The Stream, November 29, 2019: Water Crisis Could Hit Sydney, Australia, Next Year, According to WaterNSW Warning

The Global Rundown

A document shows that New South Wales, Australia, could face a major water crisis by the middle of next year. Kentucky state regulators call for major changes in how water districts are managed and regulated. Autumn rainfall eases drought in southeastern Alaska. An estimated £110 million ($142 million) in insurance payouts are expected in flood-hit areas of northern England. Water supply in Mali’s Lake Wegnia dwindles, jeopardizing the livelihoods of fishermen.

“During the rainy season there is a lot of water but as soon as it’s over, there is no water left in the lake. We are fishermen. I don’t think our children will be.” –Modeste Traore, a fisherman living near Mali’s Lake Wegnia. An estimated 12,000 fishermen, farmers, and herders rely on the lake, but increasingly hot temperatures are causing the waterbody to shrink, altering the future of those living in the region. Reuters

Latest WaterNews from Circle of Blue

What’s Up With Water – November 25, 2019  — This week’s edition of What’s Up With Water includes coverage on water allocation in China, water accessibility in the U.S., and the Chesapeake Bay’s annual “dead zone” review. 

HotSpots H2O: Food Emergency for Millions in Afghanistan — More than 10 million people in Afghanistan do not have enough to eat and need humanitarian aid according to the latest alert from an international coalition that analyzes hunger and malnutrition.

By The Numbers

£110 million ($142 million) Predicted amount of insurance payouts following heavy flooding in northern England earlier this month, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Several thousand claims for damaged homes and vehicles have been received so far. BBC

46 percent Current reservoirs level in Sydney, Australia, compared to 96 percent in April 2017. Six months ago, the state-owned agency WaterNSW warned the New South Wales government about the impending water crisis, saying the reservoirs could drop to 40 percent by Christmas time, and then fall to emergency levels by next summer. The Guardian 

Science, Studies, and Reports

In a recent report, the Kentucky Public Service Commission warned that lawmakers must make major changes to how the state’s water districts are managed and regulated. Much of the state’s aging water infrastructure is faltering, and could cost several billion dollars to fix over the next two decades, according to the report. Lexington Herald Leader

On the Radar

Heavy rainfall in southeastern Alaska has eased a long stretch of dry conditions, according to scientists. Precipitation in the region has now exceeded the annual average by 13 inches, with November being an especially wet month for the region. Anchorage Daily News 

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