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The Year in Water, 2018

Pollution, scarcity, and a changing climate remain top risks

By Brett Walton

Circle of Blue – December 20, 2018

A cholera outbreak in Yemen that sickened more than 280,000 people amid a brutal civil war. Day Zero panic in Cape Town. Warnings from the UN climate panel that the planet’s ecosystems are changing more quickly than predicted.

2018 was a tumultuous, eventful year in water. Two questions, as always, hang in the air: Can leaders recognize environmental and social change? If they do, will they respond?

The evidence of monumental alterations to land, water, and air was unmistakable this year. Even government agencies acknowledged it. India’s government-chartered think tank called the continued decline of India’s groundwater and its contamination the country’s “worst water crisis.”

Meanwhile, the head of Iran’s Environment Department said in October that excessive water consumption in that country, where aquifers and lakes are drying up, could result in “terrible social consequences.”

In Pakistan and elsewhere, the depletion of rural water sources is leading farmers to abandon orchards and fields and migrate to already crowded cities.

A growing number of businesses are recognizing the risk of water shortages and floods, according to reports from CDP and the World Economic Forum.

And yet, despite these warnings, government responses are not yet equal to the task. In June the United Nations reported that countries are not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of universal access for water and sanitation. More than 2 billion people today do not have water at home that is free from bacterial contaminants.

In November, the UN also reported that carbon emissions rose in 2017 and country pledges to reduce emissions are not strong enough to avoid two degrees Celsius of warming. Change is coming, whether or not leaders are prepared.

India Faces Worst Water Crisis

The country that pumps more groundwater than any other has reached a water supply and food safety reckoning that threatens to upend political and economic stability, and long-term public health.

Circle of Blue’s on-the-ground coverage from Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Bengaluru revealed how a nation of 1.3 billion people, by failing to protect its water, is courting disease and economic hardship as well as social upheaval.

Hand in hand with groundwater depletion and contamination, is a food supply “toxic time bomb” of global implications. When irrigation wells go dry, farmers turn to untreated wastewater that is laced with industrial chemicals and human sewage.

As one villager said, “The water moved from providing life to taking lives.”

Toxic Water, Toxic Crops: India’s Public Health Time Bomb

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August 27, 2018
Raw sewage and industrial wastewater contaminated with metals and chemicals irrigate much of the India's food.
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Groundwater Scarcity, Pollution Set India on Perilous Course

December 4, 2018
Drained and contaminated aquifers contribute to India’s “worst water crisis.”
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Chennai’s Security Tied to Cleaning Up Its Water

July 3, 2018
Water supply and quality motivate Tamil Nadu’s most dynamic social movements.
https://i2.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2017-01-India-Tamil-Nadu-DMalhotra_C4A7610-2500.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Keith Schneider https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Keith Schneider2018-07-03 15:03:082019-06-24 15:35:12Chennai’s Security Tied to Cleaning Up Its Water

Booming Infrastructure Poisons Bangalore’s Lakes, Depletes Groundwater

February 28, 2018
Bangalore’s largest lake is so contaminated that it routinely…
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India Videos

December 19, 2015
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Rise of Legionnaires’ Disease

It is the deadliest waterborne disease in the United States, and the number of cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rises every year.

A pneumonia-like illness, Legionnaires’ disease kills about one in 11 people it infects, and it is spread by inhaling droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria.

This year saw the launch of a National Academy of Sciences investigation into Legionella risks in building plumbing, and an in-depth CDC report on who is getting sick and where they contracted the disease.

A Circle of Blue inquiry found that the federal agency that reimburses hospitals and nursing homes for Medicare does not yet know how many of its facilities are complying with a June 2017 order to reduce the spread of Legionella in building water systems.

Deadly Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreaks Persist in the U.S.

