Every day the most important news on water and sanitation from around the world, compiled by the Blue Community Network, defending water as a common, public good and a human right.
Today: Bluewashing, BottledWater, France, Germany, India, Iraq, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Privatisation, Right2Water, SouthAfrica, Switzerland, Syria, UK, UN, WaterCrisis
Iraq/Syria: Euphrates River’s water draining. Drought risk increasing
Iraq/Syria: Euphrates River’s water draining. Drought risk increasingWith the decreasing water levels in the Euphrates River, a major drought risk is emerging in Tabqa. Many drinking water transmission stations have been shut down due to the lack of water.
The water level of the Euphrates River is rapidly decreasing due to the Turkish state’s blocking of water flow to Syrian and Iraqi territories. The Energy Council of Northern and Eastern Syria had warned that the water crisis in the Euphrates River would worsen after the water level at the Euphrates Dam dropped by 6 meters.
Despite being located on the banks of the Euphrates River, the people in the Tiwêhina Camp in Tabqa are experiencing a severe water shortage. Ahmad El Casim, a resident of the camp, told ANHA: “The situation is getting worse. Water is cut off for days, and when it comes, it’s dirty and undrinkable. We have to buy water, and filling a tank costs 25,000 liras. Those who can’t afford it bring water from the lake.”
AFN News / Iraq – Syria – WaterCrisis
![14 producteurs suisses d’eau minérale sur 18 utilisent des filtres trop petits pour garder l’appellation "eau minérale naturelle". [Depositphotos - oporty]](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAASwAAACpAQAAAAC5DD0HAAAAAnRSTlMAAHaTzTgAAAAdSURBVFjD7cExAQAAAMKg9U9tDQ+gAAAAAAAAODIZvwABaHHdTQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg== "BLUE DIGEST 07-07-2025 3")
Switzerland: Are mineral water producers over-filtering their water?
![14 producteurs suisses d’eau minérale sur 18 utilisent des filtres trop petits pour garder l’appellation "eau minérale naturelle". [Depositphotos - oporty]](https://img.rts.ch/articles/2025/image/fzwzu4-28932614.image?w=1280&h=720 "BLUE DIGEST 07-07-2025 3")
Switzerland: Are mineral water producers over-filtering their water?According to the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), 14 out of 18 Swiss mineral water producers use filters, some of which are so fine that the water does not qualify for the ‘natural mineral water’ designation. This process can alter the bacteriological profile of the water, also known as its microbiology.
It is nothing new for producers of so-called ‘natural’ mineral water to try to improve the quality of the water by breaking the law in Switzerland. Last week, the courts in Vaud sanctioned Nestlé and Henniez mineral waters for using activated carbon filters to remove traces of pesticides. Now, it is the turn of mechanical filtration — in this case, using filters that are too fine — to be denounced.
In order to label water as ‘natural mineral water’, a producer must offer it as it comes out of the ground. However, the law does allow for minor interventions. For example, it is possible to aerate the water, let it settle, and mechanically filter out sand without exceeding a certain limit. This process is known as microfiltration.
Germany: A water crisis in Berlin? Heat and water
Germany: A water crisis in Berlin? Heat and waterWater consumption rises on hot days. But what if water becomes scarce now, rather than only after coal has been phased out? An investigation.
Temperatures reach 37 degrees in the shade, accompanied by tropical nights without a cooling breeze. Last Wednesday, Storm Bettina made not only Berliners sweat, but also the Berlin Water Works. On the hottest day of the year so far, the company supplied 880,000 cubic metres of drinking water to the capital. On normal days, the figure is 600,000 cubic metres.
South Africa: Desperate Hillbrow residents turn to leaking manholes for water
South Africa: Desperate Hillbrow residents turn to leaking manholes for waterJOHANNESBURG – Rand Water’s maintenance in Hillbrow is complete, but residents say the water isn’t back yet.
They haven’t seen tankers in the area in days.
It’s forced some residents to turn to leaking manholes for the precious liquid.
With no clear answers or clean alternatives, this situation is sparking serious concerns for hygiene, health, and basic dignity.
Mexico: The El Batán Project – the prelude to water privatisation in Querétaro?
Mexico: The El Batán Project – the prelude to water privatisation in Querétaro?Organisations and political groups have warned that the approval of the El Batán System in Querétaro could lead to water privatisation by private interests in the state.
Morena deputies, collectives and civil society are rejecting the El Batán project, which was proposed by Governor Mauricio Kuri González to improve the water supply in Querétaro.
The Querétaro government presents the programme as ‘the most important water project since Aqueduct II’, which was implemented in 2016. It is to be financed through a public-private partnership (PPP) with a 30-year concession and a state payment obligation beginning in 2026, once Aqueduct II has been paid off.
The El Batán system involves accumulating wastewater in the El Batán dam in Querétaro. After purification, this water would be used to supply the state.
Morocco: Water demand. Pressure on Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakesh as dams struggle to keep up
Morocco: Water demand. Pressure on Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakesh as dams struggle to keep upMorocco’s drinking water needs exceed 1.7 billion m³ per year, with major cities such as Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakesh at the forefront of the battle against drought. Despite significant rainfall in March and April, as well as major projects to strengthen infrastructure, dam fill rates remain alarmingly low. Expert Omayma Khalil El Fenn warns against inaction, stating that ‘ordinary citizens should not have to pay the price for delays’.
