News Archive
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Expert: We need to reduce our water footprints
Water supplies around the globe are dwindling and in order to tackle the process, industries should consider reducing their ’water footprints’, an expert has urged. According to Dr David Molden, deputy director of research for the International Water Management Institute, one-third of the world’s population has to deal with water shortages. Furthermore, there are "ominous signs that this proportion could quickly increase", he told the BBC. Some good news is...
China 'to divert water supplies from the Yangtze River'
Chinese authorities have revealed that they will tackle severe droughts in Jiangsu province by channeling water supplies from the Yangtze River.Zhang Zitong, a senior from the country's ministry of water resources, announced the measures this week and added that water from the Yellow River will also be utilised.Both Henan and Shandong provinces will benefit from the Yellow River supplied, Mr Zitong informed.He added that as temperatures rise, farmers and residents of mountainous areas may be...
Angler\'s club wins £4,000 compensation after sewage dumping
A group of anglers practicing in a Clyde waterway have been awarded £4,000 out of court by Scottish Water. The compensation was awarded after the firm dumped sewage sludge into the Rotten Calder waterway, which prompted environmental agency Sepa to downgrade the water quality from good to poor. Hundreds of fish were killed following the incident in 2007, which was brought about when a valve at the nearby Allers treatment works in East Kilbride was left open, reported the Herald n...
Bacteria-monitoring method established for wastewater treatment
Researchers from the Bindley Bioscience Center in Purdue's Discovery Park have devised a new system which monitors the progress of the bacteria needed to treat wastewater, it has emerged.The method uses sensors to monitor the progress of the bacteria and researchers have concluded that copper is integral to its balance and wellbeing.Contrary to current methods, the sensors can register even the slightest imbalance immediately, meaning that any toxins which may be in danger of contaminating wa...
Ohio's water supply 'contaminated with acid'
Residents in the Bellaire area of Ohio were warned not to drink tap water this week, it has emerged.The water department revealed that hydrochloric acid was added to water supplies instead of fluoride at the local treatment plant. Superintendent of the water department Kirk Baker assured residents that emergency crews were working to rectify the problem and advised them not to consume tap water until further notice.A total of 40 pounds of the chemical was added to the water system by mistake....
Thames Water admits to polluting river
Thames Water has pleaded guilty to releasing a cocktail of pollutants into England's River Wandle, it has emerged.As a result of the company spilling strong chlorine into the waterway, thousands of fish were killed and the organisation was fined a total of £125,000. The Environment Agency and local anglers worked for three days to move two tonnes of dead of fish from the river. "For many years individuals and organisations [..] have achieved great improvements to water quality and a...
South Korea 'must work to protect the Nakdong River'
The Nakdong River, which runs from the middle of South Korea down into the Sea of Japan, must be offered more protection through government regulations, it has been claimed.According to the JoongAng Daily, the country must introduce tougher rules on the dumping of toxic chemicals in the waterway.It highlights that the Nakdong is a source of drinking water for many people and that there are currently no long-term measures in place to prevent it from being polluted.The publication also points o...
Wastewater treatment facilities 'to increase' in South Africa
The market for water and wastewater treatment in South Africa will grow significantly in the future, it has been forecast.According to calculations from Frost & Sullivan and South African Industrial Water, the market's worth will grow to $135.5 million (£98.6 million) within the next five years.It was found to be worth $79.4 million in 2007.Frost & Sullivan analyst Moses Duma said that the need for "water and wastewater treatment equipment is on a growth trajectory".Thi...
World 'at risk of running out of water'
According to an expert, the world has reached its peak point of abundant water supplies and a shortage of sustainable water is imminent.The Times reports that much like the term 'peak oil', humankind now faces a limit on the amount of 'sustainably managed water' left on the planet, states an annual report from the Pacific Institute in California. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and expert on global freshwater resources, highlights that humans use half of the world's renewable...
EPA issues warning over Teflon chemical in water
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a warning against consuming water that contains more than 0.4 parts per billion of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA.However, the decision has come up against criticism, as scientists have previously recommended levels no higher than 0.2. The chemical, which is toxic to humans, is used in the manufacture of Teflon and non-stick products."This is essentially legalising unsafe exposure levels. Nobody should have to drink a cancer-causin...
