Drinking water around the world.
Accessible fresh water is scarce, incredibly scarce when you look at the total amount of water on earth.
The vast majority of that, about 97 percent, is sea water.
Between 1.7 and two of the remaining three percent is permanently trapped in glaciers, ice and snow.
Most of the little that remains is ground water or soil moist.
The surface water, which we can easily access – lakes, rivers and swamps – only accounts for 0.01 percent of the world’s water.
While that covers the needs in places like Germany, Sweden, Argentina or Canada, the Global Water Institute estimates that 700 million people in 43 countries currently suffer from water scarcity.
And conditions are set to get worse.
The UNCCD meanwhile predicts that by 2030, as many as 700 million people will be forced to leave their homes due to water shortages, aggravated by climate change.
While in Europe and North America, it is used to shower and flush toilets, WHO statistics suggest almost 800 million people in the world have no access to it at all.

This Is How Much Water You Should REALLY Be Drinking Each Day.
Africa-Studio/Shutterstock“You can never drink too much water” is not a statement to be taken literally.
Too much water can literally be fatal, and we’re not talking about drowning.
Hyponatremia is a rare condition which develops when you take in too much water in a short period of time, and the electrolyte balance in your body is lowered to a dangerous level.
But in all likelihood, hyponatremia or “water intoxication” isn’t likely to affect you at any point in your life.
So, you H2O focus should remain steady, focused on getting the right amount of ounces into your day.
In order to guarantee the benefits, the National Academy of Medicine recommends you down 125 ounces of total water per day if you’re a man, 91 ounces if you’re a woman.
Now, “total water” is a very specific choice of words which doesn’t necessarily translate exactly to 125 ounces of Poland Spring or tap water.
For example, celery is 95 percent water, so that would help your case.
Humans are 60 percent water, so celery is a good go-to green.

Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) announced on Aug. 23 the amended version of Senate Bill 623, which would establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to finance infrastructure improvement projects across the state with the help of a coalition of environmental activists, agricultural industry representatives, and labor groups.
Proponents say the legislation was drafted in response to the some 300 water systems in California dealing with pollutant violations, such as arsenic, lead, nitrates, and uranium that have been linked to nausea and vomiting, cancer, reduced mental functioning in children, nervous system decline, miscarriages, and numerous other health issues.
“In Flint, Michigan, 100,000 people were exposed to unsafe drinking water, but right here in California more than 1 million Californians are annually exposed to unsafe drinking water,” Monning said in a statement.
The release said low-income rate exemptions would be provided for households under 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
“Even though agricultural practices of today significantly reduce or eliminate the potential for nitrates to reach the groundwater, farmers and researchers are continuing to seek opportunities to improve management practices,” the release said.
“Due to the challenges of reconciling nitrogen use by agriculture with human health and water resource protection, we have been working with the environmental justice community, as well as other stakeholders, for over a year in an effort to address the critical needs in disadvantaged communities relating to safe drinking water.
… SB 623 strikes the needed balance between providing the necessary resources for addressing critical drinking water needs, while protecting agriculture from certain nitrate related enforcement actions in the short-term.” The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) opposes the bill in its current form.
In the letter, the association agreed with the intent of the bill and noted that a lack of safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities was a public health issue that needed to be addressed.
However, ACWA took issue with the types of funding Monning proposed.
“State law sets forth a policy of a human right to water for human consumption that is safe, clean, affordable, and accessible,” the letter says.

Initiatives to Improve Access to Water in LatAm.
Stockholm, Aug 31 (Prensa Latina) Several initiatives to improve access to water in Latin America and the Caribbean stand out in an event taking place in this capital up to September 1st.
The program called Mesoamerica Sin Hambre (Middle America without Hunger) is currently implemented in countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, helping communities to take advantage of rain water to use it as a source of drinkable and harmless water to use it for irrigation in times of drought.
The FAO’s website reports the organization also supports communities of Bolivia and the Dominican Republic so that they use rainwater.
‘With a minimum of economic investment, we can guarantee the access to drinking water and improve the quality of life of the vulnerable communities.
The access to water is a human right’, assures Marcos Rodríguez, coordinator of the program Middle America without Famine in Colombia.
The FAO and the International Institute for Management of Water released in the event that takes place in this capital the conclusions of a study on the last scientific investigations on the contamination of water on a global scale from a food and agricultural perspective.
The farms unload large numbers of agrochemical products, organic matters, residues of medicines, sediments and saline drainage, adds FAO.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the importance of the quality of water and includes a specific target for its conservation.
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To help tackle this, ICRISAT, part of the CGIAR consortium, has established several village-level wastewater treatment units, known as constructed wetlands, in partnership with local governments and private companies to supply safe water for irrigation.
"Three years ago, before using the treated wastewater, I was totally dependent on rain.
Now, with access to treated domestic wastewater all year, Serigudam has steady yields and is able to rotate crops, which has led to them diversifying their income.
"In summer, I grow sorghum on a quarter acre using treated wastewater and this gives me 600 kg that I set aside for my own consumption.
Safe wastewater recycling provides an additional reliable water source for irrigation, enhances crop yields for farmers and ensures safer food supply.
"Many villagers warned me against consuming sorghum grown with village wastewater, but I use this treated water as I can see the benefits.
"Since the last two years of using treated wastewater, I am better off.
Earlier with untreated wastewater the yield was about 500kg less."
"Now that there is water throughout the year, I rented 1.21ha of land near the wastewater source to help me with irrigation.
With total treatment capacity of 863 m³ per day it can irrigate one hectare land at each village or provide water to nearly 3,000 rural households for domestic consumption[1].