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October 10, 2018
The most acute U.S. water contamination health risk defies control.
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Too Soon To Know Hospital Compliance with Federal Government Legionella Policy

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December 9, 2018
Hospitals and nursing homes that receive government payments were ordered in June 2017 to pay greater attention to harmful bacteria in their plumbing systems.
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CDC Releases Latest U.S. Legionnaires’ Disease Data

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November 15, 2018
Legionnaires’ disease, a pneumonia-like illness, is the deadliest waterborne disease in the United States, killing about one in eleven people it sickens.
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Many Questions as Expert Committee Begins Study of Legionella in Plumbing

February 9, 2018
The National Academy of Sciences addresses risks from deadliest U.S. water disease.
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Deadly Legionella Bacteria Are Common in U.S. Building Plumbing

January 18, 2018
Water samples from cooling towers across the country show signs of the bacteria.
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Water Affordability and Pricing

It’s a paradox — tap water in the United States can be both too cheap and too expensive. How can that be? What matters is how you look at the question.

Utilities need money to invest in aging water and sewer systems. That’s one of the reasons that water rates are rising across the country. For too long, water has been too cheap, and utilities now need the funds to replace old pipes, stanch sewage spills, and invest in new treatment technologies and water-saving devices.

But for poor households, especially in economically struggling cities with older infrastructure, water can also be too expensive. That has led to a movement to better define affordable water.

Households that don’t pay bills on time usually have their water shut off. It’s a major social justice issue. In a pair of stories, Circle of Blue found that shutoff practices vary considerably among utilities and that the manner in which water utilities collect shutoff data makes it nearly impossible to tell how many shutoffs are because a household couldn’t afford to pay.

When the Water Is Shut Off

January 11, 2018
Cities employ vastly different strategies for late-paying customers.
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2014-08-04-Michigan-Detroit-water-JCGanter__G3_5719-Edit-JGanter-2500.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2018-01-11 12:19:262020-07-21 02:17:09When the Water Is Shut Off

Counting Homes Cut Off From Water Is A Data Collection Nightmare

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November 20, 2018
California utilities revolt against state attempt for more water shutoff information.
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Price of Water 2018: Utilities Revise Household Water Rate Formulas

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May 30, 2018
Small increase in prices but some significant adjustments to water bill calculations.
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Water Debt Not on the Menu in Baltimore’s Tax Sale Season

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May 9, 2018
City and state officials take steps to keep residents from losing homes because of overdue water bills.
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California Water Board Delays Affordability Report

February 2, 2018
Citing the need for more deliberation, California regulators delayed publication of a report that will outline their preferred plan to fund and manage a statewide program to help poor residents pay their water bills.
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U.S. Drinking Water and Sewage Infrastructure

The quality of U.S. drinking water sources came into question in a number of communities this year. Officials in Oregon’s capital encountered toxic algae in their main reservoir, even though there is little agriculture upstream.

In Oscoda, Michigan, where PFAS chemicals have leached into groundwater, rivers, and lakes for decades, residents are furious that the state and federal government are not doing more to halt the pollution coming from a closed Air Force base.

PFAS pollution, in general, became one of the foremost drinking water concerns. Congressional committees held hearings, the EPA promised to consider national regulations, and states adopted their own drinking water standards. Dozens of utilities sued 3M and other chemical manufacturers to recover the cost of water treatment and environmental cleanup.

Fear and Fury in Michigan Town Where Air Force Contaminated Water

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April 11, 2018
Some residents can’t drink the water or eat the fish. Now they’re…
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As PFAS Lawsuits Proliferate, Legal Tactics Emerge

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December 14, 2018
Potentially billions of dollars in damages are at stake in more than a hundred lawsuits against companies and others for contaminating water with PFAS.
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More Evidence of Nitrate Cancer Risk in Drinking Water

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July 20, 2018
Case builds of health damage from a common pollutant.
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Oregon Capital Battles Algal Toxins in Drinking Water

June 15, 2018
Toxins result in ‘do not drink’ advisory for Salem, the latest U.S. city challenged by cyanobacteria.
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Straight Pipes Foul Kentucky’s Long Quest to Clean Its Soiled Waters

February 28, 2018
A two-decade mission to reduce sewage pollution still has a lot of work to finish.
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U.S. Groundwater Scarcity and Pollution

From the shores of Lake Michigan to the Atlantic coast and the Arizona desert, Americans worried about dry wells and contaminated aquifers.

