‘They take the water, the springs dry up’: fear as Guatemalan goldmine plan is revived

By: Euan Wallace and Martina Mariano in Asunción Mita · Guatemala

1 September 2026 at 15:00

After lying dormant for years, the Era Dorada project in Asunción Mita resumed this year and villagers say history is being repeated, despite promises of change

In the community of La Lima in Guatemala, Elda Dinora Ramírez, 58, looks towards a small well at the back of her home. Dusty wooden planks lie across the opening, concealing the faint gleam of water far below. “The well is drying up again,” she says.

Ramírez’s home lies less than a mile from Era Dorada – a goldmining project acquired by the Canadian multinational Aura Minerals in January 2025. After years of inactivity, the project was reactivated this year when the Guatemalan government granted Aura a construction licence.

Dry weather sewage discharges soar as water companies face scrutiny

World news | The Guardian

By: Sandra Laville

1 September 2026 at 08:00

Exclusive: 7,280 suspected illegal spills in rivers and sea recorded in first five months of 2026

The number of suspected illegal discharges of raw sewage into rivers and seas by water companies during dry weather increased significantly during the first five months of 2026.

Dumping raw sewage into waterways during dry spells via overflows amounts to pollution. It is considered a breach of the permits given to water companies and is illegal. Discharging during dry weather increases the toxicity of the sewage pollution entering waterways. Rivers have less flow and volume, and there is no rainwater to dilute the sewage pollution entering the waterway.

What to Know About Hiking in Areas Prone to Flash Floods

NYT > Top Stories

By: Ryley Ober

31 August 2026 at 23:15

Canyons, small streams and dry creek beds in the West can be deceptively dangerous, trapping hikers when rainfall upstream causes rapidly rising water.

Reading view