logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
17m 28s

Fixing water

Bbc World Service
About this episode

In today’s episode we look at some ingenious solutions to water related problems.

We start our aquatic journey by going on a tour of one of Victorian England’s most important feats of engineering.

We discover a cheap and easy way to test for water quality, and learn about one of the biggest and most ambitious flood defence and general infrastructure projects in the world.

And we hear how a water and sanitation engineer in Nairobi, Kenya, is trying to prevent huge volumes of H2O being wasted in leaks.

(Image: The Octagon at Crossness Pumping Station, London. Credit: P. Scrimshaw)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

Up next
Oct 9
Business Daily meets: Fani Titi, Investec CEO
The South African grew up under the racist apartheid system as one of 14 children. He looked set for a life in farming, until a chance event took him down a different path – ultimately becoming CEO of the multinational banking group, Investec. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: El ... Show More
17m 27s
Oct 8
Small country: Big tariffs
We head to Switzerland, a small but very successful country with a population of just 9 million.And now coping with some of US President Donald Trump’s highest tariffs. In August the original threat of 31% tariffs was raised to 39%. Two months on, efforts to negotiate with Washin ... Show More
17m 30s
Oct 7
Should we expect more airline delays?
Passengers are suffering more disruption as technology at airports, airlines and air traffic control is failing.But why is aviation software becoming more prone to failure and vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and what is the solution to preventing delays?Presented and produced by Rus ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
Solving Mexico City's water crisis
Mexico's capital often floods during the rainy season, but paradoxically, it's also running out of water. A large and growing population, along with crumbling infrastructure and the effects of climate change - are increasingly putting a strain on the city. We meet the army of sci ... Show More
22m 59s
Nov 2023
Water, water, everywhere
As water supplies in the west dry up, finding solutions is critical. The good news is that water is all around us, if you know where to look and how to treat it. In this episode, we’re going on a road trip to check out the fascinating technology producing water from the sewer, th ... Show More
25m 18s
Jun 2024
Saving water at a time of scarcity
Just over a quarter of people on the planet live in water stressed countries. And our increasing demands for water as well as climate change is putting even more pressure on this finite resource.We take a look at how Indian farmers are growing crops with a device that stores rain ... Show More
22m 59s
Sep 2024
Andrea E. Pia, "Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics, and Climate in Southwest China" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024)
On the podcast today, I am joined by anthropologist Andrea Pia (London School of Economics and Political Science) to talk about his new book, Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics and Climate in Southwest China (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024).In recent years, the People’s Republic of C ... Show More
1h 17m
Sep 2024
Andrea E. Pia, "Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics, and Climate in Southwest China" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024)
On the podcast today, I am joined by anthropologist Andrea Pia (London School of Economics and Political Science) to talk about his new book, Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics and Climate in Southwest China (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024).In recent years, the People’s Republic of C ... Show More
1h 17m
Sep 2024
Andrea E. Pia, "Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics, and Climate in Southwest China" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024)
On the podcast today, I am joined by anthropologist Andrea Pia (London School of Economics and Political Science) to talk about his new book, Cutting the Mass Line: Water, Politics and Climate in Southwest China (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024).In recent years, the People’s Republic of C ... Show More
1h 17m
Jul 2024
Water: Bills to rise but how do we clean up the industry?
Water bills are to rise by an average of 21% over the next five years, the industry regulator Ofwat has ruled.    But with the impact of the cost-of-living, water companies spilling record amounts of sewage into our waters, and controversial bonuses for senior leaders, do we need ... Show More
21m 29s
Oct 2024
09/10/24 - Natural capital report, Thames Water reservoir, beef prices
We cannot achieve food security or climate stability without restoring nature according to a new report from Natural England, which outlines the value of the natural world to our society and our economy. The State of Natural Capital Report says the wildlife and countryside in Eng ... Show More
14m 11s
Nov 2024
Life at 50°C: Syria's water wars
The autonomous north-east region of Syria, once regarded as one of the most fertile areas in the country, is today struggling to find enough water to survive. More than a million people in Hasakah have been left with almost no drinking water, and what little water they have has t ... Show More
26m 27s
Aug 2024
Why is our water so dirty?
Pollution has been piling up in our waters for years, damaging areas of natural beauty and even infecting drinking water in some areas of the country. Water companies like Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water have now found themselves paying millions of pounds wor ... Show More
39m 44s