Circle of Blue WaterNews

Circle of Blue's Brett Walton interviews journalist Peter Schwartzstein on "The Heat and the Fury," his new book examining the scope and the stakes of global violence spurred by climate change.

What is the value of water? It's an age-old riddle vexed by complexity and complacency. But what is the true value of functioning freshwater ecosystems, and what's at stake without them? Stuart Orr, WWF's freshwater practice leader, speaks with Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Senior Reporter, about the provocative new report, "The High Cost of Cheap Water."

The Three Ages of Water, a new book by scientist Peter Gleick, traces the arc of society through its relationship with the most elemental of human needs.

What's Up With Water May 9, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - May 2, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water April 18, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - April 10, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

Canadian leaders are moving to direct more resources toward protecting and managing the nation's water. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the first step, pledging to spend $420 million Canadian dollars a year over the next decade to improve water quality in the Great Lakes. In Somalia, record-setting drought has caused the death of some 43,000 people, according to a new report from the United Nations. About half the dead were children under the age of five.

Welcome to “What's Up With Water” - your need-to-know news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. I'm Eileen Wray-McCann. On March 20, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit that could change water use patterns in the drying Colorado River basin. The Navajo Nation claims that the federal government has failed in its legal duty to ensure sufficient water for the tribe. That includes claims to water from the Colorado River, which is adjacent to the Navajo reservation. The lawsuit asserts that the U.S. government must determine the Navajo Nation's water needs and devise a plan to meet those needs. The water in the basin is fully spoken for, so water for the Navajo Nation would come from another use. Legal scholars who are not party to the lawsuit say that the Navajo Nation should prevail in this dispute for two reasons. First, the federal government has near total control of the lower basin of the Colorado River and second, the government has a longstanding legal obligation to secure water for Indian reservations. The states named in the lawsuit and the federal government have a different view. They argue that it is not the federal government's decision to make. Based on previous lawsuits, they argue that only the Supreme Court has the power to determine water allocations from the Lower Colorado River. Which interpretation the nine justices will support remains to be seen. A decision is expected in June. A study published last week provides fresh evidence that the world's weather is becoming more extreme. As the planet warms, high-intensity rain storms and prolonged periods of drought are happening more frequently. Researchers came to that conclusion after studying satellite data that shows the distribution of the world's water. Matthew Rodell, one of the study authors, explained the dynamics to the news agency AFP. Rodell said that a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, so that storms can release more rain. At the same time, higher temperatures increase evaporation, which dries out soils and contributes to drought. The researchers expect the trend to continue – as things get warmer, the weather extremes will intensify. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took an initial step to control toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water. The agency proposed first-ever limits for two of the chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. It also proposed regulating four additional forever chemicals as a group. Public health experts applauded the move, pointing to links between the chemicals and a range of illnesses, including thyroid problems, high cholesterol, and kidney cancer. Water utilities, however, cautioned that it will be expensive to update water treatment equipment to remove the chemicals. They say that unless more is done to prevent contamination of rivers, lakes, and groundwater, the cost of meeting federal drinking water standards will be transferred to citizens. The proposal is in draft form, and public comments will be accepted for at least 60 days. A final rule is expected next year. And that's What's Up With Water from Circle of Blue, where water speaks. You'll find more news and analysis - and a chance to support our work - at circleofblue.org. This is Eileen Wray-McCann - thanks for being here.

What's Up With Water - March 14, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - March 7, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - your need-to-know news of the world's water from Circle of Blue. A new report from the United Nations highlights the environmental factors that produce deadly, drug-resistant pathogens. In Australia, the government has refused to allow a pair of open-pit coal mines because of their potential to harm to local sources of fresh water and damage the Great Barrier Reef. In the United States, the largest city in Ohio is taking a low-carbon approach to protect its water supply system from extreme weather.

What's Up With Water - February 7, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - January 31, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - January 24, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water January 17, 2023 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - January 10, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

This week, we highlight three stories from the United States on nitrate pollution, groundwater extraction, and drought response.

