MIT research is helping to identify a strategy to improve the water infrastructure in rural India. The goal is to develop sustainable water resources for the more than 900 million people who reside in these remote areas. India has made a concerted effort to improve water and sanitation, but the country’s poor infrastructure has prevented significant progress.
Read more here: Envisioning the future of water for 900 million people
Climate change may be to blame for persistent flooding in Egypt’s second-largest city, says the World Bank. The city has been burdened by recent heavy rainfall, five times the normal October total. Officials point to a failing water infrastructure, which has compounded the flooding and has caused at least five deaths.
Officials warn the persistent flooding may also impact agriculture and drinking water. Since Alexandria lies low to sea-level, there is a significant risk for seawater to infiltrate the city’s fresh water system. Without an alternative fresh water resource, the possibility could mean catastrophe for a city already in the midst of a crisis.
Read more here: Egypt: Alexandria flooding may be new norm because of climate change
Despite heavy rainfall and an intense wet season, Mexico City is undergoing a water crisis. The city’s water infrastructure is in dire need of repair. Nearly 30 percent of residences in Mexico City lack access to safe water. In poor neighborhoods, indoor plumbing typically means dirty water flowing from the taps. Residents in these areas are often forced to get water from mobile trucks or purchase expensive purified water.
Read more here: Going local to solve Mexico City’s water crisis
America’s Watershed Initiative recently graded the country’s largest water system with a D+ on a report card from nearly 400 organizations. The report cited water supply and water infrastructure problems and pollution as the main reasons for the low grade. It recommended an increase of $1 billion annual to invest in watershed improvements.
Read more from the report here: Mississippi River Watershed Given a D+
Many of the country’s 1.2 million miles of water main pipelines were constructed in the 1800s and 1900s. Pipes built for a country with a much smaller population. Water infrastructure should be a top concern for our government in the coming years.
Read more here: Like roads and bridges, water infrastructure is critical to daily life
