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Articles on Rainwater
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Water is everywhere, but freshwater supplies are limited on many Caribbean islands. Rising demand and climate change are worsening water shortages for the people who live here.
The UK’s Victorian-era sewer network is at breaking point.
Heavier rainfall and more frequent storms raise the risk of floodwaters running over or around dams, potentially causing them to fail.
Nigeria can produce more rice to feed its burgeoning population by harnessing its wastewater.
Rainwater may be contaminated with chemicals and scientists are still uncertain about their effects.
Rainwater is a vital resource in many communities, but it’s not always safe to use. This sustainable and cheap invention could help many households in remote areas.
Rationing water at home will benefit moisture-starved ecosystems.
Water is central to adapting to climate change, but very few of the strategies put in place to respond to water hazards or ensure its availability have been evaluated.
Britain’s electricity supply is getting greener but the burning question remains over how to decarbonise heating.
Plants can find it tough to get all the nitrogen they need, especially from Australian soils. But summer storms can provide an added boost.
While making small volumes of pure water in a lab is possible, it’s not practical. The reaction is expensive, releases lots of energy, and can cause really massive explosions.
Faced with a drought, it’s tempting for cities to reduce the amount of space that needs water. But this is not a good idea.
Many countries collect and store rainwater for use during drought or dry seasons. But this technique is rarely used in the Caribbean, where hurricanes can leave people without water for months.
The beauty of rainwater harvesting is that anybody can do it.
Water is increasingly becoming scarce as the climate changes. There are four changes that cities can make to adapt to water scarcity.
Australian cities have turned to some very costly solutions when water is scarce. But as the world’s second-highest users of water per person, more efficient use and recycling are key.
States, including Colorado, restrict the use of rain barrels. A water law scholar says a better way to conserve is reduce waste from big – and powerful – water users.
Geosciences can be a valuable tool in the fight to provide Sub-Saharan Africa with safe drinking water.
Built-up urban environments transform the resource of rainwater into wasted runoff. Low Impact Development mimics nature to help get stormwater into the natural water system.
Top contributors
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Assistant Professor of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
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University of Cape Town
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Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Environmental and Natural Resources Law, University of Oregon
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Senior lecturer, Nelson Mandela University
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Honorary Fellow, Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne
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Postdoctoral fellow, University of Cape Town
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Senior Lecturer, Western Sydney University
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Researcher, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University
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Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Biosciences, Cardiff University
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Programme coordinator, water management, Center for International Forestry Research – World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)
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Lecturer, Western Sydney University
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Professor, Western Sydney University
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Professor of Contaminant Chemistry, Stockholm University
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia
