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Morocco is Implementing a New Water Infrastructure

Morocco is Implementing a New Water Infrastructure

Aug 16, 2016 | News

Water scarcity is a reality that can cause a great deal of stress on a population’s food supply and water infrastructure. With decreased rainfall hindering crops, creating food shortages that directly affect one tenth of the world, governments are turning towards smarter ways to cope with the problem. This wouldn’t be the case prior to the new technology and techniques available today. In previous times, when water shortages could not be addressed as effectively, the lack of resources would often lead to violent conflicts. Around 4,500 years ago it was written that a local dispute between Lagash and Umma, cities residing in what is modern day Iraq, sparked a violence due to a redirected water source. These types of skirmishes were more common in previous centuries, turning neighbors against one another. In ancient China and during the time when Pharaohs ruled Egypt there were wars fought to maintain clean water sources. The life blood of crops and a huge factor on commerce, it was always seen as a priority to protect the resource. Without it, a civilization could fall quickly do to unrest causing an upheaval of the ruling class. While we do not see as many conflicts today as we did in the past there are still some areas of the world where water scarcity is still an issue. In the Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa, water infrastructure can be ill maintained and have had direct correlation to violence in the area. Over the last 20 years that have been studies that show after a long lasting drought there are spikes in civil war, violence, and regime change....
Public Schools Recognize the Need for Water Filtration

Public Schools Recognize the Need for Water Filtration

Aug 5, 2016 | Information

Institutions around the country are taking a closer look at their water supply. Any facility that is responsible for the welfare and safety of their patrons owe it to themselves to make sure that their water source is free of contaminants. Schools and Hospitals are taking an active role in making sure their students and patients are drinking clean water by installing filtration systems. The filters and reverse osmosis membranes are an additional line of defense to protect those that could be vulnerable from excess exposure to lead. Young children, the elderly, and the sick need to have the purest water to stay healthy and hydrated. Pittsburgh’s Public School system is taking the lead on this issue. While the federal law does not require water testing for the school system, administrators saw it as a critical component in their student’s quality of life. District officials wanted to take a proactive approach to the situation. “Engaging this was, of course, the events going around the country, particularly with Flint, Mich., and us knowing that there would be increased awareness of drinking water quality in our schools,” said Ronald Joseph, Pittsburgh Public Schools Chief Operations Officer Testing took place across 70 district facilities. What they found was that the level of lead in the water was actually below the EPA’s recommendations. With only 14.9 parts per billion it was far below the 20 ppb regulated by the EPA. This proactive approach is the rising trend in the nation. As more water sources become contaminated it is important that a solution is in place before an issue arises. The Pittsburgh Public School...
Flint Michigan Water Crisis

Flint Michigan Water Crisis

Jul 25, 2016 | Information

After what was a nightmare scenario for the people of Flint Michigan, their lives are beginning to return to normal. We all know about the water crisis that hit the city and how a switch in water sources caused the city’s lead pipes to begin leaking lead into the water. This story broke at the end of 2015 and after a period of 6 months, it seems they may have found a solution. Filtered water. “This is an important step forward for providing a stable water system for the City of Flint,” Tom Burke, head of the EPA’s research office, said in a statement. The EPA’s tests showed results of decreased levels of lead in the tap water. Low enough to be considered harmless for those at risk, pregnant women, and young children. Michigan began providing in-house filters for residents at the start of the year. The EPA’s tests used the same filters to ensure the results met the expectation of reducing lead levels. “With the results of this testing, residents can be confident that they can use filtered water and protect their developing fetus or young child from lead,” added Nicole Lurie, head of preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services As water scarcity and purity become an issue worldwide it is more important than ever to have a water filtration system in place. It is estimated that by 2025 the water filtration and Reverse Osmosis industries will be 5 Billion dollar industry. The market for affordable solutions is expanding. The medical and biotech industries, along with the service industry, have a dire need...
ROI of Reverse Osmosis Plants in Communities

ROI of Reverse Osmosis Plants in Communities

Jul 15, 2016 | News

By 2025 over 1 billion people will be without access to clean, safe, water. That number just got a little smaller thanks to Brunswick County’s plan to build a Reverse Osmosis plant for their citizens. After a lot of back and forth about the plant, it was put to a vote and won 3-2.  After the hard fought issue was voted on, Chairman Bill Browning stated, “The right thing to do and the smart thing to do is to own our own water plant.” After what has happened in Flint Michigan, and the fact that water purity has become a public health issue it was clear to the council that now is the time for action. A majority of the opposition was based on previous water test results. With the claim that the County’s water has passed the test for several years without any issues, those not in favor of the new plant tried to stall the vote. The other topic of concern was cost. The cost of Reverse Osmosis plants can be staggering, but the long term solution they provide is unmeasurable. As with all RO and Water Filter solutions, the goal is clean, pure, water at a cost that is affordable. But what is the price for clean water?  Browning stated, “I’ve been told by financial consultants that we can do this at a cost savings to our customers.” Over the long run, the plant is expected to have an ROI that is both monetary and a benefit to the community.   Source;...
Tribal Fight for Groundwater in California

Tribal Fight for Groundwater in California

Jul 28, 2015 | News

As reported on CircleOfBlue.com, while the state of California implements a landmark law to balance demand for groundwater with available supplies, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has filed a lawsuit in federal court with the potential to add new layers of complexity to managing a necessary resource currently in short supply. The lawsuit, filed on May 14, 2013 against the Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water Agency, addresses two primary concerns: halting the decline in groundwater levels, and stemming pollution in the groundwater beneath the tribe’s 31,000-acre reservation. The Agua Caliente suit reflects the growing interest of Indian tribes across the American West to pursue clear legal recognition of water rights held in trust by the U.S. government. Tribal legal rights to water, which occurred first as a push for surface water rights in the 1980s, has expanded to seeking more authority over the use of groundwater. The result of these actions is shaping a new era of water management in the West — one that will force the cities, counties, and irrigation districts now managing water to make room for another seat at the table. This federal lawsuit and California’s 2014 law to fortify supplies and improve distribution of groundwater are both prompted by rapidly diminishing aquifers and inadequate authority to curtail indiscriminate use. The Agua Caliente case could be a model for tribes in California that seek greater influence in water management decisions. And the tribe’s suit could set a precedent for how groundwater rights for Indian tribes are interpreted nationally. Some believe this case, now in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,...