Ahmedabad: When it comes to sewerage connections in the state, the seven municipal corporations accounted for 62% of sewerage coverage against the promised 100%. In the case of nagarpalikas, just one nagarpalika, Navsari, boasted of a near 100% sewerage coverage and this has been the case since 1925. Another startling fact from the CAG report was that 96 of the 159 nagarpalikas had no sewerage connections, which meant that waste water from homes were directed into soakpits and open drains, leading to soil and water pollution. None of the nagarpalikas had functional sewerage treatment facilities. In Valsad, two sewage treatment plants (STPs) were non-operational, while only five of the eight municipal corporations had sewage treatment facilities, the CAG report notes….

Rain gardens topic of event TROY — The next Coffee with the Master Gardener volunteers will be from 10-11:30 a.m. April 7 in the extension meeting room at 201 W. Main St., Troy. Rain gardens will be the topic. Rain gardens are a way to capture runoff and utilize it to beautify your landscape, preserve clean rain water, and create a habitat for beneficials and prevent local flooding a water pollution. Identify areas of your landscape that have the greatest potential to make an impact, ways in increase absorption of water in your driveway or sidewalk and learn what plants make the biggest impacts in the seven smallest spaces. The fee is $10 per person and includes beverages, refreshments and handouts. The deadline for registrations is April 3 by check or credit card at OSU Extensin, 201 W. Main St., Troy, OH 45373. Call 440-3945 or email bennett.709@osu.edu or visit go.osu.edu/miamirain.for more information. Thompson places at expo MARYSVILLE — Junior showmen competed in the showmanship contest at the 2017 Ohio Beef Expo, held March 18 in Columbus. The competition, sponsored by Show Bloom and Cattle Visions, featured five age divisions, with awards totaling more than $5,000. Judging showmanship were Jim and Mary Bloomberg of Illinois. In Senior Showmanship, Kassidy Thompson 0f Miami County placed fifth. Wildlife food plot workshop set GREENVILLE —The Division of Wildlife in cooperation with the Darke County Soil and Water District will be conducting a free Deer Wildlife Food Plot Workshop on April 10 at the Shawnee Prairie Preserve on Stat…

Disturbing images of a chopped up baby dolphin on a street in China has enraged netizens after going viral on local social media. Sliced chunk pieces of the dolphin are seen lying in blood-soaked containers being peddled by fishermen in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, Shanghaiist reports. Local authorities have now launched an investigation into the shocking photos. According to the police in Zhuhai, the remains of the dolphin’s body…

[OP-ED]: Trump: Bridging an Unnecessary Wall.
The 15 most travelled structurally deficient bridges in Pennsylvania are located in Philadelphia.
All are along the I-95 interstate highway, according to a report released a few weeks ago by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.
The massive infrastructure upgrade program promised by President Trump infers repairs to bridges like those battered in Philadelphia…bridges that while not imminently unsafe are in poor condition.
But close examination of Trump’s infrastructure plan reveals a scheme of tax breaks to private companies, firms most likely more interested in pursuit of projects that give them long-term profit like building bridges that charge tolls.
There is no recurring big profit just repairing existing bridges.
However, hidden in that Trump infrastructure program are big costs for Americans from paying-off the tax breaks given to private companies to paying tolls/fees on many projects funded largely by tax dollars.
It is not clear if President Trump can deliver on his promised infrastructure program since he’s failed to achieve two core campaign promises: better, cheaper health care to replace Obamacare and having Mexico pay for that “beautiful wall” built along America’s border with Mexico.
What is clear is that too many bridges in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and across America need serious repair immediately.
The price tag given for fixing just those Top15 most travelled structurally deficient bridges in Philadelphia is $8-billion.

by Kirk Barron, originally posted on July 17, 2016

James Phipps has concerns about the water in the mobile home park where he lives, but he called every agency he could find and became frustrated. Navigating the maze of jurisdictions left him feeling like nobody was taking him seriously.

“We filed complaints, and some of the complaints have been filed for almost two months,” Phipps said. “That’s kind of the way it’s been the whole deal.”

by Glen Dawkins, originally posted on July 16, 2016

Members of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation are speaking Saturday as part of a discussion on the issues with Winnipeg’s water.

For over 100 years Shoal Lake 40, the community where Winnipeg gets its water, have been stranded on a man-made island. They have lived under a boil water advisory for the past 19 years,

“Winnipeggers have a responsibility to educate themselves about this issue because we are the reason it’s still happening,” said Andrew Vineberg of 13 Fires Winnipeg which organized the event. “We must realize that the comforts we enjoy do not come from nowhere, but rather have dire consequences for people.”

Vineberg spent a week in Shoal Lake 40 with students from the community learning about the land last month.

“We have to listen to the voices of the community on the other end of the aqueduct, and this event is a great opportunity for that,” he said.

