Remember us talking about ‘water wars‘ popping up across the country, and indeed the world?

Well, the South Carolina House just passed a bill on Wednesday that will provide permits for withdrawing large amounts of water from our rivers and lakes – if it passes the Senate, and then the Governor signs it.

The bill would establish a permitting system for water withdrawals over three million gallons per month and lay out requirements to protect fish and wildlife and downstream users.

We can all thank Conservation Voters of South Carolina, American Rivers, the Coastal Conservation League and other partners, who worked more than four years to negotiate the provisions in the bill and help ensure it’s passage!

From the Shem Creek blog.

SC takes control of managing its long-term water needs

“The recreational and aesthetic value of wetland areas also helps the states tourism industry.”

“Although wetlands serve as a vital link between land and water, they are historically misunderstood and under appreciated,” said Preston. “In the past, they were often used as dump sites and, unfortunately, appeared to be of value only when drained and developed.

“However, wetlands are starting to gain recognition as some of the most productive natural areas in the world,” Preston said. “DHEC is pleased to join Gov. Sanford and the citizens of South Carolina in celebrating May as Wetlands Month.”

“The goal of this months celebration of South Carolina’s abundant wetlands, which coincides with American Wetlands Month, is to educate and involve the public in local activities,” she said. “DHEC has information emphasizing the importance of wetlands and wetland activities, which is available to civic groups, school groups and individuals.”

For more information about the state’s wetlands, visit DHEC’s Web site at: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/401.html

From the Shem Creek blog.

May is “South Carolina Wetlands Month”

From the Shem Creek blog.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Well, when you hear that, you’d think you own water you paid for to get to your house, and if you choose to recycle it in some manner and reuse it, you should be able to without any problem, right? Wrong.

Maybe not here in S.C., but in Las Vegas, water that’s used indoors travels a continuous loop. From people’s homes, water flows to a treatment plant, and is then sent back to Lake Mead where an equal amount is pumped out of the lake, and the 12-mile journey back to the treatment plants and then homes starts all over again.

“People paid for that water and I think they should be allowed to do with it what they wish,”
– Launce Rake, spokesman for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

Several locals have wondered: “Why don’t we shorten this loop somehow and come up with a more efficient system?”

As usual, it comes down to money. Water officials claim, “What’s the incentive for residents to curb consumption if their water bills drop? Even more water would be drawn from Lake Mead, without returning.”

Unfortunately, this is a case of too much conservation, and not enough efficiency. There has to be a middle ground where people won’t take advantage of the system by using excess water just because they own it.

Just do the right thing.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Who’s gray water is it anyway?

In related news about water today, the AP is reporting that South Carolina will be allowed to present oral arguments to the Supreme Court as to why utilities and municipalities should stay out of the state’s water dispute with North Carolina.

The U.S. Supreme Court did not give a time frame or issue any other comment in making its decision Monday. The action is the latest in a battle over the Catawba River basin. In 2007, South Carolina filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop North Carolina from draining the watershed.

The court has appointed a special master to help resolve the dispute. Last year, that special master allowed the city of Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy and a water system to enter the case.

South Carolina wants them off the case, contending they will make it take longer and cost more.

* UPDATE: Charlotte has already spent $833,000 on this water case

From the Shem Creek blog.

Boats, Bass, and Bubba

GE’s wind turbine manufacturing facility UpState has been cranking out tons of product as of late (see video below), and this morning I see IBM is getting involved with water management around the globe.

If you want a little more information, here are their two webpages to checkout:

• GE wind-power
• IBM’s Advanced Water Management

From the Shem Creek blog.

GE wants wind, IBM claims water

The two categories they are looking for are:

1. a 30 or 60 second video that is usable as a TV public service announcement
2. a 1-3 minute instructional video

The two winners will each receive $2,500 and their videos will be featured on EPA’s Web site!

Entries must be received by Earth Day, April 22, 2009. The contest winners will be notified in May via e-mail. G/L.

NOTE: Videos must be postmarked by April 22, 2009. Since all EPA mail is irradiated, you must either submit your video via YouTube or send using an overnight courier. EPA will not be responsible for videos if they are lost or destroyed.

