Water: Pay More, Use Less

One of the hottest issues at the second international congress entitled "Water: Ecology and Technology", held in Moscow, was the economics of water resources. Moscow uses more water and its residents have grown pretty wasteful with this precious resource.

Meteorologists are forecasting a cold winter without much snow, which is bad news for the reservoirs that supply water to the capital.

If the forecast does come true, then by the end of winter Moscow could very well have a shortage of drinking water. Stanislav Khramenkov, the director of Mosvodokanal, is convinced that water supply to plants and factories and the general population will continue uninterrupted, the problem is that the less water in the reservoirs, the dirtier it is and the more complicated and expensive it is to purify it. Furthermore, unlike many other cities. Moscow is almost completely dependent on surface water sources, for almost no underground sources have been developed. The only thing that might save the day is it water is sold at what it really costs. The Moscow government is currently examining the issue of introducing a staggered water rate increase, first by 20 %, and then more. Officials have also decided to start saving water, although for now they aren't talking about putting water meters in every apartment. Instead, what they have in mind is equipping apartments, public buildings and offices with devices that would physically ration their water supply.

These devices were widely featured at an exhibition that coincided with the water economics congress. The item that drew the most interest was a ceramic tap that these gadgets will give you worry - free service for up to 20 years and that they can be attached to any tap. These devices are also cheap.

Another energy - saving idea is a regulator that fixes a certain limit on the water pressure, so that you wont be able to turn your water on full Blast.

Roskomvod (Russia's state water committee) is hoping to introduce paid water consumption as early as this year. The problem is that the biggest leaks are in the pipes and sewer systems; where wear - and -tear levels approach 50-70 percent The money is needed right now, but the city budget can't cover the costs, and investors are in no hurry to help, either, because it isn't a very profitable business - they might never see the dividends. So we, the consumers, are the city's last hope. We're the ones who will have to cough up the cash.

Vocabulary:

further more - к тому же, кроме того

issue — проблема; спорный вопрос

staggered water rate - колеблющаяся норма водопотребления

item — вопрос (на повестке заседания)

device = gadget - прибор, приспособление

to attach - прикреплять

full blast - сильная струя; полная мощность

wear and tear level - уровень износа

to cough up the cash – выложить

sewer system-канализационная система

2.Найдите английские эквиваленты данных словосочетаний:

самые спорные вопросы, расточительные жители, драгоценный источник, если предсказание не оправдается, нехватка питьевой воды, непрерывное водоснабжение, поверхностные источники воды, подземные источники, экономия воды, установка водомеров, нормирование водоснабжения, привлечь наибольший интерес, кран, который никогда не течет, дешевые приспособления, регулятор давления воды, включать воду на полную мощность, введение платного потребления воды, течь в трубах, покрывать расходы, невыгодный (доходный) бизнес.

3. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What was one of the hottest issues of the second international congress held in Moscow?

2. Why will Moscow have a shortage of drinking water?

3. What is the problem?

4. What sources of water is Moscow dependent on?

5. What is the only thing that might save the day?

6. What issue is the Moskow government examining?

7. How have officials decided to start saving water?

8. What item drew the most interest at the exhibition?

9. What are the advantages of a ceramic tap?

10. What device is energy – saving one?

11. What is the problem of introducing paid water consumption?

12. Who will have to cough up the cash?

4.Дайте эквиваленты на английском языке.

Долина реки, все водные ресурсы, при помощи, сеть оросительных каналов, накопление воды, по обе стороны.

Lessons 12-13.

1. Прочитайте и переведите текст.

Water as risk factor.

Part 1.

This past April, Boris Yatskevich, RF minister of the environment and natural resources, revealed to the State Duma just how dangerous analogue anywhere drinking water in Russia could be. The report rings a warning bell. Every second person in this country has to drink water that is not quite up to safety standards while 11 million people have to drink what by world standards – is not potable water at all. Some 65 percent of the population (mainly in rural areas) have no running water and have to make do with surface water sources. Furthermore, not even running water is necessarily safe enough, what with less man 60 percent of water supply systems equipped with proper water treatment facilities.

The problem was considered by the RF Security Council on three occasions, the last time being in 1998, whereupon the government developed a program to provide drinking water to the population. The program, however, has mainly remained on paper. According to the minister, three things are needed: money, money, and even more money.

Vocabulary:

To reveal – обнаруживать

potable water – питьевая вода

runming water – водопроводная вода

facililities = equipment

whereupon – на чем? где?

2.Ответьте на вопросы.

Who is B. Yatskevich?

What did Boris Yatskevich reveal to the State Duma?

Why is drinking water dangerous in Russia?

What program was developed by the government?

Why has it remained on paper?

Part 2

Humankind learned to chlorinate drinking water about 100 years ago. But it was not until recently that experts suddenly realized that, apart from purifying water of microbes, chlorine compounds also triggered unpredictable reactions with many substances diluted in water, producing new potentially dangerous compounds which can cause allergies, cancer, and heart problems. Furthermore, according to latest research, chloroorganic substances in drinking water considerably weaken human reproductive capacity.

Natural water is a living ecosystem completewith microorganisms, water plants and their vital activity products, as wellas organic compounds. After chlorination, these organic residues produce complex compounds that can get into the human organism not only with water but also with vapor or through undamaged skin when we take a bath.

Today, most countries of the world have slopped chlorinating water and adopted systems of treating water with ozone and ultraviolet rays. Russia has just one ozone treatment facility - in Moscow's southeast

Given Russia's financial situation, it may be go away the years until water in this country will be chlorine-free.After all, the risk of getting cancer from drinking water is incomparable with the risk of infection, which has been on the rise over the past few years. Thus, in 2001, a Hepatitis-A epidemic spread through running water was registered in Protvino and Serpukhov near Moscow. Shortly prior to that, epidemics had occurred in the Chelyabinsk and Omsk regions.

True, chlorination is not the most acute problem in Russia's water supply system. According to the State Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, one water sample in five in the RF does not meet sanitation standards. In some areas (Kalmykia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Primorye Territory, and the Arkhangelsk, Kaluga and Tomsk regions), up to 70 percent of potable water has a high germ count. Owing to a shortage of fluorides in water, nearly 90 percent of children in central Russia suffer from dental caries. Meanwhile, 50 million Russians daily use water with a higher-than-average content of iron, which tends to cause allergy. The water treatment situation is, of course, the most favorable in Moscow although not all is well even there.

Vocabulary:

to trigger - вызывать

to dilute - растворять

complete, aj - полный

residue - осадок, вещество

fluoride - фтористое соединение, фторид

2.Ответьте на вопросы.

1. When did humankind learn to chlorinate drinking water?

2. What do chorine compounds trigger apart from purifying water of

3. What can cause allergies, cancer and heart problems?

4. What is natural water?

5. Where can organic residues get into after chlorination?