Winnipeggers will have a chance to hear about the injustices and resulting tragedies from members of Shoal Lake 40 Angelina McLeod and Roxanne Greene, who will be speaking and hosting discussion circles at the event.

In a story in the Winnipeg Sun this week, it was revealed that construction of the long-awaited Freedom Road to connect Shoal Lake 40 First Nation with the Trans-Canada Highway appeared to be on hold while the Pallister government reviews funding arrangements and examines why a previous agreement was signed with the First Nation without legislative approval.

The City of Winnipeg, the province and the federal government agreed last year to fund the all-season gravel road and to share equally in the $30-million cost estimate. But the price tag for the 24-km road has since risen to $46.5 million and neither level of government has committed to increasing their share of the funding.

Organized by 13 Fires Winnipeg, the event will feature the art installation, “Reflects in Water” by Friends of Shoal Lake. The “Reflects in Water” art installation combines statements from people living in Shoal Lake 40 with an art project that anyone can contribute to. It will run parallel to the Red River, along the path through Stephen Juba Park.

This story will be updated.

originally posted on July 15, 2016

A lodge outside Las Vegas is taking precautionary measures after its water tested positive for harmful bacteria.

KSNV-TV reports that the Mount Charleston Lodge restaurant is undergoing further testing for water contamination. In the meantime, it is boiling water and serving bottled water to customers.

Mount Charleston Lodge restaurant manager Thomas Schneekloth says there are postings on the door about the positive bacteria test.

He says he has not had any problems in eleven years of working at the restaurant, but is taking precautions just in case.

Mark Bergtholdt of the Southern Nevada Health District says the second testing results are expected Friday. If they come back negative, the department will consider the water clean. If they are positive, additional investigation will be necessary.

Water Contamination Concerns Being Tested At BurlCo Military Base.
(WRIGHTSTOWN, NJ) — There’s a concern over chemical contamination of water supplies in and around Joint McGuire/Dix/Lakehurst.
Military officials say they’re on top of the situation.
The concerns mirror those that have surfaced at several military facilities across the country, including former installations in the Philadelphia suburbs, where foam used to battle fires over the years contained two cancer causing chemicals.
“We have seen elevated levels of PFOA and PFOS on surface water samples, soil samples and groundwater samples” Colonel Gregory McClure told KYW Newsradio, “but we haven’t seen that move into drinking water sources on the base.” They want to sample some 275 shallow private wells off the base that could have a problem.
So far, only 3 have shown traces above safe standards, and homeowners are getting filters and bottled water.
But less than half of those asked have agreed to those tests, and there are many homes and businesses particularly in Manchester and Jackson Townships that need to be checked.
Still most people get their water from municipal sources, and not wells.
They are in the clear.
More information on the Air Force’s response to the situation at the base can be found on line at http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/PFCs .

Trump begins WOTUS rollback with executive order.
The rule designates what smaller bodies of water, tributaries and wetlands are under the control of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The President’s order instructs both departments to formally reconsider the Water of the United States rule or WOTUS.
"The EPA so-called Waters of the United States rule is one of the worst examples of federal regulation, and it has truly run amok, and is one of the rules most strongly opposed by farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers all across our land," Trump told NBC news.
"It’s prohibiting them from being allowed to do what they’re supposed to be doing.
It has been a disaster.
With today’s executive order I’m directing the EPA to take action paving the way for the elimination of this very destructive and horrible rule," Trump said.
The rule was signed by President Obama in May of 2015, and went into effect in late August of 2015.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt issued the following statement after the executive order was signed: “EPA intends to immediately implement the Executive Order and submit a Notice to the Office of the Federal Register announcing our intent to review the 2015 Rule, and then to propose a new rule that will rescind or revise that rule.
The President’s action today preserves a federal role in protecting water, but it also restores the states’ important role in the regulation of water.”

WaterWorld Weekly Newscast, January 30, 2017.
The following is a transcript of the WaterWorld Weekly Newscast for January 30, 2017.
Hi, I’m Angela Godwin for WaterWorld magazine, bringing you water and wastewater news headlines for the week of January 30.
Coming up… San Diego announces end to drought emergency Court rules Des Moines water utility not entitled to damages Cali.
water provider cuts ribbon on advanced nitrate removal system Tanzania gets $225M for water supply, sanitation Last week, the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors declared an end to drought conditions in the region and asked California Governor Jerry Brown to rescind the statewide drought emergency regulations for regions with sufficient supplies.
Owing to wet winter conditions and recent heavy rainfall, as of January 23, San Diego’s official rainfall measurement station recorded 172 percent of average rainfall since the start of the water year on Oct. 1.
Des Moines Water Works was suing drainage districts in three Iowa counties over elevated nitrate levels.
When nitrate levels spike, Des Moines must use a costly nitrate removal system to meet drinking water regulations.
Rather, that should happen through the state legislature via policy changes.
For Pasadena’s Sunny Slope Water Company, which relies 100% on groundwater, cost-effectively reducing high nitrate levels has been a major objective.