Water Scarcity and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The importance of water cannot be overstated. It is vital to every aspect of our civilization from the survival of our ecosystems down to our own biological needs. It is intertwined with energy and agriculture, both of which are inextricably tied to climate change. On World Water Day we are called to recognize the fundamental importance of this crucial resource. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 22 as World Water Day. This day is a call to action on behalf of the 1.8 billion people who are at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio because they are forced to drink contaminated water. This is the white horse, also called disease, the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Summary of World Water Week: Events, Ideas and Stories

World Water Week was celebrated from August 23 to 28 in Stockholm Sweden.The theme for the 25th anniversary of the event was "Water for Development." More than 3,300 delegates assembled from 130 countries to explore solutions to some of the most urgent water and development challenges.

The problems associated with water are both pressing and ubiquitous with almost 2 billion people lacking access to safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion people who lack access to a proper toilet. Contaminated water kills roughly two million people around the world every year. By 2030, the global population is expected to reach 8.5 billion and the human race could face a 40 percent water shortfall.

Water Management is Big Business: Carrots and Sticks

A wide range of companies are responding to the growing demand for responsible water stewardship.  This includes products like software, printing, and decontamination. There are also powerful disincentives that encourage responsible water manage water management.

The number of companies that see the importance of responsible water stewardship has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. This is due to both opportunities and threats. Those who engage responsible water stewardship stand to benefit from cost savings while those who do not get on board are vulnerable to a wide range of risks. These risks include penalties for failure to comply with their legal responsibilities.

Responsible corporate water efforts run the gamut from sustainable water programs to innovations that diminish water use. Here are some examples of products designed to better manage water and a couple of examples of what can happen when companies fail to do so.

Expanded Water Tool Reveals the Actual and Future Risks and Costs (Videos)

An expanded version of a tool has just been released that provides actionable information to help businesses manage their water risks. It obvious to everyone, including businesses that water is a finite resource that is in growing demand. It is becoming increasingly evident that water is a strategic asset. Now more than ever businesses want a better understanding of their exposure to water risks. In addition to risk mitigation water is increasingly being understood as a cost saving opportunity. Businesses are also concerned about water scarcity as a constraint to growth. While having the information to craft the right water policy can be instrumental to success, water is currently undervalued and the real price remains elusive.

A Brief History of Responsible Water Stewardship at Nestlé

Responsible water management is a critical issue for Nestlé and their stakeholders. In recent years the company has made great strides in water efficiency and stewardship. This is important with more than a third (38 percent) of their factories situated in water-stressed regions.

While Nestlé now claims that it welcomes the growing level of stakeholder interest in water issues this was not always the case. Nestlé now aims "to minimise the impact of our operations on natural water resources and the communities they support." However, these objectives were not always core concerns for the company.

Performance Contracting Offers Water and Energy Savings for Schools and Governments

A new report suggests that western public school schools and government facilities can reduce energy and water usage and save vast sums of money by using performance contracting. The western states covered in the report are Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.

Performance Based Contracting is a results-oriented contracting method that grantees a particular outcome. This approach focuses on the outputs, quality, or outcomes that are tied to a contractor's payment. If the contractor fails to meet the contracted objectives the contractor must make up the difference.

According to a study released at the end of July by Western Resource Advocates and McKinstry, there are almost $1 billion worth of savings to be had.

Water is a Key to Sustainable Development

The theme of World Water Week 2015, (August 23-28) is "Water for Development." This year's theme is crucially important issue as water is central to development issues around the world. There can be no sustainable development, nor can we hope to eradicate poverty in the absence of a keen focus on water.

Free Sustainable Water Management Software for Universities

Water and wastewater modeling software is now available for free to students and professors at universities around the world. The GIS-centric water and wastewater modeling software is a special student edition of both InfoWater and InfoSWMM. The software address every facet water management and protection. Essentially it contains everything that is need to plan, design, operate, secure and sustain water distribution. This includes predictive analytics, systems dynamics, optimization functionality. Some of the specific features are dynamic water quality simulations, valve criticality and energy cost analysis.

Water Purication for Developing Countries (Infographic)

Event - Water for Development: World Water Week 2015

The United Nations' World Water Week, takes place on August 23-28, 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden. The theme for this years Word Water Week event is "Water for Development." This annual event is designed to bring awareness to the globe’s water issues. While the event is taking place in Sweden, people around the world are supporting the event. Poverty eradication is intimately connected to water.

