We are tired, we sweat, we are completely red...it’s not easy to handle extreme heat ! Here are some simple but important rules to follow.

At home. During the day, limit the sources of heat entry by closing the shutters, curtains and blinds. If your house or apartment is not equipped with air conditioning, take refuge in the coolest rooms and turn on a fan. Cool yourself down regularly by spraying your body and face with water, with the help of a spray bottle, for example. Also, think about frequently running cold water from the faucet over your forearms. Here’s a clever idea: you can cool down your damp towels in the refrigerator. You can use them to wipe off with. Know that a foot bath in cold water is the best remedy against heat. At night, leave your windows open and let the room where you sleep cool down by letting in a small draft.

Outside. If you must leave the house, try to leave during the coolest times of the day and avoid leaving between noon and 4:00 p.m. Stay in the shade as often as possible, avoiding places that are the most exposed to the sun. Forget about physical activities (sports, gardening, housework…) during the hottest hours. Wear loose-fitting, light-weight, and light-colored clothing, preferably made of cotton, and remember to wear a hat and bring a fan. Bring a bottle of water with you everywhere and hydrate yourself by drinking regularly with small sips. Eat lightly, choosing fruits and vegetables: melons, watermelons, tomatoes (without eating in excess). Alcoholic drinks are forbidden because they are vulnerable to heat. Lastly, avoid driving because being in an overheated car is equivalent to driving while under the influence!

5th meeting between the science community and the management of the Loire basin and its tributaries

Date : July 6, 2011
Place : Orléans (France)
Description : These work meetings on this platform take place three times per year to discuss project advancements, present work and publication results, and inform about calls for research proposals and bid requests.
To learn more : http://www.plan-loire.fr/fr/les-plates-formes/recherche-donnees-information/rdi-vie-des-projets/rendez-vous-annuels/2011/index.html

Singapore International Water Week : Sustainable water solutions for a changing urban environment

Date : July 4 – July 6, 2011
Place : Singapore, Singapore
Description : Singapore International Water Week is a global platform for water solutions and brings together a team of policy makers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss new challenges, showcase technologies, and discover new opportunities for "sustainable water solutions for a changing urban environment".
To learn more : http://www.siww.com.sg/about-singapore-international-water-week

Indowater 2011

Date : July 14 – 16, 2011
Place : Jakarta, Indonesia
Description : Indowater is largely known by the industry as the key industry forum in Indonesia consisting of an international exposition, a conference, and a technology symposium. It’s the place where top regional policy makers come together and can exchange their respective activities. The exhibition is endorsed by the Indonesian Water Supply Association (Perpamsi) and the Indonesian Society of Sanitary and Environmental Engineers (IATPI), supported by the Ministry of Public Works, the State Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Trade.
To learn more : http://www.indowater.merebo.com/

… Pollution by pesticides, increased temperatures... water tables are mistreated. Yet, French water tables contain considerable reserves.

2000 billion cubic meters! This is the amount of water that can be mobilized in water tables, according to the Department of Geology and Mining, a public establishment which manages the resources and risks of the ground and underground. Water tables, masses of water held in underground cracks, replenish themselves with rain. But since the beginning of the year, there has been a significant rainfall shortage, making the replenishing period not very effective.

Yet, drought does not necessarily happen with a decrease in stock. From May to September, when the replenishing period stops, the air is hot or dry but does not prevent the water tables from continuing to follow their inner rhythm underground. On the contrary, if water table levels decrease during a drought of agricultural soils, water pumping intensifies the decrease in stock. Abnormal drops must be watched, notably by companies such as Nestlé Waters, whose entire business relies on the replenishment of water.

Fully aware of the need to preserve water, Nestlé Waters is a modest user of water since its operations only represent 0.0009% of the withdrawals from the world’s available water reserves. For each spring, significant analyses of sustainability, quality, quantity, and taste are conducted.

Thanks to a permanent measurement system (flow, level, temperature, precipitation...), Nestlé Waters tracks the data of its springs and acts quickly if an anomaly is detected. An internal auditor, the Water Resource Review, evaluates its long-term sustainability and allows the protection measures to be adapted to each spring. Nestlé Waters complies with the regulation that limits certain practices, thus guaranteeing the protection of the springs against external pollution risks. In the long-term, Nestlé Waters is involved in different programs in collaboration with local communities such as Vittel with the Agrivair project.

8th IWA Leading-Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies, ACE11, Cannes Water Symposium...

Nestlé Waters takes you to June's main events about Water and environment.

The 8th IWA Leading-Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies

Date : June 6-10, 2011
Place : Amsterdam, Netherlands

The IWA (International Water Association) conference will gather water experts from all over the world in Amsterdam to talk about the latest advances in water and wastewater treatment. This is an opportunity to network and meet experts in this sector.
To learn more : http://www.let2011.org/

ACE11 The World's Water Event

Date : June 12-16, 2011
Place : Washington, United States

More than 13,000 professionals will meet at this forum to discuss increasingly important problems. We will talk about water management and new technologies. The exhibitors will present their new products or services, and will be able to reinforce their relationships with their clients or suppliers.
To learn more : http://www.awwa.org/ACE11/index.cfm?showLogin=N

Cannes Water Symposium

Date : June 29 – July 1, 2011
Place : Cannes, France
As a true crossroads of exchanges and professional meetings, the Cannes Water Symposium is a business meeting, a window for technological innovations, and a key scientific platform. On the program: conferences for professionals and for the general public, scientific and technical workshops, professional training, and business forum. Since 1999, the Cannes Water Symposium has become a key international forum for issues related to Water, the Sea, and Sustainable Development.
To learn more : http://www.cannes-water-symposium.com

Even if rainwater collection is easier in the countryside than in the city, notably due to the available space for burying tanks, certain towns rally to reuse this essential resource.

This is why in 2005 the city of Saint-Denis (93) put in place a system to collect rainwater by renovating the market hall of its main market. There, rainwater is collected on the roof and stored underground in concrete cisterns. This water is used by the mechanical street-sweepers who pass by three times per week to clean the streets. According to Yannick Miquel, head of the city council’s environmental center, « the system is made up of 12 buried tanks with a capacity of 12,500 liters, with a filtration system ». Thanks to this ecological process, very widespread in Germany and relatively new in France, the city avoids using drinkable water. The city also puts in place a similar system for the watering of grassy areas of newly constructed schools.   

In Yvelines, the city council of Mureaux refurbished the old town hall into a unit that was more functional, economical, and respectful of the environment. Alain Soucours, director of historic buildings and logistics, affirms that « roof rainwater provides toilet flushes with savings of 2000 € per year, compared to a classic construction. A 30m3 cistern collects water fallen from the sky to underneath the building ». In the case of drought, the “drinkable water” network automatically takes over.

Examples of this type are more and more common, such as in England, where large projects, following the example of Castle Vale in Birmingham, have been put in place. The automated system collects and filters (removal of leaves and debris) rainwater, and ensures its storage in the subterranean tanks, with a capacity of 45,000 liters. The water can be drawn for the needs of hygiene, washing machines, and watering gardens.