Water Research Foundation (WRF) research examines successes and challenges for “One Water” management of resources and long-term sustainability.
One thing was certain after the Two Nations One Water: U.S.-Mexico Border Water Summit concluded March 2 at El Paso Water’s TecH2O Learning Center. Policymakers, researchers and industry experts from both sides of the border care deeply about water sustainability and are committed to solutions to ensure the long-term vitality of their respective communities. About 300 convened at the two-day event, eager and ready to work together.
From Cape Town to Puerto Rico to Flint, MI, it's no surprise that drought, flooding, and water pollution can devastate communities, impacting lives and hindering economic growth. But the physical components of water supply — its abundance or scarcity, levels of pollution, and the competition over it — are only half of the equation when it comes to overall water security. What's just as important is how water is managed by public institutions, such as water utilities and local governments.
Protecting the public health and ensuring water is safe to drink is the highest goal of water system managers. Negative health effects are indicated from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS). Based on lab studies, the U.S. EPA has issued a health advisory for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water of 70 parts per trillion. While health advisories are not enforceable, they offer a margin of safety for consumers.
In the small community of Llimbe in Peru, water sources were running dry. The population had grown from 35 to 50 families, and some of the families were using more water than they actually needed. Because of this, if you lived higher on the hillside, you may only have water for an hour a day.
In Cape Town, South Africa, the countdown is on for Day Zero when water taps in the city of 4 million people are expected to run dry.
California has struggled with drought for most of the last decade. From 2011-2015, the state experienced the driest four-year stretch in recorded history, leading to unprecedented water restrictions for residents, including a state mandate to reduce water use by 25 percent.
There's a hidden threat to Indian energy companies' revenues — water.
Cape Town is running out of water. After three years of intense drought, South Africa’s second-largest city is just a few months away from “Day Zero,” the day when the city government will shut off water taps for most homes and businesses.
Sounds simple. It makes sense. But far too many people do not do this. They put together an idea, a process, but fail to take the design to completion before starting to build. Cutting corners always comes at a price. There is an old saying in Project Management, “You can have it good, fast, or cheap. Pick any TWO”. Cutting corners will bump your cost, decrease quality, or possibly both.
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