As the climate crisis causes heavier and more frequent floods across the US, one in four small businesses are one disaster away from shutting down. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: How pollution may remain in water after oil spill cleanups
Science Daily
Oil drops from underwater oil spills can break into tinier droplets at the surface that remain suspended in the water, according to research from the University of Illinois Chicago. That means cleanups after disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill may be removing less oil from the environment than was thought. Click here to read the story.
Ontario floods: How nature-based solutions can promote effective flood management
The Conversation – Canada
This week, large areas of Ontario experienced severe flooding that caused widespread power outages, water damages and disruption. Severe rainfall events are not new, but they are becoming more frequent and costly due to human-caused climate change. Click here to read the story.
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Construction begins on Calgary’s new flood wall
CTV News
The city is breaking ground on a new flood barrier along Memorial Drive designed to help protect to Calgary communities that were severely impacted by flooding more than 10 years ago. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Microbes found to destroy certain ‘forever chemicals’
Science Daily
An environmental engineering team has discovered that specific bacterial species can cleave the strong fluorine-to-carbon bond certain kinds of ‘forever chemical’ water pollutants, offering promise for low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water. Click here to read the story.
Markham District Energy expanding world’s largest wastewater-to-energy project
Water Canada
To expand the world’s largest wastewater energy transfer facility so more residents and businesses can benefit from affordable, low-carbon energy, the federal government today announced an additional investment of $24.9 million in Markham District Energy. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Smart soil can water and feed itself
Science Daily
A newly engineered type of soil can capture water out of thin air to keep plants hydrated and manage controlled release of fertilizer for a constant supply of nutrients. Click here to read the story.
Sask. government researching water quality with ag tech
The Western Producer
A new research project from Saskatchewan government is focusing on technology with ag tech company FarmSimple. Click here to read the story.
Nahanni Butte residents take water advisory in stride
Cabin Radio
Leaders in Nahanni Butte say a manganese issue in the Dehcho community’s drinking water is a recent development and swift action is being taken. Click here to read the story.
Teck Coal is headed to court on water pollution charges — again
The Narwhal
Teck Resources was warned over a year ago about a federal investigation into pollution from one of the Elk Valley coal mines it just sold to Glencore. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Paris mayor swims in Seine as river is cleaned up just in time for Olympics
The Guardian
Anne Hidalgo fulfils pledge after cleanup operation makes water quality safe enough to host events at Games. Click here to read the story.
Water Security Agency Advancing Major Maintenance Projects in Eastern Saskatchewan
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is investing more than $18 million in six major water infrastructure projects in eastern Saskatchewan that will offer greater protection to communities and infrastructure in the region. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Loss of oxygen in lakes and oceans a major threat to ecosystems, society, and planet
Science Daily
Oxygen is a fundamental requirement of life, and the loss of oxygen in water, referred to as aquatic deoxygenation, is a threat to life at all levels. In fact, researchers describe how ongoing deoxygenation presents a major threat to the stability of the planet as a whole. Click here to read the story
Repair bill for water feeder main to run into the ‘tens of millions,’ says city
Calgary Herald
The tab for repairing six sections of the water feeder main that burst in northwest Calgary last month will run into the “tens of millions of dollars,” a city official said Tuesday. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Additional taxes vs. water quotas: Study compares the most effective system to manage water consumption in agriculture
Science Daily
Based on a mathematical programming model, the study finds that the proportional allocation of water, and not additional taxes on the resource, is more effective from the point of view of those engaged in agriculture. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Residents of Illinois town evacuate as officials warn of ‘imminent’ dam failure
The Guardian
Nashville, a small city in Illinois with a population of nearly 3,000 people, and surrounding areas have been hit with severe storms which have caused flooding, overwhelming the city’s infrastructure. More than 5in of rain fell in the region within six hours on Tuesday. Click here to read the story.
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How the public plays a role in keeping Alberta’s crops watered, livestock hydrated
CBC
University of Calgary researchers say part of the solution to preserving Alberta’s “water wealth” is improved public understanding of where our water comes from, and how the water system works. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: The Race to Save Glacial Ice Records Before They Melt Away
Yale Environment 360
As glaciers melt around the globe, scientists are racing to retrieve ice cores that contain key historical records of temperature and climate that are preserved in the ice. Researchers are also pushing to gather ancient relics locked in the ice before they are lost to warming. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Every water firm in England and Wales under investigation over sewage spills
The Guardian
The water regulator is taking action against four more water companies, including Severn Trent and United Utilities, meaning every wastewater company in England and Wales is under investigation over sewage spills. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: New solutions to keep drinking water safe as pesticide use skyrockets worldwide
Science Daily
Water scientists have proposed a more effective method of removing organic pesticides from drinking water, reducing the risk of contamination and potential health problems. Click here to read the story.
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CNRL fined for not stopping birds from nesting on tailings pond island
Global News
A major oilsands producer has been fined after hundreds of birds, wolves and coyotes were exposed to toxins at one of its tailings ponds. The Alberta Energy Regulator has assessed a fine of $278,000 against Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. Click here to read the story.
Calgary to increase water pressure in feeder main, could ease water restrictions Thursday
CTV News
City officials say an additional pump at the Bearspaw water treatment plant will be activated by mid-day Monday to increase water speed and pressure on the feeder main. If all goes well during monitoring over the next three days, an easing of outdoor water restrictions could come on Thursday. Click here to read the story.
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Canada, U.S. reach important agreement-in-principle on Columbia River Treaty
Water Canada
The Government of Canada and the United States have taken an important step in the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty by reaching an agreement-in-principle (AIP). Today’s milestone in the negotiation process provides a clear road map for the negotiation teams to move forward on drafting the renewed treaty and for B.C. to begin engaging with the Columbia River Basin residents to seek feedback on the AIP and on next steps. Click here to read the story.
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Leaky pipes: How much water is Calgary losing from its distribution network? Billions of litres a year
Calgary Herald
Leaky pipe connections caused Calgary to lose nearly one-quarter of its treated water in 2022, or more than 30 billion litres. Click here to read the story.
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Plan for drought while rainfall plentiful
The Western Producer
The best way to weather a drought is to be ready when it comes. Preparation is needed before the rains stop, says Joe Harrington, irrigation specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. Click here to read the story.
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Blue-green algae detected in southern Alberta lake: AHS
CTV News
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is warning that cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, has been identified in Clear Lake, in the MD of Willow Creek. Click here to read the story.
Drought recovery ‘remarkable’
The Western Producer
Last October, most of Western Canada was in some form of drought, and a large region of western Saskatchewan and southern Alberta was in an extreme or exceptional drought. As of June 30, the situation looks completely different. Click here to read the story.
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Only one bidder for initial contract in $10B Iona sewage plant replacement
Water Canada
Metro Vancouver’s largest capital project ever, the replacement of the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant, is about to begin now that the initial contract is set to be awarded. Click here to read the story.
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Bringing Salmon Home to Kus-kus-sum
The Tyee
Project Watershed is restoring a critical habitat and helping to return the land of a former sawmill back to the K’ómoks First Nation. To help the revitalized habitat remain a haven in the future Kus-kus-sum is also being outfitted with resiliency measures to protect against the adverse impacts of climate change. Click here to read the story.
After second summer of fatal flooding, some say Nova Scotia is still not prepared
The Canadian Press
The second bout of deadly flooding in as many years has some Nova Scotia residents and municipal leaders saying it’s time for the provincial government to accept that extreme weather is the new normal and make sure people have the tools they need to stay safe. Click here to read the story.
Climate change may cause lake phytoplankton to become predatory, putting more CO2 into the atmosphere
The Conversation – Canada
Plankton — tiny organisms that are present in salt and freshwater — account for about half of the photosynthesis on the planet. But what scientists have assumed for many years to be plant plankton (phytoplankton) may actually be voracious predators. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Scientists call for ‘major initiative’ to study whether geoengineering should be used on glaciers
Science Daily
A group of scientists has released a landmark report on glacial geoengineering — an emerging field studying whether technology could halt the melting of glaciers and ice sheets as climate change progresses. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Floods fuelled 19% drop in income from farming in England in 2023
The Guardian
Low yields combined with low prices for some crops also led to a 13% drop in farm output compared with 2022. Click here to read the story.
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Compare and contrast: Targeted home systems to remove PFAS more cost-effective than system-wide solutions
Science Daily
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as ‘forever chemicals’, have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home treatment systems. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Why saline lakes are the canary in the coalmine for the world’s water resources
The Conversation – Australia
When it comes to inland surface water bodies, saline lakes are unique. They make up 44% of all lakes worldwide and are found on every continent including Antarctica. These lakes’ existence depends on a delicate balance between a river basin’s water input (precipitation and inflows) and output (evaporation and seepage). Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: As World’s Springs Vanish, Ripple Effects Alter Ecosystems
Yale Environment 360
Springs, which bring groundwater to the surface and support a host of unique species, are disappearing globally, victims of development and drought. Researchers are working to document and map these life-giving habitats in an effort to save them before they are gone. Click here to read the story.
Important Notice to Irrigators: June Water Supply Update
St. Mary River Irrigation District
On June 28, 2024 the Irrigation Water Supply Forecast from Alberta Agriculture & Irrigation indicates minor gains from May. The St. Mary River Irrigation District water allocation is up to 9 inches for 2024 and the St. Mary Headworks are at 92% of Irrigation Storage Full Supply Limit. Click here to read the story.
New study recommends ecosystem approach to managing Great Lakes
Water Canada
In contrast to traditional natural resource management that fosters autocratic decision-making, an ecosystem approach champions collaboration and empowering stakeholders, says a UWindsor researcher. Click here to read the story.
Yukon gov’t orders Victoria Gold to provide plans aimed at treating, monitoring contaminated water
CBC
The Yukon government has given Victoria Gold marching orders to deal with toxic chemicals in and around its Eagle mine, following last month’s major failure of a heap leach pad at the site. A new report written by a government inspector states there’s “reasonable grounds” to believe the company has violated laws that govern water use. Click here to read the story.
Calgarian organizes ‘awesome’ gift package for San Diego water officials
Global News
There’s a new effort to bring a bit of well-deserved recognition to some people who have made a big difference after the major water main break in Calgary. Click here to read the story.
Compare and contrast: Thames Water placed in special measures due to ‘significant issues
The Guardian
Ofwat says UK’s biggest water company will come under extra scrutiny as it faces prospect of restructuring or temporary renationalisation. Click here to read the story.
Alberta’s water conservation and management system needs major fixing, auditor finds
CBC
The auditor’s team reviewed the system under the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas from Jan. 2019 to Nov. 2022. They found three main areas the province is lacking: in managing surface water, issuing licences and tracking their use, and making the data public. Click here to read the story.
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New concerns over major water mains mean no easing of outdoor restrictions, city says
Calgary Herald
New failures of reinforcing wires found inside pipe along water network, the same type of wire that snapped during the initial water feeder main rupture in Montgomery on June 5. Click here to read the story.
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Prep work underway for St. Mary Canal Siphon repair
CTV News
On June 17, the St. Mary Canal Siphon north of Babb, Mont., suffered a catastrophic failure. The more-than-100-year siphon failed due to age. Prep work is underway to repair the siphon but it won’t be a quick fix. Click here to read the story.
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Living Lakes Canada report highlights need for expanded groundwater monitoring in Columbia basin
Water Canada
According to a recent survey conducted by Living Lakes Canada, 72% of respondents are highly concerned about groundwater in the Columbia Basin, with primary worries including drinking water, ecosystem health, agriculture and food security. Understanding groundwater systems and providing decision makers with current, localized information is essential to respond to these concerns and ensure a water secure future. Click here to read the story.
Residents of Merritt, B.C., told to stop all non-essential water use
CTV News
Residents of Merritt, B.C., are being told they will need to limit non-essential water use for at least another 48 hours due to a failure at the city’s pump station Tuesday morning. Mayor Michael Goetz told CTV News the pump failure was a “freak” incident at the Voght Well, where a gasket broke and water “jetted” into the electrical system. Click here to read the story.
Dartmouth invests $32.5M in stormwater system
Water Canada
The Province is investing nearly $14.1 million, with an additional $14.1 million from the municipality, and more than $4.3 million coming from the Halifax Water Regional Development Charge. This investment is part of the Municipal Capital Growth Program, a one-time $102-million investment in projects across Nova Scotia a historic provincial investment in municipal infrastructure. Click here to read the story.
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Isle Lake users urged to take precautions after blue-green algae detected
CTV News
Alberta Health Services has issued an advisory for Isle Lake after Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, was identified. People living near or visiting the lake should avoid all contact with the blue-green algae blooms and are urged not to swim or wade in areas where they can be seen. Click here to read the story.
City continues to monitor water supply and demand through heat wave
City of Calgary
On Monday, July 8, there were 540 million litres of water used, an increase from 507 million litres used the day before. This is expected to increase as the temperature rises, which is a normal pattern during extreme heat. Click here to read the story.
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Cutting-edge technology detects nanoplastics in water–instantly
Water Canada
A McGill-led research team has developed the first real-time, on-site technology capable of detecting and deciphering nanoplastics from all other particles in water, a capacity akin to being able to find a needle in a haystack within milliseconds. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Peering Inside the Pandora’s Box of Oil and Gas Waste
Inside Climate News
A new book investigates what happens to the mountains of waste generated by the American oil and gas industry. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Rise in sewage pollution from Thames Water’s ageing treatment works
The Guardian
Sewage pollution from ageing Thames Water treatment works that have not been upgraded increased last year, causing the company to again fail to meet its legal targets, according to its financial report. Click here to continue reading
As wildfires worsen, wild salmon take a hit
National Observer
Salmon have long adapted to wildfires by spawning in parts of rivers untouched by the fires. But the extreme wildfires engulfing B.C. and western North America are leaving fewer islands of habitat intact, making it impossible for the fish to lay their eggs. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Devastation as world’s biggest wetland burns: ‘those that cannot run don’t stand a chance’
The Guardian
The Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, is on fire. Huge stretches of land resemble the aftermath of a battle, with thick green shrubbery now a carpet of white ash, and chunks of debris falling from the sky. Click here to continue reading
‘Nobody has these stories’: Canada’s longest river at record low levels
CTV News
Canada’s longest river is at historically low levels, stranding communities that rely on it for essential goods and alarming First Nations along its banks who have never known the mighty Mackenzie to be so shallow. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The UK’s rivers are riddled with sewage pollution – new wetlands could help clean them up
BBC News
As effluent from sewage works and agricultural pollution flow freely into rivers, researchers and local citizens are urgently seeking to clean up the UK’s waterways. New wildlife-rich wetlands could be an answer. Click here to continue reading
Water Security Agency announces $9M to support communities prone to flooding
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA), in partnership with Natural Resources Canada, is committing $9 million to update and expand flood maps for high-risk communities in Saskatchewan. As part of this 50-50 cost-sharing agreement, the Government of Canada and Government of Saskatchewan will each contribute $4.5 million to the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) until 2027-28. Click here to continue reading
Calgary was ‘very proactive’ ahead of feeder main break: pipeline expert
Global News
The City of Calgary was “very proactive” in tackling the feeder main break that has forced residents and businesses to limit their water use for more than one month, according to an American pipeline expert. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: This 75-year-old took a dip in the Seine. But is it ready for Olympic athletes?
CBC
The Parisian river has been plagued with poor water. But officials insist it will be ready for the games. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The Minnesota Dam That Partially Failed Is One of Nearly 200 Across the Upper Midwest in Similarly ‘Poor’ Condition
Inside Climate News
Especially in the Midwest, climate change presents a growing threat to the nation’s nearly 92,000 dams, many more than 100 years old, as heavy rainfall, flooding and other forms of extreme weather become more common and severe. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Austria and Switzerland plan to invest €2.1bn in preventing flooding along the Rhine river
EuroNews Green
The goal is to try to protect 300,000 people in the Rhine Valley from catastrophic flooding. An agreement was signed by both countries in May and has now been unanimously approved by the Austrian parliament. It is still awaiting approval from the Swiss government and could be subject to a referendum. Click here to continue reading
Star Blanket Cree Nation opens long-awaited water treatment plant
Water Canada
Star Blanket Cree Nation opens a new state-of-the-art water treatment plant that will bring clean drinking water to the community for generations to come. Click here to continue reading
Calgarians saddle up for Stampede festivities as city recovers from water crisis
CBC
The show was always going to go on, hell or no water. Now, water crisis or not, the 112th edition of the Calgary Stampede is finally here. Click here to continue reading
Fracking companies in BC used record amounts of fresh water last year
National Observer
Companies used 16 per cent more water from rivers and lakes than in 2022 for a total of over six billion litres, despite the Peace and Fort Nelson districts currently experiencing a multi-year drought. Click here to continue reading
Vancouver’s long-buried “First Creek” restored as part of Tatlow Park renewal
Water Canada
A long-buried creek under Kitsilano’s Tatlow Park has been restored, thanks to a multi-year project led by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Click here to continue reading
Food harvested near Teck coal mines higher in selenium than grocery store food, health risk study shows
The Narwhal
Selenium risks depend on amount of fish people eat from rivers downstream of Teck coal mines, according to a risk assessment released by the B.C. government. An average of one meal a day of fish harvested from waters polluted by the company’s coal mines could pose potential health risks due to selenium contamination. Click here to continue reading
Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Shares New Data and Insights for Plastic Free July
Water Canada
The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, an initiative of Pollution Probe, the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) and the CGLR Foundation in the U.S., uses innovative plastic capture technology to prevent and remove plastic in the Great Lakes from the St. Lawrence to Lake Superior and everywhere in between. Click here to continue reading
Calgary remains in ‘recovery mode’; outdoor water restrictions still in place
CTV News
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says while indoor water use has returned to normal, city officials aren’t yet ready to lift outdoor restrictions. “The continued work on stabilizing our water system is going quite well,” Gondek said during Wednesday’s daily update. Click here to continue reading
B.C. government blasted for ‘ultimate hypocrisy’ over PFAS and sewage sludge
National Observer
The B.C. government’s lawsuit over the health impact of so-called “forever chemicals” is now shining a questionable light on the province’s effort to also overturn one of Canada’s only bans on toxic sewage sludge applied to fields and forests. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions have improved in southern Alberta, but temperatures expected to be above normal this summer
Calgary Herald
The latest Alberta crop report, which details conditions as of June 25, says southern Alberta crops are above their five- and 10-year averages. Surface soil moisture is listed as 53 percent good to excellent, which is competitive with previous years, said Brooklyn Wong, a crop statistician with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. Click here to continue reading
Project searches for phosphorus
The Western Producer
An initiative in Manitoba that uses citizen science hopes to help pinpoint sources of excess nutrients in Lake Winnipeg. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Water is more valuable than oil’: the corporation cashing in on America’s drought
The Guardian
In an unprecedented deal, a private company purchased land in a tiny Arizona town – and sold its water rights to a suburb 200 miles away. Local residents fear the agreement has ‘opened Pandora’s box’. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Sewage in the Seine: New tests show the river remains unswimmable with three weeks to the Olympics
EuroNews Green
A rehearsal for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony was cancelled 2024-07-01 due to dangerous water in the Seine. There was 10 times more E. coli in the water than the maximum threshold set by the World Triathlon Federation and levels did not fall below the threshold at all during the test period. Enterococci levels were also unsafe. Click here to continue reading
Halifax Water lifts boil water advisory for all customers
Water Canada
Halifax Water is advising residential and commercial customers that the boil water advisory issued at 6:00 pm on Monday, July 1, has been lifted effective immediately. Click here to continue reading
Opinion: Alberta drought shows need to invest in water management
Edmonton Journal
Climate change is going to be felt most acutely through water: how much we get, where we get it and when. This year, in Alberta, those effects are being felt through another year of drought. Click here to continue reading
A fork in the road or two-lane highway?
The Western Producer
It may feel that we are standing at a fork in the climate change road: do we focus on trying to solve the problem or do we concentrate on figuring out how to live with the new environmental landscape?. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Ruling paves way for businesses and public to sue water firms over sewage
The Guardian
Water companies could face a spate of legal challenges by people and businesses affected by sewage pollution after a ruling that United Utilities could be sued by a private company for damage caused by the dumping of human waste. Click here to continue reading
Calgarians can now use water ‘as they regularly would’ indoors
CTV News
Calgary’s mayor has given citizens the go-ahead to begin using water inside their homes as they normally would. Click here to continue reading
Water Infrastructure Projects Driving Economic and Water Security for West Central Saskatchewan
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is taking proactive measures to ensure water structures continue to serve the diverse needs of west central Saskatchewan. Click here to continue reading
Some daycares, businesses closed as boil-water advisory continues in Halifax area
CBC
A number of daycares and businesses in the Halifax area are closed today and some grocery store shelves have been cleared of bottled water due to a boil-water advisory affecting a large swath of the municipality. Click here to continue reading
Crypto operations suck water, but Canadian governments aren’t monitoring how much
National Observer
The amount of water it takes to mine cryptocurrency in Canada is on the rise, with little regulatory oversight and no disclosure requirements to track the operations’ consumption levels. Click here to continue reading
Calgary mayor warns of risks as water valves turn back on after repairs
Global News
Weeks of water restrictions in Calgary could be eased in a matter of days, the city’s mayor and officials say, if the water system holds while crews turn valves back on after they were closed in early June to repair a burst feeder main. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: US Clean Water Act leaves about 55% of water flowing out of rivers vulnerable to pollution
Science Daily
The Supreme Court ruled last year that rivers that only flow in response to weather events, called ephemeral streams, do not fall under the protection of the Clean Water Act. New research suggests that this now leaves many U.S. waterways vulnerable to pollution. Click here to continue reading
4 days after Eagle mine slide, Yukon gov’t still ‘not clear’ on damage, or possible cyanide release
CBC
Yukon government officials say they’re still trying to determine the extent of the damage at the Eagle mine site more than four days after a “significant” slide damaged infrastructure, halted operations and potentially released cyanide into the environment. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Small, adsorbent ‘fins’ collect humidity rather than swim through water
Science Daily
Clean, safe water is a limited resource and access to it depends on local bodies of water. But even dry regions have some water vapor in the air. To harvest small amounts of humidity, researchers developed a compact device with absorbent-coated fins that first trap moisture and then generate potable water when heated. They say the prototype could help meet growing demands for water, especially in arid locations. Click here to continue reading
Winnipeg’s new North End sewage plant costs rise sharply
Water Canada
The most expensive project in the City of Winnipeg’s history is about to get considerably more expensive. A report set to go before city council later this week estimates the total cost of about $3 billion, an increase of more than $600 million over the most recent estimate. The original price tag in 2015 for the plant was $795 million. Click here to continue reading
Ontario investing $1 billion in hydropower refurbishment
National Observer
Ontario announced $1 billion on Thursday for Ontario Power Generation to refurbish eight hydroelectric generating stations in eastern Ontario. In a statement, the Ontario’s Ministry of Energy and Electrification said the refurbishment will allow the stations to generate an additional 100 gigawatt hours of clean electricity annually, enough to power over 11,000 homes. Click here to continue reading
Calgary’s 16 Avenue reopens as water main prepares for flushing
CTV News
As the City of Calgary inches closer to fixing the water main issues prompting water restrictions, 16 Avenue N.W. is starting to reopen. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Kids have a right to water in US schools, but does that water make the grade?
The Guardian
Almost 15 years after federal law put free water on school menus, states still struggle with how to guarantee access. Click here to continue reading
Quebec City cuts water consumption by 20% as system undergoes major repairs
CBC
Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand is thanking residents for making “substantial efforts” to reduce their water consumption as the city undertakes major repairs on a water main in the Les Rivieres borough. Click here to continue reading
The flow of money: what southern Ontario’s nature is worth
The Narwhal
Talk of a green economy might evoke images of solar panels and carbon capture. But work to conserve and restore ecosystems is already driving economic activity. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: What happened to Minnesota’s Rapidan Dam? Here’s what to know about its flooding and partial failure
The Canadian Press
What happened to Minnesota’s Rapidan Dam? Here’s what to know about its flooding and partial failure. Click here to continue reading
Calgary indoor water-use reductions could ease after July 1 if restoration process goes smoothly
CTV News
Water services in Calgary could be fully restored by July 1, with some water-use reductions easing shortly after if everything goes according to the city’s plan. Click here to continue reading
Beef producers have a variety of water options
The Western Producer
Water can often be in short supply on the Canadian Prairies, but there are tools to help producers effectively manage the water they have. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Whack-a-mole situation’: Algerian officials wrestle with water shortage anger
The Guardian
State not acting fast enough to build desalination stations to deal with dwindling rainfall and resulting drought, say critics. Click here to continue reading
‘Strong containment’ done at Eagle mine after heap leach slide, Yukon premier says
CBC
Yukon’s premier says there’s been “strong containment” at the Eagle mine site near Mayo, Yukon, after a rockslide this week involving stacked ore raised concerns about potential cyanide contamination of the environment. Click here to continue reading
Quebec City announces water restrictions for a third of residents during major repair work
CBC
Starting Wednesday morning, about 35 per cent of Quebec City’s population will need to reduce their water consumption for at least 10 days as the city carries out maintenance on a major water main. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Ancient River System Discovered Beneath Antarctic Ice
Scientific American
Geologists digging into the massive ice sheet of West Antarctica have discovered the remains of an ancient river system that once flowed for nearly a thousand miles. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Midwest flooding devastation comes into focus as flood warnings are extended in other areas
The Canadian Press
Midwest flooding devastation comes into focus as flood warnings are extended in other areas. Click here to continue reading
How forest fires also have an impact on lakes
The Conversation – Canada
The different impacts the fires had obviously raise concerns about air quality and climate change. Studies also point to a potential feedback effect. In other words, climate change exacerbates fires, which in turn exacerbate climate change. But there is another issue of growing concern to experts: what are the effects of forest fires on lakes?. Click here to continue reading
Sussex to mitigate flood risk with $25.6M investment
Water Canada
Sussex is building two flood diversion channels and overpasses after an investment of $25.6 million from the federal and municipal governments. This was announced by Member of Parliament Wayne Long and Mayor Marc Thorne. Click here to continue reading
Hydro to release water at Churchill Falls as forest fire threatens Labrador town
CBC
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is releasing water at its Churchill Falls power plant as a precautionary measure, should the Crown corporation need to remove even more staff from an evacuated community already under serious fire threat. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A Minnesota dam is on the brink of collapse due to flooding
CNN
The Rapidan Dam in southern Minnesota built in the early 1900s is in imminent failure condition, according to local authorities, as communities across the Upper Midwest continue to deal with major flooding from heavy rains. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton golf courses, cemeteries and parking lots not paying some Epcor drainage fees will start next year
Edmonton Journal
Some private golf courses, cemeteries and parking lot owners in Edmonton for years haven t been paying to use the city’s drainage and sewer system for collecting rainwater, but not for much longer. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water use climbs; residents urged to continue saving
Global News
City officials are asking Calgarians to keep up their water-saving measures, as usage on the weekend rose as fire crews battled a two-alarm fire in the southeast. Click here to continue reading
Town mulling options as Milk River dries up
CTV News
Before the St. Mary siphon burst, the Milk River’s flow rate was approximately 17 and a half cubic metres per second. Monday, it was less than one cubic metre per second. The water level is also roughly 60 centimetres lower. Click here to continue reading
Breakenridge: Now would be the smart time to install smart meters for water use
Calgary Herald
Yes, the city has pledged an independent review of the feeder main break to better understand what went wrong and to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And, yes, this will also likely lead to reviews and inspections of other water infrastructure and possibly further upgrades and repairs. But the response needs to be broader. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Q&A: What’s in the Water of Alaska’s Rusting Rivers, and What’s Climate Change Got to Do With it?
Inside Climate News
Once clear waters in Alaska that recently turned orange show high levels of iron and other metals, as well as increased acidity. In at least one stream, the fish vanished. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Worried about PFAS in your drinking water? Here’s what the evidence says about home filters
The Conversation – Australia
Many people are asking how they can remove these contaminants from their home drinking water. In short, it is difficult and expensive to do this effectively in your home. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Revealed: the ‘catastrophic scale’ of sewage spills in England and Wales
The Guardian
Water companies in England and Wales have averaged five serious sewage spills into rivers or seas every day over the past decade, the Observer can reveal. Click here to continue reading
Wild in the city: Edmonton’s Big Lake hosts critters of all sorts — and an award-winning artist
Edmonton Journal
Tucked away in northwest Edmonton, hived off by the Henday, the shoreline of a shallow natural lake sprawls eight kilometres at the beating wetland heart of Lois Hole Centennial Park. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Millions in the U.S. prepare for more sweltering heat as floodwaters inundate parts of the Midwest
CTV News
Millions of Americans sweated through yet another scorching day as temperatures soared Sunday across the U.S., while deadly floodwaters inundated parts of the Midwest, including a town in Iowa whose own water-level gauge was submerged. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary provides latest update on watermain situation
Water Canada
Repair work continues to progress on the water feeder main hotspots and installation of new pipe sections has begun. We are replacing four out of five of the hotspots. Click here to continue reading
City opens 4 new sites for non-potable water pickup
CBC
City of Calgary officials announced Sunday that four new sites have been opened to provide city residents with non-potable water for use on gardens and indoor and outdoor plants — one location in each quadrant. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: EU Policy. Member states’ water pollutant wish list sees green backlash
EuroNews Green
A list of chemical substances affecting water pollution agreed by ambassadors from the member states as an opening salvo in negotiations over an update to Water Framework Directive has been slammed by green campaigners who see it as evidence of backtracking on the Green Deal. Click here to continue reading
Don’t fear FITFIR, says Alberta water expert
The Western Producer
FITFIR has rarely been used in Alberta and that is unlikely to change, said David Percy, professor of energy law and policy with the University of Alberta. In fact, he said it has created a culture of negotiation. Click here to continue reading
‘Calgary’s water emergency is just the start.’
National Observer
As infrastructure ages, Canada is experiencing increasingly frequent water main breaks, costing local governments millions in emergency repairs. Municipalities and citizens are enduring sinkholes and water advisories. Click here to continue reading
Kelowna to enhance flood protection and improve fish habitats
Water Canada
The City of Kelowna is excited to announce the planned installation of four riffles – shallow landforms constructed from rocks – to Mission Creek this summer. This is the first of three projects during the next three years to adapt and upgrade the Mill Creek Diversion outlet to Mission Creek as part of the Mill Creek Flood Protection project. Click here to continue reading
‘Happy to do his part’: 98-year-old Calgary gardener makes every drop count
Calgary Herald
For many years a near 100-year-old Calgary man has been collecting rain water, which has become more crucial than ever for his garden in light of the city’s ongoing water crisis. Click here to continue reading
Milk River at risk of running dry as Montana crews continue work on burst water pipeline
CTV News
Officials in Montana are warning that the Milk River is at risk of running dry this summer following a catastrophic failure on a pipeline near the Carway, Alta. border crossing on Monday morning. Click here to continue reading
Calgary’s water crisis drags on — and its future looks dry. Can cities across the globe point to solutions?
The Narwhal
In a parched Bogotá, neighbourhoods take turns turning on taps. South of Calgary, Okotoks’ outdoor water schedule keeps residents consuming less. Calgarians could take note — if they want to avoid catastrophes in the future. Click here to continue reading
Wastewater-Based Surveillance for Public Health: Knowledge-to-Action Series
Canadian Water Network
Canadian Water Network and the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases have released the 2023/24 results of their Wastewater-based Surveillance (WBS) Program. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How DNA analysis of our rivers and lakes can reveal new secrets about their biodiversity
The Conversation – United Kingdom
Our research shows how analysing environmental DNA (eDNA) – the DNA left behind by organisms in life and death – could unlock the secrets hidden within freshwater streams, rivers and lakes. This offers hope for a more efficient monitoring of these vital ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: When in drought: Researchers map which parts of the Amazon are most vulnerable to climate change
Science Daily
Some areas of the Amazon rainforest are more resilient to drought than others, new research shows. But if not managed carefully, we could ‘threaten the integrity of the whole system,’ researchers say. Click here to continue reading
‘Good stewards of the water’: Chestermere, Strathmore curtail water use after Calgary pipe burst
Calgary Herald
We’ve had really, really good response from our residents, said Strathmore Mayor Pat Fule, noting an average of 23 per cent reduction in water use since June 5 just shy of the 25 per cent target oft-repeated by Calgary officials. Click here to continue reading
This ‘dryland’ farmer says every spring is a gamble. But he has a plan to improve the odds
CBC
Scott Heeg, a municipal district councillor, is a dryland farmer in Acadia Valley, which means he has no access to irrigation and is among the first to see the impact of drought. Click here to continue reading
Ontario working with farmers to restore wetlands
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing over $2.8 million in projects led by ALUS Canada to support farmer-led initiatives to restore and enhance wetlands on 70 farms across the province. Click here to continue reading
Lloydminster celebrates the opening of wastewater treatment plant
Water Canada
The City of Lloydminster hosted a grand opening ceremony and facility tours on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, to celebrate the completion of its new mechanical wastewater treatment facility. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water main repair could be done by July 5, city ‘confident’ in progress
CTV News
Repairs on the five ‘hot spots’ along a main water feeder line in Calgary could be done by July 5, just in time for the start of the Calgary Stampede, officials said Wednesday. Click here to continue reading
Scarce drinking fountains in Windsor, Ont., limit accessible options during heat wave
CBC
Of the more than 200 parks in Windsor, Ont., there are only 11 outdoor public drinking fountains, leaving residents in one of Canada’s hottest cities with few accessible options to hydrate during extreme heat. Click here to continue reading
Catastrophic flooding in Montana gifts water to Alberta
Lethbridge Herald
Following the major break at the St. Mary River Siphon near Babb, Montana, on Monday, water that would normally have been diverted to the American portion of the Milk River is now making its way into the St. Mary s Reservoir in Alberta. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Nigeria’s mountain streams are a haven for special creatures – they need protection
The Conversation – Africa
The biodiversity and conservation value of these places has not been well researched. The conservation value of a freshwater ecosystem lies in its ability to support rare and threatened species, as well as species that indicate high ecological integrity. This is the ability of an ecosystem to support and maintain ecological processes and a diverse community of organisms. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Rupture disrupts water supply to CHEO
CBC
CHEO, eastern Ontario’s children’s hospital in Ottawa, said its water supply and air conditioning were disrupted after a water main was severed during construction near the hospital’s front entrance early Tuesday afternoon. Click here to continue reading
Calgary can now allow access to river water for businesses
CBC
The provincial government issued two temporary diversion licences to the City of Calgary on Tuesday. This allows 200,000 cubic metres (200 million litres) for non-potable industrial use, with diversion points out of the Bow River. Click here to continue reading
Calgarians finding creative ways to save water as restrictions continue
Global News
It will be another three to five weeks before the water supply in Calgary is back to normal, forcing residents to continue finding ways to save water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How glacier algae are challenging the way we think about evolution
The Conversation – United Kingdom
People often underestimate tiny beings. But microscopic algal cells not only evolved to thrive in one of the most extreme habitats on Earth – glaciers – but are also shaping them. Click here to continue reading
‘The show will go on’: Calgary Stampede will proceed despite water restrictions
CTV News
The Calgary Stampede will go on as the city continues work to repair a major water main(opens in a new tab) over the next few weeks – overlapping with the annual event. Click here to continue reading
Alberta’s Milk River water level to drop due to pipeline break
CTV News
Officials say a “catastrophic failure” on a pipeline in Montana, near the Carway, Alta., border crossing, is expected to impact Alberta’s Milk River over the next several days. Click here to continue reading
Update June 17: Critical water main break affecting city-wide water usage
City of Calgary
Repairs have been completed on the original feeder main break near 16 Avenue N.W. and Home Road, and construction is now under way on the remaining five hotspots at two new construction area locations on 16 Ave. Click here to continue reading
‘Happy to help’: Replacement pipes start journey from San Diego to Calgary
CTV News
Twelve days after a massive water main broke in Calgary, a pair of replacement pipes from San Diego will start a multi-day journey heading north to help crews here repair five sections. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Urban flood mitigation strategies with coupled gray–green measures: A Case study in Guangzhou city, China
Prevention Web
The results indicate that combining green roofs, sunken green spaces, and permeable pavements, can reduce total runoff by 41.7% to 25.89% for rainfall recurrence periods ranging from 1 year to 100 years, and decrease the volume of nodal overflow by nearly half during rainfall events of less than 10-year return period. Click here to continue reading
Climate change: rising temperatures may impact groundwater quality
EurekAlert!
Earth’s climate system is heating up due to the atmosphere’s increased concentration of greenhouse gases, which limits the amount of heat that can be radiated away. The oceans absorb a substantial fraction of this heat, but soil and groundwater also act as heat sinks. However, little is known thus far about the effects Earth’s surface warming has on groundwater over space and time. Click here to continue reading
How much raw sewage is released into rivers and the sea, and what are the rules?
BBC News
Water companies can release untreated sewage into rivers and seas when it rains to prevent it flooding homes, but such spills are illegal when it’s dry. On dry days there is less dilution and sewage can cause more damage to the local environment and pose a health risk to swimmers. Click here to continue reading
How did Calgary’s water crisis unfold? A day-by-day look at what we know
Calgary Herald
What most people hoped was a simple water main break earlier this month turned into a complex and catastrophic problem impacting the water system of all Calgarians. When Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek declared the city in a state of local emergency on Saturday as a result of the ongoing problems, the situation became even more urgent. Click here to continue reading
1 down, 5 hotspots to go: Feeder main fixed as Calgary crews work to repair broken pipe
CTV News
The mayor reported the good news in an afternoon update Sunday, where she revealed that work will begin Monday on fixing five hotspots that require immediate attention. That wasn’t the only good news, either: the final 300 metres of the pipe that were assessed by a robot Saturday night were found to have no further cause for concern. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water emergency: Minister McIver
Government of Alberta
“Alberta’s government supports the City of Calgary in its decision to declare a state of local emergency as this step signifies the critical state of Calgary’s water infrastructure and the work that must happen expeditiously in order to return to normal. A local state of emergency allows the city to swiftly procure materials and coordinate action for the repair. Click here to continue reading
Alberta sees drought turnaround in much of the south, but little relief for Peace River region
CBC
Just outside Medicine Hat, in the heart of a region that struggled through extreme drought conditions last year, farmers and ranchers like Neubauer have been nervous about the possibility of another difficult season. Click here to continue reading
Alberta initiates campaign to keep invasive species out of waterways
Global News
The province is currently free of zebra and quagga mussels but they are found in Manitoba and Ontario and can easily spread through boats travelling across provincial borders. If established in our province, they can cause millions of dollars of damage and harm Alberta’s ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Wainwright water supply re-established after pump issue
Global News
Water levels in the town of Wainwright, Alta., reached a “critical” state Friday morning due to ongoing supply issues, prompting officials to declare a local emergency. Click here to continue reading
Future in drought: how long can Calgarians go without a shower?
The Narwhal
Calgary is in the midst of an unprecedented water shortage caused by a water main break that has forced individuals and businesses to sacrifice for the public good. Calgarians have risen to the challenge. But it raises the question of how well the city will fare as climate change makes droughts a regular feature of Alberta’s future. Click here to continue reading
Consultants make recommendations to keep Banff’s drinking water free of contaminants
Rocky Mountain Outlook
The Town of Banff will review a third-party consultant’s recommendations to protect the municipality’s underground water source into the future, including from any potential contamination. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The US is losing wetlands at an accelerating rate – here’s how the private sector can help protect these valuable resources
The Conversation – United States
In a high-profile 2023 ruling, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly limited federal power to protect wetlands. According to one estimate, this ruling stripped federal protection from up to 90 million acres of wetlands across the U.S. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Swiss company invents a way to break down PFAS with bubbles – but is it just a ‘sticking plaster’?