Study: Water pollution causes male infertility
A new study has discovered that pollutants found in English waterways could be responsible for causing infertility in males.Anti-androgens, which can block the production of testosterone and reduce male fertility, were discovered by scientists to be present in 30 rivers in England. The study, conducted jointly by Brunel University, the Universities of Exeter and Reading and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, found that male fish have been affected by the presence of the chemicals.It sugges...
Scientists 'use satellites to locate water'
Scientists have started to use satellites to locate water reserves on the African continent, it has been reported.The data is being obtained by the European Space Agency and is assisting in indicating underground water reserves in the drought-stricken Nigerian region of Sahel.Once located, water sources could be tapped into to provide assistance to farmers' crops and animals, the agency stated. Water resources scientist currently working on the programme Issifou Alfari stated that the images...
University to work with firm to boost water supplies
The University of Johannesburg is to work with scientists in the area to improve the quality of the city's water, it has been revealed.Johannesburg Water has signed a memorandum of understanding with the educational institution that will bolster water research and explore methods of ensuring the city's residents receive safer water supplies.Professor Derek van der Merwe of the university, stated: "All of us want safe and secure water and we have an obligation to assist Johannesburg Water...
Water firm to pay after homes damaged by construction work
Anglian Water has assured nearby residents that it will repair cracks that have appeared in their homes since work began on a sewer in their area last year.Work began on the new £4.7 million sewer in Hellesdon Road, Norwich last September. Since then, some houses nearby have suffered from damage as a result. However, as Anglian Water raised the issue them before the project started, residents are confident that the organisation will carry out the repairs necessary, reported Norwich Eveni...
Boats 'trapped by low water levels' in China
Depleted water levels in a Chinese river have caused 160 boats to become stranded, it has been reported.Low water levels in the Beijiang River, located in the southern province of Guangdong, caused the boats to become stuck as levels dropped by around one metre due to a lack of rainfall. China.org.cn quoted an official from the Beijiang Waterway as saying that "the water level has been dropping over the past three days because of lack of rainfall in this region".The waterway, which...
EPA: May cap levels of fuel chemical in drinking water
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a rethink on a decision made not to cap the acceptable levels of a toxic substance used in rocket fuel in the nations' drinking water supply.In 2008, the agency said it would not introduce restrictions on the levels of toxic chemical perchlorate in drinking water, but has now decided to review the decision. Perchlorate, which has been detected in supplies over 35 states, has been shown to interfere with thyroid functions and stunt de...
Scottish waterways analysed in new report
The waterways of Scotland - including its famous network of lochs - have been examined in a new report.The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency's (SEPA) paper found that 57 per cent of the country's waterways are of a good standard or higher. However, 38 per cent failed to meet the acceptable standards on the set scale, whose levels ranged from bad to high. Among those that did not meet the quality standards, including Loch Lomond and the Spey River.A spokeswoman for SEPA stated the main...
Foundation files lawsuit against the EPA
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to its alleged lack of action over cleaning up the country's largest estuary. A federal court has been requested by the foundation to order the EPA to take greater measures to assist with the cleaning of the bay, which has been the subject of pollution over recent years, reported SoMdNews.com.Dedicated to protecting the bay, the foundation is calling for a reduction in air and water poll...
Hawaiian wastewater plants 'must be updated'
Wastewater plants located in Honolulu, Haiwaii, have to be updated, according to the city council.Two plants, located in Sand Island and Honouliuli, will not be granted licenses to continue their operations without first carrying out upgrading requirements, stated the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).This news comes after city officials highlighted that the cost of this could total around $1.2 billion (£787 million). Mufi Hannemann, mayor of Honolulu, said: "We had hoped tha...
Firm applies for permit to study wave electricity
A company based in Washington has requested a permit to conduct studies into using wave power to generate electricity, it has emerged. If granted the permission, Grays Harbor Ocean Energy will spend a number of years examining the possibility of using waves off the California, Hawaii and the Atlantic coasts for electrical energy needs.Overall, seven sites could be established for the purpose, including areas off the coasts of Hawaii, San Francisco, New York and Massachusetts and could generat...
