LeakBird

(Feb. 19, 2009, Napa Valley Register)

The American Canyon city manager now has the power to order water use restrictions if the drought continues.
Under the new rules approved unanimously by City Council on Tuesday, business and residents who use too much water will pay a premium fee. Customers who already use little water will not have [...]

(Feb. 19, 2009, Aguanomics)
Throughout this blog, I have advocated all-in-auctions for allocation of water among rights’ holders at the wholesale level (e.g., among farmers in an irrigation district, urban water agencies that buy from a wholesaler, or between sectors — ag, urban and environment) and conservation pricing for homeowners at the retail level (i.e., every [...]

(Feb. 18, 2009, Steve Gorman, Reuters)
With a recent flurry of winter storms doing little to dampen California’s latest drought, the nation’s biggest public utility voted on Tuesday to impose water rationing in Los Angeles for the first time in nearly two decades.
Under the plan adopted in principle by the governing board of the L.A. Department [...]

(Feb. 17, 2009, The Press Democrat)

Healdsburg wants residents to become more miserly with water use, but stopped short Tuesday of imposing mandatory conservation measures.
The City Council unanimously voted to ask citizens to voluntarily reduce their water use by 20 percent for a variety of mostly outdoor uses, like lawn and garden irrigation that will come [...]

(Feb. 16, 2009, Channel 3000)

Officials Say Customers Use 30M Gallons Of Water Each Day
Officials said that toilets are targeted because they send so much water down the drain, stressing local water sources and local wallets. The new, green-friendly utility program is out to change all that, WISC-TV reported.
Madison Water Utility general manager Tom Heikkinen said [...]

(Feb. 15, 2009, Jack Rosebro, Green Car Congress)
Xinhua. Faced with widespread drought and water shortages, China’s Water Resources Minister Chen Lei has announced a national goal of reducing the country’s water use, as measured by the amount of water used per unit of GDP, to about 55% of current consumption by 2020. The target is [...]

(Feb. 11, 2009, Gim Gogek)
When people talk about conserving water in California, it’s always about turning off your yard sprinklers, taking shorter showers or shaving without the water running. We fret about watering golf courses and lawns in the suburbs. In presentations at schools, at Rotary clubs and on public service announcements, we’re continually told [...]

If you’re a landlord or property manager, there are certain things you shouldn’t be doing when it comes to water conservation in your buildings.  We’ve compiled the top seven “Worst Practices” here:

 
Not Monitoring Your Tenants’ Running Toilets: The toilet is the single biggest culprit when it comes to in-building water waste.  There are lots of [...]

(Feb. 12, 2009, The Miami Herald)

South Florida, where millions of homeowners still are confined to twice-weekly lawn sprinkling, is using a lot less water these days.
The decline stems in large part from tough water restrictions that the South Florida Water Management District will consider making permanent Thursday, and a tougher economy that has emptied [...]

(Feb., 2009, WaterTech Online)

These days, most forward-thinking companies are exploring their “green” business practices, which help maintain and sustain good environmental quality. For water treatment or bottled water businesses, this concept makes perfect sense: Pure water is nature’s lifeblood and the source of your livelihood.
The opportunities to incorporate green into your water business’s operations are [...]

(Feb. 3, 2009, San Francisco Business Times)

North Bay water companies are looking at rationing to cut use by 30 percent or more.
The Sonoma County Water Agency, which serves Sonoma and northern Marin counties, told cities and water districts to plan on losing 30 percent of their flow, according to North Bay news reports.
“If things don’t [...]

(Feb. 2, 2009, Pat Gao, The Tawain Review)
Though hindered by the artificially low price of water, Taiwan is making headway in conservation and recycling efforts.
According to a report by the Water Resources Agency (WRA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, by 2021 Taiwan’s total demand for water from conventional sources like rivers and dams will [...]

(Feb. 2, 2009, Redlands Daily Facts)
The city is teaming up with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and the East Valley Water District to sponsor a new water conservation system.
The system will use a weather station and weather-based irrigation controllers at the city’s parks to ensure fields are only watered when it’s needed.
“Every [...]

(Feb. 3, 2009, GreenTech Media)
Although many companies are paying attention to their electricity and fuel consumption, they don’t pay as much attention to their water use. Well, they should, says a panel at GreenBiz.com conference.
How much water do you use to wash your jeans?
Levi Strauss figured out that 45 percent of the water used in [...]

(Jan. 30, 2009, Planetizen)
Cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are working together to save water and use reclaimed water for non-drinking purposes.
“The Arlington City Council is expected to consider joining a regional partnership next month that would use reclaimed water from the Village Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at the Ditto Golf Course, J.W. Dunlop Sports [...]

(Jan. 29, 2009, WorldChanging)
Looking for a way to update yourself on the state of the world’s water? On Wed., Feb. 4, Peter Gleick, one of the world’s leading authorities on water issues, will present The World’s Water 2008-2009 biannual report. This volume provides up-to-date information and analysis on water topics such as peak water, how [...]

