Water News

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Water scarcity looms

LONDON—Water scarcity is an increasing threat to business as populations continue to grow and climate change takes hold, according to Lloyd’s, a specialist insurance market and WWF, the conservation organization. The report by Lloyd’s 360 Risk Insight and WWF, Global water scarcity: risks and challenges for business, says that businesses will have to address and manage the risk of water scarcity in the future, highlighting that all goods require water at some point in their production, as well as it being the most important human resource.

For more information, see www.lloyds.com

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Water reserves fall

PORTLAND, Ore.—Scientists warn that raging brush fires could become routine. Florida is running out of water to meet the needs of its growing population. New England water reserves are reaching record lows. Atlanta's main water supply may run dry in a few months. Boat ramps are becoming surrounded by dry land and streams are disappearing. Even the mighty Great Lakes are seeing historically low levels. Top ten drought-riskiest metro areas are:

• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
• San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
• Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
• Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN
• Chattanooga, TN-GA
• Birmingham-Hoover, AL
• Greenville, SC
• Knoxville, TN

For more information, see www.bestplaces.net

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EPA launches water web tools

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new set of web tools, data, and interactive maps to inform the public about serious Clean Water Act violations in their communities.

These web tools list state-by-state summary data of violations and enforcement responses taken by the states for smaller facilities. The new web page also makes it easy to compare states by compliance rates and enforcement actions taken and provides access to updated State Review Framework (SRF) reports.

Interactive Map for Clean Water Act Annual Noncompliance Report is at www.epa-echo.gov

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Saving the Charles River

BOSTON—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require additional measures to control stormwater pollution in the Charles River watershed.

Under a pilot program that EPA is accepting public comments on, large industrial, commercial and multi-family residential facilities in three communities in the Upper Charles River Watershed will be required to reduce polluted runoff from their properties. This initiative is part of a continuing, multi-faceted effort to restore the Charles to environmental health.

For more information, see www.epa.gov

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EPA support urban watersheds

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available up to $600,000 in grants for an eligible entity to establish and manage a national competitive urban watershed small grants program, and to provide urban watershed technical services.

The successful applicant would support capacity building projects in urban communities that will lead to environmental, public health, and related economic benefits.

For more information, see www.epa.gov

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