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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Climate
- Business Standard
England's water crisis renews focus on data centre cooling and consumption
England's worsening drought has been declared a 'nationally significant incident' by the National Drought Group (NDG). While public focus is often on farms, rivers, and households, experts are also pointing to the role of data centres — vast energy-hungry facilities that require millions of litres of water each year to keep servers cool. State of the water crisis • Five regions of the country, including Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and the East Midlands, are officially in drought • Six more are in prolonged dry weather phase • Reservoirs are 67.7 per cent full, compared to a typical August average of 80.5 per cent • July rainfall was just 89 per cent of the long-term average, the sixth month in a row of below-normal rain Helen Wakeham, director of Water at the Environment Agency, said, 'The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment. Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water.' Why data centres matter • Cooling servers in large tech facilities consumes huge amounts of water, often sourced from local mains supplies. • Environmental groups warn that during droughts, this demand can compete with drinking water, farming needs and ecological protection. What's being done • Yorkshire Water reports a 10 per cent fall in household demand since a hosepipe ban — saving 80 million litres per day • Water companies have invested £700 million in leak reduction over five years • Smart meter technology is helping find and fix leaks faster. Thames Water alone has repaired over 1,000 leaks in hosepipe-ban zones since June. Impact on farming and food supply National Farmers' Union (NFU) Vice-President Rachel Hallos said, "British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions... Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business.' Minimal grass growth is already forcing livestock farmers to use winter feed, raising future costs. Environmental toll • Lower river flows reduce oxygen levels, triggering fish kills and algal blooms • Wetlands are drying, threatening habitats for rare species • Wildfires have increased on heathland and moorland How you can save water, even digitally NDG's public advice includes: • Collect rainwater for gardens • Fix leaking toilets • Take shorter showers • Avoid lawn watering • Delete unused emails, videos, and files — reducing data centre workloads and cooling needs
ITV News
12-08-2025
- Climate
- ITV News
What is the latest drought warning and what does it mean for you?
The water shortfall situation in England has been described as "nationally significant" as reservoir levels continue to recede. The National Drought Group (NDG), which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, met on Tuesday following the six driest months to July since 1976. Five areas remain in drought, and six more are experiencing prolonged dry weather. What does the drought warning mean? Quite simply, it means there is a shortage of water. This year, it has been triggered by record-breaking temperatures and an extremely dry spring. The problem is made worse by a lack of storage (no new reservoirs have been built in the past 30 years) and leaks from pipes. The lack of water has led to hosepipe bans being introduced in some parts of the country, and farmers are reporting low yields from their harvests. National Farmers' Union (NF) Vice-President Rachel Hallos said: 'British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions, with harvest underway and crop yields proving mixed across the country. Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business and could impact the UK's overall harvest. 'Farming is a long-term industry, and there is growing concern about the months ahead. Minimal grass growth means many livestock farmers are already tapping into winter feed stocks, raising the risk of higher production costs later in the year.' Despite some heavy spells of rain recently, reservoirs fell by 2% last week and are now, on average, 67.7% full across England. The average for the first week of August is 80.5%. Last month, the average was 75.6%. What does this mean for our water use? Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency's Director of Water, said: "The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment." The less water that is used, the less needs to be abstracted from local rivers - therefore, helping to protect the health of our waterways and wildlife. Hosepipe bans have already made an impact. Yorkshire Water has reported a 10% reduction in domestic demand following its hosepipe ban. This equates to saving up to 80 million litres per day - equivalent to 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Where are the drought areas? Drought has been declared in Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, the East Midlands, and the West Midlands. Where are the five areas that are not quite in drought but nearly? Areas experiencing prolonged dry weather (the phase before drought) include: North East, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, East Anglia, Thames, Wessex, Solent, and South Downs. Where are the current hosepipe bans? Southern Water Almost one million Southern Water customers are affected by a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), also known as a hosepipe ban, which came into effect from 9am on Monday, July 21, across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Southern