WAF allocation depicts commitment.
Taken from/By: Report by: Anthony Suliano Water Authority of Fiji chief executive Opetaia Ravai says the allocation for their entity clearly reflects Governments seriousness towards improving an infrastructure critical to delivering basic clean water and sanitation services to all Fijians.
The Authority has been allocated over three hundred and six million dollars.
A number of projects for water and wastewater reticulation systems and providing access to safe drinking water will be carried out in the new financial year.
Funds will also be used to upgrade WAF facilities.
“It also comes out very clearly that the government is very sensitive to the needs of the people, and i think this has come out of the consultation prior to this budget announcement which is good.
They have gone out there and spoken to the people on the ground , and obviously we have been involved in government road shows.” WAF supplies drinking water and wastewater services to more than 148,000 residential and non-residential metered customers, reaching more than 800,000 people, including those in outer islands.
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UPDATED: North Cowichan issues immediate boil water advisory for Crofton.
The Municipality of North Cowichan has issued an immediate boil water advisory for Crofton after a leak was detected in the supply line that brings water from the Cowichan River to the Crofton Mill.
“The supply main that failed supplies the Catalyst Water Treatment Facility which in turn the Municipality of North Cowichan purchases the water off of Catalyst to supply our system for the town,” assistant manager of operations Rob Bell told the Chronicle.
“When they lose their supply we use our supply.” The treatment facility is the main water source for the community and a similar leak last year also forced a boil water advisory on the approximately 1,100 residents for six days.
“The location of the leak has been detected and North Cowichan staff are working with the Crofton Mill to repair the leak as quickly as possible,” according to a media release.
Mill operations will not impact the availability of drinking water to Crofton.” Staff are now preparing to switch over to an alternate source of water from Crofton Lake to ensure the community has “continual access to water” while the necessary repairs to the supply line are completed.
“Canadian Drinking Water guidelines require filtration of surface water sources and it’s an unfiltered source so it requires a boil order.” North Cowichan staff are also installing signs around Crofton to notify the community about the advisory.
Stage 3 Watering Restrictions are also now in effect for Crofton, and will remain in effect until further notice.
During Stage 3 sprinkling is not permitted.
The next update will be made on Friday, June 30 at 3:00 p.m.

Trump Picks DAPL Lobbyist to Oversee EPA Water Safety in Same Week He Rolls Back Water Safeguards.
As President Donald Trump announced this week that the Environmental Protection Agency will roll back an Obama policy that environmentalists say safeguards drinking water for one in three Americans, The Intercept reports that the person Trump has tapped to be the EPA’s water safety official is a former lobbyist with deep ties to a fossil fuel advocacy group that promotes the Dakota Access pipeline and offshore drilling.
His latest piece, "EPA’s New Water Safety Official is a Lobbyist with Deep Ties to the Dakota Access Pipeline."
Lee, welcome back to Democracy Now!
LEE FANG: Amy and Nermeen, thank you so much for having me.
The latest political appointee in the Trump administration, as you mentioned, is Dennis Lee Forsgren.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, I want to read a statement by Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt in October 2016 during the protests by waterkeepers against the Dakota Access pipeline.
Well, you know, the CEA group, you know, they pretend to be an independent organization, but we’ve gone through tax filings and found that large oil refineries, companies like Koch Industries, that you previously referenced on your show, and Phillips 66, these big kind of industrial polluters, are providing a significant portion of the financing for CEA.
And the individual that provided that quote you just read, you know, he says that he is a voice of the consumer, but actually he’s just another person at the same lobbying firm where Dennis Lee Forsgren is from.
AMY GOODMAN: Does Forsgren have to go through congressional approval, Lee Fang?

New Safety Guidelines Prompt Public Access Restrictions at Swan Falls Dam.
KUNA, Idaho (KLIX) – It is still light outside long into the evening, and so if you happen to visit Swan Falls Dam this summer be sure to keep an eye on the clock.
Sure, it might be a ways from your home in the Magic Valley, but anglers, hikers and photographers like to visit the site.
If you’re one of them, be aware that public access at Swan Falls Dam is now from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, according to Idaho Power Co., which manages a power plant at the site.
This is different than years past.
The site used to be accessible 24 hours a day, but new safety guidelines have prompted the installation of a gate that locks promptly at 9 p.m. Don’t worry, if you don’t make it out before the gate locks you can still exit, but you won’t be able to get back in.
The gate will open only in one direction between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Some believe it came from a man named Swan who operated a placer mine in the area in the 1800s, according to information from Idaho Power.
The snow-white fowl are just some of the reasons you might want to bring a camera when visiting the site, located on the Snake River near Kuna.
Amenities include whitewater and boating access, hiking and biking trails, and portable and vault toilets.

