Media Release Mangaluru, May 10: Water scarcity is either the lack of enough water or lack of access to safe drinking water. It currently affects around 2.8 billion people around the world, on all continents, at least one month out of every year and more than 1.2 billion people lack the access to clean drinking water. Water shortages may be caused by climate change, such as altered weather-patterns (including droughts or floods), increased pollution, and increased human demand and overuse of water. The term water crisis labels a situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that region’s demand. Water shortages and unreliable water quality are considered major obstacles to achieve sustainable development and improvement in the quality of life. The water demand in the country is increasing fast due to progressive increase in the demand of water for irrigation, rapid industrialization, population growth and improving life standards. The existing water resources are diminishing (i) due to unequal distribution of rain water and occasional drought (ii) excessive exploitation of ground water sources and its insufficient recharge (iii) deterioration of water quality due to the discharge of domestic and industrial effluents without adequate treatment. This is resulting in water stress/scarcity. Issue of Water Scarcity In India As a country that receives sufficient rain, water scarcity in India is mainly attributed to human factors such as: * India’s population has steadily risen since independence. Absence of comprehensive family planning, and lack of education, spurred this. This in turn has increased the demand for water. But, no government has so far been able to equate the difference of water distribution – more than 50% of the country’s population lack access to safe drinking water. * Corruption and lack of planning and coordination are also blamed as factors of water scarcity in India. Many projects to supply safe drinking water are often stuck in red tape. * More than 80% of water needs of the country is met by exploiting the ground water resources of India. This has aggravated the depletion of water table, and led to an unprecedented water shortage. Per Capita Water Availability In India The per capita availability of water in the country is 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 CENSUS. The average annual per capita availability of water in the country, taking into consideration the population of the country as per the 2001 census, was 1816 cubic meters which reduced to 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census, denoting that the per capita water availability in the country is reducing progressively due to increase in population. The daily drinking water requirement per person is 2-4 liters, but it takes 2000 to 5000 litres of water to produce one person’s daily food. Also there are reports that…

Water quality advisory issued for Waneta Junction.
Low level coliform bacteria were detected within the Green Gables reservoir distribution system, located above Trail Canadian Tire, which services over 60 properties along Highway 22A.
The City of Trail and Interior Health advises those with weakened or immature immunity to boil water for at least one minute, and exercise precautions when drinking, washing produce, making beverages and ice, or when brushing teeth.
A water quality advisory indicates a level of risk associated with consuming drinking water, but the conditions do not warrant a boil water notice or do-not-use water notice.
“It’s just a water quality advisory on right now … not a boil water notice …,” he clarified.
Although Green Gables is testing low, the advisory is in place because the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guideline for total coliforms is none detectable per 100 mL.
“It’s not the water coming out of the well that is the problem, there’s coliform in the Green Gables reservoir or in the distribution system below the reservoir – it’s not coming out of the well.” Public works will be flushing respective mains with chlorine while the city investigates where the coliform originates.
“We are going to do some research in the next week or two and hopefully narrow down the source,” McIsaac said.
“That increases the velocity of the water coming through the pipe, pulls a little bit of that bacterial growth away from the wall, and it gets distributed.” Once the system is flushed, the city will pull samples to send for testing at a certified lab.
McIsaac added, “By Monday or on Monday, we should have an answer.” Commonly used as an indicator of sanitary quality of foods and water, coliforms are a rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria.

DNR to provide clean drinking water for contaminated wells.
LUXEMBURG (WLUK) — The DNR is planning to provide clean drinking water to people whose wells are contaminated by manure runoff.
So Wagner and his family drink bottled water.
"I only get one gallon of water per hour," Wagner told us As a Kewaunee County Board Member, Wagner is happy to hear about the DNR’s program to provide clean water to his constituents dealing with similar struggles.
Wagner told FOX 11 he can’t benefit from the DNR’s program because the water that comes out of his well is only contaminated with nitrates, not bacteria.
We still haven’t found any bacteria, which is a good thing," he explained.
Wagner said this is a good step, but… "How come this didn’t come out sooner?"
In statement the DNR said several programs worked together to take this step as quickly as possible.
A group of farmers called ‘Peninsula Pride Farms’ already offers clean drinking water.
That year-old program is for people with contaminated wells in the Kewaunee and Southern Door area.