Water is the latest company to enforce water restrictions and has asked all of its other customers to use water wisely. The ban follows the Environment Agency's declaration that the Solent and South Downs are in "prolonged dry weather". Thames Water The UK's largest water company enacted a ban on July 22 for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire, and parts of Berkshire. Affected postcodes include all OX, GL, SN, as well as RG4, RG8, and RG9. This ban does not apply to London, which Thames Water also serves. The measure was introduced after the Environment Agency placed the area into the 'prolonged dry weather' category. Yorkshire Water Yorkshire Water's hosepipe ban came into force on July 18, affecting around five million households in the region. You are likely to be affected if you live in York, Leeds, Hull, Doncaster or Sheffield. It does not affect customers who only receive wastewater services from Yorkshire June, the Environment Agency officially declared a drought in the county, with reservoirs currently at around three-quarters of their normal levels for this time of year. Yorkshire Water's director of water, Dave Kaye, said: 'Introducing these restrictions was not a decision we took lightly, and we have done everything we can to avoid implementing them.' South East Water The hosepipe ban for parts of Kent and Sussex came into force on July areas include Ashford, Canterbury, Eastbourne, Maidstone, Haywards Heath and Royal Tunbridge Wells. Watering flowers or gardens is not permitted under the hosepipe ban. The company has supplied 680 million litres of water in a single day this year and is monitoring the situation in its western region, covering parts of Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire. Coastal regions such as Dover and Folkestone are not included in this ban, as they are served by a separate water supplier.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Gelatin from goat skin offers non-bovine, non-pork alternative to food, pharma sectors
Hyderabad: A superior gelatin extracted from the skin of Black Bengal goats with likely use in pharma and food sectors has been identified by researchers. The study highlighted its potential as a halal alternative to the two sectors seeking non-bovine and non-porcine gelatin. According to the researchers, goat skin accounted for nearly 10% of the animal's live weight and is often underutilised. The study's findings supported its valorisation into high-value gelatin, promoting circular economy practices. The research by city-based ICAR-National Meat Research Institute in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Sciences, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati, compared gelatin extracted from the skins of two indigenous Indian goat breeds – Black Bengal (BBG) and Native Deccani (NDG). The study aimed to optimise the gelatin extraction process under hot air and freeze drying conditions and assess its functionality across industrial applications. The freeze dried gelatin obtained from BBG skins displayed significantly better gel strength (453g) and viscosity compared to hot air dried counterparts and NDG samples. The study also reported higher hydroxyproline content, gel clarity, and instrumental texture properties, particularly hardness, in BBG-derived gelatin. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed compact, interwoven protein structures in BBG gelatin with no visible voids, indicating greater uniformity and strength. Fourier Transform Infrared analysis confirmed the presence of stable triple helical structures, with distinct Amide I and II peaks in freeze dried samples. These findings suggested that gelatin from BBG skin possessed enhanced stability and functionality. Mass spectrometry of the extracted protein bands confirmed the presence of collagen type I-α1 as the predominant chain in both goat breeds, the study said. Notably, unique peptides such as collagen type XXII-α1 and α-1(III) were observed only in BBG gelatin, suggesting breed-specific functional characteristics. A species-specific peptide found in both samples provided a molecular marker for goat-based gelatin authentication, researchers said. The study was published in the latest issue of Small Ruminant Research.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
How teens can land a summer job through the YMCA's Youth Work Co-op
With summer fast approaching, many teens are on the hunt for their first job. The YMCA's Westmount and NDG locations are offering a helping hand through their summer Youth Work Co-operative. The program kicks off with info sessions designed to guide young people through job opportunities, teamwork and earning their own income. We spoke with Caitlin Zaloum, a supervisor with TeenZones at the Westmount and NDG YMCAs.
CTV News
10-05-2025
- CTV News
Woman, 76, in critical condition after being hit on head by tree branch in NDG
A 76-year-old woman is in critical condition after a large branch fell on her in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) neighbourhood. Montreal police (SPVM) said that multiple 911 calls came in at around 12:50 p.m. after the woman was hit at the corner of Queen Mary Road and Macdonald Avenue. Police, paramedics and firefighters responded to the scene. 'When they arrived, there was already a citizen performing CPR on the victim,' SPVM spokesperson Veronique Dubuc said. The woman sustained a serious head injury and was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Police remained on scene to collect evidence but the incident has not been ruled a criminal event.
