Water Wars

[terminal]

Isn't there a GBFO river running through London?

Maybe folk should stop wasting water with 15 minute showers?

If you winnow out the chaff in the story it comes down to rainfall in southeast England is expected to become more seasonal with less rain in the summer months, lower summer water flows in the rivers, and more frequent droughts. If nothing is done then existing water infrastructure won't be enough to guaranty water supply under worst case weather conditions.

So the obvious answer is to spend money on improving water infrastructure in southeast England to handle the situation. Whether that sort of answer appeals to shareholders is another question.

Not mentioned in the story is that the prairies in Canada are facing a similar problem, but in their case caused by the glaciers in the Rocky Mountains melting. Currently a lot of the summer water flow in the rivers comes from glacial melt that is replaced by snow in the winter. The glaciers however are melting faster than they are being topped up by snow so that summer river flow will start to decline over the course of this century.

The problems of London can and will be solved provided people don't stick their heads in the sand over the issue of how to find the money to build new water infrastructure as opposed to just managing what is already there.

The London story though is just a journalistic "hook" to hang the main focus of story on, which is really about cities in the third world which face the double problem of rapid population growth and decline of existing water supplies.

Most of those urban water supply problems in the third world are also solvable with the application of good management of existing resources and good planning of new supplies. You may see a slight problem with that however ...

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

California threatens ‘mandatory water restrictions’ if people don’t cut back

Governor’s warning comes amid drought after driest January-March period in at least a century

www.theguardian.com

Newsom last summer called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15% by doing things like taking five-minute showers and avoiding baths, only running the washing machine and dishwasher with full loads and limiting water use for cleaning outdoor areas.
He directed the state water resources control board to consider a ban on watering of decorative turf.

FFS - that is LUXURY, as far as I'm concerned!

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

with less than three weeks of water left, the Nelson mandela Bay council have decided to do something.
ie have a meeting.

"We concede that we haven't ticked all the boxes in communicating the important work underway. The city's joint operations centre, the multi-stakeholder nerve centre of government and civil society, will be briefing the citizens through the media after its meeting on Monday,"

This is a city of 1.2 million.
And they've so far done... fokol.

Nelson Mandela Bay needs 'a clear and actionable plan' to avoid Day Zero - Maimane | News24

Taps in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality could run dry in 20 days, but some communities have been faced with a lack of water for much longer, according to One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane.

www.news24.com

Steenhuisen said the mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, Eugené Johnson, had to come out of hiding and lead the charge to manage the demand for water.

"That is the only way we averted it [Day Zero] in the City of Cape Town, by getting that demand down. The campaign was heavily criticised at the time, but it is now regarded as world-class," said Steenhuisen.

Day Zero: Steenhuisen criticises Nelson Mandela Bay's handling of water crisis | News24

John Steenhuisen advised the metro to take lessons from the DA-led City of Cape Town, which successfully averted Day Zero in 2018.

www.news24.com

 

[Lardbeast]

cANCer controlled council? Self inflicted due to venality and crippling stupidity. Embrace the suck.

 

[Drlligaf]

You may see a slight problem with that however ...

A nasty, obscene four lettered word, w*rk.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

cANCer controlled council? Self inflicted due to venality and crippling stupidity. Embrace the suck.

Residents furious with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as water runs out and leaks go unfixed | News24

An organisation has called for government to answer to the Human Rights Commission for failing to contain water leaks in Nelson Mandela Bay.

www.news24.com

 

[Electromagnetic]

with less than three weeks of water left, the Nelson mandela Bay council have decided to do something.
ie have a meeting.

"We concede that we haven't ticked all the boxes in communicating the important work underway. The city's joint operations centre, the multi-stakeholder nerve centre of government and civil society, will be briefing the citizens through the media after its meeting on Monday,"

This is a city of 1.2 million.
And they've so far done... fokol.

Nelson Mandela Bay needs 'a clear and actionable plan' to avoid Day Zero - Maimane | News24

Taps in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality could run dry in 20 days, but some communities have been faced with a lack of water for much longer, according to One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane.

www.news24.com

Steenhuisen said the mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, Eugené Johnson, had to come out of hiding and lead the charge to manage the demand for water.

"That is the only way we averted it [Day Zero] in the City of Cape Town, by getting that demand down. The campaign was heavily criticised at the time, but it is now regarded as world-class," said Steenhuisen.

Day Zero: Steenhuisen criticises Nelson Mandela Bay's handling of water crisis | News24

John Steenhuisen advised the metro to take lessons from the DA-led City of Cape Town, which successfully averted Day Zero in 2018.

www.news24.com

 

[Lardbeast]

Residents furious with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as water runs out and leaks go unfixed | News24

An organisation has called for government to answer to the Human Rights Commission for failing to contain water leaks in Nelson Mandela Bay.

www.news24.com

The prosecution rests, M'lud.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

The prosecution rests, M'lud.