Australians use less water but supplies 'still scarce'
New figures have shown that those living in the Melbourne area consumed less water in 2008 than they did the year previously, but supplies are still low.The country's water minister Tim Holding announced the statistics, pointing out that water consumption levels were last year on a par with those of the 1930s.Overall, 500 fewer litres of water were used by Melburnians in 2008 than 2007.Mr Holding commented: "With a growing population, we had - from a consumption perspective - a pretty go...
UK water firm fined for pollution
A water firm based in Tunbridge Wells in England has been fined for polluting a local waterway, it has been revealed.Southern Water was fined £22,000 and a further £8,900 in costs after pleading guilty to polluting the River Grom. A failure at its sewage treatment works in Tunbridge Wells was responsible for the spills.The firm pleaded guilty to breaching three of its sewage discharge limits during the summer of 2006 as raw sewage was leaked into the river, killing around 500 fish....
Investigation into wastewater concludes
An investigation into green-tinged wastewater being emitted by a plant in Mexico has concluded.The enquiry was launched by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and found that the green-tinged wastewater, which has now ceased, was caused by a mixture of chemicals from the Mexico Wastewater Treatment Plant and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Running for more than five miles along the southern section of the Salt River, the water was noticed due to its irregular colour, reported WaterTechOnl...
Australian council: Drinking water safe following floods
A council in Australia has assured local residents that drinking water is safe following a spate of flooding that saw the region declared a disaster zone. According to the Carpentaria Shire Council, drinking water in the Karumba community is safe to use following extensive flooding, reported ABC News. This claim comes after local pharmacist Elaine MacCormack said people in the area had become sick and were showing symptoms of dysentery. Acting Mayor Joyce Zahner has said there is n...
Landfill runoff 'finds its way into Chinese river'
Pollutants from a nearby landfill site have run off into a Chinese river, according to reports.Over the weekend, pollutants from a landfill site along the Puji River in Guangdong Province seeped into the waterway, which leads into the larger Shanzen River.A report subsequently released by the Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau (GDEPB) stated that the organisation has been monitoring the spill and has taken all appropriate measures to ensure that it is controlled.It added tha...
Hundreds of tonnes of oil 'spilt off the Irish coast'
Around 300 tonnes of oil has been spilled around 50 miles off the west coast of Cork, reports state.The department of transport said that at the time of the incident, two Russian war vessels were refuelling, although no definite information is yet known about the particulars or whether the ships collided.According to the Irish Coast Guard, it has been watching developments from the air and stated that the heavy fuel oil is beginning to break up and covers an area of around four-by-five miles....
Tanker pollution 'to become illegal' in the EU
The EU is expected to pass legislation that makes the pollution of water by tankers a criminal offence, it has been reported.New measures are due to be voted upon in the parliament, which are designed to discourage tankers from polluting the seas upon which they sail.It also aims to outline definitions of minor and serious offences and what levels of pollution will constitute criminal behaviour.Though minor incidences would not result in legal action, consequences and regulations surrounding...
Company introduces device that renders wastewater drinkable
Epuramat, a Luxembourg-based firm, has introduced a compact wastewater treatment product to the consumer market, which allows undrinkable water to be safely treated for human consumption.The utility, entitled Box4Water, is a container that facilitates a complete wastewater treatment utility which is capable of cleaning extremely dirty wastewater to drinking-standard levels.It is capable of supplying clean water for up to 200 people in small villages and communities.Box4Water can also be used...
Water firm wins funds to develop desalination methods
A firm based in Boston has won $10 million (£6.9 million) of funding to inject into researching its desalination methods.Oasys Water has been developing a method devised by Yale University which separates salt from water supplies and will use the money to conduct further research into the practice.Included in the list benefactors are Flagship Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Pointing to recent drought problems in the US state of California, Aaron Mandel...
Engineer turns to water divining to detect faults
An engineer in the UK is turning to the traditional art of water divining to detect incidents of burst or damaged water pipes, it has been revealed.When his high-tech radio wave equipment fails him, United Utilities employee Steve Robinson turns to two old welding rods in the back of his van to practice water divining, which involves using metal rods to detect water flow underground. The method has proved to be so accurate and successful that his fellow colleagues call Mr Robinson when a part...
Abandoned shopping trolleys 'marring UK waterways'
Shopping trolleys pushed into Britain's waterways are proving to be an eyesore and costing the taxpayer £150,000 annually to remove, it has been claimed.According to British Waterways, around 3,000 shopping trolleys are extracted from the UK's canals and rivers yearly and the organisation has now launched a hotline which individuals can use to report abandoned trolleys.The information related via the hotline will also be used to reveal which supermarkets' trolleys most commonly clog up b...
