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25 Apr 2024
World Fish migration foundation reports record numbers of dams removed from European Rivers
On the 15th of April a coalition of organisations operating under the name ‘Dam Removal Europe’ reported an all-time record in the removal of barriers from European rivers. In 2023, across 15 European countries, at least 487 barriers were removed, compared to 325 in 2022. Just four countries accounted for a very large proportion (83%) of these removals: France accounted for the removal of 156 barriers, Spain removed 95, Sweden removed 81 and Denmark removed 72...
24 Apr 2024
Mexico running behind on scheduled water deliveries to U.S. amid severe drought
Currently, in the fourth year of a five year cycle of water deliveries, Mexico has only delivered 30% of the water that it shares with the United States in terms of a treaty from 1944. This is the lowest amount of water delivered to the United States at this point in the cycle since 1992. Waters entering the Rio Grande below Fort Quitman are apportioned to the United States or Mexico by terms set out in the treaty...
22 Apr 2024
Albania to pilot UNECE’s scorecard for equitable access to water and sanitation
Albania has commenced a comprehensive assessment of access to water and sanitation in the country in order to generate a baseline measure of equitable access to these services. At a workshop held in Albania in March this year, a data gap had been identified on vulnerable and marginalized communities, which the baseline assessment will seek to address...
19 Apr 2024
Standoff in investments and potential renationalization of Thames Water
In early April, Thames Water’s parent company Kemble sent a formal notice to shareholders to announce that it had defaulted on its debt payments on a € 468 million bond. Thames Water has been experiencing financial difficulties for some time, and British regulator OFWAT has been working with the utility in recent months to develop a response to the challenges it is facing...
18 Apr 2024
Global Study of PFAS concentrations in water show pervasiveness of contamination
A study published in Nature Geoscience on the 8th of April has combined data from around the world on the concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface and groundwater to help improve mitigation measures, such as providing regulatory guidance. PFAS substances are a class of more than 14,000 synthetic chemicals which have been used for more than 70 years in a broad range of industries and consumer products...
9 Apr 2024
Heavy Rain and Rapid Snowmelt in Upper Ural River Causes Dam Burst and Flooding
A rapid rise in the Ural River caused a dam burst leading to floods and emergency evacuations in Russia’s Orenburg region on the 6th of April. The Orsk Dam, built in 2010, was built for a water level of 5.5 metres. However, at the time of its collapse, a combination of heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt raised water levels in the Ural River to 9,6 metres...
5 Apr 2024
White House and EPA warn against cyberattacks on water systems
The National Security Advisor and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to all U.S. Governors urging them to secure critical water infrastructure against cyberattacks. The letter from the White House, dated 18th of March, stated that disabling cyberattacks are striking water and wastewater systems throughout the United States...
5 Apr 2024
Investing in watersheds: A New African Water Fund in Sierra Leone
A new water fund in Sierra Leone is the latest addition to a series of African Water Funds which invest in the protection of water towers for long term water security of the continent’s cities. The launch of The Western Area Peninsula Water Fund (WAPWF) was marked through an investment of U.S. $ 2 million – to leverage a U...
5 Apr 2024
Water’s Strong Linkages to Peace
This year’s theme for the World Water Day was been “Water for peace”. This is a powerful signal because it is time to include water when we think about security. Unequal access to clean freshwater and disease-causing wastewater are major drivers of tension and conflict. Climate change, population growth, and increased water consumption for industry and energy will accelerate this global development...
4 Apr 2024
New article explores transboundary water conflict and cooperation trends
A study published on the 7th of March in the journal Water International explores findings and evolution in thinking on transboundary water conflict and cooperation over the last three decades. As the authors point out, large proportions of the world’s water resources are transboundary in nature, including 313 shared river (and lake) basins, more than 300 wetlands and close to 600 aquifers...
4 Apr 2024
Dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery River Water reemerges amid drought
The dispute over the allocation of the waters of the Cauvery River in India flared up again during March amid an intense drought largely attributed to the El Niño climate phenomenon. The Chief Minister of Karnataka State in India declared in Mid-March that the state will not comply with central government requests to release water to the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu...
3 Apr 2024
Legal status obtained for conservation of Croatia’s Mrežnica and Tounjčica Rivers
In early March, Croatia’s Karlovac County Assembly officially confirmed the protection of the Mrežnica and Tounjčica rivers and the establishment of two new protected areas. The two rivers are among the last free flowing rivers in Europe, and there is a growing number of stakeholders who have worked together to achieve its protection...