Lindiwe Sisulu, tasked by President Cyril Ramaphosa to clean up the department of human settlements, water and sanitation, says SA's water sector requires urgent attention and more resources if it is to avoid an imminent collapse.
Flagship government schemes related to water infrastructure have a potential of drawing a capex of $270 billion (Rs 18.9 lakh crore) over the next few years, according to BofAML. The programs involving piped water supply, river linking projects, Namami Gange and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY) can together draw these investments over the next five to 15 years.
On Sunday, July 14, 2019, the residents of Hemat Abad, located in the suburbs of the 3rd district of Mashhad, northeast Iran, protested over the shortage of potable water and its low quality, which has led to damage in their purification systems and air conditioners.
A jam factory that supplies the Queen has caused problems with water pressure on a newly-built neighbouring estate, families living there have claimed. People on the Nine Acres estate in Tiptree, Essex, said they were often unable to shower or do their washing when the supply dropped. Anglian Water has called a meeting with jam-makers Wilkin & Sons to ensure an adequate water supply.
Residents used trees and stones to block several roads in the Engonyameni area near Umlazi, south of Durban, on Monday. The protest was in response to a lack of water. Teaching and learning was disrupted at about 10 schools.
A referendum to ensure the water system is kept in public ownership could be held in the first half of 2020, according to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. In correspondence between Murphy and the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, the minister states “it may be possible to facilitate the holding of a referendum in the first half of next year”.
A Tennessee police department is warning residents to stop flushing drugs down their toilet and sinks out of fear they could create "meth gators." The police posted the warning to Facebook on Saturday after officers found a suspect unsuccessfully trying to flush methamphetamine and paraphernalia at their home.
A new policy brief from Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) examines population growth in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) and southeast Asia and posits some “myths” that will have to be de-bunked in order to cope with urban WASH access.
Research into Hepatitis E (HEV) disease indicates that population density and lack of clean water are factors that contribute to outbreaks.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has declared its 8-year moratorium on new golf courses a success.
A State Department intelligence official who was blocked by the White House from submitting written congressional testimony on climate change last month is resigning from his post. Rod Schoonover spoke before the House Intelligence Committee on June 5 about the security risks the United States faces because of climate change.
A strike by farmers in Peru’s Islay Province continued into a second day July 16, as protests continue against Southern Copper’s $1.4 Billion USD Tia Maria mining project. Hundreds of farmers have blocked the Panamerican Highway, and local transport service has been suspended.
The Country Director, World Bank, India, this week described the recently signed $250 Million USD loan for the Resilient Kerala Program (RKP) which aims to enhance the state’s resilience against natural disasters and climate change.
Monsoon rainfall has caused and mudslides across parts of Nepal, northern India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar in recent days causing more than 100 deaths, and mass evacuations. UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed sadness at the loss of life, displacement of people and destruction of property due to the heavy monsoon rains and said the world body stands by to provide support if required.
California's Department of Conservation ordered oil giant Chevron July 13 to immediately "take all measures" to the stop the flow and "prevent any new surface expressions" near a well site that has spilled about 800,000 gallons of oil-water mixture in the last two months.
Eastern Ukraine utility Voda Donbasa (VD) has informed the WASH Cluster in the country of two incidents of violence which affected the beleaguered Donetsk Filter Station (DFS) over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday July 13-14.
There was small arms fire very close to DFS July 13, which started at 09:30 pm. One hour later shelling started at the same location (at 10.35 pm) lasting for one hour.
The Water Services Regulation Authority of England and Wales (Ofwat) has announced new measures that impose requirements on water companies to strengthen their financial resilience.
The June 27 deadline for financially stressed Singapore environmental services company Hyflux Ltd and its “white knight” Utico FZC (UAE) to reach an investment deal has passed, but a joint update filed with the Singapore Exchange July 11 indicates that “informal discussions” continue.
Read more than 100 OOSKAnews articles related to Hyflux Ltd here.
Variable climate conditions and persistent conflicts contine to cause high levels of food insecurity in 41 countries, with 31 of these in Africa, UNFAO has reported.
Historically, terrestrial, freshwater and marine specialists have worked more or less independently from one another and, so far, the linkages between source-to-sea have not been fully explored, according to a newly published "Guide".