Havelock North water contamination inquiry finds authorities failed to adhere to high standards of care.
Hastings District Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and drinking water authorities all failed to adhere to the high standards of care and diligence necessary to protect public health, the Government inquiry into the Havelock North gastro outbreak has found.
More than 5000 people were struck down from last August’s e-coli contamination.
Source: 1 NEWS The inquiry findings are being released today at the Hastings District Court.
The Government inquiry has now released its findings.
Source: 1 NEWS Around 5500 people fell ill with a gastro illness in August last year and it’s believed three people died as a result of a campylobacter outbreak.
It says the DHB responded well to the outbreak, but the District Council had some major failings.
It failed to have an emergency response plan, didn’t put a boil water notice out in time, and failed to have an up to date contact list for vulnerable individuals, schools and childcare centres.
The inquiry found the relationship between the district and regional councils was dysfunctional and a lack of collaboration resulted in a number of missed opportunities.
Water in Havelock North and Hastings will be chlorinated for at least another year.

Press Release – Hastings District Council The Hastings District Council has welcomed the findings of the Government Inquiry into the contamination event that affected Havelock Norths water supply in August 2016.Hastings District Council response to Government Inquiry into Havelock North water contamination The Hastings District Council has welcomed the findings of the Government Inquiry into the contamination event that affected Havelock North’s water supply in August 2016.
Mayor Lawrence Yule particularly acknowledged the Inquiry findings regarding the cause of the contamination which was based on the work of the science caucus established by the Inquiry.
“This resulted in contaminated water being sucked into the water supply through Brookvale Bore One while it was operating in the normal manner.” “The Inquiry is clear that Hastings District Council did not cause the contamination to occur,” said Mayor Yule.
“These include maintenance inspections and maintenance record-keeping, the standard of planning and contingency documentation required under the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards, compliance with requests from the Drinking Water Assessors, and the effectiveness of working relationships with other agencies involved in drinking water safety.” “Council is fully committed to addressing and fixing the deficiencies highlighted by the Inquiry to ensure the safety of drinking water in the future,” said Mr McLeod.
· Improving risk management and legal compliance systems.
· Further age testing of aquifer water.
This is underway and will be finalised and reported to Council within the next month once the Inquiry findings have been carefully studied and considered by the review team.
“This event had a huge impact on our community,” said Mr Yule.
“We feel deeply for those people affected by the outbreak, particularly those families who lost loved ones and those that are afflicted by ongoing impacts.
Ends

With livestock-contamination of drinking water a growing concern in Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources has quietly started efforts to provide temporary water supplies to people with tainted wells. The DNR posted an update on its website in April that said it would provide temporary emergency drinking water when tests show that a water supply is contaminated and is likely due to groundwater contaminated by manure, a person on the property contracts a water-borne illness or there is a sudden change in color or odor of well water, Two environmental groups issued statements Wednesday announcing the state initiative. Afterward, the DNR said in a statement the agency used aspects from several programs under existing law to set up the water program. It also notified authorities in Kewaunee County, where well contamination has been most severe. RELATED: Can manure from so many cattle be safely spread on the land? The program’s low-key rollout on a high-profile issue perplexed environmental groups who say the agency has been reluctant to criticize the…

Nearly 30 MILLION Americans are drinking dangerous contaminated tap water linked to cancer, birth defects and lead poisoning.
America may be facing a water crisis as a new report claims that nearly 30 million people have been drinking contaminated tap water.
A report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 15 percent of those offenses were health-based contamination, including lead, copper, arsenic or cancer-causing poisons.
These pollutants can lead to liver and kidney damage, cancer and birth defects.
Erik Olson, the health program director at NRDC and a report co-author, said: ‘America is facing a nationwide drinking water crisis that goes well beyond lead contamination.
‘The problem is two-fold: there’s no cop on the beat enforcing our drinking water laws, and we’re living on borrowed time with our ancient, deteriorating water infrastructure.
‘We take it for granted that when we turn on our kitchen tap, the water will be safe and healthy, but we have a long way to go before that is reality across our country.’
Adults can be affected by cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure, decreased kidney function and reproductive problems, according to the EPA.
In 2015, 18 million people’s water supply had lead violations, according to the NRDC.
Consuming contaminated or unsafe water is dangerous for humans but the dirty water also poses a threat to crops and livestock.