This Is How Much Water You Should REALLY Be Drinking Each Day.
Africa-Studio/Shutterstock“You can never drink too much water” is not a statement to be taken literally.
Too much water can literally be fatal, and we’re not talking about drowning.
Hyponatremia is a rare condition which develops when you take in too much water in a short period of time, and the electrolyte balance in your body is lowered to a dangerous level.
But in all likelihood, hyponatremia or “water intoxication” isn’t likely to affect you at any point in your life.
So, you H2O focus should remain steady, focused on getting the right amount of ounces into your day.
In order to guarantee the benefits, the National Academy of Medicine recommends you down 125 ounces of total water per day if you’re a man, 91 ounces if you’re a woman.
Now, “total water” is a very specific choice of words which doesn’t necessarily translate exactly to 125 ounces of Poland Spring or tap water.
For example, celery is 95 percent water, so that would help your case.
Humans are 60 percent water, so celery is a good go-to green.

Initiatives to Improve Access to Water in LatAm.
Stockholm, Aug 31 (Prensa Latina) Several initiatives to improve access to water in Latin America and the Caribbean stand out in an event taking place in this capital up to September 1st.
The program called Mesoamerica Sin Hambre (Middle America without Hunger) is currently implemented in countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, helping communities to take advantage of rain water to use it as a source of drinkable and harmless water to use it for irrigation in times of drought.
The FAO’s website reports the organization also supports communities of Bolivia and the Dominican Republic so that they use rainwater.
‘With a minimum of economic investment, we can guarantee the access to drinking water and improve the quality of life of the vulnerable communities.
The access to water is a human right’, assures Marcos Rodríguez, coordinator of the program Middle America without Famine in Colombia.
The FAO and the International Institute for Management of Water released in the event that takes place in this capital the conclusions of a study on the last scientific investigations on the contamination of water on a global scale from a food and agricultural perspective.
The farms unload large numbers of agrochemical products, organic matters, residues of medicines, sediments and saline drainage, adds FAO.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the importance of the quality of water and includes a specific target for its conservation.
mh/tac/rc/mfb Temas Relacionados:

While all eyes are on Harvey, more than 1,000 people have died in South Asia’s floods.
Half of the country is flooded by waters from the Jamuna River during a particularly brutal South Asian monsoon season.
"We’re still in a response phase.
We’re still making sure that people have clean drinking water — without it, there can be a lot of health issues — and that people have clean food as well, and that people are able to sustain themselves in the immediate weeks and months to come."
"You see children playing in the waters of their flooded backyard farms.
You see farmers tilling the land, harvesting crops.
In Bangladesh, Marek said, the waters are starting to recede.
"The monsoon rains, the floods — they don’t understand country borders."
As he and his colleagues work in South Asia to assist people affected by the monsoon floods, Marek is also watching the news back home.
"Even in Bangladesh there’s a photo of floods in Houston, yet all around, there’s disaster in this country."

Between 12 and 22 political prisoners incarcerated in Iran’s infamous Gohardasht Prison have been protesting inhumane treatment by engaging in a hunger strike, some of them for over a month – but prison officials have not budged or indicated that they are any closer to meeting the prisoners’ demands.
Inmates were forced to leave medications and other personal belongings behind during the transfer, and are also protesting additional security cameras, listening devices, not enough beds or drinking water, and poor ventilation.
Judicial and prison officials are denying medical treatment to the prisoners, who are suffering from malnutrition and declining health.
Prisoners must endure their punishment to the fullest."
The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has called on the Ministry of Justice and the State Prison Organization to provide medical treatment to the prisoners and address their demands for humane treatment.
"The Iranian judiciary’s denial of these political prisoners’ legitimate demands may cost the lives of prisoners who have no other way to attract attention to the inhumane conditions at the prison," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of CHRI, in a statement on the organization’s website.
"They can either continue to pass the buck around to different bureaucracies inside the country or immediately address this life-threatening situation and be accountable to the prisoners under their care."
Jafar Eghdami, who has been incarcerated at Gohardasht for nine years, is one of those in miserable condition after weeks of hunger striking.
Jafar was arrested in August 2008 for participating in a peaceful political protest to commemorate the mass execution of political prisoners twenty years earlier.
"They sent my son to prison for no reason and he has been serving his time but they can’t stop harassing him," Zahra said.

Coastal Mountain Land Trust kicking off community phase of Round the Mountain Collaboration.
CAMDEN — Coastal Mountain Land Trust is kicking off the community phase of the $4.2 million Round the Mountain Collaboration to conserve 1,400 acres of land surrounding the community’s water supply by producing a star-studded evening of local talent presenting their stories, art, or music that is inspired by and in honor of Ragged Mountain.
“Our Mountain Voices: A Celebration of Land Conservation through Story, Art, and Song” will feature more than 15 performers including poets, dancers, musicians and artists and begin at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, at Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St. Tickets are available for $25 each at Rayr Wine Shop in Rockport, the Land Trust office at 101 Mt.
Battie St., Camden; and online at coastalmountains.org.
This event is the launch of the public phase of a $4.2 million campaign called Round the Mountain Collaboration.
There will be an announcement about a matching gift and how people can support the campaign to conserve this land.
The campaign has three important elements: the first is the purchase of a conservation easement on 850 acres from the Maine Water Company around Mirror Lake in Rockport.
The Round the Mountain Collaboration is a community-based partnership with the Maine Water Company, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Towns of Camden and Rockport, and numerous local grassroots recreation groups.
Over the next three years, the campaign will ultimately protect over 1,400 acres of open space on Ragged Mountain, secure and establish more than 20 miles of trail as part of the Round the Mountain Trail system, and permanently protect the Mirror Lake and Grassy Pond watersheds and the drinking water they supply for the more than 25,000 customers living in the six Midcoast communities of Camden, Rockport, Rockland, Thomaston, Warren, and Owls Head.
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