A estimate of the depth of fresh groundwater in the United States, found it to be shallower than previous assumptions. But as one scientist remarked, usable fresh groundwater, which is constrained by the cost of pumping and undesirable environmental changes, is often significantly smaller than the total amount.

Fastest-Growing Michigan County Reckons With Groundwater Pollution and Depletion

September 25, 2018
Ottawa County leaders recognize the need to act on groundwater.
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New Estimate Finds Less Fresh Groundwater in U.S. Than Previously Assumed

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December 13, 2018
A new study demonstrates that fresh groundwater, in eastern states as well as those west of the Mississippi, is shallower than previously thought and thus less abundant.
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After Hurricanes, Pollution Hazards for Private Water Wells in the Southeast

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November 2, 2018
Floodwaters from Florence and Michael introduce bacteria and contaminants into wells.
https://i2.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NCCoastGuard_FlorenceFlood.jpg?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1 1365 2048 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2018-11-02 11:06:102018-12-19 11:45:00After Hurricanes, Pollution Hazards for Private Water Wells in the Southeast

Michigan's Groundwater Emergency

September 25, 2018
Groundwater in Michigan is “compromised and deteriorated.”
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U.S. Courts Issue Contradictory Rulings on Groundwater and the Clean Water Act

February 7, 2018
Courts grapple with pollution cases that pit the law against nature.
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Cape Town Averts Catastrophe

In the end, Day Zero never came to pass. Severe water restrictions for farms, industries, and residents helped Cape Town avoid the unthinkable: a water shutdown for most residents and businesses.

It was not easy. Talk of Day Zero sparked panic and hurt the farming and tourism industries.

The crisis forced Cape Town to confront longstanding political and social divisions and worries about the security of its water supply — then chart a path toward a more diverse array of sources, from groundwater and wastewater reuse to desalination.

Cape Town’s Harrowing Journey to the Brink of Water Catastrophe

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July 12, 2018
Cape Town, a city of 4 million people, almost turned off its taps.
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Thirsty Cities Drill for Water

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September 18, 2018
When reservoirs drop, cities turn to groundwater.
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Cape Town's Water Catastrophe – Photo Essay

August 1, 2018
Cape Town’s Harrowing Journey to the Brink of Water Catastrophe
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Amid Political Quarrels over Cape Town Crisis, Engineers Prepare Dams for Day Zero

February 13, 2018
Squabbles between South Africa’s politicians over who is to blame for Cape Town’s water emergency reached such a pitch in recent weeks that leaders, in an attempt to soften the debate, invoked the country’s icon of peace and resolve.
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Cape Town Outlines Plans for Emergency Water Distribution

January 29, 2018
Residents will be allowed 25 liters (6.6 gallons) per person per day at 200 collection points.
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Zeropolis: Big Cities, Little Water

In the shadow of Cape Town’s water crisis are other major cities that face substantial water supply constraints.

From Mexico City to Kabul and Tehran, overworked aquifers are showing the strain. The consequences are not just for water supply. The land surface is sinking as the drained soil compacts. That threatens the stability of buildings, bridges, and other structures and, in low-lying or seaside areas like in Jakarta, increases the risk of flooding.

