The Spill Does NOT Impact the City of Dexter’s Water Supply
The most important item to note for Dexter residents is that the City of Dexter’s water supply remains safe to drink and use in day-to-day activities. The City’s water supply comes from 5 ground water wells, not the Huron River.

Cuyamaca’s Center for Water Studies, the oldest and most comprehensive water/wastewater technology program in the California Community Colleges system, actively recruits veterans through its Warriors2WaterWorks campaign for training in numerous certificate programs. Photo courtesy Cuyamaca’s Center for Water Studies,

Got water?

Cuyamaca College’s Center for Water Studies will co-host the first annual Military Career Day on Aug. 10 geared toward military personnel and veterans interested in careers in water and wastewater operations.

The free event, co-hosted by regional water agencies and the American Water Works Association, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cuyamaca College’s Student Center, located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon.

Anyone can attend, and participants are asked to register at CenterForWaterStudies.org. Lunch will be provided.

Attendees can:

·         Learn how skills and experience gained during military service can match up with career opportunities in the water and wastewater industries.

·         Meet with recruiters from water agencies in the region.

·         Gather information about industry pay and benefits.

·         Get advice on career pathways.

·         Learn about fast-track educational opportunities offered by the Center for Water Studies, which provides specialized training in water and wastewater operations.

 Among those expected to attend are representatives from regional water agencies and Mark Balmert, CEO of the San Diego Military Advisory Council and a retired Real Admiral in the Navy. Balmer’s organization fosters connections between the military, elected and appointed officials, and the region’s business community.

Cuyamaca’s Center for Water Studies, the oldest and most comprehensive water/wastewater technology program in the California Community Colleges system, actively recruits veterans through its Warriors2WaterWorks campaign for training in numerous certificate programs.

“We work very, very closely with the water and wastewater industries to anticipate what their needs are and to make sure that we add people in the pipeline who have the skills and the certifications they need to be effective,” said Don Jones, a retired water industry professional and former college instructor and administrator at the Center for Water Studies who conduct outreach. “We are always right at the cutting edge and work in partnership with the water agencies to make sure that the programs that we offer build the knowledge, skills, and abilities that they need in their workforce.”

Careers in the water and wastewater industries are a great match for veterans because they are mission-driven, technical, and focused on providing critical public services, said Jose Martinez, General Manager of the Otay Water District in Spring Valley and a former Navy officer. “Just like the military, we have structure, we all have a bunch of different disciplines, and we all work together.”

The industries are also hungry for well-trained individuals. Today, they face a “silver tsunami” of impending retirements and need new talent. A recent survey found an 8-9% turn-over rate among the 4,500 full-time positions in the water management industry in San Diego County due to retirements. That translates into about 380 open jobs per year.

The state Legislature has recognized the special skills that veterans can offer, and in 2019 passed Assembly Bill 1588, which provides a path for veterans transitioning to civilian employment to receive credit for their military experience and education toward certifications in the water industry.

Veterans can turbo-charge their careers by obtaining specific training and expertise at Cuyamaca’s Center for Water Studies.

The Center offers a comprehensive curriculum that, beginning this fall, will include seven specializations. Completing courses in a specialization prepares students to take a state-required certification exam for that specialization. The newest specialization is advanced water treatment. The new curriculum will be closely aligned with the skills and expertise needed in programs such as “Pure Water San Diego” – a phased, multi-year program that aims to provide 40% of San Diego’s water supply locally by the end of 2035.

Other specializations offered are Water Treatment Plant Operations, Backflow & Cross-Connection Control, Water Resources Management, Water Distribution Operations, Wastewater Treatment Operations, and Wastewater Collection Systems.

The Center for Water Studies traces its roots in our region to 1960 and moved to Cuyamaca College in 2003. The center is housed on campus in a building with two classrooms, a laboratory, and a shop.

The Center for Water Studies focuses on preparing people for mid-skill career pathways – in other words, careers that require more than a high school diploma but less than an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. These kinds of jobs represent about 60% of the region’s 4,500 jobs in the industry. Entry-level jobs pay about $50,000 to $55,000 annually, and positions in the industry often come with a generous package of benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a retirement benefit from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

Anne Solano, Human Resources Manager for the Helix Water District in La Mesa, said her district relies on the professional training that the Center for Water Studies offers. Graduates who she has hired “definitely have an understanding of water and the actual distribution system, and how it’s all put together,” Solano said. Helix encourages employees to continue their education by taking classes at Cuyamaca and pursuing higher certification levels.

Martinez, from Otay Water District, said careers in the water and wastewater industries allow veterans to continue serving their country “on a more localized, community level. … here, you’re serving your community.”

Many people may take their water and wastewater system for granted – until it’s not working. Providing clean drinking water and safely processing wastewater “very rarely gets the attention, so you have a group of people who are doing it not for glory (but) … because they’re committed to the mission,” Martinez said.

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One week after Fort Smith residents were told they have no need to worry about water conservation requests from the city because city reservoirs are 90% full, the city of Fort Smith announced Thursday (Aug. 4) Conservation Phase II water restrictions are in effect through Aug. 12.

On July 26, Fort Smith Utilities Director Lance McCoy said that though several cities in Arkansas, including Cedarville and others in South Sebastian County, have water restrictions in place because of the lack of rain and excessive heat of the past several weeks, Fort Smith’s water supply was fine.

Though the city’s water supply has not suddenly dropped, residents were told Thursday (Aug. 4) that water conservation efforts are in effect. According to the notice, the city’s Lee Creek Water Treatment Plant experienced a mechanical issue and was partially shut down for maintenance on Tuesday (Aug. 2).

“The plant was still able to produce 5 million gallons per day by using a small back-up system during the start of the maintenance. Lake Fort Smith was able to increase water production to maintain the water supply to Fort Smith and our contract users. This redundancy allows us to provide clean drinking water to the benefit of all users,” noted a news release.

Once the maintenance was completed and staff began the process of returning the Lee Creek plant to full water production, another maintenance issue was found that required Lee Creek to be completely shut down to repair.

“Normally, this type of work and maintenance is only completed during the winter months when water demand is low. Unfortunately, the repairs are the result of unforeseen maintenance issues and needed to be completed immediately,” the news release said.

During the treatment process at the Lee Creek plant, water passes through a “clearwell” area, which stores finished drinking water prior to sending it to customers. That area has baffles that hang from a railing to help mix the water and chlorine, which is used for disinfection.

“The wires holding the curtain baffles broke and several of the baffles fell,” said City Administrator Carl Geffken.

Staff reattached the curtains with new wire, but the clearwell is required to be cleaned, disinfected and tested prior to being put back into service, he said.

“This process will take several days to complete. The clearwell and curtain baffle system allows Lee Creek to produce 22 million gallons per day (MGD) of drinking water. Since this system is offline, the plant can’t produce enough water to meet the current demand,” Geffken said.

During maintenance, a smaller contact chamber is used to provide a smaller amount of drinking water, Geffken added. That chamber has a maximum flow rate of 5 million gallons a day.

“This was brought on line, but shortly afterwards a leak was discovered in the chemical feed system and the plant was taken completely offline. Staff is working to repair this leak to allow the plant to provide some water to aid in meeting the demand, but identifying where the leak is occurring is challenging,” Geffken said. “These problems were not expected but staff is working on the repairs as quickly as possible.”

To ensure the city is providing safe drinking water, the plant is offline until all repairs can be made to the secondary contact chamber, or the clearwell is cleared for operation, whichever comes first, he said. Repairs are expected to be finished by Monday (Aug. 8) with full water production expected to be restored by Aug. 12, the news release said.

While city administrators said there will be no compromise to public health or safety during this time, water restrictions have been put in place. Geffken issued a Phase II emergency water conservation declaration on Thursday. The requirements of the water conservation declaration include:
• No person shall use water to such an extent as to allow water to escape from his premises onto public property, such as alleys or streets, nor onto another person’s property.
• Customers should refrain from using water to water systems or sprinklers to water lawns, shrubs, plants, trees. and gardens. The watering of shrubs, plants, trees, and gardens is permitted only by handheld hose and should be limited to the minimum amounts necessary to sustain plant life. All lawn and turf watering from city sources is prohibited.
• Residents should not motor vehicles, trailers, airplanes, or boats. The notice said that this does not apply to commercial car washes and licensed dealerships. However, the city does ask they use as little water as possible.
• Customers should not fill swimming pools or fountains.
• Customers should not wash building exteriors.
• Customers may not wash sidewalks, walkways, driveways, patios, parking lots, concrete tennis courts, and other hard-surfaced areas by hosing or by use of water directly from faucets or other city sources.