See also: EPA Launches Video/Photo Project in Celebration of Earth Month

• EPA officials will select videos and photos to feature on the website throughout April. The agency will accept videos and photos from today through the end of April.
• This release is the first of several to announce EPA’s planned Earth Month activities.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Win YouTube contest, EPA pays you $2,500

There are opposers to the forum though:

It’s really just a big trade show put on by the big water companies. There is going to be no mention of water as a human right. They don’t want to support that because they see water as a commodity to be sold on the open market. There is mounting evidence that privatization has failed. We believe water should be a public trust.”
– Maude Barlow, founder of the Blue Planet Project, a Canadian-based group dedicated to protecting fresh water.

Wenonah Hauter, of the US-based Food and Water Watch, said, “If the organizers were serious, the delegates would get in free and they also wouldn’t have held it in a city that’s very difficult to get to.”

* UPDATE – See also: Activists Slam World Water Forum as a Corporate-Driven Fraud

“It’s organized to look like a UN-type event but it’s not.”
- Maude Barlow.

Another event today that’s related to water is the International Boston Seafood Show, co-located with Seafood Processing America, it’s North America’s largest seafood exhibition, attracting close to 18,000 seafood buyers and sellers from across the globe.

The keynote speech for the International Boston Seafood Show is coming from Chef Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America fame.

Selling points for the Show include:

1. Meet with seafood suppliers and source new business.
2. Source the largest assortment of seafood, equipment and products.
3. Get a first look at the newest products on the market all in one place.
4. Discover strategies to help you make the most of the current economic conditions.

See also: The Many Ways to Reduce Your Water Use

From the Shem Creek blog.

International water and seafood events today

The research funding includes $689,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy and $120,000 from Chevron of Houston, Texas.

A constructed wetland
2 years later
Credit: Wikipedia

A constructed wetland
before treatment
Credit: Wikipedia

The idea of creating wetlands ties in well with the SPA’s plans to manage wetlands, where they have promised to increase their focus on our environment by contributing $3 million to restore 22 acres of tidal marsh along the southern tip of Drum Island in lower Charleston Harbor.

This treatment has the potential to increase oil and gas production and lower the cost of treating produced waters – not to mention reusing it, for:

• irrigation,
• domestic use,
• livestock watering,
• cooling-tower water,
• municipal water use,
• treated sewage discharge dilution, and
• support of critical aquatic life and wildlife.

Professor’s Castle and Rodgers have already developed similar constructed wetlands for the energy industry, such as treating water used in coal-burning power facilities.

“Co-produced water comprises 98% of all waste generated by U.S. oil and natural gas operations. Handling and disposal of this water is the single greatest environmental impediment to natural gas and oil exploration and production.”
– Department of Energy experts

Geologist Jim Castle
(Credit: Clemson)

Environmental toxicologist
John Rodgers
(Credit: Clemson)

 

* UPDATE (related to wetlands): Learn about the importance of wetlands at EPA’s Exhibit at the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show

Wetlands Facts

1. An acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater.
2. As many of 1/2 of all North American bird species nest or feed in wetlands.
3. More than 50% of wetlands have been lost or destroyed nationwide in the past century.
4. 2/3 of all fish consumed worldwide are dependent on coastal wetlands at some stage in their life cycle.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Researchers receive $800K to clean contaminated water from gas, oil drilling

The SPA’s Pledge for Growth program is finally moving forward with the goal of improving air quality, saving fuel costs, and reducing emissions across their domain.

Some water management steps the SPA is taking include:

1. The SPA is donating up to $1 million for a five-year agreement with Wildlife Trust to protect the Northern right whale.
2. The Port is contributing $1 million to restore and enhance more than five acres of self-sustaining oyster reefs in and around Charleston Harbor. This project is being coordinated through SCDNR’s South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program (SCORE).
3. A Sediment Suspension System has been put in place that prevents the need for maintenance dredging, which can be disruptive to marine species and air quality. It uses a system of water jets that keep silt from settling along the bottom of the harbor.

From the Shem Creek blog.

SPA water management steps needed