The News Review:

- Water bills ‘will stay flat’
- Snap snowfalls may boost inland water supplies
- Higher standards for private water supplies – Defra
- GE Surpasses $1.7 Billion in Company-Wide Sales Revenues for the …
- Water bills set to go up

Water bills ‘will stay flat’
Fenland Today, UK 
The supplier said its bills will rise only slightly above inflation over the next five-year period. It said customer priorities were a more resilient water supply network, stable bills and a smaller carbon footprint. Tony Ballance, Severn TrenADVERTISEMENTt’s director of regulation and competition, said: “We believe our draft plan provides the best balance between improved services, the needs of the water environment and a cost that customers are willing to pay. “Customers tell us that ensuring a reliable, safe water supply is their first priority, and we reflect this in our plan. Following the loss of supply to customers in Gloucestershire caused by last summer’s flooding, we plan to provide an alternative source of water to large communities that currently depend on a single supply point. “We will reinforce our network, install additional flood protection at sites at risk of river flooding and further reinforce our power supplies to reduce the risk of power failures affecting our network.

Snap snowfalls may boost inland water supplies
ABC Online, Australia 
Livestock producers have taken precaution to protect new born lambs and calves from the cold conditions. There was more snow in Victoria’s Central Highlands this morning, in areas like Ballarat and Daylesford. It followed useful falls of rain at the weekend, including more than 20 milimetres at Bendigo. Water authorities hope the rain and snow will flow into the region’s near-empty dams. National Rural News.

Higher standards for private water supplies – Defra
Environmental Expert (press release), Spain 
A consultation published by Defra today asks for views on how new regulations should be applied. This includes new standards, new monitoring requirements, and the action that can be taken when standards are not met. Around one third of a million people in England use private water supplies for their day to day needs. Although single private dwellings account for around 60 per cent of the 42,000 private supplies, businesses also rely on them, including breweries, food manufacturers and some holiday homes and bed and breakfast accommodation. Around 25,000 of the supplies are to single private homes. Water Minister Phil Woolas said:“Everyone has a right to wholesome water, and in England we have some of the best tap water in the world, with over 99 per cent of public water supplies meeting drinking water standards. “For private supplies though, water quality varies much more widely and typically around 50 per cent of private supplies meet the standards.

GE Surpasses $1.7 Billion in Company-Wide Sales Revenues for the …
MarketWatch 
GE Water & Processing Technology – Leaving a Legacy in China In May 2008, GE announced it donated two advanced water treatmentsystems to provide clean drinking water for more than 60,000 Chineseresidents in Dongguang City and surrounding villages. Dedicated as agift to the people of China, the systems are designed to help promotehuman health with clean, sustainable potable water. Working inpartnership with the Ministry of Water Resources in China, GE willinstall and start up a full-scale water treatment plant in DongguangCity during this summer and supply a mobile water treatment plant thatwill purify water for neighboring villages. This is the first timethat an advanced mobile water treatment system will be used in Chinato bring clean water to areas that are not within reach of thenation’s centralized municipal water infrastructure. GE Healthcare – Cutting-Edge Research Providing Insight intoAthlete Health GE Healthcare is working with medical leaders in the OlympicMovement to advance the use of innovative medical imaging technologiesto provide insight into athlete health and benefits for the generalpublic. GE is continuing its ground-breaking cardiac andmusculoskeletal research studies of Olympic athletes which began priorto the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games. The research is aimed atdemonstrating that early intervention and health monitoring leads toinjury prevention and enhanced health and sports performances forathletes.

Water bills set to go up
Ipswich Evening Star, UK 
The move would see the average household bill rise from £360 in 2010 to £373 in 2015, an increase of 0. 7pc per year excluding inflation. This would mean that in 2015 a household’s water and wastewater services would cost just over £1 per day. Anglian Water said the price hike is necessary as a result of increasing costs.