Latest news with #water
Bloomberg
21 minutes ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Says It Spoke With Neighbors on Planned Mega-Dam's Impacts
China said it has talked with countries downstream about its new dam project in Tibet, a massive undertaking that will affect a key source of water for India and Bangladesh. 'China has carried out cooperation on hydrology reporting, flood prevention and disaster alleviation with relevant downstream countries and has had necessary communication with them,' said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun during a regular press conference on Wednesday.
Al Arabiya
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
‘No life without water': Settler attacks threaten West Bank communities
From his monitoring station on a remote hill in the occupied West Bank, water operator Subhil Olayan keeps watch over a lifeline for Palestinians, the Ein Samiyah spring. So when Israeli settlers recently attacked the system of wells, pumps and pipelines he oversees, he knew the stakes. 'There is no life without water, of course,' he said, following the attack which temporarily cut off the water supply to nearby villages. The spring, which feeds the pumping station, is the main or backup water source for some 110,000 people, according to the Palestinian company that manages it -- making it one of the most vital in the West Bank, where water is in chronic short supply. The attack is one of several recent incidents in which settlers have been accused of damaging, diverting or seizing control of Palestinian water sources. 'The settlers came and the first thing they did was break the pipeline. And when the pipeline is broken, we automatically have to stop pumping' water to nearby villages, some of which exclusively rely on the Ein Samiyah spring. 'The water just goes into the dirt, into the ground,' Olayan told AFP, adding that workers immediately fixed the damage to resume water supply. Just two days after the latest attack, Israeli settlers -- some of them armed -- splashed in pools just below the spring, while Olayan monitored water pressure and cameras from a distance. His software showed normal pressure in the pipes pulling water from the wells and the large pipe carrying water up the hill to his village of Kafr Malik. But he said maintenance teams dared not venture down to the pumping station out of fear for their safety. Since the start of the war in Gaza, deadly settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have become commonplace. Last week, settlers beat a 20-year-old dual US citizen to death in the nearby village of Sinjil, prompting US ambassador Mike Huckabee to urge Israel to 'aggressively investigate' the killing. Annexation Issa Qassis, chairman on the board of the Jerusalem Water Undertaking, which manages the Ein Samiyah spring, said he viewed the attacks as a tool for Israeli land grabs and annexation. 'When you restrict water supply in certain areas, people simply move where water is available,' he told AFP at a press conference. 'So in a plan to move people to other lands, water is the best and fastest way,' he said. Since the start of the war in Gaza, several Israeli politicians and officials have become increasingly vocal in support of annexing the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. Most prominent among them is Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, who said in November that 2025 would be the year Israel applies its sovereignty over the Palestinian territory. Qassis accused Israel's government of supporting settler attacks such as the one on Ein Samiyah. The Israeli army told AFP that soldiers were not aware of the incident in which pipes were damaged, 'and therefore were unable to prevent it.' The damage to Ein Samiyah's water facilities was not an isolated incident. In recent months, settlers in the nearby Jordan Valley took control of the Al-Auja spring by diverting its water from upstream, said Farhan Ghawanmeh, a representative of the Ras Ein Al Auja community. He said two other springs in the area had also recently been taken over. Water rights In Dura al-Qaraa, another West Bank village that uses the Ein Samiyah spring as a back-up water source, residents are also concerned about increasingly long droughts and the way Israel regulates their water rights. 'For years now, no one has been planting because the water levels have decreased,' said Rafeaa Qasim, a member of the village council, citing lower rainfall causing the land to be 'basically abandoned.' Qasim said that though water shortages in the village have existed for 30 years, residents' hands are tied in the face of this challenge. 'We have no options; digging a well is not allowed,' despite the presence of local water springs, he said, pointing to a well project that the UN and World Bank rejected due to Israeli law prohibiting drilling in the area. The lands chosen for drilling sit in the West Bank's Area C, which covers more than 60 percent of the territory and is under full Israeli control. Israeli NGO B'Tselem reported in 2023 that the legal system led to sharp disparities in water access within the West Bank between Palestinians and Israelis. Whereas nearly all residents of Israel and Israeli settlements have running water every day, only 36 percent of West Bank Palestinians do, the report said. In Dura al-Qaraa, Qasim fears for the future. 'Each year, the water decreases and the crisis grows -- it's not getting better, it's getting worse.'