EuroNews Green
PFAS are poisoning us, but destroying them is still difficult and expensive. One Swiss start-up may have the answer. Click here to continue reading
Drought Watch 2024: Recent Drought Management Responses in Alberta include the introduction of Bill 21: Emergency Statutes Amendment Act
Environmental Law Centre
Recent proactive steps have been taken to respond to the critical drought in Alberta. About a week ago, Bill 21 was tabled to amend various emergency statutes to enhance provincial authority in emergencies such as wildfires, floods and droughts. Click here to continue reading
As Calgarians settle into restrictions, gardeners and residents’ water concerns extend past current crisis
Calgary Herald
Garden centres sat quiet and cold, while gloomy weather cast a pall over Calgary on Father’s Day and the city’s residents began settling into what’s expected to be multi-week water-use restrictions. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water shortages: Key ways to reduce your water footprint
The Conversation – Canada
Recent reports have shown that Canadians use five times more water than they think — with a real water footprint of around 329 litres per day. Canada is one of the biggest water users among peer nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, ranking sixth out of 34 nations in total water usage, and second in per-capita water use. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How a ‘Citizen Map’ Is Helping Brazil Prepare for Next Big Flood
Yale Environment 360
“It’s so important for people to understand their surroundings, to know if they’re in an area of risk,” says Moraes. “And they want to understand. They want to be engaged”.“It’s so important for people to understand their surroundings, to know if they’re in an area of risk,” says Moraes. “And they want to understand. They want to be engaged”. Click here to continue reading
How a multimillion-dollar deal with the Girl Guides solved an Alberta town’s water issues
CBC
Consumptive licences refers to water use that reduces the overall water available for other uses, while non-consumptive licences refers to use that returns water to the source down the line — for instance, through treatment plants. Click here to continue reading
Water allocation to Alberta oil and gas producers up sharply in past 15 years
CBC
“Rather than focusing too much on allocation, I think we need more transparency around how water is used.” In an emailed statement, Ryan Fournier, press secretary for Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, noted that the vast majority of water used by oil and gas is in northern regions “where water supply far exceeds allocated use for all purposes. Click here to continue reading
Water levels in southern Alberta reservoirs creep towards normal
CTV News
Water levels are still slightly less than normal. As of June 10, the Oldman Reservoir is 82 per cent full. That’s a little bit less than the normal range of 86 per cent and 94 per cent.The St. Mary Reservoir is 78 per cent full and the Waterton reservoir is 85 per cent, both of which are in the normal range. The spring melt and a wet May may have held off water restrictions for the time being.Water allocations for agriculture remain the same. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services finding new methods to conserve water
CTV News
The department is using tools like high-efficiency pumps and aerial equipment to cut back on water use.Heatherington says they’ve also limited the cleaning of some equipment, washing of bays and fire apparatuses are only being washed once every two weeks. LFES has moved all its training to station four, where the water can be redirected to the wastewater treatment plant rather than the storm drains that lead directly to the river. Click here to continue reading
Schools in Ottawa identified in study showing high levels of lead in drinking water
CTV News
A new study by the Investigative Journalism Bureau at the University of Toronto is shining a light on a persistent issue in schools and daycares across Ontario — lead in the drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Update June 13: Critical water main break affecting city-wide water usage
City of Calgary
City-wide water restrictions are expected to remain in place into next week. Calgary remains in mandatory Stage 4 outdoor watering restrictions and it is imperative that Calgarians continue conserving water so demand does not outstrip supply. Shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday night, a City employee and a contractor working on welding repair were injured. Both workers were transported to hospital, one in stable, non-life threatening condition and one in serious, non-life threatening condition. Work was shut down immediately to keep the site safe. Following Occupational Health and Safety Alberta’s inspection this morning deeming the site safe, work is expected to resume this afternoon. Click here to continue reading
Tension over water possible between Calgary and its neighbours as populations grow, says report
CBC
Access to highly coveted water in southern Alberta will determine growth patterns in the Calgary Metropolitan Region as more migrants arrive, says a report released Thursday by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. Water is strictly controlled in Alberta’s south, the report notes. If someone wants to use water in significant quantities, they need a water licence. But new water allocations in the south have been closed since 2006, including in the Bow River sub-basin. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Brazil’s devastating floods hit its ‘Black population on the periphery’ the hardest
The Guardian
“People say: ‘The floods hit everyone,’” said geographer Paulo Soares, a researcher for the Observatório das Metrópoles, who participated in the study. “But when we refine the research, we see that – while it did hit everyone in one way or another – it hit some groups harder.” In Porto Alegre and its surrounding cities, the poorest neighbourhoods – often closest to the rivers and with the worst infrastructure – were the most affected. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Western agricultural communities need water conservation strategies to adapt to future shortages
Science Daily
The Western U.S. is heavily reliant on mountain snowpacks and their gradual melt for water storage and supply, and climate change is expected to upend the reliability of this natural process. Many agricultural communities in this part of the country are examining ways to adapt to a future with less water, and new research shows that a focus on supplementing water supply by expanding reservoir capacity won’t be enough to avert future water crises. Click here to continue reading
Calgary’s water woes due to feeder main rupture highlight national issue, experts say
CTV News
A week after a major feeder line ruptured in Montgomery, forcing Calgary into water restrictions, city crews are working to replace the damaged pipe. The incident has highlighted concerns about aging infrastructure across Canada. The break, which occurred June 5th, forced the city to reroute water flow. Repairs are expected to take at least another week. The damaged pipe, originally designed for a 100-year lifespan, was already 49 years old. Experts say this incident underscores a Canada-wide problem of neglected infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
Province scraps plans for Bow River dam near Mînî Thnî
CTV News
Bearspaw First Nation CEO Rob Shotclose suggested it was unfair to consider flooding Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation lands to begin with and that initial assessments for a dam in the area failed to justify potential impacts. “This dam would be right in the middle of the Stoney reserve at Mînî Thnî, geographically, and we’ve already been shortchanged land by treaty,” he said. Click here to continue reading
Calgary needs to conserve more water, even without a crisis: expert
Global News
Tricia Stadnyk, a professor at the university’s Schulich School of Engineering, says not to count on melting snow to help out in the current water supply crisis caused by a massive water main break in Calgary last week. “There is not that much more melt to come,” Stadnyk said. “So even though we are still seeing melt right now, the volume isn’t the same as what we would normally expect. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: South Africa’s crucial water supplies from Lesotho: what the six-month shutdown means for industry, farming and residents
The Conversation – Africa
The main water supply to South Africa’s economic hub, greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province, and to the country’s breadbasket in the Free State, is scheduled to be cut off for six months. Maintenance work on the 37 kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel is due to begin in October 2024. Click here to continue reading
Low water levels at St. Andrews Lock and Dam
CTV News
The federal government is advising the public that water levels are low at the St. Andrews Lock and Dam. The dam will be put back once conditions permit, but until then, the water level may be too low for boaters travelling through the lock. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Upstream and downstream: River study highlights cross-country inequities
Science Daily
New research highlights inequities between downstream and upstream countries that share the same watershed. The study outlines how international agreements can better address shared resource problems and call for greater collaboration and coordination between these international neighbours. Click here to continue reading
Water main breaks are rarely due to a single factor, new Concordia research finds
Water Canada
Canadians are no strangers to water main breaks. Aging equipment, increased demand and seasonal weather changes, along with many other factors, have added stress to the infrastructure of utilities across Canada. An analysis of failures across Canada signals a new way for utilities to assess risks to infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
How the Girl Guides came to the rescue when Cochrane needed water
CBC
Calgary’s bedroom communities like Cochrane and Okotoks have been seeking solutions to their water challenges over the past several years. Those have been exacerbated by Alberta’s recent population surge. Click here to continue reading
Sask. auditor urges WSA to finalize water, wetland policies
The Western Producer
Saskatchewan s provincial auditor said the Water Security Agency is making progress toward implementing recommendations made in 2018 about how it regulates agricultural drainage. However, it still hasn t finalized its water quality and wetland retention requirements, which Tara Clemett said should be in place before drainage is approved. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Another Blowout Adds to Mystery of Permian Basin Water Pressure
Inside Climate News
Water is bursting from another West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend. It s the latest in a string of mysterious water features in the arid Permian Basin, the nation s top producing oil field, that regulators have been unable to explain. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Keeping Stormwater at Bay: a Brooklyn Green Roof Offers a Look at a Climate Resilient Future
Inside Climate News
Green infrastructure mitigates the impacts of stormwater on New York City s sewer systems, limiting the flow of sewage to local waterways. Click here to continue reading
Result in sight for long-delayed water law
National Observer
Last week, Bill C-61, the First Nations Clean Water Act, was passed by the House through a unanimous motion and is now destined for the Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee. Hajdu has repeatedly referred to the bill as “another tool” for First Nations to have sovereignty over their waters, empowering them to fight against environmental racism. It is a legacy bill for the Liberal government and sits alongside their promise to lift all boiled water advisories on First Nations. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton expands water bottle filling station program for summer 2024
CTV News
“The expansion of the water bottle filling stations program is crucial in our efforts to safeguard our city’s most vulnerable residents,” Hani Quan, the city’s director of affordable housing and homelessness said in a news release. “By enhancing the accessibility of safe, free potable drinking water, we are addressing a key need for those most at risk during extreme heat conditions”. Click here to continue reading
Update #8 Boil water advisory lifted for community of Bowness
City of Calgary
All residents and businesses in Bowness can consume their water from the tap, as boiling is no longer required. Click here to continue reading
Update #7 Critical water main break affecting city-wide water usage
City of Calgary
“People in Calgary and surrounding communities were such good water stewards over the weekend. Water consumption was down significantly, and I can tell you it’s because of all of your efforts. Saturday 440 m/l of water were used and yesterday that number was 457, typically at this time of year our consumption is around the 580 m/l mark, so we have reduced our use by a quarter,” says Gondek. Click here to continue reading
Calgary’s water supply still at risk as crews continue water main repairs
CBC
It will still take days to fix the 50-year-old piece of infrastructure that supplies approximately 60 per cent of the city — and the risk of running out of water remains a real threat. “As you draw water down on the reservoirs that are in your community, if we can’t get them filled up as quickly as you are using the water, you may run out of water”. Click here to continue reading
Here’s what you can and cannot do amid Calgary’s water crisis
CTV News
Alberta Health Services (AHS) issued a release at 7 p.m. on Monday, stating the boil water advisory for Bowness had been lifted. “As water quality has been restored, the boil water advisory issued June 5, 2024, has been lifted, effective immediately,” AHS said in its release. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: South Africa: Gold mine pollution is poisoning Soweto’s water and soil – study finds food gardens are at risk
The Conversation – Africa
For 140 years, gold mines in Johannesburg, South Africa have been leaking wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The acid mine drainage from Johannesburg’s estimated 278 abandoned mines and 200 mine dumps includes uranium (a radioactive metal), toxic arsenic, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead and zinc. Acid mine drainage can pollute land and water sources up to 20 kilometres away from a mine unless it is remediated by mining companies. The contamination cascades through food webs and poisons river water, plants and animals. Click here to continue reading
Water conservation still necessary as Gondek says sorry for poor communication around water main break
Calgary Herald
In terms of the difference Calgarians have made, on Wednesday, June 5 about 650 million litres of water were consumed — a number that decreased to 520 million on Thursday, then 484 million on Friday. On Saturday, Calgary only used 440 million litres. Click here to continue reading
Calgarians continue to cut water consumption over weekend: Gondek
CTV News
Responding to some of the most frequently asked questions she has read on the city’s website, she said the average Calgarian uses 173 litres of water a day. To meet the 25 per cent reduction, each person would have to flush five fewer times a day or have two less kitchen sinks full of water. Click here to continue reading
‘We have to do our part’: Calgary businesses reduce water usage amid restrictions
CTV News
Some businesses that rely heavily on water such as laundromats are turning customers away unless their needs are deemed essential. Aaron Wyman, owner of The Laundry Room on Kensington Road, says he’s lost out on about 80 per cent of his customers because of measures taken by his team. Click here to continue reading
Calgary ‘using more water than it can produce’, officials say
CTV News
“Yesterday, Calgary saw a significant reduction in water use until the afternoon; however, water use greatly increased around the time people got home from work,” officials said in a news release. “Calgary is currently using more water than it can produce.” Click here to continue reading
Update #6 Critical water main break affecting city-wide water usage
City of Calgary
The ability to get water to all communities at this time has been severely compromised due to this pipe break. Calgarians are making a difference by saving water, allowing our reservoirs to replenish during this critical time. Since the beginning of the event, we’ve seen a 27 per cent drop in water consumption.Without this continued effort, we are at risk of running out of water. Click here to continue reading
Officials to provide update on Calgary water main break, supply concerns
Global News
“Work is progressing well, and crews are moving closer to replacing the damaged area of pipe,” city officials said in a news release. ” Today (Sunday), crews succeeded in cutting into the pipe so the damaged portion can be removed. The pipe will be prepped for repair, while completing many technical tests to understand what other work is needed. Click here to continue reading
Drought-driven outdoor watering restrictions for Calgary eyed to begin this summer
Calgary Herald
Calgarians should be limited to two days a week of outdoor watering starting this summer in an effort to conserve dwindling water supplies, say city administrators. That’s one of the recommendations being made to the city’s executive committee on Tuesday, and one that precedes the current water supply crisis stemming from a ruptured feeder main. Click here to continue reading
B.C. politicians debate reflooding Sumas Prairie
CBC
A new report by a team of UBC scientists has B.C. politicians and First Nations weighing in after it proposed relocating some residents and farms in Abbotsford, B.C.’s Sumas Prairie, to allow the area to be turned back into a lake. The report’s lead author says that a “managed retreat” is necessary because climate modelling shows the area will continue to experience further catastrophic flooding, akin to the devastation the Fraser Valley experienced in 2021. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water firm seizes stake in Devon sewage protester’s home over unpaid bills
The Guardian
South West Water has taken a legal stake in a customer’s home after she withheld her bill payments in a protest over sewage dumping in rivers and the sea. Thousands of water company customers are thought to be withholding payments but this is the first known case of a company enforcing a claim against a customer’s home. Click here to continue reading
High fluoride levels in Alberta hamlet’s drinking water
CTV News
The test results from the study indicate that an average of 2.00 mg/L of fluoride is in the reservoir. The maximum allowable concentration (MAC) is 1.5 mg/L of fluoride. Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) removed an exemption put in place for the naturally occurring fluoride in places exceeding the MAC in groundwater. The AEP communicated to the County to complete the study and determine the options and costs to treat the fluoride. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Bottled water is full of microplastics. Is it still ‘natural’?
Grist
Is bottled water really “natural” if it’s contaminated with microplastics? A series of lawsuits recently filed against six bottled water brands claim that it’s deceptive to use labels like “100 percent mountain spring water” and “natural spring water” because it is likely tainted with tiny plastic fragments. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Hydropower damages river systems in Africa: how more solar and wind power can solve this problem
The Conversation – Africa
Across the African continent, more than 300 new hydropower projects are planned to meet the growing demand for electricity. Some of these will require big dams, which can have major negative environmental impacts. Another looming problem with hydropower is that the water cycle is affected by climate change. Click here to continue reading
Mayor apologizes to Calgarians for ‘slow’ and ‘confusing’ communications about water main break
CBS News
Beginning Monday, the mayor said she will be providing an update to Calgarians every morning through a livestream at 8:30. In addition, the city’s emergency management team will hold media briefings at 2 p.m. each day to update residents on the progress that’s been made. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Scaling up wetland conservation and restoration to deliver the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
Wetlands International
Report offering guidance on including wetlands in National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to boost biodiversity and halt wetland loss and degradation. Click here to continue reading
‘We are at risk of running out’: Calgarians asked to use 25% less water than yesterday
CBC
After a major feeder water main break plunged Calgary’s water supply into a critical state, city officials are now asking Calgarians to use 25 per cent less than they did yesterday, sounding the alarm that the city is at risk of running out. The Bearspaw south water main — which is 11 kilometres long and as wide as two metres in parts — suffered a break Wednesday night that left hundreds of homes and businesses in the city’s northwest without water. Click here to continue reading
Update #3 Critical water main break affecting City wide water usage
City of Calgary
Yesterday Calgary saw a significant reduction in water use until the afternoon; however, water use greatly increased around the time people got home from work. Calgary is currently using more water than it can produce. If Calgarians do not reduce our water use, we are at risk of running out. The City is asking Calgarians to save water for the next few days while the work gets completed. Click here to continue reading
Failure of ‘grandfather of all water mains’ to blame for Calgary water issues, councillor says
CTV News
Sharp says emergency water supplies are in place at four locations for residents to access: Bowness Community Association, Belvedere Parkway School, Bowcrest Seniors Home and Our Lady of the Assumption School. However, Sharp says there is an issue for seniors to get to those locations to access water, so the city is calling on residents to take potable water to the residents who need it. Click here to continue reading
Canada expands and improves warning system for coastal flooding
Water Canada
Coastal flooding is a regular occurrence along Canada’s coasts, the St. Lawrence, and the Great Lakes. It can be caused by storm surge, large waves, and high tides. Storm surge happens when the wind associated with a major storm pushes water onto the coast. This may damage coastal infrastructure and threaten human health and safety. Large waves associated with the storm may drive additional water onshore, worsening impacts. Click here to continue reading
‘Early Warning System’ for Great Lakes Water Quality Threats Advanced by Report from IJC Board
Water Canada
The International Joint Commission (IJC) is responsible under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to identify and report emerging Great Lakes water quality issues to the Canadian and United States federal governments. The Great Lakes Science Advisory Board’s development of a Great Lakes Early Warning System assists the Commission with these Agreement responsibilities. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Pressure mounts on Tanya Plibersek to assess water impacts of NT Beetaloo Basin fracking project
The Guardian
Pressure is mounting on the federal environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, to use her powers to call the project in for assessment under the Albanese government’s expanded “water trigger”, which requires unconventional gas projects to be assessed under national environment laws for their effects on water resources. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Warragamba Dam spills over as flood warnings issued across NSW due to heavy rainfall
The Guardian
Warragamba Dam spills over as flood warnings issued across NSW due to heavy rainfall. Some flash flooding causing road closures and inundating homes but rainy weather forecast to ease later on Friday, BoM says. Heavy rainfall overnight has resulted in Warragamba Dam spilling over, amid evacuation orders and road closures across New South Wales. Up to 200mm of rain has fallen in parts of the state overnight, while residents in low-lying areas around the Georges River in Sydney’s west are preparing to evacuate. Click here to continue reading
Clean water improves the efficacy of herbicides
The Western Producer
Water qualities such as hardness, the presence of bicarbonates, iron and manganese all play a role in how effective an application will be. The latter two are a particular note in irrigation, as oxidation can lead to the formation of precipitates that can plug screens and nozzles. Click here to continue reading
Drugs, microplastics and forever chemicals: new contaminants emerge in the Great Lakes
The Narwhal
The release of everyday wastewater from our homes and businesses into the environment is Canada’s largest source of water pollution. This dirty water is full of toxic substances that can harm our lakes and rivers. Some is removed or treated, like the phosphorus in sewage that creates harmful algae blooms in water. But many more unmonitored and invisible substances — or “contaminants of emerging concern” — in wastewater end up being dumped into the Great Lakes, which hold around 20 per cent of the world’s surface freshwater and about 85 per cent of North America’s. In Canada, no rule or law to prevent emerging contaminants from entering our water — something Hamza and her colleagues want to change. Click here to continue reading
Ontario to end wastewater surveillance program
Water Canada
Many researchers have expressed concern and disappointment over the move, citing that the program became one of the world’s leading and largest programs monitoring the spread of infectious diseases through wastewater. At a time when COVID-19 is once again gaining momentum, and other diseases like H5N1 avian influenza are also increasing, detailed health information the program provides is needed. Click here to continue reading
Calgary issues ‘critical water supply’ alert after water main break spurs boil water advisory
Global News
People living in the northwest Calgary community of Bowness had already been issued a boil water advisory as a result of a water main break that occurred on Wednesday night. “The break is on a critical transmission line that enables us to move water across the city”. Click here to continue reading
Watermain break in northwest Calgary triggers Alberta Emergency Alert that supply in critical state
CBC
A watermain break that left hundreds of homes without water Wednesday evening has triggered an Alberta Emergency Alert warning that Calgary’s water supply is in a critical state. The provincial alert, issued to Calgarians’ cellphones at 6:37 a.m., said the watermain break along 16th Avenue N.W. has affected the city’s ability to provide water to communities and ensure adequate water is available to support emergency fire suppression. Click here to continue reading
Prairie wetland loss estimates raise questions
The Western Producer
Scientists say the Water Security Agency’s claim that 86 per cent of Saskatchewan’s wetlands remain is based on recent rather than historical data. “And so I think the challenge there is that you risk missing things that have been drained many, many years ago, and land worked, and I think at best it can provide an underestimate of what the actual drainage number is.” Click here to continue reading
No Flood Mitigation Funding for Abbotsford, Merritt and Princeton
Water Canada
Three BC municipalities devasted by flooding in 2021, along with industry and business leaders are calling on the federal government to change the way it funds climate change disaster prevention after all being turned down for critical flood infrastructure funding through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). The federal government launched the $2 billion DMAF in May 2018, adding an additional $1.375 billion in 2021, all of which is to be allocated over the next 9 years. DMAF is a national, competitive, and merit-based contribution program requiring communities to apply for funding through a competitive applications process. Click here to continue reading
Water Security Agency Investing $1M in Water Infrastructure Projects in Northern Saskatchewan
Water Canada
“A sustainable and reliable water supply is fundamental and is especially important in Northern Saskatchewan,” Water Security Agency Minister David Marit said. “As Northern Saskatchewan continues to grow, and we see increased water demands – maintaining our infrastructure is critical to continue to meet the social, environmental and economic needs for all users in these regions, including our Indigenous communities and rural municipalities.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Summer droughts in Northern hemisphere increasingly likely as seasonal streamflows change
Science Daily
Declining snowfall is changing the seasonal patterns of streamflow throughout the Northern hemisphere boosting chances of water shortages in the summer, scientists have found. Snowy areas in in the Rocky Mountains of North America, the European Alps and northern Europe are thawing prematurely as the Earth warms. Additionally, seasonal flows in less snowy areas are delayed as warm-season rain arrives later in the year becoming a more dominant source of river flow. Precipitation over winter is reduced. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: High groundwater depletion risk in South Korea in 2080s
Science Daily
Groundwater is literally the water found beneath the Earth’s surface. It forms when precipitation such as rain and snow seeps into the soil, replenishing rivers and lakes. This resource supplies our drinking water. However, a recent study has alarmed the scientific community by predicting that approximately three million people in currently untapped areas of Korea could face groundwater depletion by 2080. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Devastating Brazil floods made twice as likely by burning of fossil fuels and trees
The Guardian
During the peak of the rains on 1 May, the city of Santa Maria set a 24-hour rainfall record of 213.6mm. In just three days, the state capital, Porto Alegre, was inundated with two months’ worth of rain, transforming roads into rivers, football stadiums into lakes and damaging the city’s international airport so badly it remains closed. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: South Africa: new Drakensberg nature reserve will protect ancient rock art, wildlife, livelihoods, grasslands and water
The Conversation – Africa
Nearly 20% of water in the Vaal river system originates in the Northern Drakensberg – in other words, the Northern Drakensberg supplies water for about four million people. The way water is managed at the source matters for everyone who will eventually use the water. Click here to continue reading
Important Notice: Irrigation Season Water Supply Update May 2024
St. Mary River Irrigation District
On May 23, 2024 the Irrigation Water Supply Forecast from the Alberta Agriculture & Irrigation (AG&I) , indicates a below average water allocation for the 2024 Irrigation Season. The St. Mary Headworks Reservoirs are at 68% of Irrigation Storage Full Supply Limit. SMRID reservoirs have had storage gains since the March 2024 update. Click here to continue reading
International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board Public Town Hall Meeting
International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board
The International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board will be holding a public town hall meeting June 5, 2024. All are welcome to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to update the public on the study’s progress, work plan and timeline of studies into 2024, as well as to solicit public feedback on future engagement. Some members of the study’s Technical Working Groups will be in attendance, with the Study Board presenting information on various technical topics these groups have been working on. The Study Board is very interested in hearing the perspectives of citizens around the basin and looks forward to conversing with a wide range of water users. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New Law to Provide Florida Homebuyers With More Transparency on Flood History
Inside Climate News
For the first time, Florida home sellers will have to disclose certain aspects of a property’s flood history, under legislation Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law this week. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Using Less of the Colorado River Takes a Willing Farmer and $45 million in Federal Funds
Inside Climate News
The System Conservation Pilot Program is intended to help Upper Basin states reduce water usage, but some experts and participants say the costs and sacrifices outweigh the savings. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: DRC: Persistent water shortages continue to impact livelihoods in Goma
africanews
Dozens of women bring their empty jerry cans to the public fountain in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, to fetch drinking water for their families. But the wait at the fountain can last several hours. The city has been hit by a water shortage due to its adduction system reaching its limits as the city is growing and displaced people fleeing the war are considerably increasing the number of its inhabitants. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Every drop counts: New algorithm tracks Texas daily reservoir evaporation rates
EurekAlert!