The use of water from fire hydrants at any time for construction purposes, fire drills or routine hydrant testing is prohibited. Only non-potable water may be used for dirt compaction, earth moving operations, or street base course construction, the notice said.

“Golf course watering and other commercial irrigation from city sources shall be done only to the extent necessary to preserve turf and other plant life. Golf courses are permitted to water only greens and tee boxes from city sources. Golf course fairway and rough watering and school football and baseball field watering from city sources is prohibited,” the notice said.

Food processing and food service establishments may engage in such use of water only to the extent necessary to maintain and preserve the public health and in compliance with any state or federal regulations. Restaurants and other food service establishments may hose or wash only walkways immediately adjacent to entrances and not beyond 10 feet of entrances and not beyond ten 10 feet of garbage facilities, food delivery or food serving areas.

Fort Smith provides water to 14 other water systems from the Lake Fort Smith and Lee Creek plants, McAvoy said. Among those are Winslow, Chester, Mountainburg, Hwy 71 Water Users, Cedarville, Van Buren, Barling, Arkoma, Franklin/Sebastian Water Users, Central City, Rural Water District No. 7 in Oklahoma, Fort Chaffee, Concord Water and Lavaca, he said. Fort Smith is also an emergency supply for Alma.

Lake Fort Smith, located in Crawford County, was developed in 1935 and significantly expanded in 2006. Lee Creek Reservoir, a secondary water source, was built in the early 1990s. According to city info, Fort Smith manages more than 700 miles of water transmission and distribution water mains, two treatment plants, 16 pump stations, 11 pressure reducing stations, and 13 water storage tanks. The city also says it produces more than 10.5 billion gallons of drinking water per year.

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• Public-private partnership will dedicate 5,000 acre-feet of water per year for 50 years to the Salton Sea Authority and Torres Martinez Tribe and provide up to $5 million in financing for water-pipeline infrastructure and water quality treatment technologies on tribal lands around the Salton Sea.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Cadiz Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI/CDZIP) (“Cadiz”, the “Company”) announced today that the Company agreed to dedicate 5,000 acre-feet of water per year to the Salton Sea Authority and Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians (“Torres Martinez Tribe”), and that the Company will provide up to $5 million to install pipeline infrastructure and well treatment technology on tribal lands.

Cadiz agreed to provide water to the Salton Sea and the Torres Martinez Tribe as part of the Company’s commitment to ensure that clean, affordable water is available to disadvantaged communities through the Cadiz Water Conservation and Storage Project.

“As California’s water crisis deepens, Cadiz is committed to ensuring that disadvantaged communities are not left behind,” said Executive Board Chair Susan Kennedy. “Cadiz’s mission is to capture water that is currently lost to evaporation, store it in the desert and transport it through pipelines that once carried oil by retrofitting those pipelines to carry water.”

The Cadiz Water Conservation and Storage Project, located in California’s high desert, was originally designed to store water from the Colorado River and transport it to metropolitan Southern California through a single pipeline connected to the Colorado River Aqueduct. The new project design adds a second pipeline to the north, utilizing an existing 220-mile underground pipeline to connect with the State Water Project system. The underground pipeline, originally built to transport oil, will be retrofitted to carry water to and from underground storage systems between the Colorado River and the State Water Project. Conserving, storing and transporting water underground before it is lost to evaporation creates a critical new water supply for drought-stricken communities in Central and Southern California.  The Company acquired the 220-mile pipeline from El Paso Natural Gas in 2020 and is now preparing to retrofit the pipeline from oil/gas transport to water conveyance.

Under the terms of the Supplemental Water Supply Agreement with the Salton Sea Authority, Torres Martinez Tribe and the Coachella Valley Water District, Cadiz will dedicate 5,000 acre-feet of water from the Cadiz Water Conservation and Storage Project to the Salton Sea and the Torres Martinez Tribe for 50 years.  The water will be used to support the restoration of the Salton Sea, satisfy health, safety and economic development needs on Tribal lands and benefit surrounding disadvantaged communities in eastern Coachella Valley.