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Jacobs Reinforces Historic Water Operations and Maintenance Presence in Western US
Supports continued delivery of resilient infrastructure and reliable water and wastewater service DALLAS, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE: J) has secured multiple contract wins and renewals for operations and maintenance (O&M) services, reinforcing its roots in the Northwest U.S. and growth in the wider water and wastewater utility O&M industry in the Western U.S. Jacobs was recently awarded new water and wastewater O&M contracts with Soquel Creek Water District, West Basin Water District and Lincoln-Sewer Management District 1 Wastewater Authority in California. Jacobs also renewed existing O&M contracts in Hood River, Oregon; Walla Walla, Washington; Twin Falls, Idaho; Cutter and Rio Rancho in New Mexico; and Red Bluff and Crescent City in California, which together span more than 144 years of collaboration. 'At Jacobs, we do not take for granted the importance of delivering an essential service like fresh drinking water, as well as protecting our sensitive environment through the collection and advanced treatment of wastewater,' said Executive Vice President Greg Fischer. 'Jacobs is uniquely positioned to provide O&M services that are directly supported by world-leading water engineering experience. This not only assures delivery of these crucial services but also extracts the maximum capacity from the utility's existing asset-base.' Forty-five years ago, Jacobs' O&M business originated in Oregon. Today, Jacobs is among the largest O&M solutions providers in the North American water market. Jacobs is responsible for a portfolio of more than 300 facilities, providing a range of services, including O&M of water and wastewater utilities, advanced water treatment facilities, public works, community development and facilities management. 'As utilities in the West are being challenged with climate change, tightening regulations and workforce shortages, we're utilizing our Digital OneWater suite of solutions like Intelligent O&M, Aqua DNA and Dragonfly to optimize operations, provide data-driven results for clients and enhance the lives of the communities we serve,' said Fischer. At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow – delivering outcomes and solutions for the world's most complex challenges. With approximately $12 billion in annual revenue and a team of almost 45,000, we provide end-to-end services in advanced manufacturing, cities & places, energy, environmental, life sciences, transportation and water. From advisory and consulting, feasibility, planning, design, program and lifecycle management, we're creating a more connected and sustainable world. See how at and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Facebook. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not directly relate to any historical or current fact. When used herein, words such as 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' 'plans,' 'intends,' 'future,' 'will,' 'would,' 'could,' 'can,' 'may,' and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations, as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, uncertainties as to, the timing of the award of projects and funding and potential changes to the amounts provided for under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other legislation and executive orders related to governmental spending, including any directive to federal agencies to reduce federal spending or the size of the federal workforce, and changes in U.S. or foreign tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances, including the impact of, and changes to tariffs and retaliatory tariffs or trade policies, that may adversely impact our future financial positions or results of operations, as well as general economic conditions, including inflation and the actions taken by monetary authorities in response to inflation, changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, changes in capital markets, the possibility of a recession or economic downturn, and increased uncertainty and risks, including policy risks and potential civil unrest, relating to the outcome of elections across our key markets and elevated geopolitical tension and conflicts, among others. For a description of these and additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law. For press/media inquiries: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Jacobs
CTV News
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Driver hits gas instead of brake and ends up in Detroit River: WPS
SUV being pulled out of the water at the at Lakeview Marina in Windsor, Ont., on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Source: Unofficial On Location/Facebook)
Zawya
21 hours ago
- Health
- Zawya
The Power of Water: How the Angola Institutional and Sustainability Support to Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project is Transforming Lives
'Before this support, we had a lot of difficulties accessing water. We used to fetch it from the river. It was very distant for us, and we suffered from many diseases. But now, since we've had water available to everyone, cholera has decreased significantly, infections have decreased a lot, too, so I'm grateful for that'. These words from Clementina Artur, capture the real impact of the African Development Bank's transformative intervention in people's lives, with the Institutional and Sustainability Support to Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which started in 2015 and will be completed at the end of 2025. When the African Development Bank's initiative reached these communities in Angola, it didn't merely install infrastructure – it transformed lives for the most vulnerable communities, leaving no one behind. Isabel Sambovana is also another success life story. Her life changed completely with the installation of a latrine in her community (Sumbe). 'Before having the latrine, I was forced to go to the grass behind the wall of my house. It was very painful because of my age. But now I have a bathroom, and it has made my life easier. With the latrine here in the yard, I don't need to move around. I have more dignity.' Before this installation, people in the community were forced to defecate in the open air, increasing diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and malaria – but now with proper sanitation, women have regained their dignity and safety. Now, everything has changed. Most importantly, Isabel's latrine proved to be life changing. It spurred the community to self-build additional 301 latrines. A Project That Integrates and Complements Itself Like Life The project, set to conclude in December of 2025 after a decade of implementation, has delivered remarkable results: the seven utility companies supported by the project have made a total of more than 59,008 household water connections, reaching a total of more than 472,000 people. Seven utility companies have been legally established and received technical assistance to establish a strong financial management function, and engage the private sector in operation and maintenance; 179 women-run water kiosks set up in peri-urban areas are functioning; three new water quality laboratories were built in three different provinces (Cunene, Bengo and Sumbe); 11 coastal cities have developed their sanitation investment plans of which three have proceeded to investment stage and a further five have secured financial commitment, and master plans have been developed for the provincial capitals. A social and gender inclusion strategy and an action plan for the sector have been developed. An internship program was developed that helped some 60 young Angolans to learn and gain technical experience in project management, engineering, financial management, environment, social and other relevant areas. The numbers tell only part of the story. According to project task manager from African Development Bank Eskendir Alemseged: 'The project is transformative, tackling critical challenges related to institutional reform, infrastructure development, and improved service delivery across a broad geographic area in Angola. Through its comprehensive approach, the project not only provided access to clean water for an additional 472,000 people but also enhanced service delivery systems that positively impacted nearly 1.5 million individuals. This broad-scale intervention has laid the foundation for more resilient and equitable water and sanitation services across the country.' Women Empowered, Communities Transformed For women like Helena, the project has delivered more than water, sanitation and infrastructure – it has brought financial independence and empowerment. 'I started as an intern, and now I am responsible for the microbiology department. There are four of us women and two men, and the laboratory's job is to carry out physical, chemical and microbiological analyses of water. Apart from Sumbe, the laboratory supports some municipalities in Kwanza Sul, such as Gabela and Porto Amboim. This project has brought about a huge change in my life. Before, I was unemployed, but now I work in a fascinating area, where I gain more knowledge every day, and that is very rewarding,' she says. In the case of young Gilda Giza Rede, the journey starts today. In a group of 10 interns, she is the only girl working as an electromechanical maintenance technician at the Sumbe WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant). Just 20, she has high expectations for the role she holds and is eager to learn: 'This Sumbe WWTP project will help many families in terms of disease prevention and management of wastewater, it will help farmers get access to organic fertilizer,' she says. Water is life - and for the African Development Bank, these words are a meaningful insight into how to continue to move forward and improve the quality of Life for the People of Angola. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