Summer can be an extra challenging time for Texas’ 189 major water supply reservoirs. With temperatures consistently reaching 100 degrees or higher, reservoir evaporation rates see high increases. Accurate evaporation rate estimates are crucial for water resource managers, as reservoirs play an essential role in our social and economic systems by supplying water for agricultural, municipal, and industrial consumption. Reservoirs are also critical for mitigating impacts from droughts and floods. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water pipes burst in Atlanta, causing major outages and disruptions
The Guardian
Major water main breaks in Atlanta, Georgia, have caused significant outages and disruptions, as Mayor Andre Dickens has issued a state of emergency in the city and one local hospital had to evacuate some patients to other facilities. The breaks occurred on Friday when corroded water pipes burst near downtown Atlanta. According to utility and city officials, the site of the major water main break was repaired on Saturday, with the system gradually being brought back online and no contamination has been found as a result of the break. Click here to continue reading
Restoration of Trout Creek in the District of Summerland to improve water certainty, salmon habitat
Water Canada
Trout Creek is the primary water source for the District of Summerland and is the second largest community watershed in the Okanagan. At one time the creek used to meander across a 2.5 km wide fan between the canyon and the lake. Due to channelization in the 1940s and 1970s, and degradation since, it is now significantly narrower, the once abundant forests of cottonwood are minimal, and the salmon runs in this creek are almost extinct. Click here to continue reading
Fecal bacteria in Edmonton area lake prompts water quality advisory
Global News
A water quality advisory has been issued for Lake Summerside due to higher levels of fecal bacteria in the water, according to Alberta Health Services. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Bids for bathing water status in England paused in blow for river cleanups
The Guardian
River campaigners fear the block on new applications to create bathing water areas, which are regularly tested for water quality, has been introduced to stop water companies facing huge resource implications to tackle poor water quality in new bathing areas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Is hard water bad for you? 2 water quality engineers explain the potential benefits and pitfalls that come with having hard water
The Conversation – Africa
When you turn on your faucet to get a glass of water or wash your face, you’re probably not thinking about what’s in your water – besides water. Depending on where you live and whether you have a water-softening system, your water might contain dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. And these minerals can play a role in whether certain pollutants such as lead stay out of your water. The more dissolved minerals, the “harder” your water. But is hard water actually good or bad for you? Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Could ‘Pee-Cycling’ Help Clean Cape Cod’s Water?
Scientific American
I would argue that wastewater is a resource. Here in the United States we’re not very good at reusing this resource, but in other parts of the world it’s something that they wouldn’t waste. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How water storage in weathered bedrock impacts evapotranspiration and stream runoff
Phys.org
Approximately 25–33% of the annual evapotranspiration in alpine shrub and forest regions comes from water stored in weathered bedrock layers that are replenished during winter and used by trees during summer and autumn. In wet years, the saturated weathered bedrock facilitates runoff generation through direct storage processes. Conversely, during dry years, the weathered bedrock is depleted of water, resulting in indirect storage processes that do not contribute to runoff generation. Click here to continue reading
Court certifies flooding lawsuit against Abbotsford, B.C., as class action
The Canadian Press
A judge has certified a class-action lawsuit alleging destruction in the November 2021 atmospheric river flooding in the Fraser Valley was magnified by improper operations of a pump station. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Tackling flash floods, urban heat, and other climate change threats in three sub-Saharan African Cities
Prevention Web
A new 3-year project will reduce climate-fuelled flood risks and enhance the resilience of approximately 2.2 million people in three sub-Saharan African cities while promoting gender equality and social inclusion and strengthening biodiversity protection. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Amid Water Crisis, Mexico City’s Metro System Is Sinking Unevenly
Undark Magazine
Draining of aquifers is happening in Mexico City, which is gripped by a worsening water crisis. “The subsurface is like a sponge: We get the water out, and then it deforms, because it’s losing volume,” says Solano-Rojas. How much volume depends on the underlying sediment in a given part of the city — the ancient lake didn’t neatly layer equal proportions of clay and sand in every area. “That produces a lot of different behaviors on the surface”. Click here to continue reading
On the Pacific Coast, Dam Removal Renews the Shoreline
Undark Magazine
In the decade since two dams on the Elwha River were removed, scientists are seeing the effect on coastal ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Water treatment plant renewal project remains behind schedule
Discover Moose Jaw
As for water supply, Johnson said Buffalo Pound gets about three per cent of the water taken from Lake Diefenbaker, with the other 97 per cent going north to the Saskatoon area. He said Buffalo Pound has about a three-year supply, while Lake Diefenbaker has an 18-year supply, so Johnson felt there was no concern about the supply of raw water. Click here to continue reading
Squamish environmental group challenges Woodfibre LNG, FortisBC wastewater permits
The Narwhal
Woodfibre LNG’s wastewater authorization allows the company to release effluent clouded by tiny particles and contaminated by copper, lead, vanadium and zinc into Howe Sound. The company began discharging wastewater from the site in mid-April and expects to continue doing so until the end of 2027. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Former California water official pleads guilty to conspiring to steal water from irrigation canal
The Canadian Press
A former California water official has pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal water in a deal with federal prosecutors in the state’s crop-rich Central Valley. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Imagining a Radical New Relationship with the Mississippi River
Scientific American
Four thousand years ago the continent’s native inhabitants built enormous earthworks along the river, mysterious testaments from great civilizations. But too quickly, both on the continent and in Upholt’s telling, Indigenous peoples were forced offstage. Enter settlers and swindlers, pioneers and politicians, all bent on unbending the river, ecosystems and human bodies deemed expendable along the way as engineers forced their will on the landscape. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Research to uncover the impact of water use in the Colorado River Basin
EurekAlert!
The study found that the agricultural demand for water is significantly higher than the water used by cities. The crops that need the most water are ones used for feeding cattle, such as alfalfa and hay, which are abundant in the area. The states that line the Colorado River raise roughly 14 million cattle per year. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Indonesian urban poor suffer the most in extreme weather caused by climate change
The Conversation Indonesia
We studied three flood-prone cities in Indonesia: Pontianak (West Kalimantan Province), Bima (West Nusa Tenggara Province) and Manado (West Sulawesi Province). We used fieldwork visits, observations, interviews and document analysis. We interviewed 57 informants during the data collection process, including government actors, community leaders, civil society organisation activists, and business people. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Horn of Africa droughts: how a network of groundwater bores could help – study
The Conversation – Africa
Fifty million people were directly affected and 100 million more were indirectly affected. About 20 million people risked acute food insecurity and potential famine, 4.4 million required humanitarian aid, and refugees fleeing drought and floods numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Tanzania’s dams: flood risk depends on how they’re planned and operated
The Conversation – Africa
There has been much debate in Tanzania on the causes of this disaster, particularly the presumed role of the new Julius Nyerere Dam, which is built on the river. Barnaby Dye has studied the development and funding of dams, including those in Tanzania. He provides some insights into the potential risks and solutions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘The impact is enormous’: Farmers in Sicily struggle to survive amid worst drought in 30 years
EuroNews Green
In the last six months of 2023, only 150 millimetres of rain fell on Sicily, the Italian island that is twice the size of some countries. A few months later, the region’s government declared a state of emergency due to the drought. Experts warned it could be the third worst water crisis the island has ever seen. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How an El Niño-Driven Drought Brought Hunger to Southern Africa
Yale Environment 360
A record-breaking drought, fueled by the El Niño weather pattern, has caused widespread crop failure and national emergency declarations in Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Without harvests of maize, the staple food, millions in the region are facing a severe hunger crisis. Click here to continue reading
5 things to know about water pollution at Canada’s busiest port
The Narwhal
The B.C. government authorizes a range of facilities — from petroleum processors to chemical manufacturers — to release wastewater into Burrard Inlet. While some wastewater undergoes a degree of treatment, companies are not required to remove all contaminants. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Tackling water shortages with ‘Star Wars’ tech
BBC News
When a severe drought hit the Indian city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, in 2016, residents including student Swapnil Shrivastav had access to a limited amount of water each day. “We were rationed to two buckets of water a day, which we collected from water tanks,” he says. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Crippling’ drought in Zambia threatens hunger for millions, says minister
The Guardian
“What has happened this year is that we received well below the normal rainfall. This has been a crippling drought,” he said. “We’ve had a huge crop failure. A lot of people who depend on maize, who depend on agriculture for their very survival, face starvation and hunger.” The rains failed in February, when maize, the country’s staple crop, reaches the “tasselling” stage, when the grains start to fill. A lack of rainfall at that time means there is little prospect of saving most of the crop. Click here to continue reading
Investment made to protect homes and farms within Nicomekl River floodplains
Water Canada
This project will replace three aging sets of culverts, upgrade two spillways that control the release of flood water, and reinforce the dike height to help prevent waves from flowing back up the dike. Once completed, the project will help protect more than one kilometre of Highway 15 –a regional link to the Pacific Highway border crossing— more than 40 buildings, including homes and barns, over 400 hectares of agricultural lands, portions of 48th Avenue and 184th Street, and 500 metres of the provincial Roberts Bank Railway corridor. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The Other Border Dispute Is Over an 80-Year-Old Water Treaty
Inside Climate News
With another hot summer looming, Mexico is behind on its water deliveries to the United States, leading to water cutbacks in South Texas. A little-known US federal agency has hit a roadblock in its efforts to get Mexico to comply. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Importance of water for shared prosperity
India Water Portal
Access to clean water and sanitation is directly linked to health and educational outcomes. Safe water reduces the incidence of water-borne diseases, which significantly impacts public health, particularly in developing countries. Improved health, in turn, leads to better educational outcomes as children are more likely to attend school regularly and perform well academically. Click here to continue reading
Watch water quality this summer
The Western Producer
Snow was scarce on the Prairies earlier this winter, with temperatures rarely falling below -20 C, or even -10 C. With a drought stretching through multiple years, the dry winter is causing even more concern the Prairies won’t see as much runoff as usual, which could also affect water quality in dugouts. Click here to continue reading
Farmers remember the drought of 2001, one of the worst ever to hit southern Alberta crops
Calgary Herald
Before the droughts of 2023 and 2021, the drought of 2001 was the last big one to hit southern Alberta crops. Across the country, that drought cost Canada’s economy an estimated $5.8 billion. Click here to continue reading
Feds support water treatment infrastructure in Nunavut with $2M investment
Water Canada
“Investing in infrastructure is key to improving northerners’ quality of life and positioning Nunavut communities for growth,” said Vandal. “These crucial planning projects will lay the groundwork for improving the quality and accessibility of drinking water for Nunavummiut. We will continue to support projects that ensure the health and well-being of Nunavummiut for generations to come”. Click here to continue reading
‘We don’t give up,’ says farmer who spent $3M on irrigation technology to overcome drought
CBC
“We’re gonna have to change some of the things we do. Subsurface irrigation is one of those changes. But, you know, we don’t give up. We keep changing. We keep trying and experimenting”. Click here to continue reading
Southern Alberta reservoirs see water levels rise, dry summer still possible
CTV News
“The outlook right now is better than it was a few months ago when the reservoir levels were much lower. It is a blessing that we’ve seen this moisture”. “The province right now is trying to capture every drop that they can in the reservoir, which is why we’ve seen the increase”. Click here to continue reading
Tough water restrictions expected again on Sunshine Coast: ‘It’s just going to happen’
Global News
In 2022 the Sunshine Coast Regional District implemented extreme water restrictions due to extreme drought conditions. With snowpack on local mountains 30 per cent lower than average this spring, officials say they’re concerned about the potential for a repeat. Click here to continue reading
Study shifts water nutrient load responsibility
The Western Producer
A new study spearheaded by two University of Manitoba researchers is giving more insight into where nutrients running off into Prairie waterways are coming from, and pasture manure may not be the biggest culprit.The study, led by soil scientist David Lobb and Marcos Cordeiro of the department of animal science, sought to model nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the surface runoff of three watersheds: one each in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Rising temperatures will significantly reduce streamflow in the upper Colorado river basin as groundwater levels fall, new research shows
EurekAlert!
The Colorado River makes life possible in many Western cities and supports agriculture that sustains people throughout the country. Most of the river’s water begins as snowmelt from the mountainous watersheds of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, and a warming climate will drastically reduce these streamflows, new research finds. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate Change and Population Growth Intensify Water Scarcity Threat
AZoCleantech
According to the report, 55 % of people on the planet today reside in places with at least one month’s worth of uncontaminated water scarcity per year. Jones remarked, “By the end of the century, this may be as high as 66%”. Click here to continue reading
GNWT cancels Tulita and Norman Wells summer barges
Cabin Radio
The NWT government has scrapped summer resupply barges to Tulita and Norman Wells over record low water levels. Click here to continue reading
For half the year, residents in this Nunavik community say they bathe in yellow water
CBC
Rebecca Wynn describes what she sees coming out of her taps in Aupaluk, Que. as “yellow, pee-ish water.” She said she also has to take medication before every shower, because of the amount of chlorine injected into the town’s water supply to kill off any bacteria. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Tackling climate change in one of Colombia’s largest wetlands
Mongabay
La Mojana, a complex network of more than 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of different types of wetlands, has drastically deteriorated in recent decades. Thousands of farmers are working to restore their livelihoods, and the swamps, marshes and streams they inhabit. By doing so, they hope that floods and droughts, which are becoming more unpredictable and more severe than ever due to climate change, will affect them less. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Forever Chemicals Detected in Great Lakes Rain, Study Reveals
Environment+Energy Leader
A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology has revealed that precipitation contributes similar amounts of PFAS to all five Great Lakes, although the rate at which these lakes eliminate PFAS varies significantly. Click here to continue reading
Mercury poisoning near Grassy Narrows First Nation worsened by ongoing industrial pollution, study suggests
CBC
A new study from the University of Western Ontario suggests mercury contamination in northwestern Ontario’s English-Wabigoon River has been made worse by ongoing industrial pollution. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Never-ending’ UK rain made 10 times more likely by climate crisis, study says
The Guardian
The seemingly “never-ending” rain last autumn and winter in the UK and Ireland was made 10 times more likely and 20% wetter by human-caused global heating, a study has found.More than a dozen storms battered the region in quick succession between October and March, which was the second-wettest such period in nearly two centuries of records. The downpour led to severe floods, at least 20 deaths, severe damage to homes and infrastructure, power blackouts, travel cancellations, and heavy losses of crops and livestock. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The global clean water crisis looms large
EurekAlert!
Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South. So concludes a new Utrecht University article published in Nature Climate Change on 23 May 2024, which used a state-of-the-art global water quantity and quality model to estimate clean water scarcity until the end of the century. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Drinking Water Warning in New York as Mayor Issues Emergency Request
Newsweek
Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr. hopes that the federal government will cover the cost of a new water treatment system, considering the village’s water system is more than 100 years old. However, it could take years to complete. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: When Will Vancouver Run Out of Water?
The Tyee
Environmental journalist Tim Smedley’s “The Last Drop” deserves extended attention, because our growing demands for water could outstrip even the resources of the B.C. coast. The 416-page volume is the product of years of research during which Smedley travelled the world and witnessed the consequences of climate change and ever-growing demand. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn
EurekAlert!
For the first time, there is visible evidence showing that warm seawater is pumping underneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier—ominously nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier. An international team of scientists—including a researcher from the University of Waterloo—observed it using satellite imagery and warns that it could accelerate catastrophic sea level rise in 10 to 20 years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Alaska’s rusting waters: Pristine rivers and streams turning orange
EurekAlert!
Dozens of Alaska’s most remote streams and rivers are turning from a crystal clear blue into a cloudy orange, and the staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost, new research in the Nature journal Communications: Earth and Environment finds.For the first time, a team of researchers from the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, the University of California, Davis, and other institutions have documented and sampled some of the impaired waters, pinpointing 75 locations across a Texas-sized area of northern Alaska’s Brooks Range. These degraded rivers and streams could have significant implications for drinking water and fisheries in Arctic watersheds as the climate changes, the researchers said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Smoke covered 70% of California during biggest wildfire years
Science Daily
The study measured lake responses to wildfire smoke in 2018, 2020 and 2021 — the three largest fire seasons on record in California. It found the lakes were exposed on average to 33 days of high-density smoke between July and October, with August and September having the highest number of smoky days. The extent of wildfire in California has quintupled since the 1970s, the study notes. Yet little is known about the impact of smoke on lake ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Unraveling the drought dilemma: Can reservoirs be a carbon source?
Science Daily
Professor Jonghun Kam and Kwang-Hun Lee, a PhD student, from the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) analyzed water quantity and quality data from domestic agricultural reservoirs to shed light on the hydrological impacts of a severe drought on degrading the water quality. Their research findings were recently published in Water Research. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: More than third of Amazon rainforest struggling to recover from drought, study finds
The Guardian
Four supposedly “one-in-a-century” dry spells in less than 20 years, highlighting how a human-disrupted climate is putting unusually intense strains on trees and other plants, many of which are dying of dehydration. In the past, the canopy of the South American tropical forest, which covers an area equivalent to about half of Europe, would shrink and expand in tandem with the annual dry and rainy seasons. It also had the capacity to bounce back from a single drought. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Engineers Unveil Sustainable Water Purification Technology to Tackle World’s Overreliance On Bottled Water
AZoCleantech
Despite advances in modern infrastructure, many homes, businesses and tourism hotspots still rely on bottled water or costly and hard-to-maintain private water supplies, especially in rural areas. In Scotland alone, approximately 24,000 properties are dependent on these unsuitable solutions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water pollution in Jakarta: Some residents resort to buying clean water from neighbours
Channel News Asia
“Getting clean water is really difficult. When I first installed a pump, the water didn’t come out,” said the 63-year-old, who lives in the densely populated sub-district Kalibaru in North Jakarta’s coastal Cilincing area. “I wanted to re-install it, but I had to pay a subscription. I would have to pay a 2 million rupiah (US$125) subscription. In the end, it was better for me to just cut it off, at least I can still buy water.”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Floods battering Brazil, Afghanistan are extreme climate events scientists warn we aren’t prepared for
CBC
Too much water is the reverse of last year’s historic drought in the Amazon, but whether it’s flooding or drought, scientists say extreme events are more frequent and battering many parts of the world. Click here to continue reading
‘Water-wise’: How Calgary yards can be built to resist drought
Calgary Herald
Ahead of what may be a summer of drought-induced water restrictions in Calgary, there are ways to keep yards looking pristine — all while using less water. “You want to pick plants where they aren’t rainwater or ‘water divas’,” Maier said. “They don’t benefit from this kind of environment”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate stress means South Asia needs new formulas to share water
Nikkei Asia
Amid scorching heatwaves and intensifying drought across South and Southeast Asia, water availability is reaching critical levels in many places. April temperatures shattered records globally. This added to the pressure of below-normal rainfall last year in many parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and along the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in India and Bangladesh. Click here to continue reading
B.C. Watershed Security Fund launched to support watershed projects
Water Canada
The B.C. Watershed Security Fund (the Fund) is launching its first phase of support for watershed projects and initiatives to help communities respond to urgent and long-term watershed needs. The Fund’s first grant program application intake opens June 3, 2024 until June 26, 2024. A larger intake and funding stream is planned to open in late 2024/early 2025. Click here to continue reading
City of Lethbridge taking proactive steps to conserve water
Water Canada
The City of Lethbridge is leading by example in water conservation efforts. The Water Conservation Plan and Strategy targets a decrease in overall water use in Lethbridge by 20 per cent by 2030. In response to potential drought conditions this year, the corporation is implementing internal water restrictions ahead of any mandated changes. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge water rescue team provides safety tips for river users
Global News
Water levels are high on the Old Man River due to spring run-off and recent rain, creating potential hazards for river users. The Lethbridge water rescue team hit the river on Thursday to brush up on some rescue tactics and familiarize themselves with the rising water levels and new hazards that may be afloat. Click here to continue reading
‘Forever chemicals’ found to rain down on all five Great Lakes
Science Daily
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or ‘forever chemicals,’ have become persistent pollutants in the air, water and soil. Because they are so stable, they can be transported throughout the water cycle, making their way into drinking water sources and precipitation. Precipitation introduces similar amounts of PFAS into each of the Great Lakes; however, the lakes eliminate the chemicals at different rates. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Trees on UT’s campus endure droughts with help from leaky pipes
EurekAlert!
Even in dry times, Waller Creek on The University of Texas at Austin campus is never without water. That’s because a significant portion of the water that flows through it — anywhere from 25% to 50% — can be traced to wastewater from leaky city pipes.
