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  • In the town ‘Erin Brockovich’ made famous, residents still fear dirty water

    An ongoing struggle in Hinkley, California, to remove dangerous chemicals from drinking water demonstrates how difficult contamination can be to clean up. The lingering presence of chromium-6, also known as hexavalent chromium, in Hinkley illustrates how hard this is, even in a case depicted in an award-winning movie that brought... read more...

  • New applications of radar tool could help reduce water scarcity

    Technology originally developed to study environmental changes in Antarctica is being trialled in regions experiencing water stress to find and monitor underground water sources.  The tool offers a more cost-effective and easier-to-operate way of measuring groundwater compared with existing methods. It is also seen as a way of helping to... read more...

  • Denmark launches proposal to prevent groundwater flooding of buildings

    Denmark’s Environment Minister, Magnus Heunicke, has introduced a legislative proposal aimed at addressing the growing issue of groundwater flooding. Currently in the public consultation phase, the idea seeks to shift responsibility for flood prevention from individual property owners to a more collaborative approach involving wastewater management companies and municipalities. Find... read more...

  • Miners, renewable energy, food producers compete for groundwater in WA

    Growing competition for groundwater use in WA’s Wheatbelt has local leaders concerned and calling for clearer approaches to water licensing. Proponents of a proposed Wheatbelt copper mining project say using significant volumes of salty water will benefit the environment by drawing down the water table and reducing salinity. Find out more... read more...

  • Machine learning predicts highest-risk groundwater sites to improve water quality monitoring

    An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a machine learning framework that uses limited water quality samples to predict which inorganic pollutants are likely to be present in a groundwater supply. The new tool allows regulators and public health authorities to prioritize specific aquifers for water quality testing. Find out... read more...

  • Greek borehole survey makes some illuminating discoveries

    In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Greece experienced an agricultural boom and water became a valuable commodity. The state was often unable to keep up with rising demand for water networks and infrastructure, like dams and irrigation systems, leading to unplanned water management by individual farmers and collectives. Drilling... read more...

  • Millions in US may depend on contaminated groundwater for drinking water supplies

    A recent study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reveals that approximately 71 to 95 million people in the Lower 48 states – over 20% of the U.S. population – may rely on polluted groundwater exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as their drinking water. This significant finding... read more...

  • Protecting the Green Triangle: experts warn of ‘irreversible’ groundwater decline

    Some of the best-quality groundwater in Australia underlies the upper and lower south-east of South Australia and parts of south-western Victoria. But almost 200 years of drawdown for agriculture, farming and domestic use has changed the surface drainage. Underground water in some areas has collapsed and water quality is deteriorating,... read more...

  • Groundwater is key to protecting global ecosystems

    Often referred to as “blue gold,” groundwater is our most vital freshwater resource. A hidden treasure beneath our feet, it serves as a crucial natural capital asset essential for meeting human water needs. Remarkably, groundwater accounts for nearly half of the water withdrawn for domestic use worldwide and supports about... read more...

  • Management of coastal aquifers and related ecosystems

    In line with its mission to support countries manage their water resources in a sustainable way, UNESCO contributes to the MedProgramme, which is aimed at reducing the major transboundary environmental stresses affecting the Mediterranean Sea and its coastal areas, while strengthening climate resilience and water security and improving the health... read more...

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