It will come as no surprise to you that the money for infrastructure was misappropriated?

 

[Lardbeast]

I would expect nothing less from the thieving ovine pudenda of the cANCer.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

I would expect nothing less from the thieving ovine pudenda of the cANCer.

This is a situation that could have been avoided five years ago if the money allocated by the Treasury to fix the ailing infrastructure was put to good use.

 

[HectortheInspector]

Residents furious with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as water runs out and leaks go unfixed | News24

An organisation has called for government to answer to the Human Rights Commission for failing to contain water leaks in Nelson Mandela Bay.

www.news24.com

Reading between the lines:
1) Intermittent rainfall, becoming more erratic due to climate change. Less water.
2) Outdated and inadequate water storage. Not enough stored.
3) Outdated, inadequate and failing infrastructure, leaky pipes etc. Water leaks away
4) Excessive use.

All these are global issues, common to most nations, be it the United States, United Kingdom,or Zimbabwe.

Add a weak, corrupt and incompetent local government who are unable or unwilling to deal with it, because it's too expensive or the 'too tricky' light comes on.

Cape Town dealt with this a few years ago, and it worked, but it wasn't popular.
Politicians like to be popular, because that way they get re elected. Expensive infrastructure replacement goes on local taxes, and water bills.

This isn't just a South African problem.It's universal.

You see much the same problems in the Flint crisis in the US, but that only got attention because it was in the US and widely reported.

Flint water crisis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Lardbeast]

This is a situation that could have been avoided five years ago if the money allocated by the Treasury to fix the ailing infrastructure was put to good use.

Imagine my surprise.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

Cape Town dealt with this a few years ago, and it worked, but it wasn't popular.

No, it wasn't. At all.
BUT the irony is that the Democractic Alliance (DA) which runs Cape Town were subsequently re-elected.
And the DA has been telling the ANC cnuts at Nelson mandela bay for YEARS that there is gonna be a crisis, and it is best to follow the Cape Town model.
Which they didn't - because they can't be seen to be following those racist DA bastard's advice.

 

[HectortheInspector]

No, it wasn't. At all.
BUT the irony is that the Democractic Alliance (DA) which runs Cape Town were subsequently re-elected.
And the DA has been telling the ANC cnuts at Nelson mandela bay for YEARS that there is gonna be a crisis, and it is best to follow the Cape Town model.
Which they didn't - because they can't be seen to be following those racist DA bastard's advice.

See my point about weak, corrupt local government.
Normally, when they stuff it up badly, national government has to step in like the Feds did in Flint. (Cape Town managed it, so the government didn't have to.)
By then it's already gone from problem, to crisis.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

See my point about weak, corrupt local government.
Normally, when they stuff it up badly, national government has to step in like the Feds did in Flint. (Cape Town managed it, so the government didn't have to.)
By then it's already gone from problem, to crisis.

For years, NMB has been financially and morally bankrupt.
In effect, they have been giving away water and electricity to buy votes.
The bugger is that the area depends a lot on tourism and heavy industry - SA's Detroit. Both of which need water.

 

[Lardbeast]

Problem is that the weak and corrupt local govt is the same weak and corrupt govt at national level, who absolutely detest the fact that Cape Town (under the opposition party) got it right and survived. It gnaws at them daily that they're unable to do that and only remain in power by whipping up fear and constantly playing the race card.

 

[HectortheInspector]

For years, NMB has been financially and morally bankrupt.
In effect, they have been giving away water and electricity to buy votes.
The bugger is that the area depends a lot on tourism and heavy industry - SA's Detroit. Both of which need water.

See my point about popularity.
If people have to pay realistic prices for water and power (if hydro electric, it's effectively the same thing) then they'll vote for the party subsidising it.
Likewise, the party that wants to raise millions in local taxes to pay for new pipes doesn't get elected.

 

[Electromagnetic]

Ironically there was flooding in South Africa last week. Lots of rain but not where they needed it perhaps.

By Rédaction Africanews
with AFP
Last updated: 23/05 - 16:21

SOUTH AFRICA​

South Africa has again witnessed heavy weather on the east coast displacing hundreds of people, authorities announced on Sunday.
The country’s coastal city of Durban capital of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province is yet to recover from a deadly flood, which claimed the lives of at least 435 and left 54 people missing.
No casualties have so far been reported in the latest case, but there has been widespread destruction, mainly in the metropolitan area of Durban.

"As more information comes in, a disturbing picture emerges," KZN Chief Minister Sihle Zikalala told a news conference.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster for last month's floods which have been declared the worst disaster ever recorded in the country.

Hundreds displaced in new South Africa floods | Africanews

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

See my point about popularity.
If people have to pay realistic prices for water and power (if hydro electric, it's effectively the same thing) then they'll vote for the party subsidising it.
Likewise, the party that wants to raise millions in local taxes to pay for new pipes doesn't get elected.

That's the point. They don't.