The impact of the global shutdown brought about by the Coronavirus is evident in photos showing clearer air and water in places that haven’t seen clear air and water in awhile. But with so many people staying home, what’s the impact on our water usage? According to the Pacific Institute’s Dr. Peter Gleick, while we’re […]
Cattle feed production in the Western United States account for 32 percent of water use in those arid lands and irrigation of cattle feed crops is the greatest cause of water depletion for one-third of rivers in the West, according to a study published in Nature Sustainability. The team of researchers investigated the West to […]
The nexus between water, energy, and food today is fragile—made all the more so by climate change, catastrophic weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The devastation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria provided a good example of recovery of the WEF Nexus as all three systems were destroyed and recovery efforts focused on urban areas. […]
H₂O, The Molecule That Made Us, is a three-part documentary series “that tells the human story through our relationship to water. Water has been at the heart of the human story since the very beginning, and now, we face a crisis of unprecedented proportions: we can no longer take water for granted.” The series is […]
A controversial water pipeline that pitted Las Vegas against a rural area in Nevada for 30 years was ended for now. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) — in charge of Las Vegas’ water supply — doesn’t currently view the rural groundwater as vital. Conservation by Las Vegas metro area households and businesses has driven […]
On March 30, the EPA designated water professionals — like water and wastewater treatment operators, and water utility managers — as essential workers. This might seem obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it solidifies the importance of safe, clean water and those who work in that field. From the EPA news release: Ensuring that all […]
Plastic pollution is everywhere, and it’s not just the plastic water bottle floating in the stream. The environmental impact of plastic extends not only to plastic in the water, but also the water it takes to produce the plastic. The water footprint of plastic comes to about 28 gallons of water per pound of plastic, […]
Clean water and good hygiene are an essential pair to fight back against the coronavirus pandemic, yet water shutoffs in low-income homes are happening in all 50 states, according to Food & Water Action’s Public Water for All Campaign. Efforts to suspend tap water shutoffs during the economic turmoil were foiled when the $1.5 billion […]
Tap water in the United States is safe to drink in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to an advisory by the EPA. It’s understandable that people might be concerned about how the novel coronavirus might affect drinking water and wastewater utilities, and the EPA provides some answers. From the EPA advisory Coronavirus and […]
