The News Review:
- World Bank Funds Improved Water Supply for Malawi’s Urban Areas
- New Thinking on Eye Infections and Contacts
- Partial water ban soon in effect
World Bank Funds Improved Water Supply for Malawi’s Urban Areas
All American Patriots – All American Patriots (press release) – May 29, 2007
5million is a grant and US$22. 5million a credit*. The project aims to increase access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services for people living in cities, towns, market centres, and villages and improve water resources management at the national level. The project will also contribute to building sector capacity through improved monitoring, regulation, incentive structures, public private partnerships, and coordination among the sector stakeholders. The NWSP II is the World Bankâs contribution to the Governmentâs five year National Water Development Program (NWDP) estimated to cost $260million. Multiple donors are supporting the Government in the water development program whose purpose is to improve the management of the Nation’s water resources and to ensure the delivery of efficient, reliable, and sustainable water supply and sanitation services to an increasing country population. Through the NWDP, the Government and its partners aim to increase water supply from the current 67% of the population to 79% by 2012…
The component will also develop community-managed water supplies in market centers and rural piped systems. It will also train the regional water boards, the staff of the program implementation unit, district assemblies, and local communities in relevant skills. The third component is on water resources management, which will consist of development and support for the promulgation of enabling legislation for the National Water Policy of 2005, and development of an integrated water resources investment strategy. The component will also design independent environmental and social assessments for Lake Malawi level control; and strengthen institutional capacity for water resource management including the establishment of a National Water Resources Authority. It will also carry out feasibility studies, designs, and environmental and social assessments for the development of future water sources. The last component is sector management and urban water sector reform. Through this component, there will be support to the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development in the establishment of a management system for the sector investment program; development of a strategic sanitation plan for Lilongwe and Blantyre; and design and implementation of a sustainable reform plan for Blantyre and Lilongwe.
New Thinking on Eye Infections and Contacts
MarketWatch – May 29, 2007
“Something has definitely changed,” Dr. “Why are we having a second outbreak of an extremely, extremely rare eye infection?” The EPA disputes Dr. Joslin’s theory, saying that filtration of water supplies, not chlorine, should remove amoebas, and that poor hygiene practices are at fault. “I am flummoxed as to how a rule addressing decontamination byproducts would address Acanthamoeba,” said Eric Burneson, chief of the target and analysis branch of the EPA’s water division. The American Journal of Ophthalmology, which accepted Dr. Joslin’s paper yesterday, plans to rush it into publication on the Internet some time next week.
Partial water ban soon in effect
Providence Journal – May 29, 2007
The grass doesn’t need it. And the town’s water supply can’t stand the strain. Under a ban that starts Friday and ends on Labor Day, residents can water their lawns only on odd or even days, depending on their street address. That doesn’t mean residents should water their lawns every other day. Too much water can weaken plants, encourage disease and increase pollution, officials say. “We’ve had two inches of rain this month. You don’t need to water,” says Susan Licardi, director of the town’s water supply.