Thursday, March 23, 2006
More Water
Pure coincidence, but there was an item on TV last night how the Israelies have built a desalination plant that supplies the whole of southern Israel with fresh water. The total cost was the same as two F16 fighters would have been. If they can do it.............!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
Time for a comment. The annual water shortage is here again in the south east of England. Only 70% of average rain apparently over the last two years has resulted in a garden hose ban and the threat of standpipes in the street if the rain doesn't come soon. This really pisses me off. The UK is supposed to be the fourth wealthiest nation on earth but it seems that we still have an early Victorian infrastructure supplying our water.
The north of England and all of Scotland is awash with the stuff. It never stops raining up there and the mountain areas are dotted with nice lakes and rivers full to bursting. We have the technology to pipe oil and gas from as far as Siberia and the Caspian Sea. However, it hasn't been considered that we could pipe nice harmless water the 500km or so from the other end of this country. The water is nice and soft up there as well and we could save a fortune on soap. Airports have their fuel delivered by a network of pipes direct from refineries nationwide after all so it's not impossible.
All we really need is a government prepared to spend a little less on jet fighters or build one less 'stealth' frigate and divert the money into a grid for water like we have for electricity. Privatised water companies seem intent on keeping the shareholders happy rather than investing in the system. Thames Water which supplies most of the London area loses 27% of its water to leaks which is disgusting.
If places like Las Vegas and Dubai, both built in deserts, manage to maintain a good water supply why not a corner of our soggy little island?
The north of England and all of Scotland is awash with the stuff. It never stops raining up there and the mountain areas are dotted with nice lakes and rivers full to bursting. We have the technology to pipe oil and gas from as far as Siberia and the Caspian Sea. However, it hasn't been considered that we could pipe nice harmless water the 500km or so from the other end of this country. The water is nice and soft up there as well and we could save a fortune on soap. Airports have their fuel delivered by a network of pipes direct from refineries nationwide after all so it's not impossible.
All we really need is a government prepared to spend a little less on jet fighters or build one less 'stealth' frigate and divert the money into a grid for water like we have for electricity. Privatised water companies seem intent on keeping the shareholders happy rather than investing in the system. Thames Water which supplies most of the London area loses 27% of its water to leaks which is disgusting.
If places like Las Vegas and Dubai, both built in deserts, manage to maintain a good water supply why not a corner of our soggy little island?
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
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