Liberia: The Shocking Truth About Our Drinking Water.
On March 22, 2017, during the observance of World Water Day, UNICEF reported that by 2040, one in four children worldwide will be living in areas with extreme limited water resources, a realization that has already affected many children living in Liberia.
One of the major challenges in communities that have no access to functioning water supplies and functioning sewage systems, is drinking from contaminated or poisoned (chlorine) drinking wells; something that is done unintentionally.
According to the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), one of the chemicals that is used and is accessible in the market to clear the bacteria and germs caused by nature’s natural microbes is chlorine, a chemical which, in its natural form, is a greenish-yellow gas and has a strong smell that is used as bleach, oxidizing agent and to disinfect in water during purification.
Presently in Liberia and many parts of the world, chlorine is normally sold in small water bottles filled with its powder residue, and sometimes the poisonous gas liquid.
It is sold as little as US$3 and without any questions from the consumer; they are told to drop it in their wells and to wait three days before drinking from them.
According to UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, during the observance of World Water Day, "water is elemental; without it, nothing can grow.
Meanwhile, a family in Caldwell recalls that during the Ebola period many women and children became ill and lost their lives from drinking from contaminated or ‘poisoned’ wells.
"People would drink a cup and start vomiting; and before two or three days, die from stomach challenges," the family added.
It is proven that when chlorine gas comes into contact with moist body tissues such as the eyes, throat, and lungs, an acid is produced that can damage these tissues and causes: blurred vision; burning pain, redness, and blisters on the skin if exposed to gas.

Protecting vital water infrastructure.
The most prominent and likely forms of terrorist attack on the water sector include the intentional release of chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants into the water supply or wastewater systems, disruption of service from explosions, and breaches in cybersecurity.
The sector has its own unique risks driving sector security and resilience activities, including threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences.
However, utility owners and operators have always had to respond to natural disasters and, as a result, emergency response planning is inherent to the industry to ensure continuity of operations and to sustain public health and environmental protection.
Therefore, it is critical that the security and resilience of the nation’s water infrastructure—collectively known as the Water and Wastewater Sector—is enhanced.
Based off the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the EPA’s Sector Specific Plan (SSP), along with known threats to the sector, a number of key concepts should be included when building a comprehensive water security program.
A water utility should consider: Conducting periodic threat and vulnerability assessments, annual security exercises, and regular updates to its response and recovery plans Developing surveillance, monitoring, warning, and response capabilities to recognize a security event when it is actively happening Integrating both physical and cybersecurity concepts into daily business operations to foster a culture of security Improving the identification of potential threats with skilled physical and cybersecurity staff, armed with the knowledge to deter, detect, and delay an adversary’s tactics Identifying ways to implement key response and recovery strategies prior to a crisis Increasing its understanding of how the sector is interdependent with other critical infrastructure sectors, especially energy and chemical Enhancing threat communication and coordination among internal and external stakeholders by utilizing the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) and other information sharing networks Multiple governing authorities pertaining to the security of the water sector provide for public health, environmental protection, and security measures.
Notably, the water sector is currently excluded from the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), a DHS program that regulates high-risk chemical facilities to ensure they have security measures in place to reduce the risks associated with these chemicals.
Currently, CFATS excludes public water systems (as defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act) and water treatment facilities (as defined in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act) from the program.
Most importantly, utilities should keep utility Industrial Control Systems off the internet.

P&G raises 1.2 million days of clean water for needy communities.
P&G raises 1.2 million days of clean water for needy communities 19 April 2017 – As part of the global P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Programme, Procter & Gamble, in partnership with Massmart, set a goal to raise 500 000 days of clean water to address challenges with access to clean drinking water in South Africa.
For every P&G product sold through Massmart stores and wholesalers, which include Game, Makro, Masscash, Rhino Cash & Carry, and Cambridge, between 15 February and 14 March this year, P&G committed to donate one day’s worth of clean drinking water to a family who needs it.
“South Africa’s water issues do not only revolve around the drought,” explains Mabaso.
Since 2004, the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Programme (CSDW) has donated nearly 12 billion litres of clean water to needy communities around the world.
Access to clean water is a global crisis.
UNICEF (2014) estimates that 663 million people lack access to improved drinking water; 319 million of these individuals are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Programme has provided six billion litres of clean drinking water to 39 African countries in the past 12 years through the P&G Purifier of Water packets.
In fact, the World Health Organisation has estimated that every $1 invested in clean water, sanitation and hygiene generates $4 in increased productivity, which enables sustainable and equitable economic growth.
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Ground Floor, Alpha House Ballywoods Office Park 33 Ballyclare Drive BryanstonJohannesburg P O Box 130029 Bryanston Shopping Centre 2074 http://hkstrategies-africa.com

Jury: Trucking companies not to blame for drinking water contamination in Sauk Village.
A federal jury has ruled two trucking companies are not liable for drinking water contamination in suburban Sauk Village, granting a win to their firms in their court battle with the village, which had contended the trucking companies spilled cancer-causing chemicals into the groundwater the village pumps from its wells into the homes and businesses connected to its water system.
On April 13, the jury entered its verdict, ending a four-day trial and coming as potentially the final step in a legal battle dating back to 2014.
At that time, the village, located in far southern Cook County, first filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court, accusing the trucking firms, Roadway Express and YRC Worldwide, of leaking chemical pollutants, including vinyl chloride, into the ground near one of the village’s three wells.
After disconnecting Well No.
3 from the village’s water supply to allow time to investigate, the village said it also began detecting rising levels of vinyl chloride in its other two wells, as well, prompting the village to spend $5.3 million to address the problem, and to petition for an emergency connection to Lake Michigan water to continue to meet the water needs of the village’s 10,000 residents.
Vinyl chloride is associated with an increased risk of various cancers, the National Cancer Institute said.
“It was a complete victory and vindication for YRC and Roadway Express.
"The victory signifies the end of protracted litigation between the village and our clients as the jury found that Roadway and YRC were not a cause of the vinyl chloride contamination affecting the Sauk Village wells.” Sauk Village was represented in the action by attorneys with the firms of Odelson & Sterk, of Evergreen Park, and Davis & Norris, of Birmingham, Ala. Other Cook County suburbs have also struggled with vinyl chloride contamination.
Since 2009, the village of Crestwood, located about 20 miles northwest of Sauk Village, has dealt with political and legal fallout over accusations officials there covered up the presence of vinyl chloride in the village’s well water supply for decades, resulting in cancers and other health problems for village residents.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Water Authority has issued guidelines on the usage of water and warned of strong action to curb its misuse in the wake of the severe drinking water shortage.
It has imposed a 25 percent cut in the water supplied to Thiruvananthapuram and enforced restrictions in the supply between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The water from Peppara is released daily to Aruvikkara reservoir from where it is supplied to the city now.
Even water from bathrooms or flush can be used for purposes like watering plants, Fr Kurian said.
Avoid car wash: Refrain from washing vehicles using KWA water.
KWA drinking water should not be used for gardening.
Drink warm water, not cold The health department has issued an advisory to the people on the consumption of water to prevent the outbreak of diseases in the wake of the summer heat and shortage of water.
Action likely against car wash centres using drinking water The Kerala Water Authority may consider actions against car wash centres that ‘waste’ drinking water during the drought situation.
“Car wash centres that have KWA connection should use wells or other water bodies.
We do not supply purified water for vehicle washing purposes.

The drought may be over, but many water-use restrictions remain.
For the last five years, Californians have adjusted to a new reality when it comes to water usage.
Not much will change now that the drought emergency is officially over.
After unprecedented rainfall and the development of a robust Sierra-Cascades snowpack, Gov.
Jerry Brown declared an end to the drought emergency on April 7.
Many of the restrictions put into place during the dry years will remain, including those set forth in a May 2016 executive order, which determined permanent water use standards for municipalities, businesses and individuals.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) states that the following prohibitions, specific to San Francisco residents, will remain indefinitely: Using a hose, without a shut-off nozzle, for any purpose; Washing sidewalks, driveways, plazas, and other outdoor hardscapes for reasons other than health, safety, or to meet City of San Francisco standards for sidewalk cleanliness and in a manner that causes runoff to storm drains and sewer catch basins; Using drinking water for soil compaction, dust control, or other non-essential construction purposes if non-potable water is available; Watering outdoor landscapes with potable water during and within 48 hours after a rain event; Watering with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians; Irrigation of landscapes outside of new homes and buildings in a non-efficient manner; Using drinking water in non-recirculating fountains or decorative water devices; Serving water at restaurants without customer request; and Not providing hotel guests the option to reuse towels and linens.
SFPUC takes a "progressive education" approach when it comes to enforcement of restrictions, says SFPUC’s water conservation manager Julie Ortiz.
"The next drought could be as soon as next year," said SFPUC spokesperson Suzanne Gautier, who has experienced five droughts since moving to California in 1978.
Read Michelle Robertson’s latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

UN inaugurates water supply system in Haiti anti-cholera fight.
UNITED NATIONS, United States (CMC) — The United Nations has inaugurated a water supply system in the Lascahobas Commune as part of its anti-cholera fight in Haiti.
Residents fill containers at a water capture and distribution project point in a town an hour outside of Port au Prince.
“Elimination of cholera can be achieved in the medium term – two or three years – if emphasis is placed on immediate action,” said El-Mostafa Benlamlih, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Haiti.
“That is to say, an emphasis [must be] put on response capacity, management and immediate treatment of water,” he added.
“But nothing can be done without an investment in water, sanitation and hygiene.” Historically, the UN said the people in the Madan Mak and Loncy areas of the Lascahobas Commune have always had serious problems with access to safe drinking water.
It said that when the cholera epidemic hit the Plateau Central, “the need for safe potable water became crucial to eliminate the transmission of the disease.” “Before the water came here, we had to do a lot of work to find drinking water.
When she could not travel the distance, Joseph was obliged to use a source of unsafe water – despite the risks of transmission of water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and cholera, the UN said.
To address the concerns of those living in Mangoule, the UN said Haiti’s Department of Artibonite proposed a new project to the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
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Ads by Kiosked Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has failed to provide clean drinking water to the residents of Chintakayalavari Street near One Town area.
Hence, residents are struggling to fetch sufficient water for household chores.
Highlights: Residents of Chintakayalavari Street near One Town area are deprived of drinking water.
Corporation launches a campaign on safe drinking water, but fails to provide.
Therefore, it is becoming difficult for them to fetch sufficient water.
Vasu, a driving school owner, said that water scarcity has increased in recent times.
He further stated that they are purchasing water from private water suppliers.
He also said that the ground water level also polluted due to fly ash and if such contaminated water is consumed by the public it leads to health problems.
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Oil drilling plans in Stoughton could pose ‘an unacceptable risk’ to a public water supply, according to the Environment Agency.
The Bedhampton and Havant springs provide water to 34 per cent of people in the area managed by Portsmouth Water, which supplies Chichester, Bognor and a significant region of the South Downs.
Controversy over the plans for exploratory oil wells in Markwells Wood has centred around contamination risks to the water source for several months.
Applicant UK Oil and Gas said drilling would be safe and issued fresh documentation earlier this year in response to concerns.
But the EA’s second report found the revised information was still insufficient and urged the ‘precautionary principle’ to protect and manage the water source.
“Further evidence based assessment of the hydrogeology at the Markwells Wood site is needed to show potential risks have been identified and understood.” Around 2,000 objections have been made to the plans ,including campaign group Markwells Wood Watch, which crowdfunded its own hydrogeological report last month.
The group is now putting pressure on the EA to change the status of the area around Markwells Wood to a Source Protection Zone 1, a level that would prohibit all drilling.
It is hoped a refusal at the site, which falls within the South Downs National Park, would set a precedent in the area.
“Oil production in this area is simply too risky.” What do you think?
Send your view to letters@chiobserver.co.uk

Tripling infrastructure investment will make global water access a reality.
Countries are not investing in infrastructure fast enough to meet water and sanitation targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new report published by World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Today, almost two billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio,” Dr Maria Neira, director of the department of public health, environmental and social determinants of health at the WHO said.
“Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause more than 500,000 diarrhoeal deaths each year and is a major factor in several neglected tropical diseases, including intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, and trachoma,” she added.
Global water budgets The report stressed that countries would not meet global goals of universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation unless steps are taken to use financial resources more efficiently and increase efforts to identify new sources of funding.
Yet, 80% of countries report that water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) financing is still insufficient to meet nationally defined targets for WASH services.
Lack of infrastructure The report showed that in many developing countries, current national coverage targets are based on achieving access to basic infrastructure, which may not always provide continuously safe and reliable services.
While the infrastructure funding gap remains vast, 147 countries have already showed their ability to mobilise the resources required to meet the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people without an improved source of water, while 95 countries met the corresponding target for sanitation.
These include taxes, tariffs (payments and labour from households), and transfers from donors.
“This is a challenge we have the ability to solve,” Guy Ryder, UN-Water chair said.