Senate to Hold Drug Water Hearings

EPA fails to enforce water safety laws

(NEWSER) - Illegal concentrations of arsenic, radioactive materials like uranium, or bacteria have been found in more than a fifth of American water supplies in the last five years. Regulators were notified of the violations but penalties were imposed in only 6% of cases, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. Contaminated water supplies affected some 49 million people—in some cases for years. More»

Water drunk by 41M people contaminated

(NEWSER) - Small amounts of a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs have been found in drinking water used daily by 41 million Americans in 24 major cities. A major AP investigation found pain killers, anti-seizure drugs, angina and cholesterol medications, mood-altering drugs, and other pharmaceuticals in tap water, the water table and aquifers. More»

US intelligence fears 'water-based state conflict' in not-so-distant future

(NEWSER) - Soon, the precious commodity that starts wars may not be oil: It'll be water. Thanks to fresh-water shortages, droughts, and floods, US intelligence thinks it's increasingly likely that water could be "used as a weapon" in war, with one state denying water to another, according to a report released yesterday. And terrorists, always hungry for "high-visibility structures to attack," may begin targeting water infrastructure. The estimate is based on both current water policies and trends, and climate change projections, the Washington Post reports. More»

California Democrat stands against ozone decision

(NEWSER) - Count Barbara Boxer among those steamed about President Obama’s decision to ditch the EPA’s proposal for stricter smog standards . The California senator talked to reporters yesterday, and while Politico notes that she was more measured than many environmentalists , she did call for a lawsuit against the president. “I’m not making any charge” that the move was politically motivated, she said. “I’m just saying I disagree, strongly … and I hope they’ll be sued in court and I hope the court can stand by the Clean Air Act.” More»

(NEWSER) - The world’s rivers are drying up as climate change worsens and the demand for water increases, the BBC reports. Researchers studying 925 major waterways—from the Ganges to the Colorado—found significantly less fresh water flowing into oceans in 2004 than 50 years earlier. If the trend continues, the growing global population could face shortages—with dire results. More»