Floods and Water Shortages Swamp Mexico City

February 16, 2018
Water crisis looms as the flood-prone city depletes its groundwater.
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A Decade After Barcelona’s Water Emergency, Drought Still Stalks Spain

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July 17, 2018
Precipitation in 2017 was scarce, plunging Spain into its worst drought since 2008.
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Tehran Faces Crisis As Iran’s Water Supply Runs Low

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June 6, 2018
Tehran, the capital and largest city, could soon be the epicenter of Iran’s water crisis.
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In Kabul, Residents Chase Receding Groundwater

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May 16, 2018
The number and depth of wells is constantly increasing in Afghanistan’s capital city.
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Kabul_Houses_on_Mountain_side_-_panoramio.jpg?fit=1600%2C1071&ssl=1 1071 1600 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-05-16 16:03:262018-12-19 12:23:16In Kabul, Residents Chase Receding Groundwater

Jakarta, the World's Fastest-Sinking City, Also Faces Rising Sea Levels and River Pollution

February 23, 2018
Certain parts of the city have sunk 14 feet in recent decades, largely due to illegal well-digging.
https://i1.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jakarta_slumhome_2-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&ssl=1 1920 2560 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-02-23 04:00:362018-12-19 11:47:19Jakarta, the World's Fastest-Sinking City, Also Faces Rising Sea Levels and River Pollution

HotSpots H2O

Water is both a source of tension and a casualty of war. In the end, it is the people who suffer.

Circle of Blue’s weekly HotSpots series highlights areas in which water access plays a role in political upheaval and armed conflict.

In Yemen — called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis by the World Food Program director — years of civil war have battered the population. More than 280,000 cholera cases were reported to the World Health Organization this year, while millions are without clean drinking water and aid agencies warn of famine.

HotSpots H2O, November 26: Delays and Disagreements Hinder Africa’s Largest Hydropower Dam

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November 26, 2018
The Rundown The fate of a controversial dam that Ethiopia is…
https://i2.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Blue_Nile_Falls_02-1600x1200.jpg?fit=1600%2C1200&ssl=1 1200 1600 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-11-26 00:46:262018-12-19 12:02:51HotSpots H2O, November 26: Delays and Disagreements Hinder Africa’s Largest Hydropower Dam

HotSpots H2O, November 19: Deadly Water Disputes Intensify in Central Asia as Glaciers Melt

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November 19, 2018
The Rundown In Central Asia, small-scale water conflicts flare…
https://i1.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Central_Tian_Shan_mountains.jpg?fit=1600%2C1182&ssl=1 1182 1600 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-11-19 00:44:172018-12-19 12:04:00HotSpots H2O, November 19: Deadly Water Disputes Intensify in Central Asia as Glaciers Melt

HotSpots H2O, October 15: Special Report on Yemen's Water Crisis

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October 15, 2018
The Rundown Since March 2015, a deadly civil war between Houthi…
https://i1.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/42394501701_4ce183bf7e_o.v1.jpg?fit=1600%2C681&ssl=1 681 1600 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-10-15 01:52:402018-12-19 12:03:42HotSpots H2O, October 15: Special Report on Yemen's Water Crisis

HotSpots H2O, September 10: Deadly Protests in Iraq’s Oil Hub Driven by Polluted Water, Government Neglect

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September 10, 2018
The Rundown Protests over power outages, chronic unemployment,…
https://i1.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Basra_Back_Street_31095180711.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1 768 1024 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-09-10 00:01:532018-12-19 12:03:36HotSpots H2O, September 10: Deadly Protests in Iraq’s Oil Hub Driven by Polluted Water, Government Neglect

HotSpots H2O, July 23: Chaos Engulfs Venezuela as Mismanagement and Drought Cut Water Access

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July 23, 2018
Mismanagement and decaying infrastructure force most citizens in the capital, Caracas, to rely on trucked-in water or communal pumps.
https://i2.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/121917068_cb5b39b227_o.jpg?fit=1600%2C1064&ssl=1 1064 1600 Kayla Ritter https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Kayla Ritter2018-07-23 00:28:552018-12-19 12:03:33HotSpots H2O, July 23: Chaos Engulfs Venezuela as Mismanagement and Drought Cut Water Access

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

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