Archive for the 'desalination' Category

Middle East Water Woes Beg for Environmental Sewage Solutions

Published on 04/16/2012 in desalination, groundwater, oil, policy, tap water, wastewater and water wars. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photo retrieved from: www.greenprophet.com

“The environment is politics and in the Middle East this is ever so stark, ravaged by internal socio-religio-political conflicts and international wars. Wars internally and externally are based on oppression, division, exclusion, land theft, and expropriation of the Middle East’s oil reserves. The Middle East is the globe’s oil capital. Those who want to own it are traditional colonial powers who will do anything and promise anything from political freedom to militarisation to democracy to get at it; it’s why war and conflict still proliferate in the region.

Easily forgotten in all the wars and conflicts are survival basic resources such as water. Water for thirst, water for industry, water for agriculture and water for sanitation. The Middle East’s oil-rich countries are able to cross-subsidise oil-money for purchases of food crops or agri-land for growing food to be imported into the region. This is neither environmentally sustainable nor economically.

Things will run dry, monetary-wise and resource-wise, so hard rapid environmental resource conservation must dictate all immediate and future plans.

Accessing ancient geological aquifers for stored groundwater slowed down with lack of sustainable use and management of resources. When groundwater supplies started dwindling, desalination became the next option, the primary social-water-feeder.”

Read more: Green Prophet

 

lily victoria

Opposition to Santa Cruz desalination plant lobbies for signatures

Published on 04/08/2012 in desalination, privatization and solutions and outreach. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

“Opponents of the $115 million desalination plant proposed in Santa Cruz gathered on West Cliff Drive on Saturday to gather signatures to place a measure on the ballot that would change the city’s charter to require a future vote on the plant.

“The group needs to collect the signatures of 5,000 people registered to vote in Santa Cruz to get on the November ballot. Organizers say they’re about halfway there. The City Council passed an ordinance requiring such a vote in March.

“Four council seats are up in November,” said Rick Longinotti. “We want to make sure the right to vote can’t be revoked with future city councils.”

“City officials have been planning to team with the Soquel Creek Water District to build a desalination plant in Santa Cruz since 2004.

“They’ve since spent several million dollars on studies, designs and the running of a pilot plant.

“Water Department officials say the permanent plant would be used to supplement the water supply during drought years. In nondrought years, Soquel Creek would have access to the desalinated water as an alternative to its underground aquifer supply.

“Saturday’s gathering included five former mayors and former county Supervisor Gary Patton.

“The anti-desalination group of more than 50 folks took a walk through the Westside streets where the proposed desalination pipelines would run.

“Their rally took place on the bluff above Mitchell’s Cove. The spot was chosen because that’s where the brine-filled wastewater would be returned to the ocean.

“Former Mayor Tim Fitzmaurice, who was on the council when the idea was initiated in 2004, said protecting the environment from possible damage by the plant would be his foremost concern when deciding how to vote.”

Read more: Mercury news

sammykayed

Israel says it backs Gaza Strip desalination plant

Published on 03/13/2012 in contaminated water, desalination and management. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Retrieved from: btselem

“Israel said Tuesday it backed Palestinian plans to build a desalination plant in the Gaza Strip and was willing if requested to provide its skills for the project.

“Asked by AFP on the sidelines of the World Water Forum if Israel supported the scheme, Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau said, “By all means.”

“We have been waiting for such projects for many, many years. It is high time, almost 20 years after (the) Oslo (Accords on Palestinian autonomy), that they will start working and take responsibility for handling their own things,” he said.

“I would like to see more such projects under way.”

“On Monday, the Palestinian Authority lobbied at the Water Forum for a desalination facility, costing more than 350 million euros ($450 million), to provide 1.6 million Gazans with fresh water by 2020.

“According to a 2009 World Bank report, between 90 and 95 percent of the water available in Gaza is not fit for human consumption.

