Hotspots H2o

The Biden administration’s historic pitch to remove all lead drinking water pipes is part of a $111 billion proposal for water systems.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: An election in Greenland could affect mining; groundwater as a factor in ocean pollution; and a massive restoration project in Louisiana. Plus a CoB exclusive feature on President Biden’s infrastructure plan and what’s in it for water.

A critical juncture is reached for providing water to state’s rural communities

In Albania, a campaign to stop hydropower development on the Vjosa River has received international attention.  In South Asia last week, India and Pakistan met for the first time in over two years in an effort to resolve issues under the Indus Waters Treaty.  This week, Circle of Blue reports on a critical juncture for Michigan’s rural water systems, which now must reckon with decades of underinvestment in infrastructure.

Indigenous Treaty Rights In Michigan by Circle Of Blue

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: the end of Jackson, MS boil-water advisory, research on the links between rivers and groundwater, and California regulators developing the world's first guidelines for microplastics in drinking water. Plus a CoB exclusive feature on Line 5 and treaty rights.

This is an excerpt of the March 15, 2021 episode of What's Up With Water. National governments are not on track to meet the ambitious, globally recognized goals for universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2030. Nor are they sufficiently shepherding their rivers, lakes, and aquifers through an era of climate change, water stress, and population growth. That’s according to a United Nations water agency report assessing progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6, a global benchmark on water management and delivery.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. Stories this week on Flint water settlement, Louisiana groundwater, and low reservoirs in South Africa. Plus a CoB exclusive feature on Sustainable Development Goals for water.

Ready or Not. Water Could Make Michigan a Climate Refuge. by Circle Of Blue

Navajo Generating Station shut down in 2019 and is now being dismantled. The Colorado River water that cooled the plant is part of a broader legal impasse.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: a water crisis in Jackson, MS, a CDP report on water risk for businesses, and legal personhood status for a Quebec river. Plus an exclusive CoB feature on the closing of the largest coal-fired power plant in the American West - Navajo Generating Station.

Your "need to know news" from Circle of Blue. This week: Taiwan drought affects computer chip industry, the World Wildlife Fund's report on freshwater fish, and a CoB exclusive feature on why Michigan and the Great Lakes region could be a climate migration magnet.

This is an excerpt of the February 22, 2021 episode of What's Up With Water. The story of the pandemic has been its inequality. By almost every measurement — job losses, vaccine distribution, death rates — the public health emergency has resulted in unequal outcomes. The people hit the hardest are those already on the margins. So it is for water utilities and their customers. Some utilities have financial aid programs and partnerships with community organizations to help customers in need. Charlotte is North Carolina’s largest city. There, residents who call a helpline will be connected to three local nonprofits offering financial assistance during the health emergency. In other places, such as Jamestown, there is no customer aid program, so struggling residents rely on the kindness of strangers.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: The Mekong River drops to worrying levels, U.S. dam removals in 2020, and Nestle sells bottled water brands. Plus a CoB exclusive on the pandemic's unequal impact on North Carolina water providers and their customers.

Speaking Of Water - Water Infrastructure & Environmental Justice by Circle Of Blue

A new grant program in Michigan is aimed at removing contaminants from drinking water systems, and it’s so popular, demand for the funds is far outpacing the supply. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced that 32 grant applicants, many of them small towns, requested more than $80 million in state funds. The problem? Only $25 million is available to give out.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: research on the health impacts of nitrate in drinking water, Florida water system hacking, and the fourth-largest city in Illinois picks a new water provider to transition away from a declining aquifer. Plus an exclusive CoB feature on a Michigan water infrastructure grant program.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. Stories this week: Regulator in Australia rejects coal mine expansion beneath catchments that provide drinking water to Sydney, India's government proposes an ambitious urban water supply initiative, and activists in northern Minnesota oppose Line 3 oil pipeline replacement. Plus an exclusive CoB feature on Massachusetts water affordability.

This is an excerpt of the February 1, 2021 episode of What's Up With Water. This week Circle of Blue reports on the risks of aging water infrastructure. From the early to mid 20th century, dams were all the rage. But the dam-building binge is coming to a turning point.

Your "need to know" news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. This week: Water supply agreement from a disputed lake in Georgia, Biden administration looks to increase spending on disaster prevention, and Chicago council member introduces water shutoff and affordability bill. Plus, a CoB feature on aging dams.