Pollution
A coal seam gas operation in Australia’s Pilliga forest contaminated groundwater supplies with arsenic, lead and uranium after the facility’s storage ponds leaked, the Guardian reported. The contamination led to a $1,500 fine and calls from environmentalists and farmers to halt the operation, though the company says the groundwater was not part of a usable aquifer.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is urging cities to utilize green infrastructure to combat combined sewer overflows caused by heavy rainstorms, releasing guidance documents on March 7, Bloomberg News reported. Combined sewer overflows, which release an untreated mixture of raw sewage and storm water into the environment, contribute to nutrient pollution and beach closings in the country’s rivers and lakes.
Natural Disasters
Drought in southern Pakistan has affected 900,000 people, possibly contributing to the deaths of dozens of children under age 5, , Reuters reported. Many of the children died from malnutrition, which was likely exacerbated by the drought, and dry conditions may have made it more difficult for poor families to access health care.
High tides in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati have flooded homes, contaminated fresh groundwater supplies, and destroyed crops, Radio Australia reported. Officials say it could take weeks or months for the contaminated groundwater supplies to recover from the saltwater intrusion.
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