<p>Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced the first major update to the US's lead and copper rule (LCR) in nearly 30 years. The new regulation means that homeowners, schools and childcare centres must be alerted of potential lead exposure from drinking water within 24 hours of detection.

<p>Christian Aid's annual assessment of weather disasters reports an estimated $150 Billion USD in damages in 2020, reflecting long-term impact of global warming.</p><p>An estimated 4 Percent of the economic losses from climate-related extreme events occurred in low-income countries were insured, compared to 60 Percent in high-income countries.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/

<p>The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a 2021 appeal for $52.8 Million USD to address the most urgent and growing humanitarian crisis across Mozambique.

<p>Samarco Mineração is set to resume operations at its Germano complex in Minas Gerais and Ubu complex in Espírito Santo, Brazil, after it met the licensing requirements. The company has commenced production of iron ore pellets. The operations were suspended following the failure of the Fundão tailings dam on 5 November 2015. After the tailings dam burst at Samarco’s Germano mining site near the town of Mariana, at least 17 people were killed and more than 50 injured.</p>

<p>Parliament has moved to ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury, with legislators taking turns to condemn the use of the highly toxic element in gold extraction because of the serious environmental and health dangers it poses. Zimbabwe signed the convention in October 2013, but needed to ratify it through a parliamentary process to become a full party and be bound by its obligations.

<p>Singapore is testing a possible new addition to its arsenal to keep people dry when flash floods threaten during the monsoon season. While the new flood protection device looks like an ordinary blue plastic mattress, it is actually a high-tech equipment that was tried and tested in wet, rainy Britain. The device is made from high strength steel frames wrapped in a waterproof rubber sleeve. Its side panels can be extended with a wrench to achieve a watertight seal against the doorway, said PUB in a media release on Wednesday (Dec 30).</p>

<p>Kedah [state] will take the raw water matter to court if negotiations come to a deadlock, Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Nor said. “We will negotiate with Penang [state] now, as we are in Malaysia together. “But, if the issue comes to a deadlock, it could be brought to court and this will be the final move by the state government,” he said. Yesterday, Sanusi was reported as saying that Kedah was still open to negotiations with Penang over the payment for raw water before seeking the intervention of the federal government.

<p>A malnourished donkey that went missing for a month has been reunited with its owners after being rescued by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) from an island on the Vaal Dam. NSRI station commander Jake Manten said a rescue craft was dispatched to investigate. “The donkey reportedly went onto the island about four weeks ago when water levels were low but was unable to get back to mainland when water levels rose,” said Manten.</p>

<p>Five water management plans to make water safer and more affordable will be presented to the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) for approval next Monday. Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), said the NWRC's steering subcommittee for the national water management master plan has agreed in principle with the five plans and they will be submitted to the NWRC, which is chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.</p>

<p>The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) plans to upgrade 20 of its Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), in the light of the National Green Tribunal’s order on the need for better treated water to be discharged by these plants. The move will benefit the environment as the treated water is being utilized for recharge of groundwater, apart from numerous non-potable purposes.</p>