Entries by Circle Blue

EPA to America: Flush Only Toilet Paper

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rebuked American residents for their bathroom behaviors during the Covid-19 outbreak. Not for handwashing, which is beneficial and encouraged. But for flushing items down the toilet that shouldn’t be flushed. “Flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems,” the […]

Tracking State Government Responses to Covid-19

The National Conference of State Legislatures, a trade group, is tracking state legislative responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lawmakers in several states have introduced bills related to water, mostly regarding service disconnections. In New Jersey, lawmakers proposed a bill on March 23 that would prohibit electric, gas, and water utilities from shutting off water service […]

UN Refugee Agency Prepares for Covid-19 in Jordan

Though no cases of Covid-19 have yet been recorded among Jordan’s refugee population, the UN Refugee Agency, the Jordanian government, and their partners are mobilizing resources to prevent an outbreak in crowded camps. In case of supply chain disruptions, aid agencies have secured and positioned a two-month supply of chlorine for water disinfection in three […]

Michigan Governor Orders Water Service Reconnected to Shutoff Homes

Because of health concerns during the Covid-19 outbreak, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered water utilities in the state to restore water to homes where service had been disconnected for overdue bills. “Due to the vital need to ensure that Michigan residents have access to clean water at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is reasonable […]

A Warning, from 2016, to the U.S. Water Sector about Pandemics and Disasters

During the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security asked an advisory council to prepare a report on the ability of the country’s water and wastewater providers to withstand a disaster. The National Infrastructure Advisory Council’s report, published in June 2016, identified a number of key risks. Natural disasters, including pandemic flu, topped the list. […]

UN Migration Agency Issues Covid-19 Warning for Burkina Faso

The International Organization for Migration is stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among asylum seekers and internally displaced people in Burkina Faso, which has become a hot spot for the disease in West Africa. “We are concerned that increased displacement creates a fertile ground for more tensions among the population and leads […]

EPA Relaxes Environmental Enforcement During Coronavirus Emergency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will relax enforcement of civil penalties for noncompliance with industrial air and water pollution laws during the coronavirus outbreak, the agency announced on Thursday. Quarantines and illness may limit staff availability and cause a facility to violate the terms of its permits, wrote Susan Bodine, the EPA assistant administrator for […]

Halt in Water Supply from Northern Syrian Plant Raises Virus Fears

A water plant in the Kurdish region of northern Syria has stopped supplying drinking water to nearly half a million people in the region, raising concerns about sanitation and hygiene during the coronavirus epidemic, reports Deutsche Welle, a German media outlet. The Alouk water station is under the control of Turkish militias, which have cut […]

Volunteer Network Rescues Small Alabama Water System

It’s a time of people helping people. After its only water system operator went into self-quarantine for potential exposure to the new coronavirus, the small Alabama town of Gordon (population: 364) needed to find a temporary replacement. Shana Ray, the mayor of Gordon, reached out to the Alabama Rural Water Association, which is compiling a […]

UN Outlines $2 Billion Covid-19 Plan to Protect the Most Vulnerable

The United Nations is requesting $2 billion from member countries in a plan to prevent the coronavirus from spreading within refugee camps, slums, and other vulnerable populations. UN officials argue that, when it comes to infectious disease, helping the poor to avoid illness is beneficial to all. “Covid-19 has already upended life in some of […]

Water-Bill Assistance Not Part of Senate Coronavirus Relief Package

The $2 trillion coronavirus relief package that Senate and White House negotiators announced earlier today includes funding for child nutrition, virus research grants, and support for teleworking. It would direct $1,200 to adults who earn less than $75,000 a year and expand unemployment benefits. What is not included in the deal is financial assistance for […]