(Jan. 30, 2009, The Los Angeles Times)

Reporting from Mexico City — Already-scarce water gets even scarcer this weekend for millions of Mexicans.
One of the world’s largest cities is launching a rationing plan in a drastic — and some say overdue — effort to conserve water after rampant development, mismanagement and reduced rainfall caused supplies [...]

(Jan. 29, 2009, The Press Democrat)

The Sonoma County Water Agency expects to impose mandatory water restrictions in four to six weeks, the earliest and most aggressive step the agency has ever taken to combat what is shaping up to be a potentially devastating drought.
The agency will declare this a dry water year on Sunday and [...]

(Jan. 30, 2009, The Orlando Sentinel)
Armed with a judge’s OK, Seminole County says it will soon begin pumping millions of gallons of water per day from the St. Johns River. It’s a smart move from the County Commission’s perspective, as it will provide an abundant source of “cheap” water for future growth while generating revenue [...]

(Jan. 29, 2009, The Washington Post)
A plan announced this week by Loudoun Water to use stone quarries to store untreated Potomac River water came after the utility spent years looking at how it could supply enough water to the eastern part of the county in the coming decades.
Under the proposal, which needs approval from regulators, [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, E-Science News)
Scientists and engineers will face a host of obstacles over the next decade in providing clean water to millions of people caught up in a water shortage crisis, a panel of scientists and engineers said today at a briefing at the Broadcast Center of the National Press Building on the Final [...]

(Jan. 27, 2009, The OC Register)
Residents will pay more for every shower they take and every dish they wash starting next month.
On Tuesday night, the City Council voted to approve raising water rates by 20 percent next month. Several council members said they reluctantly supported the raises, and did so only because of the rising [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, Treehugger)
Last week, delegates from around the world met in Rome to help set the agenda for the 5th World Water Forum, which will be held in Istanbul this March. They talked about the effects of population pressure, increased energy demand, climate change, and agriculture on water supplies and quality, and the need [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, The Huffington Post)

California has a water crisis but, contrary to what many believe, a tiny fish is not the cause of this ongoing problem. There simply isn’t enough rain and snow in a dry year, like this one, to meet projected demands for water.
We’ve known for years that water exports from the [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, Aguanomics)
This post is important and perhaps paradigm shifting. Let’s see if you agree…
It’s conventional wisdom that farmers “use” 70-80 percent of all developed* water supplies. But farmers do not use water in the same way as municipal and industrial (M&I) users do. When I use water to flush the toilet, that water [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, RecordNet.com)
Water issues in San Joaquin County floated to the top of the state and federal legislative platforms approved Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors.
Flood protection, water supply and the fate of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ranked highest on the list of issues and concerns the county wants elected officials in Sacramento [...]

(Jan., 2009, OnTheCommons.org)

Download a New Report on Water Commons Principles
“Our Water Commons, Towards a New Freshwater Narrative” by Maude Barlow
In every corner of the globe, communities (not just human, but flora and fauna as well) are in a pitched battle against thirst. Thank you for your interest in learning more about the principles of the [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, Associated Press)
Experts have offered a grim water outlook for Nevada and California, saying farmers can again expect to receive less water than normal this year because of a drought.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials, meeting with water users at a conference last week in Reno, said the snowpack water content is again averaging [...]

(Jan. 28, 2009, The Mercury News)
San Diego needs to watch its water use.Mayor Jerry Sanders said Tuesday that water rationing for residents is likely to be imposed by July 1, the beginning of San Diego’s next fiscal year.
Sanders says the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California may soon slash deliveries to the region by as [...]

(Jan. 27, 2009, MSNBC)
The warnings have been coming in dribs and drabs. Now they’re like a torrent — both locally and statewide.
Water is not to be wasted.
Save it.
Period.
Our water wizards say this three-year drought cycle we’re in has left California as parched as it was back in the mid- ’70s — when odd-even rationing and [...]

We’ve been watching water rates jump here and there, 5%, 10%, sometimes 20% or 30%, all across the nation for the last year. But shocking news was delivered today that San Diego customers may soon have a 200% to 400% water rate increase on their hands!
There’s some SERIOUS groundwork (or groundwater-work) for water rationing, followed [...]

(Image Courtesy of CaliforniaGreenSolutions)
Is the water crisis a resource crisis or a service crisis? No matter what anyone says, each seems to fall on one side or the other. Frank R. Rijsberman claims the water crisis is both, but he seems to lean more toward a service crisis.
And opinions vary so widely on related topics, [...]

(Jan. 25, 2009, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
While metro Atlanta water departments push —- and pay —- for conservation, their revenue continues to evaporate. And water-wise consumers are paying a premium.
In response to the drought and continuing water restrictions imposed by the state, Gwinnett County residents and businesses cut water use by 17.2 percent last year, a decline [...]