The agreement also includes a plan to install water treatment technology on groundwater wells on Tribal lands to improve water quality and satisfy California Drinking Water Standards for domestic use. Within 60 days, Cadiz will determine the feasibility of installing well-treatment technologies to remove arsenic, nitrates and other contaminants plaguing groundwater supplies in eastern Coachella Valley and other parts of California.  If feasible, Cadiz will install wellhead treatment technologies on Tribal lands at no cost to the Torres Martinez Tribe.

The Torres Martinez Tribe, a Federally recognized tribe, is a sovereign nation whose Reservation is in eastern Coachella Valley.  Half of the 24,000-acre Torres Martinez Reservation includes land submerged under the Salton Sea.  Extended drought conditions on the Colorado River have had heavy adverse impacts on the Salton Sea, including a reduction of inflow to the Sea and increases in toxic dust from dry lakebeds surrounding it.  Conserved water from the Cadiz Project – water that is captured and transported before it becomes hyper-saline and evaporates – could be used to provide fresh water to the Sea for habitat, dust mitigation and reducing salinity as part of Salton Sea restoration efforts.

The Salton Sea Authority voted to approve the Supplemental Water Supply Agreement at its public meeting on May 26.  Thomas Tortez, Chairman of the Torres Martinez Tribe and a member of the Salton Sea Authority stated: “Water is life. Conserving water that would otherwise be lost to hyper-salinity and evaporation and using it to protect life in and around the Salton Sea is the best use of this precious resource.”

In addition to the 5,000 acre-feet per year that Cadiz is dedicating under the agreement, the Company will also make available supplemental water for disadvantaged communities in California, and for direct benefit of disadvantaged communities in Coachella Valley through the Coachella Valley Water District at reduced cost.

A copy of the Supplemental Water Supply Agreement is available on the Company’s website.

About Cadiz Inc.

Founded in 1983, Cadiz Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI) is a California business with more than 70 square miles of property, significant infrastructure, and water rights. The Company is on a mission to dedicate our unique and diverse land, water, agriculture and infrastructure assets to finding sustainable solutions to California’s resource challenges, including providing access to safe, clean water for all communities. Working with California public agencies, we are implementing the Cadiz Water Project, which will manage groundwater at our properties to make available needed water supply and significant storage capacity for underserved communities in California. Cadiz is also the first Company in the world to convert a retiring oil and gas pipeline – the Cadiz Northern Pipeline – for water conveyance in underserved areas of California. For more information, please visit www.cadizinc.com.  

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future operating and financial performance of the Company and the financing activities of the Company.  Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.  Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those reflected in the Company’s forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability to maximize value for Cadiz land and water resources, the Company’s ability to obtain new financing as needed, the receipt of additional permits for the water project and other factors and considerations detailed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

SOURCE CADIZ INC.

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The 43-year-old star, Jason Momoa, known for his roles in Aquaman and Game of Thrones, steals hearts yet again with his candid and forthright gesture. The American actor during his recent travel on Hawaiian Airlines surprised the in-broad passengers in the most adorable way. Known for his signature long hair and rugged physique, Jason Momoa is being praised by his fans for taking on the role of a flight attendant on board. Has our beloved Aquaman switched jobs from sets to the skies? Fans have some interesting theories.

Jason Momoa

This Tuesday, on his way to Hawaii with his kids, Jason Momoa was seen handing out water bottles to his fellow passengers whilst wearing a grey suit with a pink flower tickled in his hair, just like the other flight attendants. The news became viral after an 11-second TikTok video of the star was shared by a user named Kylee Yoshikawa with the caption, “When Jason Momoa is your flight attendant“. Fans go head over heels on Momoa for his enchanting ways, one of them said, “I’d push my service button every 10 mins,”.

Related post: ‘She’s back in the saddle’: Aquaman 2 Star Jason Momoa Confirms He’s Dating Mexican Bombshell Eiza Gonzalez After Couple Spotted Riding Motorcycle

Why was Jason Momoa behind the service cart distributing bottled water?