“Surging population growth and overpumping of ground water has caused the aquifer to drop alarmingly, causing a rise in salinity from the sea.”

Read more: AFP

sammykayed

Water Wars: The ‘Why’ of Desalination for Santa Cruz County

Published on 03/06/2012 in desalination, drought, greenwashing, hydrology, oceans, policy, tap water and water wars. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Photo retrieved from: www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“To Desal or not to Desal, that is the question. The Santa Cruz Water Department and the Soquel Creek Water District believe that is the most rational option to ensure an adequate, consistent water supply for the future. They have formed a partnership known as scwd2 to pursue a regional seawater desalination program. A pilot plant at UCSC’s Long Marine lab facility has already addressed the technical issues of seawater intake, brine disposal, and quality of the water produced.

The results of all this testing can be found on the scwd2 website, www.scwd2desal.org along with an explanation of why desalination is considered the best long-term choice for additional supply.

Why is more water needed?

California is subject to droughts. In the late 70’s Santa Cruz County suffered a three-year drought, but there have been documented periods of little rain lasting five years and longer. Without a new and reliable water supply, such protracted dry spells would seriously affect our local economy, environment, and quality of life.

Our tourist economy — which includes hotels and restaurants — would suffer, agricultural income would be hurt, hospitals and schools would be first priority while residents would see their lawns and gardens dry up and shower-sharing would become a necessity, not just recreational.”

Read more: Capitola Soquel Times

 

lily victoria

Desal Opponents Vow To Press On With Ballot Measure: Coalition Worried City Could Overturn Citizen Right To Vote On Plant

Published on 03/02/2012 in desalination, drought, policy, tap water, wastewater and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photo retrieved from: www.karpel.org

“SANTA CRUZ – Despite a move by the city to let voters decide the fate of a proposed seawater desalination plant, opponents pledged Thursday to charge “full-speed ahead” on gathering signatures for a November ballot measure also designed to give voters a say.

Paul Gratz, a spokesman for the Right to Vote on Desal Coalition, said the group is concerned city officials will reverse an ordinance approved Tuesday by the City Council to allow a vote as early as 2014. He said the charter change amendment sought by his group to give voters the right to vote on desal at some point in the future would guarantee that no future council could take away that right.

Four of the council’s seven seats are up for election in November. At least two prominent candidates who strongly favor the city’s pursuit of a desalination plant have said that are likely to run again: Mayor Don Lane and former Mayor Cynthia Mathews.”

Read more: Santa Cruz Sentinel
lily victoria

India’s Water Desalination Business to Triple to $1.2 Billion

Published on 02/25/2012 in desalination, water conservation, water filtering, water shortage, water technology and world water supply. 0 Comments

 

Retrieved from: Blog.cifor.org

“India’s water desalination business is set to triple to $1.2 billion by 2017 as rising demand from industry spurs the South Asian country to build more purification plants, according to a research report.

“The number of units that process sea water in India will reach 500 in five years from 180 now, with more than 300 plants being built in the states of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Saudi Arabia leads the global desalination market worth $14.3 billion, according to Karan Chechi, TechSci’s research director.

“More than 85 percent of India’s villages and half of its cities rely on wells for water in the country where farming accounts for 90 percent of total water withdrawals. Checki said, ‘Improved hybrid technologies and reverse osmosis have cut production costs and initial investment in water desalination industry compared with traditional methods.’ ”

Read more: Bloomberg Businessweek

Chippie Kislik

Thirsty Gulf Country Quits Exports of Precious Groundwater

Published on 02/13/2012 in desalination, drought, groundwater, hydrology, management, policy, solutions and outreach, tap water and water conservation. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photo retrieved from: www.greenprophet.com

“Dubai’s water scarce neighbor Abu Dhabi recently announced that it has banned all groundwater exports, Gulf News reports. Established yesterday at a Ministerial Service Council meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ban will keep the Emirate’s dwindling groundwater supply within its own borders.