California unveils solar panels at wastewater plants
Organisations in California, including two wastewater plants, have been fitted with solar panels in a bid to increase their energy efficiency, reports state.The panels absorb sunlight during the day, boosting the energy supplies of the organisations they serve. In the area of Richmond, 89 panels were implemented, which will provide 35 per cent of the power needed by the water district. General manager of West County Wastewater E.J Shalaby stated: "The solar panels follow the sun, increas...
Wastewater contamination 'may force popular park to close'
One of Costa Rica's most popular parks has been found to be contaminated by wastewater, it has been revealed.Manuel Antonio National Park may be facing an uncertain future, as the Health Ministry has issued its owners with a closure order and granted the environment and energy ministry ten days to improve the problem.A recent inspection of the park found that wastewater and raw sewage was being dumped from the rangers' living quarters directly into the woodland areas of the park, reported the...
Italy 'receives wastewater warning from EU'
The European commission plans to send Italy a warning notice due to its failure to comply with EU regulations on the treatment of wastewater in urban zones, it has emerged.Around 299 Italian towns do not meet the current requirements for wastewater treatment and untreated wastewater is being released into local waterways, according to the commission. If the country does not work to rectify the situation, it will face disciplinary measures issued by the European court of justice."Untreate...
US court fines Japanese firm for water pollution
A Japanese firm spilled oily wastewater into an ocean and then forged papers to try and hide the offense, according to the US Justice Department, which fined the company $1.75 million (£1.2 million). According to a US district judge, a vessel operated by Hiong Guan Navegacion Japan did not utilise its installed wastewater treatment facility to treat the oily waste, but instead dumped it straight into the waters off Tampa Bay, Florida.The Coast Guard examined the vessel's books, which ind...
Philadelphia water systems 'receive $2 million from EPA'
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted $2 million (£1.3 million) to the state of Philadelphia to assist it in maintaining clean and safe water supplies, it has emerged.In a bid to protect its water system from intentional contamination and maintain water quality, the EPA has granted the Philadelphia Water Department the funds to pilot a water monitoring scheme.It also stated that a further $9.5 million could be allocated to the project by 2012. The EPA's acting administ...
Vietnam's wastewater system 'still insufficient'
A Vietnamese government minister has claimed that wastewater treatment in Vietnam is insufficient, breeding diseases in the country that are avoidable.Minister of construction Nguyen Hong Quan said that despite issuing warnings and guidance as to the safe and efficient treatment of wastewater, policies are very seldom upheld by the government. He was addressing attendees at a recent two-day forum on sustainable urban growth, held in collaboration with Germany, reported the Vietnam News Agency...
Water quality plans released by Environment Agency
The UK's Environment Agency has announced the release of its draft South West River Basin Management Plan, which deals with water quality in the area.It outlines how public sector bodies, businesses and communities can work together to improve water quality in the south of England. Some of the points in the guide include protecting inland waterways and coastal waters, preventing pollution spilling into lakes and rivers and improving water efficiency in homes and establishments.According to a...
Consumer Focus Scotland: Dirty water coolers pose health risk
Consumer Focus Scotland has conducted a study of water coolers in the country which found that dirty water coolers are posing a risk to their users' health.The body took samples from 87 water dispensers from coolers in Edinburgh and the Lothian and Borders area and found that 23 of them were contaminated with bacteria.Coolers in leisure centres, schools and care homes were included in those that failed the hygiene testing. Mary Lawton from Consumer Focus Scotland said that there is currently...
Government officials 'punished' for water contamination
Following an incident which saw the tap water supply of Yancheng city contaminated with chemicals, seven government officials have been punished in China, it has emerged.Last month, it was discovered that the drinking water of 1.5 million residents in the city was contaminated with the plastics and resins chemical phenol. As a result, thousands of citizens' water supplies were cut off for a short time.According to a statement from city authorities, a plant operated by the Yancheng Biaoxin Che...
