The Stream, April 12: Majority of Underground Water Polluted in China

The Global Rundown

More than three-quarters of China’s underground water is too contaminated for human consumption, according to government statistics. India’s monsoon rainfall is expected to be above average this year. Unpredictable rainfall is contributing to food insecurity in Cameroon. The number of deaths attributed to a Legionnaires’ outbreak in Flint, Michigan rose to 12. A major water district in California bought five islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

“What we learned from our parents as children is no longer useful.” –Ziga Adibe, a rice farmer in Cameroon, on increasingly unpredictable rainfall and weather patterns. Climate change is exacerbating food insecurity in Cameroon, where conflict with the Boko Haram terrorist group has destabilized food production. (Reuters)

By The Numbers

$175 million Amount the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California spent to buy five islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, gaining a stake in the key region used to ship water south. The Sacramento Bee

12 deaths Number caused by a Legionnaires’ outbreak in Flint, Michigan, an increase from the previously reported 10. Reuters

Science, Studies, And Reports

Statistics released by China’s Ministry of Water Resources show that more than 80 percent of the country’s underground water is unfit to drink. Pollutants include nitrates and heavy metals, pointing to both agricultural and industrial sources. China.org

On The Radar

Rainfall during India’s annual monsoon is expected to be 105 percent above average this year, according to private forecaster Skymet. The rains would be a welcome change from two consecutive years of drought. Reuters

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

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