Jason Momoa in Hawaiian Airlines

Related post: Jason Momoa Suffering Head-On Collision in Motorcycle Accident Sparks Intense Road Safety Debate

The aluminum bottles given to the passengers were actually from Jason Momoa’s sustainable brand Mananalu. He is set to create a wave of change by eliminating single-use plastic bottles and pledging to clean the ocean, with one plastic bottle eliminated with every Mananalu bottle sold.

“I think this is a good look for Jason he is making smart business moves but helping the planet at the same time. And what guy doesn’t want the ride or die type deep down if u think about it“, a fan nicely compiles Momoa’s intentions behind the cute stunt.

Jason Momoa promoting his Water Company, Mananalu

Also read: ‘Aquaman Can’t Move On’: Jason Momoa Has Reportedly Reconciled With Mexican Bombshell Eiza González After Splitting-Up Earlier

Our Aquaman had tied up for a partnership with the airline earlier this year and Mananalu bottles were being served to all passengers ever since. But the recent gesture has felt fans smiling and touched, “The girls love him because he is handsome and the guys love him b/c he is a cool dude. You cannot go wrong with Jason“.

One fan also perfectly pointed out an undeniable fact, “Aquaman actor or Aquaman in true form? Hands out aqua for an environmentally responsible water distributor to minimize pollution and help save aquatic life. He is Aquaman”. 

Related post: Amber Heard Reportedly Resorting to Sponsoring Paid Media Hate Campaigns to Tarnish Jason Momoa’s Image For Supporting Johnny Depp

Jason Momoa has a lot lined up in his acting career as well

Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom

Also read: ‘This Feels Like Damage Control’: Aquaman 2 Getting Ben Affleck Back As Batman May Be WB’s Last Ditch To Save Face After Infamous Amber Heard Controversy

While his water brand is changing lives, Momoa has important projects coming his way as far as his acting career is concerned. He will be seen next in the upcoming DC movie, Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom set to hit the theatres on March 17, 2023.

Not just that, we get to see Jason Momoa playing the villain in Fast X, the tenth part of the Fast and Furious movies, and the eleventh feature film of the entire franchise.

Source: YouTube

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A £250m desalination plant launched 12 years ago to increase drinking supplies during long dry spells has been put on hold, as water companies in England and Wales face growing political pressure over their management of the supply crisis.

The Thames Water plant at Beckton, east London, opened in 2010 with plans to supply up to 1 million people during emergencies, but that ambition has been scaled back amid doubts as to when the facility can begin operating.

Despite July’s heatwave and the driest eight-month spell since 1976, the Beckton plant will not start supplying drinking water until next year at the earliest, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The company told the paper it had downgraded the estimated supply from the plant by a third. A spokesperson said: “This adjustment was made on the basis of experience and to avoid creating unrealistic expectations about the output that could be achieved over a sustained period.”

He added that “planned work” had to be completed before the plant could begin operating. It means that even if a drought is declared in the Thames region, the plant will not operate.

Experts said Thames Water had failed to take into account the varying salt water levels in the Thames estuary.

Of the 11 water companies, two – Southern Water and South East Water – so far have decreed hosepipe bans even after pressure from the government to do more to curb excessive water use.

The two Tory leadership candidates have called for tougher measures against suppliers that fail to tackle leaks. The former chancellor Rishi Sunak told the Telegraph he was considering offering compensation to customers if hosepipe bans were introduced as a consequence of water company failures.

He said: “It is unacceptable for water companies to impose restrictions on their customers when they fail to stem leaks. We need tougher financial penalties on the companies that are not investing enough to stop water being wasted.”

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His rival, Liz Truss, is planning tougher regulation. A spokesperson for her campaign told the Telegraph: “We shouldn’t be in a position where hosepipe bans have to happen. More needs to be done to make sure water companies fix leaks and waste across their networks.

“As prime minister, Liz would look at how best Ofwat could hold those water companies with the worst track record to account, so that hardworking people across the country are not restricted on their water use over the summer months.”

South East Water said on Wednesday it had “no choice” but to restrict water use for 3m households from 12 August, saying demand this summer had broken “all previous records” during extremely dry conditions.

But other companies, even in drier areas, are resisting imposing a ban. Those involved in drought discussions say companies would rather wait until the last minute, when rivers are running dry, rather than irritate customers by putting bans in place early.

Yorkshire Water, which has reservoirs that are only 52% full, is among the companies holding firm against a hosepipe ban. Instead it is urging customers not to wash to their cars, and if they have to wash them to do so over lawns.

We all know someone who doesn’t wash their car! You may call them lazy but we call them water saving heroes! 🙌🚗 – a 🧵

We think a bit of dirt doesn’t hurt anybody, but if you prefer to give your car a quick once-over why not just wash the windows, lights and mirrors? pic.twitter.com/HfVNT0FZP7

— Yorkshire Water 💧 (@YorkshireWater) August 3, 2022

And if you really need to keep it squeaky clean:

◾ If you can, wash it on a lawn so excess water is soaked up

◾ Collect cold water in a bucket whilst you’re waiting for the shower to warm up and use it to clean your car instead of leaving the hose running

Use less, save more pic.twitter.com/escYIQRIgn

— Yorkshire Water 💧 (@YorkshireWater) August 3, 2022

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A few weeks ago, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division deployed health workers to collect samples from a small water supply project at Chandragiri Municipality-4, following the outbreak of cholera in the Thankot area.

Besides collecting samples from the water source, the health workers also sought records of chlorination and monthly water quality reports from the staff.

Staffers, however, could produce neither the records of chlorination nor the monthly reports of water quality.

“Their inability to furnish the details is proof they have neither chlorinated water before supplying to household taps nor have ever carried out quality tests,” Kaushal Subedi, an official at the division, said. “We have tested the samples collected from the source, which were found to have been contaminated with E.Coli and faecal coliform.”

But Chandragiri’s water project is not singular in its sloppiness. Many small drinking water projects throughout the country have been found to be neglecting water purification and other procedures and are distributing contaminated water.

Officials at the division said that negligence of agencies concerned in chlorinating drinking water before supplying it to household taps and checking its quality could cost the consumers dearly.

The three Valley districts—Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur—have all been witnessing outbreaks of cholera for about five weeks with doctors pointing fingers at the contaminated water as the major cause.

Since June 19, the Valley has reported at least 37 patients who have tested positive for cholera-causing bacteria with cases scattered across Balaju, Bagbazar, Dillibazar, Sanepa, Kapan, Thankot, Khashibazar, Balkhu, and Koteshwar areas. Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa serotype has been confirmed in stool samples of all infected individuals.

Cholera is a highly infectious disease that causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting, resulting in dehydration, and can lead to death within a few hours if left untreated.

The World Health Organisation says cholera is a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequality and a lack of social development.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population said that around 400 samples of water—including that supplied by the state utility, private bottlers, and tanker waters—have been collected in the Valley since cholera was first reported this year.

Testing carried out immediately after the outbreak of the deadly disease showed that around 70 percent of the water samples were contaminated with deadly microbes.

Officials said that the quality of water supplied by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) to households in the Valley has improved somehow but still 42 percent of water samples are contaminated with deadly microbes.

Subedi, the official at the disease control division, said that during a previous test, 62 percent of samples of the water supplied by KUKL were found contaminated with deadly microbes. “Some improvements have happened but it is still not safe to drink water directly from the tap,” Subedi said.

As for the samples from smaller water supply projects in municipalities of the Valley, almost all were found contaminated, officials said.

Satis Bista, chief of the Health Office, Lalitpur, said 75 percent of water samples collected in Lalitpur were found contaminated. The office had been collecting samples of water for tests regularly after the outbreak of cholera in the Valley.

Bista added that the office has also found the presence of hazardous microbes in samples of water being used by security agencies—the army, the police, and the armed police force.

Due to poor sanitation and hygiene, Nepal is highly vulnerable to water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis, and cholera, with thousands of people getting infected every year.

Chances of the spread of waterborne diseases are especially high during the ongoing monsoon season. Drinking water supplied to households by state-owned agencies and private companies in jars has always been in question.

Public health experts say generally, only one in 10 people who get infected with cholera develop severe symptoms such as watery diarrhoea and vomiting. They warn that apart from cholera, chances of outbreaks of other diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A and E are high due to poor hygiene and contaminated water.

“Government makes guidelines, rules, and regulations and publishes reports but such things do not protect us,” said Dr Binjawala Shrestha, an assistant professor at the Institute of Medicine. “After all, life is ours and we should take maximum precaution to save ourselves and our people.”

According to the Health Ministry data of last fiscal year, for every 1,000 children under five, 349 suffered from diarrhoeal diseases.

Experts say garbage strewn around the city for months could also have led to the rise in cholera cases as early as June. According to them, the other reason could be the rising cost of living, which may have forced people not to boil water before drinking.

“First of all we do not get sufficient water and the water being provided to us is contaminated,” Shrestha said. “Even if the cost of fuel has risen, we should not compromise on our health and drink boiled water.”

The World Health Organisation says a multifaceted approach is key to controlling cholera and reducing deaths.

Doctors say launching awareness drives and ensuring safe drinking water are the only ways to save people from dying of water-borne diseases, including cholera.

A combination of careful survey, ensuring safe drinking water, maintaining sanitation and hygiene, social mobilisation, and treatment is required to contain the spread of the infection, according to doctors.

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The extreme heat, drought conditions and high usage have caused the ground to shift making it optimal conditions for pipes to burst.

KILLEEN, Texas — Under the hot Texas summer sun, grass is dying, rain is nowhere to be found and what a city crew would consider a bad sign is becoming all too common. 

A stream of water rising from below can be seen on streets across Killeen as water main breaks and leaks surge this summer. 

“With the extreme weather that we have going on right now is definitely a busy time for water and sewer,” said Killeen’s Executive Director of Public Works Jeffery Reynolds. 

Reynolds said the high temperatures and drought conditions Central Texas is facing is creating optimal conditions for pipes to break.

“Depending on the soil, the age of the pipes and the extreme dry weather — it causes those pipes to shift,” he explained.

Killeen crews worked 111 water main breaks in the last fiscal year, but they have already hit it this time around with two months to go in the current fiscal year.

Which has work overflowing for Chris Gambles Jr. and others who are part of the city of Killeen’s Water and Sewer Division.

“We do a lot of things live and under pressure to prevent contamination or any of that from happening,” Gambles Jr., a supervisor of the division, explained.

Meanwhile, Killeen residents are using 16 to 23 million gallons of water a day and even 28 million on the high end. Reynolds said usage is another leading cause to water main breaks and leaks. 

“You have a lot of more usage of the water system because sprinklers, pools being filled so, the pressure on those lines increases tremendously,” he explained. “The demand on the system is a lot greater so we have to just do our best to keep up.”

The heat is not only hurting the 700 or more miles of pipes underground but also those on the job. 

“It’s taxing on these guys, mentally and physically to be out there,” Reynolds said.

Crews are working extra hours as they’re deep in jobs. With more water main breaks and leaks, some crews are even being called in after normal hours.

“We never want your water quality to be bad and we work long, strenuous hours because we care,” Gambles Jr. said.

The City of Killeen has been in a water line rehab program for eight years now, which replaces lines throughout the city. It will help decrease water main breaks as a lot of older pipes tend to break or leak.

The city has asked Killeen residents to follow the Stage 1 Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan that was put in place Tuesday as it will help ease pressure on pipes.

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Comment

Jesús Hidrogo Tristán starts his days looking for water.

He goes from paid dispenser to paid dispenser, seeking one that hasn’t run dry.

The 43-year-old systems engineer lives with his brother and mother in Colinas de Valle Verde, a neighborhood in Monterrey, the capital city of northern Mexico’s Nuevo Leon, where purified-water vending machines are common.

For months, the family’s taps, like many others across much of the country, have produced little water — a result of an intensifying heat wave and drought, affecting more than half the country. Most days, temperatures have peaked at 100 degrees.

With little relief in sight, a crisis has emerged: The struggle to access a fundamental resource has driven people to frustration and even acts of desperation. Some people have had to line up for hours to receive water rations from delivery trucks. In some cities, residents have begun illegally tapping pipes, according to media reports. Protesters have taken to disrupting traffic.

Previous years have brought temporary shortages, but this time is worse, Hidrogo Tristán said, adding that he still pays nearly $5 a month in water bills, even though the water doesn’t reach his house.

In northern Mexico, reservoirs that typically supply water to the region’s 5 million people are low or dry. Experts say a confluence of factors are to blame, including population growth, increasing demand for water, poor infrastructure and soaring temperatures. Over the long term, climate change as a result of human activity will probably drive up the frequency and severity of such changes in weather, including heat waves and droughts.

Since the start of the year, Mexican authorities have periodically halted water supply to households, to manage the drought-driven shortage. In Monterrey, the government has scheduled water stoppages by zone, telling residents that they would be given advance notice. But according to Hidrogo Tristán, the government has not delivered on its promises.

“When we have water, we let people know via a WhatsApp group: Come for a bucket, two buckets, take it,” he said.

According to Roberto Ponce-Lopez, an urban studies professor at Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, communication on the part of the government is just a small part of a larger and persistent problem. He said that bad water management existed long before the current crisis, under multiple administrations, and although there have been efforts to relieve water shortages by constructing more dams, these plans have fallen through the cracks. He added that proposals to dig new water holes only materialized two months ago.

“The current infrastructure can’t meet the demands of urban growth,” he said. “It’s made the perfect crisis.”

According to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, water shortages in Mexico and Central America are likely to persist in the years to come as northern Mexican cities such as Monterrey continue to use a lot of water for industrial purposes. Rising temperatures and sporadic rainfall aggravated by the changing climate also are key drivers of more frequent droughts.

Last month, Mexico’s national water authority declared a state of emergency in four northern states. Several weeks later, officials announced that the water shortage in Nuevo Leon was a matter of “national security.”

Home to more than 40 percent of the world’s largest manufacturers in fields including aerospace, electronics and beverages, Monterrey has the highest per capita income in the country and is known as Mexico’s industrial center. Since 1990, Monterrey’s urban population has doubled, largely because of an uptick in residential development that has taken over the cityscape, which experts say has placed further strain on water supplies.

Reports that beverage factories for companies such as Coca-Cola and Heineken have continued to operate amid the water crisis sparked outrage in the city. According to the Guardian, brewers and soft drink companies use nearly 24 billion gallons of water a year for production purposes. More than half of that is water from public reservoirs.

Water “consumption for operations and production is from water rights which are paid for and used under monitoring and strict guidelines from the government authorities,” read a joint statement to The Washington Post from Coca-Cola Mexico and its bottler, Arca Continental. However, under new guidelines from the government to prioritize available water to the public, Coca-Cola has temporarily ceded water rights and its use of wells. “We are aware of the long-term actions and investments that are necessary to continue operating in a sustainable way,” the statement read.

Monterrey’s growth, paired with a dire drought, has hit poorer communities harder than others. For low-income residents, purchasing purified water for $15 to $20 a jug is not an option. Getting tap water for household purposes is not easy, either. Some people have resorted to stealing.

Water rationing has sparked sporadic protests across communities, with many residents taking to the streets and blocking roads, claiming they have gone days, sometimes weeks, without running water.

“I know you’ve made a great effort,” Samuel García, Nuevo León’s governor, said in a public statement on Instagram, where he asked for the industry’s support. “I ask you to give the last push.”

“This is not taking your rights from you, this is not taking water from you; it is a provisional measure just for this summer to come out from this crisis.” A day later, in a different video published on his Instagram account, García announced that the government would build an aqueduct.

“The challenge is enormous,” said Jesús González Ramírez, a local official in Monterrey whose department helps resolve neighborhood conflicts. To manage the unrest, González Ramírez’s team began attending the protests, to learn what attendees say they need.

“Sometimes there are emergencies involving senior citizens or children,” he said. “Or broken water pumps in the areas high up the hills.”

The crisis looks different in wealthy areas. Those who can afford it drive to social clubs or gyms to shower. Many middle- and upper-class families have water tanks and cisterns at their homes. Hidrogo Tristán, who has a water tank, says the water that collects there is used for household purposes such as flushing toilets and cleaning kitchen utensils.

“In 20 years, I had never lived through something like this,” said Valdés Salinas, Monterrey’s secretary of public services. “We have so much work every day.”

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Originally Appeared Here