What's Up With Water - December 13, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - December 6, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - November 22, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - November 15, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

Diplomats, business leaders, and environmental advocates have gathered in Egypt for two weeks of international climate talks. As climate change fuels extreme weather, children are bearing devastating impacts. In the United States, the iconic Mississippi River has fallen to near-record lows, and a group of Mayors in the river basin is seeking federal assistance.

What's Up WIth Water - November 1, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water - October 25, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

What's Up With Water – your need-to-know news of the world's water from Circle of Blue.

What's Up With Water - October 11, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

Bad tasting and polluted tap water are not just infrastructure problems.

An in-depth interview with Keith Schneider

What's Up With Water - September 20, 2022 by Circle Of Blue

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers what to expect at COP27, new research on the link between water and the fossil fuel industry in Texas, and an update on Jackson, Mississippi's failing water system. Find a full transcript to this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wsf

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers extreme weather's toll in Pakistan, Mississippi's dual water crises, and a legislative win for affordable water in California. Find a full transcript for this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wpW

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers drought in China, stalled Colorado River negotiations, and lawsuits over flooding in Eastern Kentucky. Find a full transcript to this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-woK

Without additional cuts, federal forecast projects Lake Mead to continue its decline in next two years. Read the story: https://bit.ly/3c56Jb5

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers a potential catastrophic winter storm in California and new research that revealed what may be causing high case numbers of pediatric cancer in Pennsylvania. Plus, Circle of Blue breaks down the latest water cuts in the Colorado River basin. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wn1

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers extreme heat and drought across Europe. Plus, Circle of Blue reports on the aftermath of catastrophic flooding in some of the poorest counties in the United States. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wkO

Curtis Riganti, climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center, speaks with Delaney Nelson, Circle of Blue reporting intern, about the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map.

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers the state of Australia's environment and a record-breaking heat wave across Europe. Plus, Circle of Blue reports on the enduring allure of big water supply pipelines in the drying American West. Find a full transcript for this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wf8

As the western drylands grow thirstier, some are seeking to revive an old tactic that is becoming increasingly risky. They want to build water pipelines to tap remote groundwater basins and reservoirs to supply growing metropolitan areas or vulnerable rural towns. Read the full story: https://www.circleofblue.org/2022/world/big-water-pipelines-an-old-pursuit-still-alluring-in-drying-west/

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers a setback to the environmental rights of nature in Florida and a recent lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Plus, Circle of Blue breaks down the top five must-know facts about drought in the American West. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-wd8

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers how states in the American West are coping with a drying Colorado River and a nearly-completed water pipeline project in Israel to combat water scarcity. Find a full transcript of this week's episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-waT

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers water shortages in Mexico and Italy. Plus, Circle of Blue reports on the U.S. government's response to forever chemicals in drinking water. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-w6c

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers a win for environmentalists in Albania, a call for action on phosphorus management from the science community, and a recent decision to cut freshwater use at a major copper mine in Chile. Plus, Circle of Blue reports on the "mega-watersheds" of the American West. Find a full transcript for this week's episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-w4d

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers how Bolivia's gold rush is polluting rivers, a resurgence of nitrate pollution in Iowa, and the expansion of desalination in Egypt. Plus, Circle of Blue explores what happens if one of the most powerful hydroelectric dams in the United States stops generating power. Find a full transcript to this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-w3i

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers an unusually warm month in France, famine in Somalia, and withering wheat crops in Iraq. Find a full transcript of this episode: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-w2t

Speaking Of Water - Erica Gies by Circle Of Blue

In Michigan Rising Water Costs Hit Home by Circle Of Blue

Michigan Water Infrastructure & State Revolving Funds by Circle Of Blue

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers heatwaves in India, dam removal across Europe, and a groundwater conservation proposal in Arizona. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-w01

This week' s episode of What's Up With Water covers water-related financial risks and a mandate to conserve water in California. Plus, Circle of Blue reports on Michigan's opportunity for renewal. Find a full transcript for this episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-vYx

This week's episode of What's Up With Water covers recent heatwaves in India and Pakistan and the reason some homes in Australia may become "uninsurable." Plus, Circle of Blue reports on how rising water costs in Michigan are impacting low-income households. Find a full transcript of this week's episode here: https://wp.me/p7hOyy-vVM