Gulf Coast Authority’s Post

Did you know Texas boasts 23 river basins, with surface water being a vital resource, comprising nearly 42% of the state's water usage in 2019? Despite its significance, surface water is projected to rise to 46% of the total water supply by 2070, according to the 2022 State Water Plan. Yet, challenges like aging reservoirs and limited new reservoir sites loom, underscoring the need for sustainable water management strategies. #TREADCoalition #TexasWater https://lnkd.in/gj4rdrVJ

Looking for something to listen to in the car? Listen in to Darcy Villere and I as we welcome Mitch Partovi, a water broker from The Water Agency, in the studio and we discuss California’s Water market, how it works, the regulatory oversight, the benefits, and related value. We ask some tough questions including monetization of water, the growing groundwater market considering the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, and who really benefits. Join the conversation! https://lnkd.in/gZ52p-gd

Good to see the new government taking the first steps toward improving our rivers and seas. the four steps focus on Water Water companies: 1. Funding for vital infrastructure should be ringfenced for upgrades and the environment, with unspent money for investment refunded to customers. 2. Water companies' constitutions will now place customers and the environment at the heart of their objectives. 3. Set up customer panels with powers to summon board members and hold water company bosses to account. 4. Double compensation for customers and businesses if their water services are impacted. Placing the Environment and People at the core of Companies' objectives with ring fenced funding will hopefully result in the significant investment needed to improve our drainage systems and improve water quality. Lets be clear though, that cleaning our waterways and seas needs to look far beyond our Water Companies. From the way we farm, to how we manage water running from roads and urban areas, and the waste we produce, much more will be needed to deliver meaningful and substantive benefits to water and the wider environment. To deliver effectively for people and environment will require much greater emphasis and application of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and the Government should now fully implement the the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 so that SuDS deliver equally for Water Attenuation and Quality, Public Amenity and Biodiversity.

Fantastic first steps at making water companies more accountable to its users and the environment.  

This is a good first step, I really hope sewage releases to our rivers start to reduce. But what can we do to help now? Here are 3 ideas... 1. Why not join your local river group as a citizen scientist and help to gather this important data.hy not join your local river group as a citizen scientist and help to gather this important data.We need to keep on monitoring our rivers so we can gather important data to see where problems are and how to fix them, keeping in mind that there are also other sources of pollution such as sediment and diffuse pollution from the environment. 2. We can check at home for misconnections and look to fix them. Check to see if you have any household pipes flowing into your rain drains. 3. If you have an outside space you could look to create a rain garden, slowing down rain into the sewer system helps to prevent sewage spills. If you are based in Hertfordshire and want to get involved in citizen science on our chalk precious streams, let me know.

Recent Incidents: In February 2023, Southern Water encountered another serious incident in St Leonard's-on-Sea, East Sussex. A burst water main led to homes being flooded with sewage on Bulverhythe Road. The company apologized for the disruption and initiated repair efforts while working to minimize environmental impact. Public and Regulatory Scrutiny: Southern Water has faced criticism and protests over its handling of sewage pollution incidents and infrastructure failures. Regulatory bodies like the Environment Agency have highlighted the need for improved management and stricter adherence to environmental regulations. Southeast Water: Water Quality Issues: In 2021, Southeast Water was fined £2.1 million after supplying water with high levels of chlorine dioxide to homes in Sussex and Kent, rendering it unfit for human consumption. This incident affected approximately 320,000 customers and prompted significant regulatory scrutiny. Response and Commitments: Following the fine, Southeast Water acknowledged its shortcomings and committed to investing £4.5 million to enhance water treatment processes and prevent future incidents. The company also apologized to affected customers for the disruption caused by the water quality issue.

TOMORROW: How do we prioritize shallow water restoration sites in terms of impact on the Bay restoration effort and people in the watershed? Register for the CRC Roundtable to explore the challenges and benefits of a shallow-centric Bay restoration effort. https://lnkd.in/etBqhMQ2

The Colorado River, and many other water supply systems, are too complex for all but the most engaged scientists to understand without careful explanation and context. This paper makes the case that water resources models of the Colorado River are necessary to give policy makers, and the general public, the tools they need to meet the challenge of a drying river.

For #worldwaterday, revisit our webinar with Erica Gies. Gies talks about the deep dysfunction of our relationship with water, and reminds us that figuring out what water wants—and accommodating its desires within our human landscapes—is now a crucial survival strategy. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gNVBgj5c

Forest thinning, vital for wildfire risk reduction, may impact snowpack and water supply. Research in the Eastern Cascades emphasizes the need for balanced forest management to preserve water resources. https://lnkd.in/gtTRQi44