Morocco faces a major challenge in terms of water security. At a time when the country’s drinking water needs exceed 1.7 billion cubic metres per year, figures recently published by the Ministry of Equipment and Water’s ‘الما ديالنا’ platform indicate an overall dam fill rate of only 37.9% as of 30 June 2025. In this tense context, major cities such as Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakesh account for a significant proportion of consumption and therefore of the risks.
France: An island in troubled waters. Delving into the water crisis in Réunion.
France: An island in troubled waters. Delving into the water crisis in Réunion.Despite its heavy rainfall, Réunion struggles to provide its inhabitants with high-quality drinking water. This is due not only to the local geography and climate, but also to the complex web of local and national political responsibilities, which has left the local authorities in Réunion unable to make the necessary investments.
The southern winter has just begun in Réunion. For the inhabitants of this French island, this traditionally drier and cooler season is an opportunity to take a breather after the humidity and intense heat of cyclone season.
Italy: Nicotera in crisis. Opposizione Civica raises the alarm over water and health emergency
Italy: Nicotera in crisis. Opposizione Civica raises the alarm over water and health emergencyA dramatic water emergency has been added to the already serious economic crisis, with contaminated water and constant interruptions bringing the community to its knees.
The situation in Nicotera is unsustainable. The chronic economic and employment crisis in the area has been exacerbated by a genuine water and health emergency. The ‘Opposizione Civica’ movement has strongly denounced this situation through its spokesperson, Enzo Comerci, who sent a letter to the Prefect of Vibo Valentia to draw the attention of the institutions to what he describes as a ‘dramatic’ situation.
‘People are desperate,’ writes Comerci, ‘not only because of the serious economic crisis and the sea problem, but above all because of issues relating to the shortage, distribution and quality of drinking water.’ This combination of factors is testing the resilience of citizens.
Haiti: Access to water under the threat of violence
Haiti: Access to water under the threat of violenceWhen truck drivers brave danger to deliver essential water to displacement sites.
As Haiti continues to be grappled by violence, every workday is a gamble for Mackenson, a truck driver in Port-au-Prince. Every time he climbs into his truck to fetch water, he prepares to face the unknown.
“I don’t know if I’ll run into armed groups, if I’ll be kidnapped, or if I’ll die. Every day is a day on borrowed time,” he admits. Over 85% of the city he works in is controlled by armed groups.
Mexico: The water shortage in Mixtlalcingo affects more than 2,000 residents.
Mexico: The water shortage in Mixtlalcingo affects more than 2,000 residents.They resort to regularly purchasing water tankers to guarantee a supply, as they do not have access to a drinking water system.
The residents of Mixtlalcingo in Yecapixtla are facing a shortage of drinking water, which is forcing them to find individual solutions such as digging private wells, installing cisterns, and buying water tankers to ensure a supply to their homes.
Antonio Torres, a local resident, said that there is no functional drinking water system in the area. “Almost all houses have a well or a cistern, or both,” he explained, describing the situation facing the community of around 2,678 people.
UK faced having to turn taps off as water supply risked running dry in 10 years
UK faced having to turn taps off as water supply risked running dry in 10 yearsThe public was unaware of how close the country was to bringing in water rationing says Environment Secretary Steve Reed – who warns that fixing the system will take years.
Google’s carbon emissions surge 65% amid AI expansion, report finds
Google’s carbon emissions surge 65% amid AI expansion, report findsGoogle is facing mounting scrutiny over its environmental impact, as a new report challenges the tech giant’s claims about its progress toward carbon neutrality. Despite setting a 2030 net-zero target in 2021, Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise—by 51% according to its own figures, and by 65% according to a new analysis by the non-profit advocacy group Kairos Fellowship.
The report, titled Google’s Eco-Failures, paints a stark picture of the company’s environmental trajectory, highlighting a 1,515% increase in total emissions since 2010. The sharpest annual rise occurred between 2023 and 2024, when emissions jumped by 26%.
Tell Google: Stop enabling the climate crisis: Kairos Fellowship Petition
India: Too hot, too wet. Is this India’s new normal?
India: Too hot, too wet. Is this India’s new normal?This year, weather in India hasn’t just been small talk; it’s been making headlines. In just a few weeks, floods have swept through Assam and Delhi, while relentless heatwaves turned homes in north India into furnaces. All of this followed India’s hottest February in 125 years.
As summer set in, the monsoon arrived early and with force, bringing intense rainfall across central and southern India. The North-east witnessed floods and landslides, and by late June, heavy rains had returned, triggering flood-like situations in parts of both eastern and western India. Meanwhile, far from these floodplains, the Thar Desert is surprisingly undergoing greening, hinting at deeper shifts in climate and groundwater use.
UK: The People’s Commission on the Water Sector – Cleaner, Cheaper, Fairer in Public Ownership.
UK: The People’s Commission on the Water Sector – Cleaner, Cheaper, Fairer in Public Ownership. There is a better future for the water sector in England and Wales, and it is vital that we have the ambition and the courage to reach for it. Getting there requires political will to unravel the complicated web of interests. Drawing on the evidence we present here and the UK’s vast experience in reforming vital services, we show that it is possible to conserve and protect water now and for the future.
