Water is life. Knowledge is power.
In 2017, Jorge welcomed me to the headquarters of Costa Rica’s underground water agency. His supervisor had asked him to show me “the model” at work. After many years of fieldwork on water issues, I had already been introduced to many models: the mathematical model to calculate extraction rates, two different pieces of software that model aquifer flow, the regulatory model Costa Rica’s agency follows, and sponges as a preferred … [more…]
Soil microbial fuel cells as designed by researchers at the University of Bath. Credit: University of Bath
Engineers at the University of Bath have shown that it’s possible to capture and use energy created by the natural reactions occurring in microorganisms within soil.
A team of chemical and electrical engineers has demonstrated the potential of cheap, simple “soil microbial fuel cells” (SMFCs), buried in the earth to power an electrochemical … [more…]
Credit: University of Arkansas
In the first comprehensive study of the link between rising sea levels and inland water tables along the California coast, researchers found an increased threat to populated areas already at risk from rising water tables, and the possibility of flooding in unexpected inland areas.
In the new study, researchers modeled the effects of rising sea level along the entire California coastline. While results varied with local … [more…]
Yet another study demonstrating that tap water may be quite unsafe to drink, and that yet another one of EPA/FDA regulations on “safe” levels of a potent thyroid-inhibiting contaminant in drinking water are nothing more than wishful thinking. Namely, the study below claims that the levels of perchlorate in drinking water defined as safe by the EPA/FDA are an order of magnitude higher than what is considered “acceptable” risk, and … [more…]
It is not uncommon to find aluminum in municipal water systems. It’s part of a treatment chemical used in some water treatment processes. Recently, however, it has been discovered in lead scale, deposits that form on lead water pipes.
The aluminum presence in pipes is both unsurprising and, in the quantities researchers saw in water pipes, not … [more…]