Entries by Kayla Ritter

The Stream, July 1, 2020: Florida Governor Signs Major Bill Aimed at Combating Water Quality Issues

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The Global Rundown Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs an extensive  environmental bill aimed at addressing the state’s water quality issues. A major Russian mining company suspends workers who illegally discharged wastewater into the Arctic tundra last week. Ethiopia plans to begin filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam this month despite a deadlock in negotiations with […]

The Stream, June 30, 2020: Independent Data Suggests Hidden Flood Risk to Millions of U.S. Properties

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The Global Rundown A new map of flood risk in the United States claims that almost 6 million more properties are vulnerable to flood damages than previously thought. Puerto Rico declares a state of emergency as more than a quarter of the island succumbs to severe drought. Heavy monsoon rains force more than a million […]

HotSpots H2O: In Somalia, Covid-19 Compounds Water Stress

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The fragile situation for herders in Somalia and Somaliland, where harsh weather has stripped the land of food and water, is being exacerbated by the spread of Covid-19.

The Stream, June 26, 2020: Colorado Governor Implements Drought Plan for 40 Counties

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The Global Rundown Colorado Governor Jared Polis initiates a drought plan for 40 Colorado counties. The Brazilian Senate approves a new sanitation bill intended to jumpstart privatization of water and sewage companies. A Michigan judge calls for a temporary shutdown of the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. Environmentalists claim that […]

The Stream, June 25, 2020: New Rule Could Exempt Companies from Reporting Certain PFAS Releases

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The Global Rundown A new exemption being drafted by U.S. federal regulators would exempt companies from reporting certain releases of PFAS into the environment. Early test results show low levels of dioxin contamination in mid-Michigan in the wake of historic flooding last month. Heavy rainfall deluges western Ukraine, killing three people and forcing hundreds to […]

The Stream, June 24, 2020: Water Bills in U.S. Cities Jumped 80 Percent Between 2010 and 2018, Investigation Claims

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The Global Rundown A new investigation of 12 U.S. cities conducted by The Guardian states that water and sewage bills rose by an average of 80 percent between 2010 and 2018. The U.S. Supreme Court chooses not to hear a case related to water rights in the Klamath Basin, which spans parts of Oregon and […]

The Stream, June 23, 2020: Pastoral Lifestyles Threatened as Somalia and Somaliland Dry

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The Global Rundown Somalia is drying rapidly, changing the livelihoods of Somali herders. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says there is a 40 percent chance that a cyclone may develop off the coast of Massachusetts in the next couple days. Heavy storms deluge Moscow, Russia. The water hyacinth, an invasive plant, clogs waterways in Iraq. […]

HotSpots H2O: Aid Groups Airlift Water and Sanitation Supplies to Venezuela

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Deteriorating conditions have led to chronic shortages of food, medicine, and running water, in Venezuela amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Stream, June 19, 2020: California Farmers Have Constitutional Rights to Imperial Valley Water, Judge Rules

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The Global Rundown Power struggles continue in California’s tense Imperial Irrigation District. A new proposal calls for the prime ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to broker continued negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The U.S. Senate passes a major conservation bill. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) elects not to set drinking water […]

The Stream, June 18, 2020: More than 300 Mid-Michigan Wells Are Dry Following Dam Break Last Month

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The Global Rundown Recent flooding in mid-Michigan leaves more than 300 wells dry. Japanese researchers detect the coronavirus in wastewater plants, mirroring similar findings in Australia, Europe, and the U.S. In drought-stricken Zimbabwe, some residents are forced to queue overnight for water. A new ruling by Nevada’s top water regulator halts groundwater pumping around Coyote […]

The Stream, June 17, 2020: Methane Leaking from Millions of Abandoned Oil Wells Threatens U.S. Groundwater

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The Global Rundown Methane is seeping from millions of abandoned oil wells in the U.S., threatening groundwater supplies. A new study by Vanderbilt University finds multiple benefits to proactive home buyouts in flood prone areas. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) calls for China to be more transparent with its dam operations on the Mekong River. […]

The Stream, June 16, 2020: Drought Reaches “Extreme” Levels in Parts of Colorado, New Mexico, California, and Oregon

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The Global Rundown An abnormally warm May deepens drought in the western United States. A settlement of mud huts on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela, where residents lack running water, power, and sanitation services, expands amid the country’s ongoing economic crisis. The coronavirus pandemic worsens water access in the Dominican Republic. Potential contamination caused by […]