Water is more important than oil

Last year General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, proclaimed that water is more important than oil, even though the country relies on this fossil fuel as a main source of income.

He added that water research, action plans, and solutions should be placed at the top of the nation’s priorities.

The Ministry of Environment and Water subsequently compiled a study of the Emirates water sources, which prompted the Federal National Council (FNC) to propose a ban. It was upon this recommendation that the Council cancelled all future groundwater exports. This ministry will also be responsible for framing the necessary legal matters.”

Read more: Green Prophet

 

lily victoria

Group kicks off campaign to put desal before Santa Cruz voters

Published on 02/13/2012 in desalination, solutions and outreach and water conservation. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Desal measure kickoff drive

Santa Cruz residents sign petitions to put the desal plant up for a vote crowd into India Joze restaurant Sunday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel Dan Coyro/Sentinel Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

“SANTA CRUZ – Organizers of a ballot measure designed to put a planned desalination plant to a vote are set to begin circulating petitions around the city.

“About 100 people attended a kickoff party Sunday for a drive to place a measure on the November ballot that would require Santa Cruz city leaders to obtain voter approval before the desal plant is built.

“If passed by a majority of city voters, the measure would amend the city’s charter to ensure the city “does not approve, permit or fund a desalination plant without voter approval.” The amendment also would bar the city from incurring debt for the controversial project.

“Rick Longinotti, a desal opponent and member of the initiative’s steering committee, told the crowd assembled at India Joze restaurant that they would need about 5,500 signatures, or about 15 percent of city voters, by May to get on the ballot. Sunday’s event served to sign up petition volunteers.

“The measure, dubbed the Right to Vote on Desalination, does not take a position on whether a desalination plant is a good idea, he said. But he believes voters should be able to decide.”

Read more: Santa Cruz Sentinel

chrismorrow

Arab Region To Target Reducing Adverse Effects Of Desalination

Published on 02/06/2012 in desalination, hydrology, management, oil, peak water, tap water and water shortage. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Photo retrieved from: www.industcards.com

“With 5 per cent of the world’s population and only 1 per cent of global freshwater water resources, the Arab region is heavily affected by water scarcity and heavily dependent on non-conventional water resources such as desalination and treated wastewater.

The collective water shortage of 17 Arab countries is currently estimated at over 30 billion cubic metres and this deficit is expected to triple by 2030 and increase to over 150 billion cubic metres by 2050, the Arab Water Academy in Abu Dhabi said yesterday.

The current heavy reliance on fossil fuels for water desalination is not sustainable — Saudi Arabia alone uses 1.5 million barrels of oil per day at its plants.

Many of the problems related to desalination could be reduced by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. This will reduce the cost of energy consumption, which accounts for 30-50 per cent of the overall water desalination costs.”

Read more: gulfnews.com

 

lily victoria

Christian Pilgrimage and Middle Eastern Water Scarcity

Published on 02/02/2012 in agriculture, contaminated water, desalination, policy, rivers, tap water, wastewater and water shortage. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Photo retrieved from: www.takepart.com

“In the current climate of political contest and a reduced Jordan River, currently conveying 2 percent of its historic flow, it is worth thinking anew about the importance of the Jordan, borders and water. In place of reactionary territorial claims justified through religious precedent, perhaps the time has come to acknowledge biblical depictions of regional societies in which local economies and resource availability provide the basis of coexistence. Neither ancient nor modern claims will matter when the water sources run dry.

Water scarcity in the Middle East may lead to more internecine violence or to the actual demise of large, poor families. Every Middle Eastern government with a coastline looks to solve the problem through large de-salination projects without regard for the saline byproducts, the enormous energy costs and the need for global capital investment. While global capital finds it way into most local infrastructure projects these days, it causes particular concern to think of global capital setting water prices in situations like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which the state (or proto state) encourages families to expand in the name of winning the demographic war. Yet the diminishing water table may be the very agent of political transformation.”

Read more: Huffington Post

lily victoria