City Improves Failing Water Infrastructure via Outsourced O&M.
One coastal city that experienced serious water infrastructure problems — complete with boil orders — has turned things around by outsourcing O&M.
— The city of Gloucester awarded Veolia Water North America – Northeast LLC (Veolia) an eight-year water and wastewater operations and maintenance (O&M) contract after completing $35 million in water infrastructure improvements since 2009, according to an announcement by the company.
As the city’s O&M partner since 2009, the firm manages the potable water and wastewater treatment facilities serving this widespread, coastal community.
“We’re fortunate to have a like-minded partner in Veolia that prioritizes the health and safety of our community and the environment above all else.
Through this collaboration over the past seven years, Veolia has helped to deliver superb water quality and treatment services, while supporting the city in advancing millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements,” said Michael Hale, the city’s director of public works.
Veolia operates a 5.15 million gallons per day (MGD) primary wastewater treatment plant, two 5 MGD water filtration plants, a seasonal satellite water filtration plant, three water storage tanks with one booster pump station and two raw water transfer stations, while also managing the programs for residuals, industrial pretreatment and fats oil and greases (FOG).
The city also awarded a separate eight-year contract to operate the community’s sewage pump stations and residential sewer systems.
“One of our most basic and essential needs as human beings is access to safe, clean drinking water,” said John Gibson, president and chief operating officer of Veolia’s municipal and commercial business.
Prior to 2009, Gloucester’s water infrastructure experienced a bacteria crisis with boil orders that went on for weeks, according to the Boston Globe.

“Reverse Osmosis is the best water purifying technology out there today,” says Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, President and Co-founder at Footsteps.
That is why we are promoting our own RO technology.” Rafayat is currently a student of Environmental Economics at Pennsylvania State University in the USA.
They are providing over 4000 liters of clean drinking water every day.
As shown in the pictures, the water from the tap shows an alarming amount of iron after the electrolysis.
The project aims to provide about 80,000 liters of clean drinking water in the very near future.
Rafayat’s idea for Project Trishna has been selected for the Global Youth Summit this year.
After he wrote about Project Trishna, he got called for an interview with the organisation.
Besides Project Trishna, Footsteps is constantly working round the year with different projects which aim towards helping the underprivileged and making the country a better place.
The organisation follows the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, of which they have addressed 17 community issues in Bangladesh: Access to Clean Drinking Water, Public Health, Waste Management, Poverty Eradication, Public Awareness, Female Empowerment and Climate Change Adaptation.
It is safe to say that one can make Bangladesh a much better place for the future generations, if only one would follow the positive and inspiring footsteps of real changemakers.

Better water and wastewater infrastructure for Haines Junction residents.
The federal government is providing up to 75 per cent of funding for these projects—over $4.6 million.
This investment is part of an agreement between Canada and Yukon for the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) reached in June 2016, which represents $52,280,275 in federal funding.
Quotes "Investing in local water and wastewater infrastructure is essential to maintaining a healthy environment and providing residents with access to clean, reliable drinking water.
Along with its territorial partner, the Government of Canada is pleased to support important projects, like those in Haines Junction, which ensure that northern communities are healthy and sustainable now and for years to come."
The Honourable Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "The foundation of a healthy, sustainable community is clean drinking water and effective sewage treatment facilities.
The Honourable Richard Mostyn, Minister of Highways and Public Works, Government of Yukon On behalf of the Honourable John Streicker, Minister of Community Services Quick facts Haines Junction Water and Wastewater Upgrades: The Government of Canada is contributing up to $4.5 million under CWWF to this project and the Government of Yukon is providing up to $1.5 million.
The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
Budget 2017 committed federal funding to build and improve infrastructure in Indigenous communities through an investment of $4 billion.
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/

Microbots Could Be Used To Clear Water Of Bacteria.
Researchers now might have developed a new tool that could help remove dangerous bacteria from drinking water.
The microbots are called Janus, after the two-faced Roman god, and their two-facedness is actually really important.
When the microrobots are dropped in water, the magnesium reacts with the liquid, creating bubbles of hydrogen gas and propelling the Janus forward.
As they move through the water, bacteria stick to the gold and are quickly absorbed by the silver nanoparticles.
The team tested the microbots in the lab and found that the magnesium was enough to have the Janus move around a sample of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
After that, the magnesium is spent and the Janus bots are removed from the water with a simple magnet, hence the inclusion of iron in the robot.
The test showed that in water spiked with a large number of E. coli, the microbots were able to kill off more than 80 percent of the bacteria.
This is more effective than other silver nanoparticle approaches (which are less than 35 percent effective), and thanks to the magnetic properties of the Janus bots, they are easier to remove from water than common disinfectants.
These bots could be ideal in places where water is scarce, as well as in places where other sterilizing methods mean losing precious water.

Letter: Repealing Clean Water Act puts Americans at risk.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is going to put nearly 117 million Americans at risk.
This rushed decision to repeal this critical rule by the Trump Administration is the first step in an assault on the American people.
These efforts are a massive waste of time and taxpayer money that will put the drinking water of 1 in 3 people at risk, while the EPA proposes a much weaker rule.
Rolling back the Clean Water Rule will set that progress back.
Communities of color and low income areas have already been experiencing the effect of untreated and contaminated water.
The health crisis is already notable in Flint, Michigan.
However, Flint is not alone; many communities nationwide are facing similar challenges at a smaller scale.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is simply putting polluter profits over public health.
Rebecca Dye Columbus

Letter: Repealing Clean Water Act puts Americans at risk.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is going to put nearly 117 million Americans at risk.
This rushed decision to repeal this critical rule by the Trump Administration is the first step in an assault on the American people.
These efforts are a massive waste of time and taxpayer money that will put the drinking water of 1 in 3 people at risk, while the EPA proposes a much weaker rule.
Rolling back the Clean Water Rule will set that progress back.
Communities of color and low income areas have already been experiencing the effect of untreated and contaminated water.
The health crisis is already notable in Flint, Michigan.
However, Flint is not alone; many communities nationwide are facing similar challenges at a smaller scale.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is simply putting polluter profits over public health.
Rebecca Dye Columbus