But there’s a silver lining to the less-than-perfect plumbing, according to new research. The water flowing through the creek sustains trees growing along it, allowing them to thrive during drought conditions that take a toll on trees growing along streams in more rural areas. Click here to continue reading
Rain helps stall wildfire near Canadian oil city
Reuters
Overnight rain helped firefighters stall a large wildfire near the Canadian oil sands city of Fort McMurray, Alberta and wet weather on Thursday was expected to further aid containment efforts, local officials said. Click here to continue reading
No showers, full sewage tanks: Nunavik residents say water system can’t meet growing demand
CBC
Purvirnituq is just one of several communities in the autonomous Nunavik region of Quebec’s far north that does not have pipe infrastructure and is struggling with water problems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands
The Conversation – Global
Caribbean islands are in a water crisis, and their governments have warned that water scarcity may become the new norm. Within the past five years, every island in the region has experienced some sort of water scarcity. Click here to continue reading
Alberta’s Water Sharing “Agreements”
Ablawg.ca
Legal analysis and comment on the recently negotiated Alberta water-sharing MOUs which may be implemented in 2024. Click here to continue reading
Sask. wetland retention number questioned
The Western Producer
The opposition NDP claims the government is overstating the percentage of wetlands that remain intact in the province. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: With rivers across the West running low, utilities get creative
National Observer
Nathalie Voisin, chief scientist for water-energy dynamics at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, said much of the latest research suggests an increase in total annual hydroelectric power in the region but uncertainties remain. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Britons warned to boil water on concern over parasite contamination in Devon areas
Reuters
Residents in part of Devon in southwestern England were warned on Wednesday to boil water before consuming it after the region’s water utility found traces of an intestinal parasite that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Brazil flooding will take weeks to subside, experts warn
Reuters
razil’s southernmost state capital may suffer severe flooding for weeks to come, experts warn, compounding the struggles of half a million people forced to abandon their inundated homes. Click here to continue reading
Buying and selling water is a reality in Alberta — sometimes for big money
CBC
Benchmark prices have been set in the water market, but it remains broadly opaque. Click here to continue reading
Water in N.W.T.’s Great Slave Lake is now so low, some houseboats won’t float
CBC
According to the latest water monitoring report, issued by the territorial government last week, Great Slave Lake is the lowest it’s ever been recorded at this time of year. The low water means there are vast areas of exposed land in Yellowknife Bay that are typically underwater. Click here to continue reading
Use of alert system delayed during deadly flash flooding in Nova Scotia: report
The Canadian Press
A new report on flash flooding in Nova Scotia that killed three children and one adult last year says the municipality of West Hants faced several challenges in transmitting timely emergency alerts to the public. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: In a Dammed and Diked Mekong, a Push to Restore the Flow
Yale Environment 360
Facing increasing land subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and flooding linked with development, Vietnam has committed to changing its approach to managing the Mekong Delta. New initiatives call for retrofitting dikes and dams to restore flood regimes, using nature as a guide. Click here to continue reading
Canada’s mountain lakes fed by glaciers are losing their dazzling blue, documentary shows
CTV News
The documentary, called Losing Blue, was shot at 10 different alpine lakes including Peyto Lake, Moraine Lake and Lake Louise from 2020 to 2023. “All lakes are born through glaciation and volcanic activity and things like that,” Allison said. “All lakes eventually fill with sediment and die”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New Mexico forges rule for treatment and reuse of oil-industry fracking water amid protests
Associated Press
Environmental officials in New Mexico took initial steps Monday toward regulating the treatment and reuse of oil industry fracking water as the state grapples with scarce water supplies and fossil fuel producers confront shrinking opportunities for wastewater disposal. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Too much water, and not enough: Brazil’s flooded south struggles to access basic goods
Associated Press
The mayor of a major city in southern Brazil on Tuesday pleaded with residents to comply with his water rationing decree, given that some four-fifths of the population is without running water, a week after major flooding. Click here to continue reading
Irrigation season starts in southern Alberta
Global News
“As irrigation season goes on, we’re going to make changes to it depending on how much rain we get”. David Westwood from Saint Mary River Irrigation District says it will be a demanding season ahead, but he is still optimistic. Click here to continue reading
Group looking to save Alberta wetland from becoming a racetrack launches a legal battle
CTV News
Residents looking to save a portion of land near an Alberta hamlet from becoming a racetrack have launched a legal battle against a provincially run appeals board and the Alberta government. Local landowners are against the idea, saying it would destroy two critical wetlands. Click here to continue reading
Short and Long Term Solutions for Alberta’s Water Crisis
Alberta Land Institute
Despite recent snowfall in parts of the province, Alberta remains at risk of facing drought this spring and summer. The province operates under a water licencing system that complicates water allocation in times of scarcity. Click here to continue reading
Opinion: Saskatchewan farmers take responsible approach to drainage
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
These salts are inherently found in our soil and come to the surface (in solution form) when ground water levels are high. When the ground water evaporates, the soluble salts are left behind, creating an imbalance in the soil, which is not favourable for most plants. Click here to continue reading
Alberta towns offer incentives to replace grass lawns with drought-resistant alternatives
Global News
Cochrane resident Rebecca Carroll’s front yard used to be covered in grass that needed watering. It now brims with rock material, mulch and drought resistant plants. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: NSW weather: Warragamba dam spills over as heavy rainfall warning issued for south coast
The Guardian
Sydney’s Warragamba dam began spilling over for the second time in a month on Sunday after heavy downpours across New South Wales. WaterNSW has confirmed the dam began spilling at 7.30am after widespread rain across the city’s catchments. Click here to continue reading
These Nova Scotians say they felt tricked into paying thousands for water systems
CBC
For Natalie Lent, every day in her home feels like a boil water advisory since she only uses bottled water, even for cooking. But there has been no official warning. In fact, the Nova Scotia woman has three new filtration systems for her well water, valued at nearly $12,000, collecting dust. Click here to continue reading
‘Water, water, water’: Ontario housing minister says $1B infrastructure fund will help cities and towns like Collingwood pay for water, wastewater projects
Simcoe News
‘We literally heard from 444 municipalities that they can’t build 1.5 million homes without water and wastewater’. During a recent stop in Collingwood, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra said the key to the province’s growth plan over the decade is simple: “Water, water, water.”. Click here to continue reading
Indigenous community members walk around Pigeon Lake to raise awareness for water issues
CBC
Every Mother’s Day weekend, members of Indigenous communities make a long journey around Pigeon Lake as part of a Water Awareness Walk. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Supercharged thunderstorms: have we underestimated how climate change drives extreme rain and floods?
The Conversation – United States
A hotter atmosphere has the capacity to hold more moisture. But the condensation of water vapour to make rain droplets releases heat. This, in turn, can fuel stronger convection in thunderstorms, which can then dump substantially more rain. Click here to continue reading
CELA and OMWA call for action to reduce lead amounts in Ontario drinking water
Water Canada
Ontario’s lead in drinking water standard remains too high to protect public health. Lead is a serious public health concern, especially for children and older adults. Despite Health Canada’s expert recommendation that the lead in drinking water standard be lowered to 5 ug/L five years ago, Ontario’s standard remains twice that level, at 10 ug/L. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Farmers’ union lobbied to increase pesticide limit in UK drinking water
The Guardian
“The suggestion that pesticide residues in water should be allowed to increase is very concerning, particularly at a time when much of our freshwater is already in very poor condition, not least from agricultural runoff”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Will Mexico City Run Out of Water?
Scientific American
The global press recently warned that as early as June 2024, Mexico City, home to 22 million people, could face “Day Zero—the complete loss of fresh water at the taps. The situation on the ground, although dire, is more nuanced. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Costa Rica to ration electricity as drought bites
Phys.org
Costa Rica has become the latest Latin American country to introduce rationing due to drought, announcing Thursday it will limit access to electricity for which it relies heavily on hydro-generation. Dams that feed the country’s hydro-electric plants were low due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, officials said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Kenya floods: as the costs add up pressure mounts on a country in economic crisis
The Conversation – Africa
There were early warnings that Kenya’s long rain season – between March and May – was going to bring above-normal rainfall. The extreme intensity of the rain has resulted in devastating floods in many parts of the country. Forty of the country’s 47 counties have been affected. Click here to continue reading
Drought signs raise fears of another fish die-off in B.C. rivers
CBC
Scientists and others like Shepherd worry that climate change and the threat of another year of drought could have further dire consequences for populations of salmon, trout and other fish in B.C. “Water is life, water is our kin and the water is the home and habitat for more than fish. We are all connected, everything is connected,” Shepherd said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Disease and hunger soar in Latin America after floods and drought, study finds
The Guardian
In a summary of last year’s toll in this region, the WMO said disasters and climate change, along with socioeconomic shocks, are the main drivers of acute food insecurity, which affects 13.8 million people. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: In Millions of Homes, High Fluoride in Tap Water May Be a Concern
Undark Magazine
Many cities add low levels of fluoride to drinking water in a bid to prevent tooth decay, but the policy has long been controversial. Lost in that debate are the roughly 3 million Americans whose water naturally contains higher concentrations of fluoride — often at levels that even some fluoridation advocates now acknowledge could have neurodevelopmental effects. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Barcelona is banking on a floating desalination plant to fight drought in northeastern Spain
EuroNews Green
Local authorities say it is a more economical and environmentally sustainable solution than shipping in water. Spain’s drought-stricken region of Catalonia will install a floating desalination plant to help the city of Barcelona guarantee its drinking water supply, regional authorities said Thursday. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Payment plans key for solar water pumping in Sub-Saharan Africa
PV Magazine
If solar-powered irrigation pumps can be rolled out in a responsible manner at scale, the impact on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa could be transformational. The urgency of the climate crisis is felt across sub-Saharan Africa. As droughts and floods become more common and severe, crops fail and traditional rain-fed agriculture is becoming increasingly unreliable. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’
The Conversation – United States
“When it rains, it pours” once was a metaphor for bad things happening in clusters. Now it’s becoming a statement of fact about rainfall in a changing climate. Across the continental U.S., intense single-day precipitation events are growing more frequent, fueled by warming air that can hold increasing levels of moisture. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’
Phys.org
“When it rains, it pours” once was a metaphor for bad things happening in clusters. Now it’s becoming a statement of fact about rainfall in a changing climate. Across the continental U.S., intense single-day precipitation events are growing more frequent, fueled by warming air that can hold increasing levels of moisture. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: From treatment to tap: discovering the secrets of pathogen survival in drinking water systems
EurekAlert!
Before it even touches our lips, drinking water is purified through a series of processes referred to as the “treatment train” at a centralized treatment plant. Utilities then add a disinfectant like chlorine or chloramine to the water to control the regrowth of microorganisms in both the distribution system and building plumbing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Turning Water into Land: Major Landfill Projects Around the World
ArchDaily
The idea of transforming water into land has captivated humanity for centuries. The Netherlands, for example, is a pioneering nation in this field, where approximately 20% of the territory has been reclaimed from the sea or lakes using dikes to control water flow and dry the surfaces. As technology has advanced, this practice has become more widespread. Today, China leads the way, joined by urban centers in the global south, such as cities in West Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Worried about flood damage to your home? Here’s what you can do
Global News
Despite a dry winter for much of Canada, attention is turning to flood risk as the country thaws out and spring storms blow in.
Environment Canada warned of heavy rainfall sweeping most of southern Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan through Wednesday. Already this year, heavy rain prompted evacuations in New Brunswick as well as flooding in Quebec. Click here to continue reading
Algonquin leaders seek answers on toxic sewage discharge at nuclear lab
CBC
Algonquin leaders are demanding accountability after learning Canadian Nuclear Laboratories discharged toxic sewage at the Chalk River research hub along the Ottawa River this spring. Click here to continue reading
Drought and Flood Protection Program now open
Government of Alberta
Alberta’s new Drought and Flood Protection Program is now accepting applications for projects to help protect homes, businesses and lives. Click here to continue reading
Fear of sinking real estate values hinders flood mapping
National Observer
Along Canadian coastlines and waterfronts, increased erosion, storm surges and rising seas are putting more homes at risk of flooding. However, an East Coast researcher has found many people oppose flood-risk mapping because they fear their real estate will be devalued. Click here to continue reading
York Region annual drinking water inspection receives top marks for fifth straight year
Water Canada
The Regional Municipality of York scored 100% in Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks drinking water system inspections, confirming York Region’s high-quality water and excellent compliance with regulatory requirements. Click here to continue reading
Some Alberta farmers might get a perfect storm, but the downpour’s not good news for all
CBC
Environment and Climate Change Canada is expecting a “ton” of rain for eastern, central and southern Alberta. Some communities in the southern part of the province are forecast to receive a third of their annual rain accumulation between Tuesday and Wednesday. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Texas Companies Eye Pecos River Watershed for Oilfield Wastewater
Inside Climate News
Texas regulators are issuing permits to discharge treated produced water. But questions remain about toxic pollutants in the wastewater. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: NASA-Led Study Provides New Global Accounting of Earth’s Rivers
NASA JPL
A study led by NASA researchers provides new estimates of how much water courses through Earth’s rivers, the rates at which it’s flowing into the ocean, and how much both of those figures have fluctuated over time — crucial information for understanding the planet’s water cycle and managing its freshwater supplies. Underlying research paper: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01421-5. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Parched Texas growing season looms as US, Mexico spar over water treaty
Reuters
Texas farm groups warn of a disastrous season ahead for citrus and sugar as Mexican and U.S. officials try to resolve a dispute over a decades-old water treaty that supplies U.S. farmers with critical irrigation.
The neighboring countries have tussled over the 1944 treaty before, but the current drought-driven water shortages are the most severe in nearly 30 years and add to existing political tensions over genetically modified corn. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Northumbrian Water told to publish raw sewage discharge data it tried to hide
The Guardian
A water company that tried to keep secret details of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of raw sewage discharges into the sea has been ordered by an appeal tribunal to release the data in the public interest. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘We know the state is not going to help us’: Why residents of Jackson, Mississippi are still fighting for clean water
Fast Company
The roots of Jackson’s water crisis lie in decades of disinvestment and neglect. Like many other midsize cities around the country, such as Pittsburgh and St. Louis, Jackson declined after white, middle-class residents relocated to the suburbs, taking tax dollars away from infrastructure in increasing need of repair. Click here to continue reading
Long waitlists for rain barrels as drought, water restriction concerns loom over Calgary
Calgary Herald
“Awareness is there that we need to collect our rainwater so that we are able to water our plants and not use (tap water), understanding how valuable our tap water is.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Brazil floods: Dam collapses and death toll rises in Rio Grande do Sul
BBC News
A hydroelectric dam has collapsed in southern Brazil after days of heavy rains that triggered massive flooding, killing more than 30 people. Click here to continue reading
Ontario Ministry of Health promises to continue public testing of private well water
Cottage Life
After weeks of questions from opposition critics and public health units surrounding an Auditor General’s report that noted a possible discontinuation of public testing of well water, the Ministry of Health says it intends to keep free well water testing in the province. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Oil palm plantations are driving massive downstream impact to watershed
Phys.org
While many studies have shown the loss of biodiversity when rainforests are converted to oil palm plantations, researchers at the University of Massachusetts of Amherst are the first to show far-reaching and wide-ranging disturbances to the watersheds in which such plantations occur. Because many Indigenous peoples rely on water downstream from the plantations for their daily needs, the marked decrease in water quality has the potential to exacerbate public health issues in Indigenous communities. Click here to continue reading
Lawn watering restrictions begin today in Metro Vancouver
Vancouver Sun
Lawn watering restrictions are now in effect throughout Metro Vancouver. The regional district is reminding residents and businesses that they may only water their lawns one morning a week to conserve drinking water ahead of what is expected to be a hot and dry summer. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Morocco’s farming revolution: Defying drought with science
Phys.org
By 2040, Morocco is poised to face “extremely high” water stress, a dire prediction from the World Resources Institute, a non-profit research organization. Looking to maximize production, farmers are experimenting with planting times and judicious irrigation. Even a scant 10 millimeters of water, carefully applied, transformed barren soil into thriving fields. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management
Phys.org
Death and destruction have also occurred in the capital, Nairobi, a stark reminder of the persistent failure to keep abreast of the city’s rapid urbanization needs. Sean Avery, who has undertaken numerous flood and drainage studies throughout Africa, unpacks the problems and potential solutions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Precipitation may brighten Colorado River’s future, says modeling study
Phys.org
The Colorado River’s future may be a little brighter than expected, according to a new modeling study from CIRES researchers. Warming temperatures, which deplete water in the river, have raised doubts the Colorado River could recover from a multi-decade drought. The new study fully accounts for both rising temperatures and precipitation in the Colorado’s headwaters, and finds precipitation, not temperature, will likely continue to dictate the flow of the river for the next 25 years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Big River Watch: public to monitor UK and Irish rivers for pollution
The Guardian
People in Britain and Ireland are being asked to monitor their local rivers for pollution so a leading water charity can measure the scale of the sewage crisis. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Severe Drought in Southern Africa
NASA Earth Observatory
A prolonged dry spell in southern Africa in early 2024 scorched crops and threatened food security for millions of people. The drought has been fueled in large part by the ongoing El Niño, which shifted rainfall patterns during the growing season.From late January through mid-March, parts of Southern Africa received half or less of their typical rainfall, according to researchers at the Climate Hazards Center. Precipitation would normally be highest from December through February. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: El Niño weather is leading to droughts and power cuts in South America
NPR
A drought, brought about by the El Niño weather pattern, has upended life in several South American cities this year, with consequences that include water rationing and power cuts as well as forest fires.But a long spell of dry weather that began in November has depleted the reservoirs that the city depends on for its tap water, leading officials to ration water in the city of 8 million people for the first time in decades. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Texas Flood Map Shows Where Residents Told to Evacuate
Newsweek
A flood map showed where in Harris County, Texas, residents should evacuate as heavy rain caused major flooding along the Trinity River on Tuesday night. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Children of Flint water crisis make change as young environmental and health activists
Associated Press
Flint reconnected to its old water line shortly afterward, but pipes continued to release lead. The state provided residents filters and bottled water.“I felt responsible for forcing my child to drink something that was hurting her so bad, and I didn’t believe her”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Improved AI process could better predict water supplies
EurekAlert!
A new computer model uses a better artificial intelligence process to measure snow and water availability more accurately across vast distances in the West, information that could someday be used to better predict water availability for farmers and others. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A virus could help save billions of gallons of wastewater produced by fracking E
EurekAlert!
Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have identified a novel means of treating the wastewater generated by oil and gas production: bacteriophages. If the work is successful, it would give the oil and gas industry a means of treating, reusing and recycling produced water, rather than the current industry practice of disposing the majority of produced water by injecting it into the ground post oil exploration. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Study says California’s 2023 snowy rescue from megadrought was a freak event. Don’t get used to it
Phys.org
Looking at different scenarios of emissions of heat-trapping gases in the future, she said it would be “increasingly rare” for most people alive now to see snow like this in California in the future. Her team’s calculations show that these 1-in-20 year deluges will be 58% smaller by the end of this century compared to recent decades, with even just moderate climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘A serious risk’: Mexican villagers take on cartel-backed avocado farms as water dries up
EuroNews Green
After enduring years of drought and ‘invading’ fruit farmers in Mexico, desperate Mexican villagers are taking direct action on commercial avocado farms that are drying up streams while a severe drought drags on. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Is Russia ready for climate change? Mass floods expose lack of adaptation, campaigners say
EuroNews Green
Mass floods in Russia have thrown a spotlight on the country’s approach to managing the increasing risks it faces from climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Dozens dead after dam bursts amid torrential rain in Kenya
The Guardian
At least 45 people died when a makeshift dam burst its banks near a town in Kenya’s Rift valley in the early hours of Monday, police said, as torrential rains and floods hit the country. Click here to continue reading
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority partners with Dalhousie to deliver world-class water treatment
Water Canada
The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority (AFNWA) made history in 2018 by incorporating as the first Indigenous-owned and -led water utility in Canada. It was a significant step for First Nations in the region toward self-determination and control of the resource that is central to the health of their communities and protection of the environment. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Rain gardens and bathwater reuse becoming trends, RHS says
The Guardian
Rain gardens and bathwater are becoming gardening trends, the Royal Horticultural Society has said, as gardeners battle predicted water shortages caused by climate breakdown. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Managing meandering waterways in a changing world
Science Daily
Just as water moves through a river, rivers themselves move across the landscape. They carve valleys and canyons, create floodplains and deltas, and transport sediment from the uplands to the ocean. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Water everywhere’: Shropshire farmers race to salvage harvest after record rain
The Guardian
In north Shropshire, Ed Tate is used to flooding on his land – but this year, the sheer level of rainfall is the worst he has ever seen. He points to a field where about 20% of wheat crops have failed as they have been covered with rainwater that has pooled in muddy puddles, in areas that would usually be a sea of green by now. Click here to continue reading
B.C. farmers determined to get out in front of drought
National Observer
A staggering 95 per cent of B.C.’s agricultural land is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions. “I live just off the South Thompson [River] here and I’ve never seen it so low. I don’t think there’s much of the river that you can’t walk across right now”. Click here to continue reading
Fear over fate of Glenbow, Haskayne Parks as province seeks input on Bow River flood mitigation
Calgary Herald
A public input process to help determine flood mitigation measures on the Bow River that could devastate two parks is being rushed, says an advocate for Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Global heating and urbanisation to blame for severity of UAE floods, study finds
The Guardian
Scientists from the World Weather Attribution team said downpours in El Niño years such as this one had become 10-40% heavier in the region as a result of human-cased climate disruption, while a lack of natural drainage quickly turned roads into rivers. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: California sets long-awaited drinking water limit for ‘Erin Brockovich’ contaminant
Associated Press
The rule is the first in the nation to specifically target the heavy metal, known as chromium-6, and is expected to reduce the number of cancer and kidney disease cases from long-term ingestion, state officials say. More than 200 million Americans are estimated to have the chemical compound in their drinking water, according to an analysis of federal water testing data by the Environmental Working Group. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba First Nation sues governments over chronic flooding, wants protection
CTV News
The lawsuit also alleges two nearby municipalities diverted water from their areas to improve drainage, but in a way that added to flooding on the reserve’s land. Click here to continue reading
The longer spilled oil lingers in freshwater, the more persistent compounds it produces
EurekAlert!
Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers and oceans. Approximately 600,000 gallons of oil were accidentally spilled into the environment in 2023, according to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, a group that monitors oil spills. This figure represents ocean spills as well as freshwater spills in rivers and lakes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Is filtered water healthier than tap water?
BBC News
Table-top filters can remove contaminants from tap water – but are they really necessary, and could they cause unintentional harm? Proponents argue that filtering water can bring about numerous benefits, from removing toxins and pathogens to reducing hardness and improving odour and taste. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Mexican communities fighting for water
Associated Press
As a drought in Mexico drags on, angry subsistence farmers have begun taking direct action on the water-intensive avocado orchards and berry fields of commercial farms that are drying up streams in the mountains west of Mexico City. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Flint residents grapple with water crisis a decade later: ‘If we had the energy left, we’d cry’
The Guardian
Studies later showed that after officials changed Flint’s water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, the percentage of children with elevated levels of lead levels in their blood doubled – and in some parts of the city, tripled. “Flint was a poor community and majority people of color,” Harris said. “If it had been in another community – a majority white or more affluent community – I think actions would have been taken much sooner”. Click here to continue reading
Province asks all southern Alberta municipalities to reduce water usage
Calgary Herald
The province is “strongly encouraging” southern Alberta municipalities not participating in recently signed water-sharing agreements to decrease usage and implement reduction measures.
The request comes after the Alberta government signed four voluntary deals with 38 major southern Alberta water users last week.“We’ve made it clear to everybody as we go to these water restrictions, everybody needs to abide by them,” said Snodgrass. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water theft laws and penalties in the Murray-Darling Basin are a dog’s breakfast. Here’s how we can fix them
The Conversation – Australia
Water is one of Australia’s most valuable commodities. Rights to take water from our nation’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, are worth almost A$100 billion. These rights can be bought and sold or leased, with trade exceeding A$2 billion a year. But water is also being stolen (no-one knows how much) and the thieves usually get away with it. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate change makes life harder: in South Africa it’s likely to bring heatwaves, water stress and gender-based violence
The Conversation – Africa
South Africa is feeling the impacts of global warming. Heat is frequent and more intense. Human-induced climate change made the severe 2015–2017 drought three to six times more likely. But climate change also doubled the likelihood of the heavy rain that hit parts of South Africa in April 2022, which led to 400 people being killed and many thousands forced to flee their homes. Click here to continue reading
High and dry: Federal budget 2024 misses the mark on water-related investments
The Conversation – Canada
Across the country, Canadians are worried as they look ahead to summer. Forest fires in British Columbia are expected to begin earlier and last longer this year and severe multi-year droughts are forecast for the Prairies. Other Canadians are also bracing themselves for — or are already experiencing — extreme flood conditions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Removing PFAS from public water systems will cost billions and take time – here are ways you can filter out harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home
The Conversation – Africa
Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. But in recent years, the growing number of health risks found to be connected to these chemicals has become increasingly alarming. PFAS – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are now either suspected or known to contribute to thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol, liver damage and cancer, among other health issues. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Workers attempt to repair a water main break in Jackson, Miss.
The Conversation
Climate change is threatening America’s water infrastructure as intensifying storms deluge communities and droughts dry up freshwater supplies in regions that aren’t prepared. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Zimbabwe: El Niño drought causes major drop in Lake Kariba levels – a disaster for people and wildlife
The Conversation – Africa
Water levels at Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe have dropped dramatically because of the latest El Niño drought. The country’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has declared a national disaster. Historian and social scientist Joshua Matanzima grew up at Lake Kariba and has spent the past 10 years researching socioeconomic life there. He discusses the impact of the latest drought on the people of the area. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Angry farmers in a once-lush Mexican state target avocado orchards that suck up too much water
Toronto Star
As a drought in Mexico drags on, angry subsistence farmers have begun taking direct action on thirsty avocado orchards and berry fields of commercial farms that are drying up streams in the mountains west of Mexico City. Click here to continue reading
For First Nations in Alberta, drought only compounds existing water issues
CBC
It’s a reality faced by many First Nations in Alberta, even without the drought — limited access to safe drinking water due to a variety of factors, including lack of funding, infrastructure or source water protection, while caught in jurisdictional tension between the federal and provincial government. The situation is one of the legacies of colonialism. Click here to continue reading
Drought concern prompts water cap on Kelowna farmers
Global News
Concerns about water supply are coming to a head in Kelowna, as the city is putting a cap on water usage this summer for local farmers. As Jayden Wasney reports, some local cherry farmers fear this could decimate their already endangered crops. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: After Zerodha founder’s bold suggestion on Bengaluru water crisis, 300 phone calls in a day and a big debate
Economic Times
“I believe decentralized solutions that upgrade residential STP (sewage treatment plants) discharge could be the next frontier. It’s an opportunity to close the loop on our water cycle. The water crisis is a wake-up call to reimagine how we manage every drop. Initiatives that transform wastewater from a liability into a resource hold immense promise for sustainable urban water security.”. Click here to continue reading
Taps turned off for those who defy watering rules: Merritt mayor
CBC
The whole point is to make sure there’s water later in the season, when things could be more dire. “It’s really simple. If you don’t have water, you don’t have a town. It’s that simple. It’s over.”. Click here to continue reading
Water restrictions mean no top-ups for Calgary’s manmade lakes starting June 1
CityNews Calgary
“We are a closed system at Lake Sundance, so we are not directly connected to any of the local rivers or tributaries,” she said. “Yes, drought would affect our lake levels, because we’re just the same as the province with precipitation and not seeing the snowfall and rainfall we were hoping to.”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New radar analysis method can improve winter river safety
Science Daily
“Arctic warming has changed the ways rivers freeze and has impacted rural winter river travel due to later freeze-ups, mid-winter open water zones and earlier breakups,” the authors write. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Untreated sewage: Some 20m tonnes spilled every year
BBC News
“Northern Ireland is the only jurisdiction in the whole of the UK and Ireland without real-time water quality reports, so that’s something that we’re trying to get more of over here. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Scientists discover that the natural purification of groundwater is enhanced by nitrate
Phys.org
In recent years, the world has been experiencing floods and droughts as extreme rainfall events have become more frequent due to climate change. For this reason, securing stable water resources throughout the year has become a national responsibility called “water security,” and “Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR)”, which stores water in the form of groundwater in the ground when water resources are available and withdraws it when needed, is attracting attention as an effective water resource management technique. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Montreal-area teen visits Kenya to see wells he helped build from home
CTV News
Joshua Morin-Surette learned about the importance of clean water when he was seven years old. Since then, he’s dedicated his free time to raising money to build wells in Kenya. In March, he got to see the fruits of his labour for the first time ever. Click here to continue reading
USask celebrates launch of Canada’s freshwater monitoring network
Water Canada
Led by USask in partnership with eight other Canadian universities, The Global Water Futures Observatories (GWFO) is a network of freshwater monitoring and observation stations placed strategically across Canada. GWFO consists of 64 instrumented basins, lakes, rivers and wetlands, 15 deployable measurement systems and 18 state-of-the-art water laboratories which collectively serve as a national scientific freshwater observation network for Canada’s critical freshwater systems. Click here to continue reading
Ontario Investing $289,000 in Youth Stewardship of Lake Simcoe
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing over $289,000 in three projects that are engaging local youth and community members in environmental stewardship activities like workshops, field trips and other educational opportunities focused on restoring the Lake Simcoe watershed. Click here to continue reading
University of Windsor signs on to national water observatory network
Water Canada
Participating in a new nationwide scientific freshwater observatory will help to secure the University of Windsor as a leader in freshwater research, says Aaron Fisk. Click here to continue reading
AHS issues boil water advisory for Rocky View County
CTV News
A boil water advisory was issued Friday night for residences supplied by Salt Box Coulee Waterworks System in Rocky View County. The advisory was issued just before 11 p.m. Friday evening. The advisory is in effect until further notice. Click here to continue reading
Alberta irrigation districts to favour ‘high value’ crops
The Western Producer
Southern Alberta’s 11 irrigation districts will reallocate water towards high value, high water crops such as potatoes, sugar beets and corn in order to fulfil an agreement to do more with less water, said the chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Drone video shows Western Australia’s forests dying in heat and drought
The Guardian
Video shows trees and shrubs along Western Australia’s south-west coastline turning brown after Perth recorded it hottest and driest six months since records began. Click here to continue reading
‘Every drop counts’: City of Calgary encouraging residents to reduce water usage
CTV News
The City of Calgary has announced its implementation of a water reductions advisory, which will go into effect immediately as a way of encouraging Calgarians to voluntarily reduce their water usage.
“At the City of Calgary, we’ve continued to reduce our water use and look for more ways to conserve water in our day-to-day operations”. Click here to continue reading
Alberta announces what it says are the largest water-sharing agreements in its history
CBC
Alberta has concluded its negotiations with major water licence holders and is now outlining what it calls the largest water-sharing agreements in Alberta’s 118-year history.
On Friday, the province released the first details of four agreements. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Researcher studies worst western US megadrought in 1,200 years
Phys.org
Drylands in the western United States are currently in the grips of a 23-year “megadrought,” and one West Virginia University researcher is working to gain a better understanding of this extreme climate event. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New study shows how quickly surface water moves to groundwater reservoirs across Australia
Phys.org
A new study from Charles Darwin University (CDU), Monash University and The University of Newcastle has presented almost 100,000 estimates of groundwater recharge rates across Australia, by far the largest known database of its kind. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: US lawmakers Elizabeth Warren and Ro Khanna seek to ban trade in water rights
The Guardian
Water-futures trading allows investors – including hedge funds, farmers and municipalities – to trade water and water rights as a commodity, similar to oil or gold. The practice is currently limited to California, where the world’s first water futures market was launched. So far, the market hasn’t taken off, dampened by the reality that the physical trade of water in the state has been limited. After a couple of wet years in California, the price of water futures has also plummeted. Click here to continue reading
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
CTV News
“Definitely U.S. EPA has taken a leap forward in this direction,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca, noting no international standards exist. “So I would say that if we have set up higher limits here for the Canadian citizens, definitely we are exposing them more, or making them more vulnerable to these chemicals.”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: What are the main challenges to water quality in Asia?
Envirotech
The quality of water varies significantly across Asia, complicating efforts to analyse and address pollution. While India and China have made strides in establishing comprehensive monitoring systems, other countries lag behind due to insufficient data. This disparity hampers the ability of nations to implement effective remedial measures, especially in transboundary water bodies. Click here to continue reading
Agriculture has historically ravaged wetlands. These farmers are trying to change that
The Narwhal
“A lot of the wetlands are dried up, and we’ve got cracks in the ground,” Guilford says. “That’s never a good sign.” Despite the day’s downpour, it’s been a dry couple of years for the Guilfords. Their 1,200-acre ranch, nestled in the rolling hills and winding streams of Manitoba’s Pembina Valley, has faced an extreme drought, per the Canadian drought monitor, since March. The abnormally dry conditions, though, have been around since late 2022. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: California cracks down on water pumping: ‘The ground is collapsing’
The Guardian
California cracks down on water pumping: ‘The ground is collapsing’
Farm region near Tulare Lake has been put on ‘probation’ as overpumping of water has caused faster sinking of ground.
Even after two back-to-back wet years, California’s water wars are far from over. On Tuesday, state water officials took an unprecedented step to intervene in the destructive pumping of depleted groundwater in the state’s sprawling agricultural heartland. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Reeling under water crisis, women of village near Bisalpur dam to boycott polls
The Times of India
The Bisalpur dam on the Banas River in Tonk district, over 140km from Jaipur, serves as the lifeline for the residents of the state capital by providing drinking water. Barely 20km from the dam lies a small village named Jaikmabad, falling under the Chanbassuriya gram panchayat of Todaraisingh panchayat samiti. Despite being so close to the dam, the village is reeling under an acute water crisis. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Live eco-feedback in showers could help the tourism industry cut water use, according to study
EurekAlert!
Analysis showed that shower water runtime was 77 seconds quicker (25.79 per cent) in the group that received continuous, real-time eco-feedback than in the group that received no feedback. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water levels in Russia’s Kurgan cross ‘dangerous’ levels
Channel News Asia
The water level in the Tobol River around the city of Kurgan in Russia’s southern Urals has exceeded the “dangerous level” mark, RIA state news agency reported on Wednesday (Apr 17), citing local authorities. The river in the city, which is the administrative centre of the broader Kurgan region straddling the Tobol River near the border with Kazakhstan, rose by 12cm in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, reaching 865cm, RIA reported. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Sink to source: Does what we put into our plumbing end up back in the water supply?
EurekAlert!
In areas with large numbers of on-site domestic wastewater treatment systems within 200 meters of at least one direct pathway into the underlying aquifer, the team detected high concentrations of fluorescent whitening compounds and microplastics. When fluorescent whitening compounds, which definitely come from humans, and microplastics rise and fall together in water samples, that covariation indicates that microplastic contamination is probably coming from wastewater. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Apple ramps up investment in clean energy and water around the world
Apple Newsroom
As part of its broader environmental efforts, Apple also advanced progress toward another ambitious 2030 goal: to replenish 100 percent of the fresh water used in corporate operations in high-stress locations. This includes launching new partnerships to deliver nearly 7 billion gallons in water benefits — from restoring aquifers and rivers, to funding access to drinking water — over the next 20 years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: U.A.E. hit with heaviest rain ever recorded in the country
CBC
Storm dumps 142 mm of rainfall, easily surpassing the country’s annual average of 94.7 mm. The desert nation of the United Arab Emirates attempted to dry out Wednesday from the heaviest rain ever recorded there after a deluge flooded out Dubai International Airport, disrupting flights through the world’s busiest airfield for international travel. Click here to continue reading
Kirkland Lake declares state of emergency due to flooding
Water Canada
Mayor of the Town of Kirkland Lake, declared an emergency in accordance with the Emergency Management Act 2003, s.4(1) due to the following emergency: Flooding event resulting in the Town’s sanitary system surcharging due to the overflowing of Murdoch Creek. Click here to continue reading
Frozen water and dry conditions a concern for central Alberta firefighting department
CBC
Alberta firefighters are bracing for another destructive wildfire season as still-frozen bodies of water present their own obstacle to firefighting. Regional fire chief and manager of emergency management for Lac La Biche County, said Tuesday that aircraft in the area would face difficulty sourcing water if a large fire were to erupt now. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Colombia’s capital announces new measures to cut water consumption as dry weather persists
Associated Press
In a statement aired by local media, Bogotá’s Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said homes that use more than 22 cubic meters of water per month will have to pay additional fees. He also threatened to impose fines of up to $300 on people who wash their cars on the streets or conduct other activities that are deemed to be a waste of water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Golden-hour water use efficiency: Pioneering crop productivity and sustainability in the face of water scarcity
EurekAlert!
A research team has shed light on the early morning ‘golden hours’ as a pivotal time for achieving optimal water use efficiency (WUE) in crops, revealing that plants can maintain lower transpiration rates and higher photosynthetic activity under favorable light conditions and minimal vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Switch to green wastewater infrastructure could reduce emissions and provide huge savings according to new research
Science Daily
Researchers have shown that a transition to green wastewater-treatment approaches in the U.S. that leverages the potential of carbon-financing could save a staggering $15.6 billion and just under 30 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions over 40 years. Click here to continue reading
Drought puts Alberta farmers at risk of another scourge of grasshoppers
CBC
Dealing with drought conditions at his farm near the town of Bow Island in southern Alberta last year, he could see the insects hopping all over the fields where he grows lentils, durum wheat, canola and beans. Click here to continue reading
Drought-resistant mosquito brings earlier possibility of West Nile virus to Alberta
Global News
“We are in a drought so you would expect the mosquito population overall would be lower this year. A local expert on mosquitoes says a drought this summer may not bring the relief it used to from the hungry insects. Click here to continue reading
Pictou Country to receive wastewater upgrades
Water Canada
“Pictou is a vibrant community with tremendous opportunity for continued growth and today’s investment will ensure the residents and businesses of Salem have access to an upgraded wastewater system so they can continue to grow and thrive”. The Salem wastewater extension project includes the construction of a wastewater collection and pumping system to serve part of the community. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Record number of river barriers removed across Europe in 2023
The Guardian
Europe removed a record number of dams and other barriers from its rivers in 2023, a report has found, helping to restore its disturbed waterways to their natural states. Nearly 500 barriers were taken out of European rivers last year, according to figures compiled by Dam Removal Europe, an increase of 50% from the year before. Click here to continue reading
Higher water rates, rebates part of Lethbridge water conservation plan
CBC
With drought conditions still persistent across southern Alberta, the City of Lethbridge is putting its options on the table with a new water conservation plan. One of those options is charging some residents more for their water use. The plan aims to reduce water use by 20 per cent by 2030. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Africa’s iconic flamingos threatened by rising lake levels
Science Daily
It is one of the world’s most spectacular sights — huge flocks or ‘flamboyances’ of flamingos around East Africa’s lakes — as seen in the film Out of Africa or David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet. But new research has revealed how the lesser flamingo is at danger of being flushed out of its historic feeding grounds, with serious consequences for the future of the species. Click here to continue reading
Community near proposed quarry wants project crushed
National Observer
A coalition of Milton residents is calling on the Ford government to stop the construction of a quarry northwest of Toronto. The group argues that the project, spearheaded by James Dick Construction Ltd. (JDCL), poses environmental risks, threatens local water sources, endangers wildlife habitats and raises serious safety and health concerns for the community. Click here to continue reading
School uncovers buried stream, transforms its schoolyard
CBC
Buried under cities across Canada, in culverts and tunnels, are networks of rivers and streams that once nourished the surrounding landscapes. Now, there are efforts to uncover or “daylight” some of them, restoring habitat for plants and animals, while helping prevent urban flooding. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As Thailand revels in Songkran water fights, tourist hub Samui suffers through drought
The Guardian
Residents say taps can stop running for days, causing disruption to businesses and daily life. “The water hasn’t run for two and a half days now,” says Wachirawut Kulaphetkamthorn, who has been unable to use his shower. “Last year, the water came every other day, but this week, it hasn’t run for 2-3 days in a row”. Click here to continue reading
Date of fluoride reintroduction in Calgary’s water supply pushed back a second time
CBC
Calgary’s water supply will be without fluoridation for almost another year after a second delay to a construction project needed to reintroduce the mineral. Calgary began fluoridating the city’s water supply in 1991. This continued until 2011, when city council voted to discontinue the addition of fluoride. Click here to continue reading
Ingenium calls for clean water solutions with the 2024 innovation Challenge
Water Canada
Ingenium is tapping into the creativity of young Canadians to inspire solutions to mitigate the disparities many face around clean water and sanitation – in Canada, and globally. With the support of the Ingenium Foundation, the second edition of the Innovation Challenge brings together 150 young adults from across the country – in-person and online – to compete in the development of a digital prototype that raises awareness in youth aged 9-12 to better understand how their actions affect wastewater and sanitation systems. Click here to continue reading
Cranbrook implements new water usage rules in conservation effort
Water Canada
The most significant changes to outdoor water use going forward limits watering hours to a maximum of two hours between 5am and 10am OR 8pm and 11pm on your permitted watering days, during Stage 1 and Stage 2 watering restrictions. Under Stage 3 watering restrictions, you are allowed a maximum of one hour between 6am and 8am OR 8pm and 10pm. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Hawaii is ‘on the verge of catastrophe,’ locals say, as water crisis continues
CBS News
In Hawaii, one of the most important sayings is ola i ka wai, “water is life” — a phrase that not only sums up what it means to exist on an island, but what it means to live, period. But now, one of the largest of the island chain’s land masses is facing a triple threat to its sole freshwater source, and if it isn’t addressed soon, one community member says, “we’re in deep trouble”. Click here to continue reading
Calgary golf courses prepare for potential water restrictions ahead of 2024 season
CTV News
“As the water restrictions go through the different phases, we’ll start to see irrigation of rough grass come offline, then we’ll move into reducing the amount of irrigation on fairways, then to the tees,” Faber said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: One of the world’s highest cities starts rationing water for 9 million people
CNN
“Most cities around the world depend on aquifers for their water supplies. Bogota is different in that almost all our supply comes from surface waters like reservoirs, which are more susceptible to rain patterns,” said Armando Sarmiento, an ecology professor at Bogotá’s Javeriana University. Click here to continue reading
Adaptation Roadmap for the SSRB: Assessment of Strategic Water Management Projects to Support Economic Development in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSROM Phase 3) Final Report
WaterSMART Solutions
The South Saskatchewan River Operational Model (SSROM), is a comprehensive daily mass balance model which enables the comparison of adaptation strategies and evaluation of impacts across the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB). Click here to continue reading
Public candidates invited to serve on Great Lakes Water Quality advisory board
Water Canada
Are you an expert in water quality science and research, policy and governance, or environmental health? Do you want to help guide the future of Canada-United States cooperation on protecting and restoring the Great Lakes basin and transboundary ecosystems?. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Scientist helps link climate change to Madagascar’s megadrought
Science Daily
A University of California, Irvine-led team reveals a clear link between human-driven climate change and the years-long drought currently gripping southern Madagascar. Their study appears in the Nature journal Climate and Atmospheric Science. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A smarter city skyline for flood safety
Science Daily
With climate change and rising urbanization, the likelihood and severity of urban flooding are increasing. But not all city blocks are created equal. Researchers investigated how urban layout and building structures contribute to pedestrian safety during flooding. Based on their simulated results, the team recommends modifying building corners and protective block layouts to reduce pedestrian risk. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Russia and Kazakhstan evacuate tens of thousands amid worst floods in decades
The Guardian
Russia and Kazakhstan have ordered more than 100,000 people to evacuate after swiftly melting snow swelled rivers beyond bursting point in the worst flooding in the area for at least 70 years. The Ural, Europe’s third-largest river, which flows through Russia and Kazakhstan into the Caspian, burst through an embankment dam on Friday, flooding the city of Orsk, south of the Ural mountains. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Morocco drought: Satellite images show vital Al Massira reservoir is shrinking
BBC News
Morocco’s second-largest reservoir that serves some of its major cities and has been central to farm irrigation is drying up, according to satellite images analysed by the BBC. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Common loons threatened by declining water clarity
EurekAlert!