Wastewater 'spilled at Pearl Harbour'
Around 2,000 gallons of wastewater has been spilled at Hawaii's Pearl Harbour, it has been reported.According to the state department of health's clean water branch, the Navy alerted it to the incident, which it said occurred in the afternoon of March 3rd.The incident is thought to have been caused a break in a wastewater line in the Merry Point area, which has now been rectified. Taking precautions by warning the public not to approach the area, the department is currently collecting samples...
Wastewater spills 'have decreased' in Hawaii
Incidents of wastewater spills have fallen for the second consecutive year in Hawaii, it has been reported.The latest data from the city and county of Honolulu's department of environmental services (ENV) shows that wastewater spills in 2008 fell by 20.8 per cent compared to the previous year.In 2008, 117 wastewater spills were registered with the ENV, a figure down from 144 in 2007, the statistics show.Mufi Hannemann, mayor of Honolulu, stated: "There's no doubt our city’s sewer sy...
Leeds City Council 'saves money after cutting bottled water'
By removing bottled water dispensers from its offices and encouraging employees and visitors to use tap water instead, Leeds City Council has managed to save around £30,000 a year.These are the claims of its representatives, who have stated that using bottled water in its offices is an unacceptable waste of resources and finance.Richard Brett, Leeds' deputy council leader, stated: "There is no need for us to rely on water supplies being brought in from elsewhere when we have perfect...
Water sports event 'threatened by water contamination'
The annual world-famous Moomba Waterfest held in Melbourne may be cancelled this year due to concerns that the water of the Yarra River, in which it is held, is unsafe. A decision is due on whether the event as the river tested positive for contamination levels 1,200 times above the safe limit recently, reported the Herald and Weekly Times.One of the most prevalent bacteria detected in the water was e-coli, the count of which the department of human services says should be no higher than 200...
Bligh: Water contamination is unacceptable
The premier of Queensland Anna Bligh has stated that a recent incident which saw an overflow of wastewater from 10 contaminated mines seep over into nearby waterways is unacceptable. Recent flooding in the area caused the water to spill over into a waterway that feeds into the area's famous Lake Eyre.However, this is inexcusable error on behalf of the mines' operators, stated Ms Bligh, who added that the country's Environmental Protection Agency is currently looking into taking legal action a...
New Method for Quantifying Trace Levels of Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) in Water
Quantifying trace levels of PFCs in samples unambiguously is challenging because of widespread background PFC contamination. PFCs can be analyzed in environmental water samples with confidence using Waters comprehensive system solution comprised of the ACQUITY UltraPerformance LC ® (UPLC®) with ACQUITY® TQ (tandem quadrupole) Detector, and ACQUITY PFC Analysis Kit which includes PFC Isolator column, analytical column, PFC standards, vials, and Oasis® HLB cartridges for SPE. Th...
World's first UV wastewater treatment system 'granted approval'
Water shortage problems might be solved more quickly in the future by a new UV wastewater treatment system which has been formally approved.CST Wastewater Solutions said its Berson InLine+ UV system, the first of its kind to be approved globally, could prove important to solving water shortage problems recently experienced by countries such as Australia and the US, reports Fluid Handling.The California Department of Public Health formally approved the use of the technology for wastewater reus...
Shipping industry 'major factor in climate change'
The shipping industry is a major contributor to climate change, according to a new study.Conducted by researchers from the University of Delaware, the study, which was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, found that the world's operational 100,000 cargo ships emit half as much as the planet's 600 million cars. Professor Daniel Lack, one of the study's leading authors, explained that the ships are "in international waters most of the time, so the pollution doesn't really get...
New pH Monitoring System with Online Calibration Capability
Specialist electrochemical sensor manufacturer Analytical Technology (UK) announces that its innovative new Q45P pH monitoring system is capable of online calibration, speeding up the production process and optimising pH readings. The new Q45P system with online calibration is designed for use in all industrial and municipal applications including wastewater treatment, breweries, dairies and pharmaceutical manufacturing. pH measurement is a critical process and is widely performed in manufac...
New pH Monitoring System with Online Calibration Capability
Specialist electrochemical sensor manufacturer Analytical Technology (UK) announces that its innovative new Q45P pH monitoring system is capable of online calibration, speeding up the production process and optimising pH readings. The new Q45P system with online calibration is designed for use in all industrial and municipal applications including wastewater treatment, breweries, dairies and pharmaceutical manufacturing. pH measurement is a critical process and is widely performed in manufac...