University of Reading
University of Reading is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Extreme weather to strengthen rapidly over next two decades
Nearly three quarters of the global population can expect strong and rapid changes in extreme temperatures and rainfall in the next 20 years unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut dramatically, according to a new study. Led by scientists from the CICERO Center for International Climate Research and supported by the University of Reading, the research […]
Droughts in Europe could be avoided with rapid emission cuts
Rapid climate action could mean devastating dry periods in the Mediterranean become less frequent by the end of the century, a new study shows. Advanced computer modelling suggests summer rainfall in southern Europe could decline by up to 48% by the year 2100 if emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise rapidly, but much of […]
India’s water problems set to get worse as the world warms
Winter storms that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year compared to 70 years ago, a new study has found, exacerbating the risk of catastrophic flooding while also reducing vital water supplies for millions of residents of India. The cyclonic storms, known as western disturbances, typically bring heavy […]
Swimming in sewage: UK water forecasts are not keeping people safe, say researchers
The UK's bathing water forecasts need urgent improvement to prevent beachgoers from swimming in sewage without warning, a new study has shown. With increasing attention on UK water companies and others to clean up rivers and beaches, the review, published in WIREs Water, suggests current bathing water forecast models are not keeping the public safe at most of […]
Expect larger swings between flooding and droughts, according to a new study
The UK and the rest of the world will be vulnerable to larger swings between flooding and droughts as global temperatures rise, a new study has found. Climate change is intensifying the world’s water cycle (the flows of water through the Earth’s atmosphere, across the surface and underground) leading to more extreme wet and dry […]
India weather tool could make floods in Sri Lanka floods easier to predict
Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka could be better predicted by applying weather forecasting techniques currently used in India, a study has found. The new research has the potential to help communities better prepare for extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka. The South Asian island is extremely vulnerable to floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall. […]
Flooding tackled thorugh citizen-led adaptation
Extreme weather caused by climate change – such as flooding – will be to easier to prepare for after scientists developed a new method that empowers citizens to identify solutions to the threats their communities face. The approach works by researchers bringing community groups together to discuss and understand the likely impacts of climate change […]
Swimming pools of the rich make cities thirsty, says study
Rich elites with large swimming pools and well-maintained lawns are leaving poorer communities without basic access to water in cities across the world. New research published has found social inequalities are driving urban water crises more than environmental factors, such as climate change or the growth of urban populations. The study, published in the journal Nature […]
How Atlantic air alters India’s food and water supply
A study led by the University of Reading found that the amount of winter rain and snow in the western Himalayas could vary by almost 50% depending on the air pressure gradient over the Atlantic Ocean between the Azores and Iceland. Scientists have spent decades trying to establish the causes of a link between the […]