The paper is the first clear evidence demonstrating an effect of climate change on this charismatic species. Specifically, the paper shows that July rainfall results in reduced July water clarity in loon territories. Reduced water clarity, in turn, makes it difficult for adult loons to find and capture their prey (mainly small fishes) under water, so they are not able to meet their chicks’ metabolic needs. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How Kids In 40 Schools Saved 9 Million Gallons of Water During India’s Water Crisis
Good News Network
Environmentalist Dr. Hariharan Chandrashekhar began the Rain Reach program in Bengaluru schools after a spate of mass well digging rapidly depleted the water supplies to 8.5 million inhabitants, and around 40 schools inside the city. The program is introduced to kids aged 9 to 15 to ensure that they understand how to avoid wasting water from an early age and go on to build up a life-long habit. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Massive 6-month shutdown of critical water supply for South Africa – what you need to know
BusinessTech
The main water supply to South Africa’s economic hub, greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province, and to the country’s breadbasket in the Free State, is scheduled to be cut off for six months. Maintenance work on the 37 kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel is due to begin in October 2024. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: To generate clean energy from evaporating water, researchers played with a classic toy
Anthropocene Magazine
Their device produces enough electricity to power small electronics and can operate for several days using only 100 milliliters of water as fuel. Click here to continue reading
Gull Lake water levels continue to concern advocacy group
CBC
Facing the lowest water levels in decades and an impending drought season that threatens water supply across the province, a volunteer advocacy group fears for the worst for the future of one central Alberta lake. Click here to continue reading
Kelowna to employ new technology to repair sanitary sewer
Water Canada
This week, the City of Kelowna will begin a $7-million project to repair 2.7 km of sanitary sewer pipe using an innovative “trenchless” repair technology called Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP). The process will involve inserting a resin-soaked liner into a pipe and then exposing it to steam, which hardens the liner allowing it to become the new internal pipe. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Nearly half of US prisons draw water likely contaminated with toxic PFAS – report
The Guardian
Around 1m people, including 13,000 youths, especially vulnerable because they can do little to protect themselves, co-author says.Nearly half of US prisons draw water from sources likely contaminated with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals”, new research finds. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Flood risk in Lower Mainland will intensify by 2100: report
CBC
U.S. organization’s data predicts at least 325,000 Canadians will be at risk of annual flooding by 2100. A new sea level data map shows flood risk zones will extend higher and further inland on Canada’s coast, particularly impacting populated areas in parts of Metro Vancouver south of the Fraser River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle
Science Daily
Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture. Researchers enlisted water scientists from around the globe to write story-based scenarios about the possible futures humanity is facing but perhaps can’t quite comprehend yet. Click here to continue reading
2024 Water Allocation
St. Mary River Irrigation District
At the April 3, 2024 Annual General Meeting, the St. Mary River Irrigation District Board of Directors has set the water allocation for the 2024 year at 8 inches of water per acre at the farm gate. We will continue to review the Irrigation Water Supply Forecast supplied by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation and provide updates throughout the irrigation season. Click here to continue reading
Southern Alberta farmers allocated 50% less water than normal for 2024: SMRID
CTV News
hile farmers in southern Alberta will soon be gearing up to plant this year’s crops, those in the St. Mary’s River Irrigation District (SMRID) now know how much water they’ll be receiving.
On Wednesday, the SMRID revealed eight inches of water per acre will be allocated this summer – a drop of about 50 per cent compared to normal. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: For mining in arid regions to be responsible, we must change how we think about water
Science Daily
In an unprecedented study of the South American ‘Lithium Triangle,’ hydrologists discover that not all water responds the same way to environmental change and human use. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: These Entrancing Maps Capture Where the World’s Rivers Go
Smithsonian Magazine
Cartographer Robert Szucs uses satellite data to make art showing which oceans waterways empty into or stall on land and never make it to sea. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Las Vegas Is Going All In on Its Water Conservation Plan
Smithsonian Magazine
As the Southwest dries, can a city notorious for excess find a way to survive with less? Anything goes in Las Vegas, except excessive water use. Two decades ago, the city began to grapple with a reality that many other cities in the Southwest were trying to put off: Eventually, it could run out of water. Click here to continue reading
How can Canada deliver safe drinking water to First Nation communities? A Q&A with Wilfrid Laurier’s Sheri Longboat
Water Canada
“As a Haudenosaunee, Six Nations woman, I feel that I have a responsibility, now that I’m in the academy, to make place and space for others and dedicate my time to elevating Indigenous voices and supporting communities.There should be no reason to not have safe drinking water in every First Nation community”. Click here to continue reading
Wild fish spring to life in Lake Ontario, despite dams, pollution and hatchery competitors
The Narwhal
It’s springtime, which means migration and spawning for many Lake Ontario fish — and a good time to share the fascinating story of how many salmon and trout came to live in this Great Lake in the first place. Dams impeded spawning migrations, pollution from lumber mills and tanneries degraded water quality and clearing forests for urbanization and agriculture warmed waters. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: SUNY ESF leads groundbreaking research in groundwater’s role in ecosystem sustainability
EurekAlert!
Until now, groundwater – a critical water resource around the globe, especially in dry regions – has been largely unstudied in its importance and role in sustaining ecosystems. A new groundbreaking research effort led by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in partnership with University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Cardiff University, and Desert Research Institute (DRI) examines the relationship between groundwater and ecosystems across California. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A River in Flux
Inside Climate News
Extreme flooding and droughts may be the new norm for the Amazon, challenging its people and ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Microplastics in Nigeria’s Osun River: new study flags alarmingly high levels
The Conversation – Africa
Our study found as many as 22,079 pieces of microplastic in just one litre of water from Nigeria’s Osun River. We compared this data with 267 global studies on microplastics in river water conducted since 1994 and discovered that the levels of microplastics in the Osun river exceeded those reported in any of those studies. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Spain on track for hottest first quarter on record: Have heavy rains helped with severe drought?
EuroNews Green
Despite recent rains topping up reservoirs, an unusually warm winter has made water shortages worse and drought is a consequence of a bigger problem. Click here to continue reading
Discover where ancient rivers flow under Canadian cities
CBC
Ancient rivers once nourished and protected the lands where we built our biggest cities. Now, they’re buried underground. Is it finally time to let them see daylight again?. Click here to continue reading
No water, no oil: How the parched western provinces could hamper the oilpatch
CBC
Persistent and severe drought conditions across Western Canada could have a devastating effect on the oil and natural gas sector, which has drilling operations in some of the driest areas, according to a new report by Deloitte. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Zimbabwe declares drought disaster, the latest in a region where El Nino has left millions hungry
The Canadian Press
imbabwe declared a state of disaster Wednesday over a devastating drought that’s sweeping across much of southern Africa, with the country’s president saying it needs $2 billion for humanitarian assistance. The declaration was widely expected following similar actions by neighboring Zambia and Malawi. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Wetlands are superheroes: expert sets out how they protect people and places
The Conversation – Africa
The view on wetlands has shifted as we have learnt how important these ecosystems are for essential “services”. They purify water, provide habitats for plants and animals, and are also critical for supporting some people’s livelihoods. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Are wetlands our secret weapon for fighting climate change?
BBC News
Podcast: The world’s wetlands store carbon and can help us tackle some of the impacts of climate change. Are we overlooking their importance? And what can we do to protect them more? An episode of BBC’s The Climate Question. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The connection between water, data and peace
Food and Agriculture Organization
Water access can be affected by conflict but can also cause it. With increasing water scarcity and the impacts of climate change, the risk of conflict is exacerbated. Managing water resources effectively and sustainably is paramount to decreasing competition and contributing to local peace. Click here to continue reading
Water levels starting to fall after weekend flooding in St. George, N.B.
CTV News
Areas in and around Saint George, N.B., are starting to see the water regress after residents woke up Easter morning to massive flooding. There are still some houses surrounded by water. A special weather statement is in effect for much of New Brunswick (including St. George) with a storm that could bring upwards of 20 centimetres of heavy wet snow. Click here to continue reading
Sask. First Nation says it won’t lift long-term boil water advisory until every house has direct water line
CBC
Leaders on a Saskatchewan First Nation say they won’t lift a decade-old boil water advisory until every home in the community has direct access to clean water from the local treatment plant. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) can recommend that a boil water advisory be lifted, but it is ultimately up to the local chief and council. Click here to continue reading
What can the Dirty ‘30s teach us about drought management today?
CBC
Shannon Stunden Bower, an environmental historian at the University of Alberta, talks with Nancy Carlson about what has happened in the last 100 years that could help people on the Canadian Prairies better mitigate drought. Click here to continue reading
The world’s largest deep lake water cooling project just got bigger
The Globe and Mail
Toronto is digging deep to expand what experts already consider to be one of the coolest and most environmentally friendly energy projects on Earth – the city’s deep lake water cooling system. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Land under water – what causes extreme flooding
EurekAlert!
There are several factors that play an important role in the development of floods: air temperature, soil moisture, snow depth, and the daily precipitation in the days before a flood. In order to better understand how individual factors contribute to flooding, UFZ researchers examined more than 3,500 river basins worldwide and analysed flood events between 1981 and 2020 for each of them. The result: precipitation was the sole determining factor in only around 25% of the almost 125,000 flood events. Soil moisture was the decisive factor in just over 10% of cases, and snow melt and air temperature were the sole factors in only around 3% of cases. In contrast, 51.6% of cases were caused by at least two factors. At around 23%, the combination of precipitation and soil moisture occurs most frequently. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: UK’s summer 2022 drought provides warning for future years
EurekAlert!
The UK will be increasingly tested by more droughts like 2022, emphasising the importance of being prepared for similar extreme weather in future, say scientists who have analysed that summer’s events. The newly published study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) outlines how the drought evolved and its impacts on water resources, wildlife and people, comparing the situation with previous droughts and looks at whether it is an indication of future events. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Environment: More than half of Colorado River’s water used to irrigate crops
EurekAlert!
Irrigation for agriculture uses more than half of the Colorado River’s total annual water flow, reports a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment. This finding is part of a new comprehensive assessment of how the Colorado River’s water is consumed — including both human usage and natural losses — and provides a more complete understanding of how the river’s water is used along its over 2,300 km (almost 1,500-mile) length. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, and predict their effects
EurekAlert!
The source of pollutants in rivers and freshwater lakes can now be identified using a comprehensive new water quality analysis, according to scientists at the University of Cambridge and Trent University, Canada. Microparticles from car tyres, pesticides from farmers’ fields, and toxins from harmful algal blooms are just some of the organic chemicals that can be detected using the new approach, which also indicates the impact these chemicals are likely to have in a particular river or lake. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Extreme Rainfall Set To Break Los Angeles Record
Newsweek
As of Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) station in the Californian city said that since October 2022, downtown Los Angeles had received a total 52.46 inches of rainfall, making it the second wettest two-year period on record. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A Moroccan town protests water management plans
Associated Press
Regional and local leaders in eastern Morocco met this week with residents and civil society groups after months of protests over a water management plan set to take effect later this year. Thousands in the town of Figuig stopped paying water bills and have taken to the streets since November to protest a municipal decision transitioning drinking water management from the town to a regional multi-service agency. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Japan confirms experts met in China to ease concerns over discharge of treated radioactive water
Associated Press
Japan said Sunday its experts have held talks with their Chinese counterparts to try to assuage Beijing’s concerns over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Why the ‘wettest place on Earth’ is facing a water crisis
BBC News
The Northeast Indian town of Sohra regularly receives a downpour of continuous rainfall, sometimes for eight days at a stretch. But today, locals in the area are facing a severe water shortage. They now walk long distances daily and resort to unconventional methods to fetch water for basic, everyday use. What’s behind the water crisis in the ‘wettest place on Earth’?. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Global water crisis fuelling more conflicts, UN report warns
Al Jazeera
Water resources under stress as economies and populations grow with 2.2 billion people lacking clean drinking water. Increasing global water scarcity is fueling more conflicts and contributing to instability, the United Nations warns in a new report, which says access to clean water is critical to promoting peace. Click here to continue reading
PSA: The City encourages residents to be water-wise and use a rain barrel this spring
City of Calgary
Calgary is currently experiencing drought conditions. Together we can make every drop count in our yards by using water wisely. Harnessing rainwater for watering your yard and garden is a simple, yet effective way to reduce your water use by acting as a backup source of water during this drought. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Regulators urged to act over water companies’ record sewage discharge
The Guardian
Government asked to put ‘people and planet before profits’ as analysis shows potential illegal discharging of raw sewage. Analysis of the latest data shows that more than 2,000 overflows owned by a number of companies are discharging raw sewage into rivers and seas at a scale that should spark an immediate investigation into illegal breaches of permit conditions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Land under water: What causes extreme flooding?
Science Daily
If rivers overflow their banks, the consequences can be devastating — just like the catastrophic floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate of 2021 showed. In order to limit flood damage and optimize flood risk assessment, we need to better understand what factors can lead to extreme forms of flooding and to what extent. Using methods of explainable machine learning, researchers have shown that floods are more extreme when several factors are involved in their development. Click here to continue reading
High and dry: The rising tide of flood risks and the insurance dilemma
Canadian Climate Institute
A national low-cost insurance program tied to a broader strategy could help long-term flood resilience in many communities across Canada. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: India’s Bengaluru fast running out of water – and it’s not summer yet
Al Jazeera
Bengaluru, the city of lavish headquarters of multiple global software companies in southern India, is drying up. Residents say they are facing the worst water crisis in decades as they witness an unusually hot February and March. Water experts fear the worst is still to come in April and May. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Where Water Stress Will Be Highest by 2050
Statista
As this infographic based on projections by the World Resources Institute (WRI) shows, 51 of the 164 countries and territories analyzed are expected to suffer from high to extremely high water stress by 2050, which corresponds to 31 percent of the population. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate change puts global semiconductor manufacturing at risk. Can the industry cope?
The Conversation – Canada
Despite the industry’s dependence on water, little attention has been paid to how changing environmental conditions may impact it. Globally and regionally there are signs of trouble. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: South Texas lawmaker asks governor declare emergency due to ‘water crisis’
CW39
A South Texas lawmaker is asking for additional state assistance to save agriculture in the region, which is suffering due to a lack of water to grow crops. He also asked for greater pressure on Mexico to comply with the boundary waters treaty. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How Dire Is the Water Shortage in Mexico City?
The Inter-American Dialogue
Mexico City could run out of water by late June, an official from the national water commission, Conagua, said last month. The Cutzamala System—which is responsible for providing the capital with nearly a quarter of its water supply—is at 40 percent capacity, a historic low. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Taps have run dry across South Africa’s largest city in an unprecedented water crisis
Associated Press
Water management authorities with Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, told officials from both cities that the failure to reduce water consumption could result in a total collapse of the water system. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Twist of groundwater contaminants
EurekAlert!
In recent years, the world has been experiencing floods and droughts as extreme rainfall events have become more frequent due to climate change. For this reason, securing stable water resources throughout the year has become a national responsibility called ‘water security’, and ‘Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR)’, which stores water in the form of groundwater in the ground when water resources are available and withdraws it when needed, is attracting attention as an effective water resource management technique. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Decline in the stability of water yield in the watersheds
EurekAlert!
treme climatic events such as droughts, heatwaves, and cold spells not only modify hydro-meteorological conditions but also alter the underlying characteristics (e.g., wildfires due to droughts changing the vegetation cover). Intense human activities, such as river channel modifications, afforestation, deforestation, industrialization, and urbanization, further amplify the variability of watershed system components. These changes directly or indirectly impact the hydrological processes of the watershed system. Eur. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: What if the heavy rain would have fallen 50 kilometers away?
EurekAlert!
Floods affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard, causing enormous damage that is expected to increase in a warming world. However, people and decision-makers in vulnerable regions are often unwilling to prepare for exceptionally severe events because they are difficult to imagine and beyond their experience. Click here to continue reading
Costs to clean up Teck’s B.C. coal mines are billions higher than previously thought: report
The Narwhal
The cost to clean up British Columbia’s largest mining complex is billions of dollars higher than government and industry estimates, according to a new report. It estimates it will cost $6.4 billion to remove just selenium from water affected by Teck’s Elk Valley coal mines. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Euroviews. Are water cycles the missing piece of the climate crisis puzzle?
EuroNews Green
Climate models are based largely on extrapolating fossil fuel emissions. But is a missing critical factor linked to plants and water making things worse? Eurof Uppington opinion piece. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Coffee grounds might be the answer to agricultural contamination: Here’s how
EuroNews Green
Scientists from Brazil’s Federal Technological University of Paraná found that leftover coffee can absorb bentazone, a herbicide frequently used in agriculture. The European Environment Agency has highlighted dangerous levels of bentazone in surface water, exceeding levels set in the Water Framework Directive and putting European Green Deal targets for pesticide use in jeopardy. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Bengaluru: Water crisis shakes India’s Silicon Valley
BBC News
In India’s Bengaluru city (formerly Bangalore), thousands of people have been chasing tankers, taking fewer showers and sometimes missing work to store enough water to get through the day. “It is often said that traffic is the biggest problem in Bengaluru but actually water is the larger issue,” says civic activist Srinivas Alavilli. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: California zombie lake turned farmland to water. A year later, is it gone for good?
The Guardian
For a time last year, it was difficult to drive through a large swath of central California without running into the new shoreline of a long dormant lake. The scene was astounding. Tulare Lake was once the largest freshwater body west of the Mississippi before it was drained for agriculture in the 19th century. While it has re-emerged during other periods of wet weather, the lake hadn’t been seen anywhere near this scale in 40 years. Click here to continue reading
Halifax senior stuck with $45K bill for new sewer, water lines before she can sell her duplex
CBC
She said she planned to rely on money from the sale to pay her rent and bills, but Halifax Water requires new sewer and water lines to be installed before the duplex can be subdivided. Click here to continue reading
Alberta’s North Saskatchewan earns heritage river status
CBC
The governments of Canada and Alberta have declared that the entire portion of the North Saskatchewan River flowing through Alberta is now recognized as a Canadian Heritage River. A 49-kilometre stretch of the river, coursing through Banff National Park, already holds designation under the Canadian Heritage Rivers system. Click here to continue reading
Reuse of the deuce: Calgary company recycling clean water from cattle, hog manure
CBC
A Calgary company is helping farmers recycle livestock manure into clean water that can be used to irrigate crops. Livestock Water Recycling says its technology separates cattle and hog manure into liquids and solids — so farmers can do their duty with their animals’ doody. Click here to continue reading
Students launch Shoal Lake 40 First Nation merch line on World Water Day
Global News
Where does your water come from? For Winnipeggers, the answer is Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, a community that long struggled for their right to clean water.Andrea Redsky, a teacher at Harvey Redsky Memorial School, said not all of her students will remember first-hand the decades-long boil water advisory in the community. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day 2024: bridging divides through water cooperation
World Health Organization
Access to drinking-water is a human right, but when water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal or no access, tensions can rise (1). This underscores the need to harness the cooperative power of water. Successful examples of water cooperation highlight its value in conflict resolution and community improvement. Click here to continue reading
Calgary-based organization works to improve access to clean drinking water
CTV News
The theme for the 2024 World Water Day is “Water for Peace,” something that staff at the Calgary-based Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) take to heart. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day: Considering barriers to clean, safe water
Water Canada
For the Creemore, Ontario-based nonprofit, safe water means continuing to collaborate with Indigenous communities that have identified education and training as critical solutions to many water challenges. It means removing barriers to opportunities that may exist in other classroom models. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Isn’t every day World Water Day?
