The Stream, September 21: Lead and Copper Found in Drinking Water at 33 Additional Detroit Schools

The Global Rundown

Testing shows that 33 additional Detroit public schools have high lead or copper levels in their drinking water. Data reveals that flooding in the Amazon river has increased in frequency and severity over the past 100 years. Villagers in Tamil Nadu, India, protest over water shortages. Diverse forests are stronger during drought, a new study finds. Three water companies in the United Kingdom draw scrutiny for poor customer service records. Regulators struggle to determine the health implications on Hurricane Florence as flooding continues.

“DEQ is waiting for travel conditions to improve … before we can safely inspect the damage reported by farmers to the hog lagoons.” –Megan Thorpe, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, speaking on possible environmental contamination in the wake of Hurricane Florence. Aerial photos of storm-hit regions show black floodwaters with a rainbow-colored sheen, a sign of potential contamination. In addition to manure lagoons, coal ash landfills also pose a threat to the environment. U.S. News & World Report

Latest WaterNews from Circle of Blue

Thirsty Cities Drill for Water – When reservoirs drop, cities turn to groundwater.

HotSpots H2O, September 17: Tribal Clashes Leave Several Dead In Kenya as Resources, Aid Dry Up – Water shortages are stirring unrest across Kenya, from the Rift Valley to refugee camps.

By The Numbers

3.5 million Customers served by Bristol Water, SES Water, and Southern Water, three UK water companies that drew scrutiny from industry watchdogs due to high numbers of customer complaints. In the UK water industry as a whole, however, complaints fell by 17 percent this year. BBC

33 Detroit public schools where elevated levels of copper or lead in drinking water were recently discovered. In total, heavy metals have been identified in 67 different Detroit schools. Drinking water at all 106 district buildings was shut off at the beginning of the month as a precautionary measure. Detroit Free Press

In context: Detroit Schools Shut Off Drinking Water After Finding Elevated Levels of Lead, Copper.

Science, Studies, And Reports

A study by the University of Utah found that diverse forests are more resilient in times of drought. Researchers found that when trees exhibited high diversity in traits related to water use, the ecosystem as a whole suffered less drought. Nature

On The Radar

In the past 113 years, flooding along the Amazon River has become more frequent and severe, according to new research by the UK’s University of Leeds. Researchers believe that the flooding is linked to atmospheric changes which impact weather patterns and rainfall across the globe. Science Daily

Spotlight: India

Follow The Stream for daily coverage on India’s water crisis.

Villagers from Ambur, Tamil Nadu, staged a demonstration on Thursday over poor water supply. Technical difficulties and falling groundwater levels have left 1,200 families in Ambur without water for three months. In the meantime, the government has failed to provide water, despite requests from residents. The Times of India

In context: Additional Circle of Blue reporting on Tamil Nadu.

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter