WATER NEWS
World Water Day 2010 – Clean Water for a Healthy World
March 8th, 2010World Water Day is an annual global initiative every March 22nd. The UN has chosen Clean Water for a Healthy World ... More »
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News & Initiatives
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World Water Day 2010 – Clean Water for a Healthy World
Monday, March 8th, 2010
World Water Day is an annual global initiative every March 22nd. The UN has chosen Clean Water for a Healthy World as the theme for World Water Day 2010. The overall goal of this year’s campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity.Worldwide population and industrial growth are adding new sources of pollution while simultaneously increasing the demand for clean water. Human and environmental health, drinking and agricultural water supplies for the present and future are at stake.
Every year, 1,500 cubic kilometres of wastewater are produced globally. While waste and wastewater can be reused productively for energy and irrigation, they usually are not.
In developing countries 80 percent of all waste is being discharged untreated. Waste migrates to and contaminates potentially clean water sources. Incredibly, even here in British Columbia, municipalities still dump barely treated waste water and even raw sewage directly into the ocean and our rivers.
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No Way Norway! Save our wild salmon
Thursday, February 18th, 2010More than 90% of BC fish farms are owned by 3 Norwegian companies. These fish farms are devastating our wild salmon. Less than 10% of the wild sockeye returned last summer. Time is running out to save our salmon.
While the eyes of the Norwegian media are focused on Vancouver during the Olympics, events are being organized to tell Norwegians about what their companies are doing to our wild salmon runs.
Join the rally during the games to SAVE WILD SALMON
Saturday, February 20 at 1pm
Vanier Park (behind the Planetarium) -
Water for Haiti – Deadline for a Lifeline
Thursday, February 11th, 2010Tomorrow, Friday February 12, is the last day the Canadian government will match your donation for Haiti – dollar for dollar.
If you want to maximize the impact of your donation, then today or tomorrow (no later) are the days to act. Your money will build desperately needed wells – immediately – if you donate via The Water Team. This is a Vancouver-based volunteer effort (working with Lifewater) that has already successfully completed 14 desperately needed wells in Haiti since the devastating January 12 earthquake.
The Water Team has already raised and successfully utilized over $43,000 to complete these 14 wells (see photos). However, many more wells are needed – fast!Survivors are leaving Port-au-Prince and moving north to Cape Haitian at a rate of 5000 refugees/day. Desperate
for clean water, the Haitian people are pleading for more water wells to be drilled as quickly as possible.Haiti’s need for clean water is critical and HUGE.
Labour is volunteer but funds are needed for equipment.Your donation, made no later than Friday Feb 12, will be doubled by the Canadian government.
To donate online go to CanadaHelps
1. Where it says ‘Search for a Charity’,write in ‘Lifewater Canada’. Click ‘Go’.
2. Then just follow the prompts.
3. At the end where it says ‘Remarks’ write in “I am a member of The Water Team and I want my donation to go to Haitian relief”. This is important – the Canadian government requires that donations must be designated for Haiti before it will double them.
4. Once you have donated, please advice Susan Hoch at The Water Team (see below) of the amount so that the
correct arrangement s are made for the Canadian government to match your donation.Read more about The Water Team or contact them directly…
Susan and Severin Hoch
Volunteer Directors
The Water Team
604-222-4750
thewaterteam@gmail.com
#250-4438 W 10th Ave
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6R 4R8 -
Scram General Electric – Hands Off BC’s Water
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009Ready to terminate politically-backed corporate theft? Your voice can stop General Electric and Plutonic Power from devastating a massive area of coastal British Columbia.
Take a moment to look at the proposed Bute Inlet private power project – biggest ever in Canada at $4 billion and it’s in your back yard!
With the support of Gordon Campbell’s ‘government’, this unnecessary project would privatize and irreversibly damage huge areas of our wild and publicly owned waterways with 17 dams, 440 km of power lines, 250 km of roads and 100 bridges at significant cost to all species living in British Columbia! General Electric would get 60% controlling interest!! See details.
The provincial ‘government’ is seriously considering ordering BC Hydro to sign a long-term power purchase agreement with General Electric and their partners worth billions of dollars – before an environmental assessment has even been completed!
Are we going to let this happen?!
In 2009, by speaking up, people in British Columbia successfully halted several major river privatization projects (Upper Pitt River, Glacier and Howser Creeks, Blaeberry River, Fries Creek) in their tracks. Let’s do it again in 2010!
Send an email to Premier Campbell demanding a stop to the Bute Inlet Private Power Project being pushed by General Electric and its partners. It’s easy and quick if you go here.
***Power to the people! Special thanks to Save Our Rivers and the Wilderness Committee.
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Heavy Rainfall Causing Dirty Water
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009Recent heavy rainfall in the Vancouver area is causing dirty-looking, turbid water due to excessive amounts of sediment and organic matter being washed into our North Shore mountain water reservoirs. Metro Vancouver has increased disinfection levels in response to this situation. Microbiological safety has not been compromised.
However, occurrences of gastro-intestinal illness do increase during turbidity events. A one micron water filter is highly recommended to intercept Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts that can cause illness. A good filter will also make your water clear again and aesthetically pleasing to drink.
