The Stream, June 9: Heat Wave Hits Delhi’s Power and Water

India
New Delhi is experiencing its hottest temperatures in 62 years, according to Reuters. The heatwave has created blackouts, mandatory power cuts, and water shortages, prompting several members of Congress to hold the city’s chief secretary in his office until he agrees to address the problems in a meaningful way, the Times of India reported.

A developing El Nino is expected to push monsoon rainfall below average in India, threatening the country’s large proportion of rain-fed agriculture as well as water supplies for irrigation, Bloomberg News reported. A drought could have political consequences by increasing inflation for food commodities.

Rapidly rising water from a dam release swept away 20 students and their professor in northern India Monday, Reuters reported. Rescuers are pessimistic about finding survivors, and there is an investigation into whether or not dam managers sounded warning alarms before releasing the water.

U.S. Utilities
Aging water infrastructure in the United States could mean a 10 percent annual increase in water rates for more than one-fifth of the country’s water utility companies, Bloomberg News reporting, citing a new report from Black & Veatch. Cities now face a difficult task in convincing water users of the economic importance of investing in water infrastructure.
Art
An exhibit at London’s Somerset House showcases human stories through water, the Guardian reported. The “Museum of Water” includes water samples sent in by the public—ranging from tears to hailstones to water vapor from breath.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek