The News Review:
- Tainted water supply causing disease
- Water bills may go up by 19pc
- First it was plastic bags. Now water bottles are the new faux pas
- Drought puts squeeze on grape growers
- FGEHF takes steps for water, gas, power supply to G-13: G-14 …
- Dejected householders begin the long clean-up after floods
- Mozambique: Europan Union foots bill for water supply in Maputo region
Tainted water supply causing disease
Daily Times, Pakistan
Corroded pipelines: The experts said that human excreta had polluted the water supply in the city during the recent rains. Corroded pipelines add to the misery of the citizens, mixing sewage and causing water-borne diseases, they added. Pakistan Medical Society President Dr Masood Sheikh claimed that 20 percent of the patients admitted to private and government healthcare centres daily had enteric diseases. He said, During heavy rains people get infections, as the human waste can enter the drinking water when the pipelines overflow.
Water bills may go up by 19pc
Get Bracknell, UK
South East Water managing director Paul Butler said: âUnfortunately this rise is largely the result of unprecedented increases in power costs, and the continuing cost of maintaining our day-to-day water supply operations. âBetween 2000 and 2010 we will have invested over 650 million. âIf this work is to continue, and we need to supply more water to more customers, then water bills have to rise to meet the increasing cost. â He said the increase represented 13 pence per week extra on average water bills. David Owens, Thames Waterâs chief executive officer, said: âIn drawing together these plans weâve undertaken the most extensive public consultation in our history. âThamesâ customers have enjoyed the lowest bills in the industry for many years, but we now need to make essential investment to secure their services for the future. âThe average bill is expected to rise by around three per cent over inflation each year, so in five yearsâ time customers will still only be paying around a 1 a day for all their water and wastewater services.
First it was plastic bags. Now water bottles are the new faux pas
Globe and Mail, Canada
Many communities and school boards across Canada are now considering restrictions on their sale. Unlike other bottled drinks, such as juice and pop, water has been singled out by environmentalists because it is seen as an unnecessary product that produces a significant amount of waste. Municipal water systems in Canada are constantly inspected, and the country’s tap water supply is generally of high quality, which means there is no need to waste resources shipping bottles to consumers throughout the country, said William Rees, professor of ecological economics in the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia. In fact, two of the most popular brands – Dasani and Aquafina – use water from municipal water supplies in Canada. Furthermore, while the bottles can be recycled, the process consumes a great amount of energy, and a significant portion of bottles are often thrown in the garbage and end up in landfills, Prof. "It’s a completely unnecessary addition to the shopping basket to purchase bottled water," he said.
Drought puts squeeze on grape growers
The Australian, Australia
module-subheader –> AUSTRALIA’S 5000 grape growers in the Murray-Darling Basin face an uncertain future, with water allocations at critical levels, a research group says. The extended drought and reduced River Murray flows meant a struggle for many to remain viable, said Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation general manager Samantha Hellams. "In the next few months growers will be informed of their water allocation for the 2008-2009 growing season,” Ms Hellams said. "With water supply at critical levels there is every indication that this allocation will not increase from last year – and in some cases it may be less. ” The corporation today launched a program to help grape growers in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia manage the challenges ahead. Ms Hellams said its role would be to help growers make decisions about how they could best remain viable. "Research shows that it is possible to grow profitable crops on reduced water supplies but management systems must change,” she said.
FGEHF takes steps for water, gas, power supply to G-13: G-14 …
Daily Times, Pakistan
FGEHFs new Director Syed Gulzar in a statement said all payment of Sector G-14 land had been made while plots had been allotted to affectees in Sector G-15. According to sources, FGEHF, after 13 years, convinced the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to install tube-wells for provision of water in Sector G-13. More than half of the water requirement would be met through dam. Commenting on electricity facility, Gulzar said payment for the facility had been made to WAPDA but authority was using delaying tactics. The payment for gas facility has been made and gas would be provided to the sector soon, he added. Talking about sewerage system, he admitted that sewerage management was a problem in the sector.
Dejected householders begin the long clean-up after floods
Belfast Telegraph, United Kingdom
“It was clear that the emergency agencies were completely overwhelmed and simply unable to cope with the scale of the weather conditions they were confronted with. ”The Assembly member called for a review of roads, water and sewerage infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The water supply to many homes in south Down was disrupted by damage to a major outlet main near Rathfriland from Fofanny Water Treatment Works. A spokesperson for Northern Ireland Water said repairs were expected to be completed by last night. Post a comment Limit: 500 charactersView all comments that have been posted about this article.
Mozambique: Europan Union foots bill for water supply in Maputo region
Macauhub, Macau
Mozambican news agency AIM, which reported the news, said that the Mozambican government would provide 13 percent of the total investment. On announcing the project Saturday, the chairman of Fipag, Nelson Beete, said that studies were now in their final phase and public tenders were expected to be launched this year for work to begin in 2009. The project includes expansion of the water treatment plant on the Umbeluzi River to a capacity of 10,000 cubic megtres per hour, up from a current 6,000 cubic metres, as well as laying new pipes between Umbeluzi and Matola. Three water distribution centres will also be built and, when work has finished, the network will have 500 kilometres of ducts. Most of the system is currently obsolete and some 60 percent of the water taken from the river never reaches customersâ taps, and Beete said the aim was to reduce those losses by 40 percent.