Entries by Kayla Ritter

The Stream, November 6: Hundreds of Tons of Fish “Annihilated” in Euphrates River

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The Global Rundown Water pollution is suspected as the cause of a massive fish die-off near Baghdad, Iraq. A water shutoff continues to impact millions in Mexico City, Mexico, after a shifted water line delayed completion of repairs. Ecuador faces a lawsuit after exploration by mining companies leads to water contamination. Israel hopes desalination will save […]

HotSpots H2O, November 5: Rohingya Refugees Face Uncertain Return Home

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The Rundown After fleeing Myanmar in August 2017 following widespread, brutal attacks against them, nearly one million Rohingya Muslims still reside in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Last week, Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed to begin repatriating the Rohingya. According to government officials, the two countries have a “very concrete plan” to send back the refugees. The […]

The Stream, November 2: Mexico City Cuts Water for 3 Days To Perform Repairs

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The Global Rundown Mexico City shuts off its water system for 72 hours in order to make much-needed repairs. Experts warn that a lack of fresh water in coastal Myanmar could lead to conflict. Power prices in the West Balkans rise as drought depletes hydropower output. California puts Los Angeles County in charge of a […]

The Stream, November 1: Lead Found in Drinking Water Across Newark, New Jersey

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The Global Rundown Newark, New Jersey, faces widespread lead contamination in its drinking water. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, where water access is growing increasingly dire, puts pressure on Houthi rebels to return to peace talks. Salty drinking water leads to health problems in India’s West Bengal. The World Bank and other organizations pledge up […]

The Stream, October 31: Waterways in Mali’s Capital Poisoned by Waste

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The Global Rundown Bamako, Mali, becomes an ‘open-air toilet’ as the city’s population booms. A study finds that sidewalks constructed from travertine, an absorbent kitchen building material, could decrease urban flooding. In Lithuania, drought drives the first economic drop in eight years. Intense winds and heavy rains batter Italy, leaving 10 people dead. The U.S. […]

The Stream, October 30: African Countries Should “Decolonize” Water Laws, Report Says

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The Global Rundown A recent report calls on African countries to ‘decolonize’ water. An unusually high tide sweeps through Venice, Italy, flooding three-quarters of the city. Pakistan bans Indian TV channels due to water-related tensions. Drought slashes eastern Australia’s crop output to half the twenty-year average. The boil water notice in Austin, Texas, is lifted. Shortages […]

HotSpots H2O, October 29: Amazon River Development Imperils Indigenous Communities

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The Rundown Flowing more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) through Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, the Amazon River is a storehouse of natural riches — and a contested area for resource disputes. The watershed is peppered with conflict, often between developers and indigenous communities. One burgeoning development is the Amazon Waterway Project, a plan to dredge […]

The Stream, October 26: 1.4 Million U.S. Citizens Experienced Water Shut-offs in 2016, Study Finds

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The Global Rundown More than one million U.S. citizens had their water shut off in 2016, an analysis finds. The European parliament approves a ban on single-use plastics in hopes of slowing pollution in seas and other waterways. Nearly 280,000 children in Basra, Iraq, are at risk of waterborne disease, according to aid groups. The […]

The Stream, October 25: Wildfire Damage Raises Flood Risks in California

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The Global Rundown Damage caused by wildfires raises the risk of flooding across California. Animal waste is polluting water supplies in China’s Heilongjiang province, a government review finds. U.S. President Donald Trump signs America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. A boil-water mandate in Austin, Texas, could last up to two weeks. The water shutoff campaign […]

The Stream, October 24: Amazon River Dredging Threatens Food Sources of Indigenous Groups

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The Global Rundown A major infrastructure project along the Amazon River is set to begin, but indigenous groups fear the developments could threaten their livelihood. Residents of Austin, Texas, are urged to cut water consumption as the city struggles to treat its water. Prolonged drought disrupts shipping along key German waterways. Hurricane Willa makes landfall […]

The Stream, October 23: E. Coli Continues to Taint Tokyo Olympic Swim Venues

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The Global Rundown E. Coli and other contaminants continue to pollute Olympic triathlon and marathon venue sites in Tokyo. Activists in Montenegro protest construction of an Albanian dam on the shared Cijevna river. The state of Michigan and the Canadian pipeline company Enbridge reach a deal to replace two decades-old oil pipelines in the Great Lakes. The risk of flooding in northeastern India due […]

HotSpots H2O, October 22: Lithium Miners Battle for Water in Chile’s Atacama Desert

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The Rundown The Atacama, the world’s driest desert, contains one of the planet’s richest deposits of high-grade lithium. Demand for lithium, a light metal used in cellphones, electric cars, and other emerging technologies, is booming. The largest global lithium producers–U.S.-based Albemarle Corp and Chilean SQM–built their operations within miles of each other in Salar, the […]