News
Hydrogen Will Not Drink Europe Dry
The Joint Research Centre mapped 1,300 hydrogen plants against local water resources and found the EU's targets reachable without a water crisis, though southern Europe and parts of central Europe will need careful planning.
Microplastics in Water Are Not Chemically Inert
A new study finds that common microplastics spontaneously generate reactive oxygen species in water, a possible mechanism for harm that does not depend on the pollutants they carry.
The New W4 Magazine Is Here
W4 relaunches with a new website, an English edition, dedicated series pages and a separate professional hub – the same coverage, with far better tools for reading and finding it.
Saudi–Syrian Water Agreement to Help Rebuild Syria
A consortium of ACWA Power and WTCO, together with Syria's Ministry of Energy and Fichtner, will assess the country's water resources to lay the groundwork for a desalination programme of up to 1.2 million cubic metres a day.
Elephant Butte Reservoir at a Historic Low
According to NASA satellite images, the water level of Elephant Butte Reservoir fell to just 1.4% in July 2026, the lowest in half a century, further worsening water shortages along the Rio Grande in New Mexico and Texas.
The Po on the Brink of Drying Up, the Iberian Peninsula in Flames
While Italy's largest river can supply agriculture with irrigation water for only a few more days, drought since spring and the wildfires in its wake are hitting the whole of southern Europe.
A Natural Coagulant Against Microplastics – Moringa Seeds May Outperform Chemicals
A promising water treatment innovation: Brazilian and British researchers have deployed a tropical plant, known and used for water treatment since antiquity, to filter out microplastics.
We Need to Prepare for Rat-Borne Disease
According to the latest study by the EU's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and The Lancet, a warming and wetter climate increases the risk of one of Europe's underdiagnosed waterborne bacterial zoonoses under every future scenario examined.
The Returning Giant – a Super El Niño Is Coming
Climate models suggest a record-strength El Niño may develop in 2026 – with consequences ranging from heatwaves to droughts and floods, and Europe will not be spared.
Explaining the Spring Drought
By the book, it should rain in spring, if only for the sake of farming – as the saying goes, rain in May is worth its weight in gold. But it does not rain. What lies behind this? Why is the lack of spring rain in Central Europe no coincidence?