Water Canada
Having a World Water Day on March 22nd each year is an interesting paradox as there is no day within the calendar that is not influenced by water. Seventy-one percent of the planet’s surface is covered in water, with 2.5% of that being freshwater. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day: Mitigating Canada’s Water Scarcity
Water Canada
The effects of climate change are making a water scarcity an issue in jurisdictions we never thought possible, including municipalities and regions in Canada once thought to be home to plentiful resources. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day: One Drop survey reveals Canadians’ thoughts on access to safe water
Water Canada
Just in time for World Water Day, the One Drop Foundation is releasing the results of a new public opinion poll and reaffirming its unwavering commitment to safe water access for all. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day: Using data-driven transparency as a tool for building consensus on water
Water Canada
The 2024 theme for World Water Day ‘Water for Peace’ couldn’t be more relevant. Peace is not a theme limited to sovereign states. Around the world, there is tension and competition for water, both within and between countries and even among “friends” such as in the EU. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Global water shortages are looming. Here is what can be done about them.
UN Environment Programme
World Water Day, shines a spotlight on the global water crisis, which is being driven by a combination of factors, from climate change to leaky pipes. Here is a look at seven things countries and individuals can do to stem water shortfalls. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Learn about freshwater on World Water Day
Google Blog
To celebrate World Water Day, we’re launching a new “Freshwater” hub to explore some of the ways we can take action to preserve the most important resource for life on our blue planet. The new hub aims to help people learn more about freshwater ecosystems and how this precious resource is linked to climate change, while also discovering solutions to preserve it. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World Water Day 2024
Stockholm Environment Institute
A collection of articles focused on water projects around the world. Click here to continue reading
Guelph advocacy group calls on province to curb road salt pollution for World Water Day
CBC
Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition is sounding the alarm on the damage done by road salt for World Water Day, and is calling on the province to do more to mitigate the risk of contamination to groundwater, rivers and lakes, as well as to drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: UN World Water Development Report 2024
UN Water
“Water for prosperity and peace”, UN Water’s annual Water Day publication has been released. The report highlights the wider significance of water for our lives and livelihoods. It explores water’s capacity to unite people and serve as a tool for peace, sustainable development, climate action and regional integration. Click here to continue reading
Statement by the Prime Minister on World Water Day
Prime Minister of Canada
A brief statement by Prime Minister Trudeau on World Water Day. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: AI’s excessive water consumption threatens to drown out its environmental contributions
Compare and contrast: World Water Day: Shocking stories from the frontlines of the worldwide water crisis
EuroNews Green
From dried-up rivers to poisoned water, people around the world are struggling to meet a basic need. This World Water Day, journalists from around the world interviewed some of the people struggling to get fresh water. Click here to continue reading
Water woes in southern Alberta could spell disaster for aquatic ecosystems, and the people who rely on them
The Conversation – Canada
Freshwater will be an increasingly scarce resource as we head into spring and summer in Western Canada with implications for the livelihoods and economic prosperity of humans, and non-humans alike, in southern Alberta and the downstream Prairie provinces. Click here to continue reading
‘Growing concern’: Alarm sounded over water situation
Lethbridge Herald
A director with the Livingstone Landowners Group is sounding the alarm on how dire the situation is in his community with water restrictions in hopes people across southern Alberta will take steps to conserve water. Click here to continue reading
All water bodies closed in 2 B.C. national parks due to parasite
CBC
Parks Canada is closing all bodies of water in British Columbia’s Kootenay and Yoho national parks, and restricting watercraft in Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park, in an effort to slow the spread of invasive species. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Fairy circles: Plant water stress causes Namibia’s gaps in grass
Science Daily
Namibia’s legendary fairy circles are mysterious, circular, bald patches in the dry grasslands on the edge of the Namib Desert.Their results show that the grass withers due to a lack of water inside the fairy circle. The topsoil, comprised of the top 10 to 12 centimeters of the soil, acts as a kind of ‘death zone’ in which fresh grass cannot survive for long. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: There are large accumulations of plastics in the ocean, even outside so-called garbage patch
Science Daily
When plastic ends up in the ocean, it gradually weathers and disintegrates into small particles. If marine animals ingest these particles, their health can be severely affected. Large accumulations of plastic can therefore disrupt the biological balance of marine ecosystems. But which areas are particularly affected?. Click here to continue reading
CLIMATE CHALLENGES: DROUGHTS, FLOODS, AND WATER MANAGEMENT IN FOCUS
Chestermere Anchor
With Alberta facing a significant risk of drought due to low river flows, diminishing snowpacks, and insufficient reservoir capacities, the urgency for comprehensive water management and conservation strategies has never been more acute. Click here to continue reading
Fraser River communities receive $10M for flood mitigation projects
Water Canada
The aftermath of the 2021 events exposed vulnerabilities to extreme weather events, annual freshets, and climate change, endangering agricultural assets along the Fraser River. Click here to continue reading
SMRID Notice of Annual General Meeting
St. Mary River Irrigation District
Notice of Annual General Meeting:
SMRID would like to announce Notice of their Annual General Meeting (AGM) being held on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 at 1:30pm at the AGRI-FOOD Hub in Lethbridge, AB. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Corn Cobs vs. Woodchips: A Surprising Showdown to Transform Water Quality
Seed World
Corn cobs might outperform woodchips in reducing nitrates in water-quality bioreactors, offering a more cost-effective solution, according to researchers at Iowa State University. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Water is worth more than gold’: eco-activist Esteban Polanco on why violence won’t stop him
The Guardian
“We cannot allow any vulnerable mountain in this country that produces water to be exploited for mining because, for us, a drop of water is worth more than an ounce of gold.”. Click here to continue reading
Drought concerns in southern Alberta the focus of a new documentary
Global News
A new documentary is bringing awareness to the water crisis in the Oldman River watershed, starting with its title: Dried Up, What Now? The documentary will be shown publicly for the first time on March 23rd at 11 a.m. at Old Man River Brewing in Lundbreck. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water restrictions could start in May as drought looms
CTV News
Amid growing drought concerns, the City of Calgary is telling residents to prepare for possible water restrictions as early as May. In an update on the city’s drought preparedness plan Tuesday morning, Mayor Jyoti Gondek said every Calgarian needs to conserve water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Rat fur, arsenic and copper: the dangerous ingredients lacing US prison water
The Guardian
Incarcerated people often must drink unhealthy water, a particularly cruel – but not unusual – form of punishment. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Nearly 130,000 children exposed to lead-tainted drinking water in Chicago
The Guardian
About 129,000 Chicago children under the age of six are exposed to poisonous lead in their household drinking water because of lead pipes, according to a study published on Monday. Click here to continue reading
‘Heavy snow on the way’ for Alberta to start spring
Global News
After a week of spring-like temperatures, the southern half of Alberta is expected to be hit with 15 to 25 cm of snow. Click here to continue reading
North Bay, Ont., and DND move to remediate ‘forever chemicals’ site that contaminated drinking water
CBC
PFAS are a family of some 14,000 different substances that are characterized by a stable carbon-fluorine bond. That strong bond means it takes a long time for them to break down in the environment. Click here to continue reading
New platform brings together water data from across BC and the Yukon
Water Canada
The launch of Pacific DataStream means water monitoring groups across British Columbia and the Yukon can grow the audience for their data – and there’s free help to get it online. Pacific DataStream is a free, open access platform for sharing water data and it officially launched March 13 at the Okanagan Basin Water Board-Canadian Water Resources Association, B.C. Branch’s Environmental Flows conference at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna. Click here to continue reading
Waterloo scientists discover method to remove 94 percent of microplastics from our water
Water Canada
University of Waterloo researchers have created a new technology that can remove harmful microplastics from contaminated water with 94 per cent efficiency. Click here to continue reading
As severe Alberta drought looms, fracking consumes huge volumes of water — forever
The Narwhal
As Alberta faces the prospect of a severe drought this summer, the oil and gas sector has already been warned it could be forced to curtail water use. Billions of litres of water used by the industry are permanently removed from the water cycle. Click here to continue reading
Important Notice: 2024 Irrigation Season Water Supply Update March 2024
St. Mary River Irrigation District
Our latest water supply update, as of March 11, 2024, sourced from Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation indicates that we are on course for a below average water allocation for the 2024 Irrigation Season. The Headworks reservoirs comprised of the Waterton, St. Mary and Milk River Ridge reservoirs, has increased slightly since our last update, and now contains a storage level of 147,000 acre-feet. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Aboriginal People Are Locked Out of Australia’s Water Market
BNN Bloomberg
One of the driest places in the world also has one of the most sophisticated water-trading markets. Australia manages to combine extreme water scarcity with billions of dollars in trading turnover. Click here to continue reading
‘Water allocation and priority’: Worst drought in years could lead to Alberta state of emergency
Edmonton Journal
“There will be policy or regulatory changes that we can make sooner rather than later just to help give us the flexibility we need to manage the drought that we are anticipating this year”. Click here to continue reading
Lake Diefenbaker water levels up to begin spring
Swift Current
Lake Diefenbaker users will be treated to higher water levels this spring as the Water Security Agency charted a different path over the winter months. The Crown corporation elected to cut back its release from southwest Sask.’s largest body of water knowing there might be less water replenishing it than in normal years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Many Bengaluru residents consider leaving city as water crisis hits daily life
Economic Times
Bhavani Mani Muthuvel and her family of nine have around five 20-liter (5-gallon) buckets worth of water for the week for cooking, cleaning and household chores. “From taking showers to using toilets and washing clothes, we are taking turns to do everything,” she said. It’s the only water they can afford. Click here to continue reading
In B.C.’s forests, a debate over watershed science with lives and billions at stake
CBC
Sunshine Coast logging plan highlights divide over best way to assess flooding risk. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Oregon State researchers take deep dive into how much water is stored in snow
Science Daily
There’s a new metric that provides a more holistic look at how much water is stored in snowpack, and for how long. Click here to continue reading
Ontario weakens watershed protections (again) as natural resources minister gets new powers
The Narwhal
New rules for conservation authorities reduce buffer zones between development and wetlands and empower Doug Ford’s cabinet to issue permits without their say. Click here to continue reading
Canada, U.S. launch international inquiry into southeast B.C. mine pollution
The Narwhal
Nearly 12 years after Ktunaxa Nation first urged the Canadian and U.S. governments to task an international body with investigating the mine pollution coursing through its territory, the two countries have agreed to a step the nation says is key to addressing contamination from B.C.’s Elk Valley coal mines. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Mapping water wonders: a groundbreaking leap in hydrology with NDWFI
EurekAlert!
In a significant advancement for hydrological monitoring and water resource management, researchers have developed the Normalized Difference Water Fraction Index (NDWFI), leveraging Landsat imagery and Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) within the Google Earth Engine platform. This innovation is pivotal for accurately tracking dynamic and subtle water bodies, crucial for enhancing water security and resilience against extreme hydrological events. Click here to continue reading
Potential drought could affect Albertans at the grocery store
Global News
With the high likelihood of Alberta drought on the horizon, its impacts will be felt by Albertans in many ways. One of those ways is what we choose to buy at the grocery store and what will be available to us. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A Future of Arctic Rain
The Tyee
In August 2021, rain fell atop the 10,551-foot summit of the Greenland ice cap, triggering an epic meltdown and a more-than-2,000-foot retreat of the snow line. The unprecedented event reminded Joel Harper, a University of Montana glaciologist who works on the Greenland ice sheet, of a strange anomaly in his data, one that suggested that in 2008 it might have rained much later in the season — in the fall, when the region is typically in deep freeze and dark for almost 24 hours a day. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Artificial intelligence helps reduce water leaks
BBC News
Sutton and East Surrey (SES) Water has installed 1000 sensors underground that monitor flow and pressure, then send data back to base. The technology also provides a prediction of what levels should be, so if a leak happens, an alarm is raised within minutes and engineers are deployed. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Study Pinpoints Links Between Melting Arctic Ice and Summertime Extreme Weather in Europe
Inside Climate News
A new study in the journal Weather and Climate Dynamics shows how pulses of fresh, cold water from Greenland ice can set off a chain reaction from the ocean to the atmosphere that ends up causing summer heatwaves and droughts in Europe. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The Take: Why is Mexico City running out of water?
Al Jazeera
Mexico City’s residents are approaching a “day zero” where the government will no longer be able to provide them with water. A city that was once built on water is now nearly dried up. How did this happen and what is being done to fix it?. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘IT WAS AN OASIS’: MEXICO CITY FRETS ABOUT WATER
enca
MEXICO CITY – Agustin Garcia looks with dismay at the dry bed of the lake where he once fished for a living — a symptom of the water problems facing Mexico and its capital, one of the world’s biggest cities. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: At least 26 dead and 11 missing after flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island
Associated Press
Floods also damaged 26 bridges, 45 mosques and 25 schools; and destroyed 13 roads, two irrigation system units, which in turn submerged 113 hectares (279 acres) of rice fields and 300 square meters (3,220 square feet) of plantation, the agency said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Unique way to track carbon emissions in bodies of water
Science Daily
Carbon dioxide emissions are not typically associated with water ways, like streams and rivers, but emerging research shows that water bodies play an important role in storing and releasing carbon dioxide. As many states look for cost-effective ways to mitigate climate change, scientists looked at a way to optimize CO2 sensors to better measure carbon dioxide emissions in lotic, or moving, bodies of water offering a new tool that can help provide valuable information for everything from land use to climate action plans. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Drought, soil desiccation cracking, and carbon dioxide emissions: an overlooked feedback loop exacerbating climate change
Science Daily
Soil stores 80 percent of carbon on earth, yet with increasing cycles of drought, that crucial reservoir is cracking and breaking down, releasing even more greenhouse gases creating an amplified feedback loop that could accelerate climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Is my water safe to drink? Expert advice for residents of South African cities
The Conversation – Africa
In early March 2024 the residents of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and the economic capital of the country, were hit by extended cuts in water supplies. This was a new low after months of continuous deterioration. Professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand Craig Sheridan sets out the risks this poses to drinking water in the city. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Treated wastewater from Fukushima nuclear plant is safe: UN atomic agency
National Observer
The head of the U.N. atomic agency told local Japanese representatives at a meeting in Fukushima on Wednesday that the ongoing discharge of treated radioactive wastewater at the ruined nuclear power plant has met safety standards and that any restrictions on products from the region are “not scientific”. Click here to continue reading
Salmon farms impacting wildlife: conservation group report
CBC
Conservation group Watershed Watch Salmon Society (WWSS) says a new report, compiling numbers of wildlife — from whales to herring — that have been killed by open net-pen salmon farms in British Columbia over the years, points to longstanding problems within an industry it believes should be shut down. But the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association disagrees, saying WWSS is dredging up old information that doesn’t fairly characterize how the sector has changed. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: India’s water problems set to get worse as the world warms
Science Daily
Winter storms known as western disturbances that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: In Florida, Skyrocketing Insurance Rates Test Resolve of Homeowners in Risky Areas
Inside Climate News
Research shows the soaring costs hint at widespread, unpriced risk as the global climate warms, with states like California, Florida and Louisiana hit hardest. Click here to continue reading
After 5 years, Oneida still has no clean water. Why a class action settlement could be a ‘relief’
CBC
“We originally had put forward a proposal that we would be able to have water fire flow throughout our community. Right now, we do not have fire flow that services all of our community,” she said. “We have had devastating fires in our community in the past where families have actually perished because we do not have that fire flow”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Global Water Crisis: Why the World Urgently Needs Water-Wise Solutions
Earth.org
Water is life. Yet, as the world population mushrooms and climate change intensifies droughts, over 2 billion people still lack access to clean, safe drinking water. By 2030, water scarcity could displace over 700 million people. From deadly diseases to famines, economic collapse to terrorism, the global water crisis threatens to sever the strands holding communities together. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Half of twenty-first century global irrigation expansion has been in water-stressed regions
Nature
The expansion of irrigated agriculture has increased global crop production but resulted in widespread stress on freshwater resources. Ensuring that increases in irrigated production occur only in places where water is relatively abundant is a key objective of sustainable agriculture and knowledge of how irrigated land has evolved is important for measuring progress towards water sustainability. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Arctic warming, permafrost thawing, and an accelerating water cycle will have global consequences
Fast Company
As the Arctic warms, its mighty rivers are changing in ways that could have vast consequences – not only for the Arctic region but for the world. Rivers represent the land branch of the Earth’s hydrological cycle. As rain and snow fall, rivers transport freshwater runoff along with dissolved organic and particulate materials, including carbon, to coastal areas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A dwindling water supply caused by reservoir sedimentation troubles engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
Dams have been with humankind since antiquity. As a relatively simple means of turning flood- and drought-prone rivers into reliable water supplies, dams are one of our earliest ways of harnessing and controlling water, making them essential elements of society. However, sediment buildup within reservoirs is a growing concern that civil engineers are working to resolve. Click here to continue reading
Flood risk mapping is a public good, so why the public resistance in Canada? Lessons from Nova Scotia
The Conversation – Canada
The unacknowledged reason why there is a lack of flood risk mapping in Canada is because such maps generally face public resistance. Indeed, it is not uncommon in Canada to see flood or wetland mapping withdrawn or modified because of public pressure. Click here to continue reading
A Quebec lender opted out of mortgages in flood zones. Experts warn it could happen elsewhere
CBC
Desjardins Group, a major financial institution based in Quebec, recently announced it will no longer offer new mortgages in high-risk flood zones — areas in the zero to 20-year flood plain — across the province. It also doesn’t provide flood insurance in those areas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: With dry summer looming, Lethbridge committee reports unsettling data about monthly water conservation
CTV News
“We are expecting that when we come back next month with the updated strategy and the water conservation plan, we might need to be enacting, I will say, ‘voluntary measures’ to start with in order to encourage residents and the public to start using less water from the get-go,” said Lethbridge infrastructure director Joel Sanchez. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Understanding wind and water at the equator key to more accurate future climate projections
Science Daily
Getting climate models to mimic real-time observations when it comes to warming is critical — small discrepancies can lead to misunderstandings about the rate of global warming as the climate changes. A new study that when modeling warming trends in the Pacific Ocean, there is still a missing piece to the modeling puzzle: the effect of wind on ocean currents in the equatorial Pacific. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: High shower pressure can help people save water, study suggests
The Guardian
Swapping a feeble dribble for a powerful blast might seem like an environmental indulgence when it comes to taking a shower, but researchers say it might actually save water. Water consumption has become a key area of environmental concern given shortages of the resource, as well as the carbon footprint associated with its collection, treatment, supply and – in the case of most showers – heating. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Fruit packing plant near Kelowna seeks application to discharge wastewater into ditch
Global News
A fruit-packing plant in the Central Okanagan that’s been fined in the past for violating waste discharge regulations is apparently applying for a permit to legally dump wastewater into a nearby ditch. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Arctic could become ‘ice-free’ within a decade
Science Daily
The Arctic could see summer days with practically no sea ice as early as the next couple of years, according to a new study out of the University of Colorado Boulder. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Would you drink recycled water?
The Conversation – Global
The wastewater from your home – much like paper and plastic – can be recycled. This is done by sending it, including sewage, either to centralised municipal recycling plants, to local neighbourhood facilities, or even to facilities incorporated in large apartment buildings.
There, with the right technology, it is purified, and the resulting water can be used as normal for cleaning streets or watering plants. If the treatment process is thorough, it can even be used for drinking. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Emissions from households’ water use are on a par with aviation. The big cuts and savings they can make are being neglected
The Conversation – Africa
Our research has identified the benefits of tackling these emissions in Australia’s urban water sector. If we consider the energy we use to heat water, water costs us far more than we think. It’s an issue of cost of living as well as water supply and energy infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate change: alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water
The Conversation – Africa
50 million Africans are likely to be pushed into into water distress. What does this mean?
It means severe water shortages in homes and industries. For example, if you used to have access to water all day, you are going to have a much lower supply – a quantity so low that it does not meet your needs. This is a demand and supply issue. There will be higher demand for water resources but because of the short supply, water prices will shoot up. Going into the future, if nothing is done, water across Africa will be very expensive. Click here to continue reading
Toronto wants buildings to tap into its sewage for heating
CBC
Many buildings buy and burn gas or other fossil fuels to keep warm. But there’s actually a free, carbon-free source of heat underfoot that they could be tapping into instead — sewage pipes. Along with wastewater, those pipes carry a lot of “waste” heat from buildings, including warm water from showers and dishwashers. For example, as I was writing this, it was around 0 C outside the CBC building Toronto, but the water in the nearby sewage pipes was roughly 17 C, according to the city. In most places, that heat is literally going down the drain. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Glacier shrinkage is causing a ‘green transition’
Science Daily
Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to scientists. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world’s major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project. Click here to continue reading
Great Lakes Ice Cover Hits New Lows
Yale Environment 360
On the North American Great Lakes, ice cover usually peaks in late February or early March. But currently, the lakes are nearly ice-free.
Typically in late winter, ice sprawls across more than 40 percent of the lakes, but at present, ice cover stands at just around 4 percent. For the past half-century, ice cover has trended down as winters have grown warmer, declining by a quarter on average since 1973. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As Flooding Increases on the Mississippi, Forests Are Drowning
Yale Environment 360
Ever-worsening floods are killing trees at an increasing rate along the upper Mississippi River, and invasive grasses are taking over. The Army Corps of Engineers has launched a project to boost both tree density and diversity, and to improve habitat for fish and waterfowl, too. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: To save water, drought-hit Morocco is closing its famous public baths three days a week
Associated Press
The public baths — hammams in Arabic — for centuries have been fixtures of Moroccan life. Inside their domed chambers, men and women, regardless of social class, commune together and unwind. Bathers sit on stone slabs under mosaic tiles, lather with traditional black soap and wash with scalding water from plastic buckets. Click here to continue reading
Major tunnel projects secure Metro Vancouver’s water supply
BIV News
Engineering water tunnels is as vital for region as ones for transportation. Click here to continue reading