(Jan. 25, 2009, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
A year ago, Gov. Sonny Perdue and state leaders made water their top priority. Georgia’s first water management plan zipped through the House and Senate and landed on Perdue’s desk in under three weeks.
“We will conserve and use this precious and vital resource wisely,” Perdue told lawmakers in his 2008 [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, Shaun McKinnon, WaterBlogged)
Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva introduced legislation Thursday to protect more than 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon from mining.
The measure would withdraw public lands near the canyon from mineral exploration and is aimed in particular at proposals to mine uranium.
Grijalva and House Democrats tried last year to block federal [...]

(Jan. 19, 2009, Atlanta Water Shortage)
Saw an interetsing article in the AJC, from over a week ago: It Takes More Than This To Break The Drought
The weather has gone cold and dry and looks to be that way for the next 5-6 days, but long terms it’s anyone’s guess if the more normal winter weather [...]

(Jan. 23, 2009, The Kitsap Sun)
It’s a fact that Bainbridge Island has a limited water supply — limited ultimately by the amount of rain that falls and by how much of this rainfall drains into the ground.
Reporter Tristan Baurick wrote an interesting story for today’s Kitsap Sun about a decline in water levels in some [...]

(Jan. 23, 2009, Aguanomics)
Speaking of water managers out of control, Aquadoc mentions “ethics” in this WaterWired post:
Several years ago, I listened to a talk by a Federal scientist about climate change in the Southwest. After the talk, he was unusually candid. What really annoyed him was seeing Western governors trekking to DC, hats in hands, [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, AlterNet)
Maude Barlow and Ge Yun, two leaders in the global struggle for fresh water, warm about the affects of climate change.
We profile two women activists taking on the global water crisis. Canadian Maude Barlow is a well known leader in the global struggle for water justice. Ge Yun from China is [...]

(Jan. 13, 2009, Pacific Institute)
Are we running out of water?
“Is there such a thing as ‘peak water’? There is a vast amount of water on the planet—but we are facing a crisis of running out of sustainably managed water,” said Dr. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute. “Humans already appropriate over 50% of [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, Associated Press)
Some of the nation’s largest farms plan to cut back on planting this spring over concerns that federal water supplies will dry up as officials deal with the drought plaguing California.
Farmers in the Central Valley said Thursday they would forego planting thousands of acres of water-thirsty canning tomatoes and already have [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, Visalia Times-Delta)
Don’t be fooled: The latest rain offers no real relief from dry conditions that could cost Central Valley agriculture more than 40,000 jobs.
That was the message delivered Wednesday to the State Board of Food and Agriculture in a session on water conditions that increasingly are putting a squeeze on agricultural operations.
“The [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, Aguanomics)
[Warning! Feisty post today. This Mississippi thing pisses me off!]
Phoenix is losing people from a slowing economy — not because of water shortages.
When will scarce water slow or reverse growth in dry places? I don’t think it ever will — mainly because there is so much slack in the system. Many crops [...]

(Jan. 22, 2009, Rome News-Tribune)
Small businesses appear to be reacting with more concern than larger businesses to increases in the rates the city charges for “fire line services” on water bills.
For some, those bills have risen from double digits to triple digits. For a 6-inch water line — the most common diameter — the [...]

(Jan. 21, 2009, MuniWireless)
Not all water meters are created equal. If you’re thinking of implementing an AMR/AMI solution then you may wish to consider the following factors.
I’ve seen water meters installed on the sides of homes and I’ve also seen water meters installed underground under a steel plate.  The latter is typically used in new [...]

(Jan. 15, 2009, Fast Company)
Randy Truby’s wardrobe — broad, rectangular glasses; a long-sleeve navy blue corduroy shirt; navy slacks; and oxblood cowboy boots on an 80-degree day in Southern California — does little to minimize his distinct physical presence. But an almost elfin energy animates Truby’s big-fella frame when he starts talking about water. “If [...]

(Jan. 21, 2009, Treehugger)
Limiting Showers Can Save Water, Energy and Our Health
I didn’t shower this morning. And I don’t (think I) smell. You see, while I wrote a post about Navy Showers as a water saving technique a while back, the truth is I am not very good at them. I like showering, and when [...]

(Jan. 21, 2009, The Milpitas Post Online)

BASKING in the 70-degree sunshine, especially when envisioning the rest of the country’s teeth-chattering, it’s understandable that a drought scenario doesn’t come readily to mind. Many of us have put away the hoses and assume that our landscaping and lawns will do just fine through the winter. There was [...]

(Jan. 21, 2009, Frank R. Rijsberman, AlterNet)

So, is the planet drying up? Not exactly, but a growing number of people are sharing a fixed amount of water that is badly managed and polluted.
Sri Lanka’s celebrated twelfth-century king Parakramabahu reportedly said, “not a single drop of water received from rain should be allowed to [...]

(Jan. 21, 2009, UN News Centre)
Water supplies for over a billion people around the world are under threat from increasing populations, expanding cities, industrialization, climate change and even the rising demand for food, warned the United Nations, as delegates from more than 60 countries kicked off a meeting today in preparation for the upcoming World [...]