Letter: Protect our water.
Protect our water To the editor: A coalition of environmental groups (including the Sierra Club, the Waterkeeper Alliance and Earth Justice), in collaboration with public heath advocacy groups filed suit May 3 in the District of Columbia’s Federal District Court alleging the EPA did not have the power to wipe out protections which have been in place for 35 years that clean up the toxins in water from the number-one source of water pollution in this country — the waste from coal power plants.
The lawsuit challenges the rollback of the long-standing EPA regulations that set limits on the amount of heavy metals like mercury, arsenic and lead that don’t degrade over time and end up in drinking water.
The heavy metal toxins in the waste from coal plants increase the risk of cancer, impact fish and wildlife — making fish unsafe to eat — and travel up the food chain, ending up in the bodies of children and adults.
Rolling back the protections will also increase the cost of municipal water due to the additional investments that will need to be made to ensure safer drinking water can be delivered to customers.
The guidelines have also made rivers safer for swimming and fishing.
One of the advocates for the suit noted that instead of keeping water protection regulations in place, the EPA and the Trump administration are turning back the clock to a time when rivers caught fire and polluters dumped toxins in waterways with impunity.
The advocates for the suit insist they will not stand idly by and will fight to ensure that common sense prevails and that the health of the waterways, wildlife and the public will not be regarded as less of a priority than greed on the part of the polluters.
Amelia Shea Wilton Peace Action Wilton

Questions for: ‘America’s Tap Water: Too Much Contamination, Not Enough Reporting, Study Finds’.
Article: America’s Tap Water: Too Much Contamination, Not Enough Reporting, Study Finds Before Reading The 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act is the federal law that protects public drinking water supplies throughout the United States.
Under the law, the Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for drinking water quality, and implements various technical and financial programs to ensure drinking water safety.
website.
What questions do you have about the law?
If you live in the United States, what are the chances your drinking water is either unsafe to drink or has not been properly monitored for contaminants in accordance with federal law?
What did Ms. Wu say about the reason repercussions for violations are virtually nonexistent, and subject to no formal action?
Describe the E.P.A.’s recent priorities, and what Mr. Edwards has to say about the drinking water problem.
What more could be done to protect America’s drinking water?
And what more could be done to protect Americans from drinking contaminated water?

Sac State releases drinking water lead contamination results.
After the results of a comprehensive test of the drinking water sources on the Sacramento State campus showed that 43 total sources tested above the EPA action level for lead contamination, those sources will be remediated or shut down.
The results were separated into two documents: one for properties owned and operated by Sac State (which were tested by Certified Industrial Hygienist Services, or CIH), and one for those owned by University Enterprises Inc. (which were tested by California Laboratory Services), a nonprofit corporation that acts as an auxiliary of the school.
Thirty-six of the 675 tested by CIH in buildings operated by Sac State tested above the EPA action level of 15 parts per billion, around five percent.
Seven of the 107 sources tested by California Laboratory Services were above the EPA level, six and half percent.
All sources from both lists are marked with a remediation strategy, ranging from being marked as “non-potable” water to total removal of the source, with other strategies in-between like filter installations, replacements of fixtures or entire fountains.
Steve Leland, the director of environmental health and safety, said last week that parts for the remediation strategies are already ordered and will be installed soon, with more tests scheduled afterward to ensure a positive change before any fountains are turned back on.
Leland also said last week that the majority of sources above the EPA action level were sinks, not drinking fountains, a claim corroborated by the findings.
Some specific cases on each stand out, like a bubbler drinking fountain in Sutter Hall, a residence building, which was found to have lead contamination of 100 ppb, more than six times the EPA action level.
Also noteworthy, some sinks were more than 10 times the EPA action level, including a kitchen faucet in Mendocino Hall (160 pbb), and several classroom faucets in Eureka Hall (150, 170 and 390 ppb).