Law of the river: Eel River, California
EUREKA -- Ever since W.W. Van Arsdale tacked a claim for Eel River water on an alder tree in 1905, the basin has had its share of problems. If anything, there will be more struggles in the future.
Water, power, endangered species and clean water law were among the topics during the second day of the California State Bar's Environmental Law Section conference at the Wharfinger Building. Kevin Bundy, an attorney with the San Francisco firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger, spliced together the wide range of often competing laws that apply to the tortured river basin.
The third largest river system in California, much of the Eel River's water is diverted to the Russian River, which Bundy jokingly called the fifth main tributary of the Eel. Grape growers and towns in Sonoma, Mendocino and Marin counties draw water from the Russian River. Both rivers' fisheries are in bad shape, Bundy said, with coho and chinook salmon and steelhead protected under federal or state law, or both...
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12332733
John Driscoll
05/09/2009
Ghana: National Coalition Against Privatization of Water express dissatisfaction with services of AVRL
The National Coalition Against Privatization of Water, (NCAP) has expressed its unconditional solidarity with seconded staff of GWCL to Aqua Viten Rand Limited. A statement jointly signed by the Coalition’s Local Action Committee Organizer, Adam Mohammed-Sanusi and an activist Leonard Shang-Quartey asked Ghanaians to bear in mind the ultimate unity of interests between the water workers, the public can give their support to the water workers.
The statement alleged that Ghanaian had to endure deplorable water delivery services during the period of privatized management AVRL control and this is due to ineffectiveness of the private management arrangement. The Coalition has therefore called on Government to abrogate with immediate effect the contract because AVRL has failed to supply water to Ghanaians as per the contract.
They are also frustrating water sector staff and destroying Ghana’s technical expertise and resource base in the water sector. The Coalition suggests an accountable public management alternative to the management contract.
Friday, 8, May, 2009
http://gbcghana.com/news/25983detail.html
Government leaves room to privatise Auckland water
The Government set the stage for a sell-off of Auckland's water services today.
"The Government's privatisation agenda for Auckland has been laid bare, as they would not promise to keep legislation that protects Auckland assets," Dr Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader said today.
The Local Government Act 2002 currently states that a local government organisation must not 'divest its ownership or other interest in a water service' or 'lose control of, sell, or otherwise dispose of, the significant infrastructure necessary for providing water services in its region or district'.
"The Prime Minister could not deny during question time that these important protections are under threat. John Banks may soon have a free hand to flog off all of Auckland's silverware," Dr Norman said.
"The Prime Minister hedged his bets, saying that privatisation would not be part of their restructuring plans, but failed to say that current protections in the law will remain in force.
"He said that privatisation is a choice for Aucklanders, but it is not. His Government has to change the law for privatisation to happen and he will not rule that out.
"This is privatisation by stealth and Aucklanders are not likely to be properly consulted about it," Dr Norman said.
For the relevant section of the Local Government Act 2002: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0084/latest
Thursday, 7 May 2009
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0905/S00131.htm
Indonesia: NGOs call for end to water privatization drive
Various NGOs gathered Saturday to discuss the fallout from funding water access with international loans, as the 42nd annual board of governors' meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) kicked off in Nusa Dua.
The NGOs debtWATCH Indonesia, People's Coalition for the Right to Water (Kruha) and the People's Alliance for the Citarum River (ARUM) held a forum Friday titled Right to Water and the Role of International Financial Institutions.
Sri Lanka's Center for Environmental Justice and the Philippines' Freedom from Debt Coalition also took part in the discussion.
Kruha national coordinator Hamong Santono said loans provided by international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the ADB, for water supply access had blocked local people from their own water resources.
"Financial institutions' policy sees water as an economical good. Use of water is divided into forms of commercialization, modification and privatization," he said.
Niken Prathivi , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar , 05/04/2009
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/05/04/ngos-call-end-water-privat...
vice chairman of PepsiCo: "The biggest enemy is tap water"
That's a quote by Robert S. Morrison, vice chairman of PepsiCo--which owns Aquafina.
It is no secret that the Coca-Cola Company would like to sell the world more Coke. But some Web surfers were still taken aback recently by the candor of an article on one of the company's Web sites. The article, which Coca-Cola has since removed, was part of a site created for restaurants that sell the company's drinks. It explained how Coca-Cola had helped the Olive Garden chain reduce "tap water incidence." Coca-Cola had worked with Olive Garden, owned by Darden Restaurants ( news/quote ), to develop a program called H2NO, which taught restaurant workers how to discourage customers from sticking with plain old unprofitable water.
BUT...
It should come as no surprise that the Coca-Cola Company developed a program to discourage restaurant customers from drinking tap water. It is not alone. Robert S. Morrison, vice chairman of PepsiCo, said in 2000, ''The biggest enemy is tap water.''
Susan D. Wellington, president of the Quaker Oats Company's United States beverage division, which makes Gatorade, said, ''When we're done, tap water will be relegated to showers and washing dishes.''
Ironically, both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola use perfectly potable tap water as the source of their bottled waters, Aquafina and Dasani. I guess tap water is O.K., if we can be made to pay for it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/20/technology/20COKE.html?scp=7&sq=coca-c...
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/24/opinion/l-tap-water-in-a-bottle-842370...
