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Florida Could Soon Become Uninsurable—and Other States Will Likely Follow

/in , /by /Newsweekby Giulia Carbonaro

Florida is no stranger to extreme weather events, a fact that those living in Sunshine State have always factored in when insuring their homes. But as climate change exacerbates the frequency and severity of events like droughts, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes in the U.S., the reality Floridians and insurers in the state are working with is quickly changing. Florida, according to several experts, is becoming “uninsurable.” And other states, starting from California, might follow suit in the near future.

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Big Jump in Water Rates Likely in Sonoma

/in , /by /Northern California Public Mediaby Marc Albert
With little discussion, and unanimous approval, city council members in Sonoma started a process to significantly raise water rates in the city. The action Wednesday sets in motion ten years of annual rate increases, totaling a cumulative 53.4 percent. The average monthly bill would rise for just shy of $43 a month to more than $104. Teresa Jurotich, a consultant from the firm Raftelis, which performed a study and devised the rate plan, said without the increases, the city’s water fund would dry up.
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New State Task Force Starts Work on Responding to Worst-Case Colorado River Scenarios

/in , , /by /CPR News by Michael Elizabeth Sakas

A new state task force charged with investigating the local effects of the drought-depleted Colorado River and recommending legislation to respond to the water crisis met for the first time this week.

Members representing different river interests who gathered for the first meeting on July 31 shared hope that they would find common ground as they collaborate on possible policies, tools and solutions to help respond to the Colorado River, which has been depleted by a 20-year megadrought, climate change and overuse.

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Opinion: A New Age of Water is Dawning

/in , , /by /TIME by Peter H. Gleick

We’re living in a pivotal moment in history, on the cusp of either sinking into a dark period of growing poverty, accelerating ecological destruction, and worsening conflict, or moving forward to a new age of equity, sustainability, and stewardship of the only planet in the universe where we know life exists. I believe a positive future is not only possible, but inevitable, but solving our current crises and moving along the path to that desired future will require new, concerted, and sustained efforts.

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Valley Fever Could Hit California Hard. The Drought-to-Downpour Cycle is to Blame

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Summer Lin

After California’s record-breaking winter rains, public health officials are warning about an increased risk for valley fever this summer.

“California’s dry conditions, combined with recent heavy winter rains could result in increasing valley fever cases in the coming months,” California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Tomás Aragón said in a news release.

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Monterey City Council Welcomes Regional Collaboration to Tackle Water Crisis

/in , , /by /Monterey Herald by Tess Kenny

Affordable housing and water – you can’t have one without the other. It’s a stark reality cities on the Monterey Peninsula know well, with the latter always seeming in short supply. But the city of Monterey seems determined to make sure the tap doesn’t run out, for either resource.

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Her Bedroom Was 100 Degrees During Phoenix Heat Wave — and Her AC Was Out

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Jack Herrera

It was just before dinnertime on Day 16 of the worst heat wave in Phoenix history, and the temperature outside Karen Shute’s suburban home was 117 degrees.

Inside, Shute mixed two cocktails and sat down with her friend at the kitchen table. To save on her electric bill, Shute kept her thermostat around 80 degrees during the summer, but she decided she’d treat her friend that evening. She got up and turned it down to 77.

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UA Program to Help Farmers Conserve Water Through Irrigation Systems, Crop Selection

/in , /by /KJZZby Ron Dungan

About three-fourths of Arizona’s water supply goes to agriculture, and policy makers say the state needs to address that fact as it confronts a shrinking Colorado River.

That’s why a University of Arizona program is helping farmers use water more efficiently.

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Climate Change Made July Hotter for Almost Every Human on Earth

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Seth Borenstein

Human-caused global warming made July hotter for four out of five people on Earth, with more than 2 billion people feeling climate change-boosted warmth daily, according to a flash study.

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Regional Partnerships Can Bring a Refreshing Solution to Aging Water Infrastructure

/in , , /by /Route Fifty by Kaitlyn Levinson

The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire last year burned more than 340,000 acres in northern New Mexico, leaving the air smoky, the land barren and water systems clogged with ash. To this day, water pollution continues to put the health of more than 13,000 residents of Las Vegas, New Mexico, at risk.

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