New York City promotes tap water
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6286606.stm
This short article is from the BBC and was issued on 10th July 2007. It considers the new ideas put forward in North America regarding the consumerism of bottled water and how the industry is causing much waste and pollution due to the lack of sufficient recycling. An advertising campaign was used by the officials of the city of New York and local restaurants were encouraged to participate as not only was the idea to reduce waste, but also to save the population money. A summer heatwave hinders the effectiveness of the plans and the Bottled Water Association defends the industry.
Related Links:
Bottled Water Association – http://www.bottledwater.org/
Flood victims told not to panic as bowsers run dry
http://www.guardian.co.uk/weather/Story/0,,2134046,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront#top
This is from the Guardian and was issued on 25th July 2007. The article, as the title implies, concentrates on the point of trying to stop people in the badly affected areas of flooding from panicking about a lack of clean water - it was on its way. It tells of the actions put in place to get clean, safe water to houses where the supply is not guaranteed and also asks the public not to hoard water, as it will have a knock-on effect to others and to use as little as possible to avoid crisis.
Related Links:
Guardian Special Weather Report – http://www.guardian.co.uk/weathernews/0,,179784,00.html
Why the Floods Happened (interactive) - http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,,2133052,00.html
Target water bill dodgers – peers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5050048.stm
This story from the BBC is from 6th June 2006 and is concerned with how people who do not pay their water bills because they know that they won’t be cut off are creating a problem for those who end up picking up the bill. It is due to Ofwat’s protection system that people are not cut off but in the article the idea of restriction is put forward so that non bill payers have enough to get by, but only uncomefortably. It also describes the issues with leaking pipes and the stress and pressure put on water resources by the growing population who need housing, but developments are not being located in good places and are adding strain.
Related Links:
BBC Water Calculator – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/5086298.stm
350,000 without clean water as flood threat moves to Thames Valley
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2130203.ece
This report, taken from the Times online, was published on 24th July 2007 and is to do with the continuing affects of the enduring rain that occurred at the time. It begins by describing how a third of a million people will be without clean running water and that the army will be bringing in 3 million litres of water per day. It then goes on to report of the efforts to save a water treatment works and protect an electricity sub-station and also of the House of Commons supplementing a flood recovery fund and recommendation to counselors of applying to the EU for extra funding once they have a reliable estimate of the costs for repairs. The article concludes with the Queen’s tributes to the emergency services and finally with a weather report that is attempting a more optimistic outlook.
Related Links:
Tales from the floods – http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2132832.ece
River agency fined for pollution
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4992048.stm
This article from the BBC was issued on 17th May 2006 and describes how the Environment Agency ended up being fined for the first time since its creation ten years previously. The reason for the fine was that the River Exe, in Somerset, was subjected to a leak of toxic building waste from a sub-contractor that was building a flow monitoring station on the bank of the river. The waste killed 300 fish and was classed as “level one”, most serious.
A local landowner was granted permission to prosecute the Environment Agency, and they pleaded guilty.
Related Links:
Environment Agency – http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
Farms ‘big threat’ to fresh water.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4828716.stm
This story, taken from the BBC news website, was issued on 21st March 2006 and is in reference to a UN report that was released during the World Water Forum that year, held in Mexico. The agency that released this report was the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and they conclude that farming, especially in developing countries, has become a threat to fresh water supplies in many ways. It uses a majority of the fresh water taken from aquifers and other such sources. The use of pesticides and fertilisers on land and some methods of fishing used are highly destructive and degenerative to the fresh water resources so desperately needed with the increasing rise of populations. The article goes on to mention the contradiction of a report from another UN agency, the African Development Bank, and how they conclude the need for greater exploitation of water resources for economical gain.
Related Links:
Unep – http://www.unep.org/
World Water Forum – http://www.worldwaterforum.org/home/home.asp
UN Water – http://www.unwater.org/
