The News Review:
- Uncontrolled construction, agri practices affecting city’s water …
- Polarized Light Guides Cholera-carrying Midges That Contaminate …
- Water supplies, urban fringe at risk
- California American Water Ends Water Year Below Limits
- Longterm Water Plan Unveiled for Polk; OK Request to Be Dec. 17
- ‘In 3 yrs, 24/7 water supply will be a reality’
Uncontrolled construction, agri practices affecting city’s water …
Jamaica Observer, Jamaica
“Jamaicans feel that if they own a piece of land it is their right to do whatever they please with it,” Chang remarked. The housing minister argued that the absence of a national land-usage plan contributed to the problem, a situation which his administration plans to correct. He added that in recent times, whenever it rains, intakes at the water supply systems serving Kingston are blocked or damaged from silt and debris coming from the St Andrew hills, costing millions of dollars to rectify each time. “Kingston’s primary water supply comes from the Hope River and Yallahs rivers. We are destroying the entire watershed,” said Chang. The water and housing minister was speaking at a seminar on the contribution of surveyors to disaster risk management by the Land Surveyors Association (LSA), held Thursday at the Knutsford Court hotel in Kingston. The LSA is celebrating its 80th anniversary.
Polarized Light Guides Cholera-carrying Midges That Contaminate …
Science Daily (press release)
Could a high level of polarization in reflections be related to the amount of nutritious organic matter in the water? By measuring the polarization of reflections from increasingly cloudy water samples, it was clear that the cloudiest water produced the most polarized reflections, suggesting that the water offers the best start in life to the midges’ larvae, and their cholera bacteria hitchhikers. The team are also keen to point out that their discovery could help control midge numbers and minimise cholera transmission. They suggest that by reducing the proportion of polarized light reflected by water supplies and offering midges cloudy, polarized light reflecting alternatives to lay their eggs in, we could limit the spread of future cholera epidemics. Journal reference:Lerner, A.
Water supplies, urban fringe at risk
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
article-tools –> Peter Rolfe November 02, 2008 12:00am MELBOURNE’S urban areas and precious water supplies have been identified as major fire danger zones ahead of an impending horror bushfire season. Fire chiefs have warned of an extreme season expected to come earlier and last longer following a record dry start to spring and forecasts of a hot summer. Melbourne’s urban fringe has been identified as a particular risk zone, with the Mornington Peninsula, the Dandenongs and the Alexandra and Macedon regions told they should be on high alert. Far East Gippsland and communities north of Horsham and around Bendigo have also been warned they are at risk of severe bushfires, fuelled by the absence of spring rainfall. Department of Sustainability and Environment chief fire officer Ewan Waller said the threat was genuine.
California American Water Ends Water Year Below Limits
MarketWatch
”
In 1995, the State Water Resources Control Board found that California
American Water did not have the right to nearly seventy percent of the Carmel
River water used to supply Peninsula homes and businesses. The finding was
driven by studies that showed the company’s wells near the Carmel River to be
pumping river underflow rather than groundwater, as was previously understood. Since 1995, Cal-Am has been diligently working to obtain a new water supply. Because an immediate reduction of seventy percent would have been
unrealistic given the community’s water demands, the State authorized Cal-Am
to reduce its pumping by twenty percent until an alternative resource could be
found. The 20% reduction limited Cal-Am to 11,285 acre-feet a year from the
Carmel River. As of September 30, 2008 — the official end of the water year
– California American Water’s pumping was at 10,659 — 626 acre-feet under
the state limit. The Seaside Basin, which was recently determined through a court
adjudication process to be dangerously overdrafted, is permitted for an annual
pumping of 3,849 acre-feet.
Related from Bottled water sales growth slow to trickle
Longterm Water Plan Unveiled for Polk; OK Request to Be Dec. 17
The Ledger, FL
County commissioners will be asked on Dec. 17 to give the plan a formal nod. At issue is how to come up with a longterm solution – as much as 50 years into the future – for finding sources of water to supply water demand for new homes, farms, factories and businesses throughout Polk County, said Gary Fries from Polk County Utilities. The list of projects include a mix of conservation and developing alternative sources ranging from converting abandoned agricultural wells to public use to tapping surface waters. A favorable vote in December would give consultants the go-ahead to analyze the 15 most promising projects in more detail. In May, they would submit a report that details which ones are the most feasible and comes up with a financial plan for implementing them, said Gene Health, a water consultant. Fries said the goal is to find an additional 30 million gallons of water a day in addition to the 99.
‘In 3 yrs, 24/7 water supply will be a reality’
Times of India, India
The BMC says it is awaiting the completion of the
Middle Vaitarna dam project to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the city. The project will augment the city’s water supply from the present 3,400 million
litres daily to 3,800 million litres daily. There are four stages to
achieve 24×7 water supply for the city. These include a water audit to know the
quantum of unaccounted for water, meaning water lost due to leakages and
pilferage. With only 50% of waters meters in working condition and none in the
island city, the BMC cannot dream of providing water at all hours.