Deaths Caused by Another Poisoned Source of Drinking Water

"I read the news today, oh boy..."

This line from the Beatles song, 'A Day in the Life,' came to mind as soon as I read the article from Mining.com about children in Nigeria dying after drinking water from a stream that was poisoned by illegal gold mining. Lead and water don't mix. Who knew?!?

Of course, we all know better, but poverty in countries like Nigeria—as well as greed—play a role around the world in putting drinking water sources in jeopardy. 

This time it's Nigeria, but where will the next news come from? Water is a human right, and while it is threatened by corporate greed, we must not forget that it is also threatened by poverty. We should all be concerned about potable water sources being compromised anywhere in the world.

So, here's the news headline that caught my attention today:

             At least 28 Nigerian children killed by lead poisoning from illegal gold mining

Children work at the gold processing site in Bagega, Nigeria, in 2012
(Courtesy of Olga Overbeek/MSF) on Mining.com

Excerpt from the article at Mining.com:

        At least 28 children under the age of five have been killed by drinking stream water polluted with lead in Nigeria's Niger state, the country’s health minister Fidelis Nwankwo unveiled Friday.

        According to the country’s officials illegal gold mining is the main cause of the tragedy that has left dozens more in critical conditions.

        "The devastating impact of this outbreak is associated with new mining sites which were found to contain more leaded ores which are often brought home for crushing and processing," minister Nwankwos told reporters, according to AP.

        Doctors found the victims had levels of lead in their blood that were 17 to 22 times higher than acceptable limits as established by the World Health Organization.

The article states that it was illegal gold mining that lead to polluting the drinking water source.

Read the full article from Mining.com here: http://www.mining.com/at-least-28-nigerian-children-killed-by-led-poisoning-from-illegal-gold-mining/?utm_source=digest-en-au-150517&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digest

Plastic Water Bottle Ban in San Francisco

Many water activists congratulated the city of San Francisco for taking the step to ban bottled water earlier this year. It is a huge step, and an important one, especially for a major city to take.

The ban is not citywide though and does come with some exceptions, such as the sale of plastic water bottles is banned only on city-owned property. This is still a great start. The next phase of the ban involves banning the sale of water bottles of 21 ounces or less in public places.

Congratulations to the city of San Francisco - and may many other cities join in banning the sale plastic water bottles soon.


Read more on the San Francisco water  bottle ban here: http://www.yovenice.com/2015/02/26/san-francisco-bans-plastic-water-bottles-sales-on-city-land-should-venice-be-next/

Water Is A Human Right

It's about time we all realized that water, and access to it, is a human right. No one can live without it, at least not for long. Water-borne illnesses are a common occurrence in many parts of the world. People's health, well-being and survival depend on having easy access to clean water for drinking, cooking and bathing. 

The image above is from another great website on water from the Canadian Federation of Students. The site addresses many important water-related issues, such as :

- Water: A Human Right

- No Water For Profit

- Regulation of Water ...and more!

Here's a great take on the bottled water industry from CFS:

BOTTLING A PUBLIC SERVICE

       For the vast majority of Canadians, excellent drinking water is as close as the nearest faucet or fountain. Municipal drinking water is safe, reliable and affordable.

       But the bottled water industry sees this vital public service as its main competition. Multi-million dollar marketing campaigns seek to undermine public confidence in the tap with leaky claims that bottled water is safer or tastes better.

       Yet the facts are clear: the bottled water industry is less regulated than public tap water, is more energy-intensive and more harmful to the environment.

       Canadians aren’t buying the bottled water sales job. Fewer of us are drinking bottled water, according to Statistics Canada. And a growing number of public bodies like municipalities, campuses and school boards are ending the sale of bottled water.

Visit the Canadian Federation of Students website here  for more great information: http://cfs-fcee.ca/take-action/bottle-water-free-communities/