The Water Crisis and Development: World Water Week 2015 (Video)

The scarcity of clean water in certain places around the world is one of the most daunting challenges in the world today. Each day almost 1000 children under 5 die from diarrhoea caused by contaminated water. More than 2.4 billion people – a third of all humanity – have no access to sanitation. And as populations grow, water is set to become a new source of danger, of conflict, given the rapid urban expansion of Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, as climate change accelerates, we are likely to see more extreme and frequent droughts, floods and typhoons. Again, people in emerging economies are likely to be the hardest hit by water-borne disasters.

Climate Change Increases Risks of Water Borne Diseases Contracted by Swimming

While swimming is a common summertime activity it can also make people very sick. Cryptosporidiosis or Cryto is one of a number of sicknesses that appear to be on the increase due to climate change. Whether on a beach or in a pool cryto is one of many invisible parasites that can make swimmers sick. Microbial pathogens in the water already make thousands of people sick each year and as the world warms research suggests that the incidence of water borne disease will get worse.

Hundreds of millions of Americans travel to beaches, lakefront cabins, and swimming pools. Swimming is a far more popular activity than commercial theme parks or visits to state parks. In fact US beaches are by far the largest attraction for national travel and tourism. According to Coastal Science, 200 million Americans made more than 2 billion visits to beaches in 2010.

Hot Topics in Drinking Water and Wastewater

This full day program about drinking and wastewater will take place on July 22, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. -3:45 p.m. at DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., 206 Macks Island Dr., Belvidere, New Jersey.

Both the drinking water and wastewater industries are continuously evolving. Every day brings new challenges, and research is the key to meeting these challenges.

Event - Water and Society Conference 2015

The 3rd International Conference on Water and Society will take place on the 15th to the 17th of July, 2015 in A Coruña, Spain. The first of which was held in Las Vegas in 2011, followed by the meeting in 2013 in the New Forest, UK, home to the Wessex Institute. Conference Proceedings Papers presented at Water and Society 2015 will disseminated worldwide. Delegates will recieve the conference book (hard cover or digital format) which will be catalogued and archived in the British Library, the American Library of Congress and the WIT eLibrary.

Event: Canadian Water Summit: The Energy of Water

The 6th Annual Canadian Water Summit will take place on June 24 and 25, 2015 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver, British Columbia. The water professionals in attendance will be engaged and inspired by the full day program to collaborate and take advantage of the energy of water - in Canada and around the world. Since 2009, the Canadian Water Summit has served as a collaborative forum for leaders from diverse sectors to share insights and further a united mission: to build a sustainable water future for Canada.

Event - Water Resources Management 2015

The eighth International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources Management will take place on June 15-17 2015 at the Wessex Institute in A Coruña, Spain. It will present the more recent technological and scientific developments, associated with the management of surface and sub-surface water resources.

Water is essential for sustaining life on our planet and its uneven distribution is a source of permanent conflict. The growth of human population combined with the irregularity in precipitation and water availability may restrict even further the access to water in certain regions of the world. This problem is made more severe by anthropogenic activities that affect its quality.

New Clean Drinking Water Rules Supported by Business

Clean water is important to both the public and business and thanks to a new rule drinking water is now safer in the US. The new rule came into effect on Wednesday May 27, 2015. It expands protection of areas not clearly covered under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. The new clean water regulation, formally known as the The Waters of the United States rule, was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers.

UN's 2015 World Water Development Report

The UN's 2015 World Water Development report, released by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said the planet will face a 40 per cent shortfall in water supply in 2030 unless the international community “dramatically” improves water supply management. diarrhea

The report indicates that the demand for water is slated to skyrocket 55 percent by 2050 while 20 percent of global groundwater is already over exploited.

The report urges the international community to devote an entire sustainable development goal to water itself – from issues of water governance and quality to wastewater management and the prevention of natural disasters.

The Importance of Water for Sustainable Development

Better water management is essential to sustainable development. World Water Day was celebrated on March 22 and the theme for 2015 is, "Water and Sustainable Development." Water covers 71 percent of our planet's surface it is vital to life. Water is a crucial to human health, nature, urbanization, industry and energy production. This year the UN has launched a campaign focusing on water and sanitation. By 2030 the demand for water is expected to grow 40 percent and this burgeoning demand is compounded by increasing scarcity due to climate change.

Infographic - Water Use in Power Plants

Related
Infographic - The Water Energy Nexus
Infographic - Water and Energy (World Bank)
Infographic - Water Consumption in the US and in Developing World
Water Infographic: The Water Cycle
Infographic - Where Water Comes from and How we Use it