DCU and UCC are collaborating on a continuous water-monitoring sensor that has many potential applications, writes Áine Bird of The Irish Times.

The annual bathing water report just presented by the European Commission reveals that the large majority of bathing sites across the European Union met EU hygiene standards in 2007.

Spain has begun importing water by sea from Southern France and other coastal areas, since reservoir levels have dropped to around one-quarter of capacity after 18 months of drought.

With the security of drinking water a major concern worldwide, new guidelines from ISO on managing drinking water supplies during crises are particularly opportune.

The European Parliament's environment committee has reinstated a list of priority hazardous substances to be banned from water by 2025 - putting it on a collision course with those EU member states which had already rejected the proposal a year ago.

Many food and drinks processing companies have much to do before they can claim to be operating sustainably in terms of water consumption, according to a new report published by the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR)[1].

As several of Ireland's top companies faced criticism for their water consumption earlier this month, the University of Twente in the Netherlands has launched an online water footprint calculator.

The Irish Times has reported that the search for a site for a new regional sewerage plant for the greater Dublin area is to resume more than three years after the original location at Portrane in north Dublin was rejected by Fingal county councillors.

The CEOs of 19 corporations - such as the Dow Chemical Company, Unilever and Westpac Bank - have signed a letter calling on G8 leaders to address the issue of water during their upcoming Hokkaido Toyako Summit from July 7-9 in Japan.

The National Water Conference 2008, entitled - 'Working Together to Protect Water from Catchment to Consumer' - will take place on 11th and 12th June 2008 in the Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, Galway.