Whereas the global water community may have reached consensus on the need for water providers to operate on the basis of commercial principles, staff of water utilities are faced with the challenge of implementing these principles in their everyday work. In the everyday domain, these principles appear to directly conflict with the mandate of water operators to provide water services to all. Moreover, the socio-political, economic and bio-physical context in which these water operate may be ill-suited to implement commercialization. In pursuing commercialization these operators adapt, reinterpret, modify, deflect, alter or betray the original principles of commercialization during implementation. This research takes inspiration from the rich literature on policy implementation and policy translation, which argues that policy models need to be transformed and modified if they are to be successfully adopted or implemented. This research analyzes the alterations visible in the daily implementation of commercial models of water provisioning and, in doing so, present a better understanding of how water operators implement policy prescriptions of commercialization in practice. Based on the analysis of the adaptations and (re)interpretations of the implemented model of commercialization in the different cases, this thesis argues that a new way of speaking about commercialization should be developed.

The study used a combination of landscape-scale synoptic surveys (catchment, reaches) and mesocosm surveys (experimental plots) to assess the impacts of conversion of natural valley-bottom wetlands to farming land on the water quality and retention of sediment and nutrients. The results showed that temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen concentration decreased, and total suspended solids (TSS) increased with storm water increase. Nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP) accumulated in the catchment during the dry season and washed into the water courses during the early stages of the higher flows, with subsequent lower concentrations at the end of the rains due to dilution. Large proportions of the annual loads of TSS, TP and TN (93%, 60% and 67%, respectively) were transported during rainfall events that occurred in 115 days. Fishponds acted as temporal traps of TSS, TN and TP at the early stages of farming, and were a source of and TN and TP at the end of the farming period, in contrast to rice farming that generated sediments and nutrients early in the farming period and trapped them at the end of the farming season. Wetlands mostly acted as sinks but sometimes as a source of sediment and nutrients.

* Build more roads and congestion goes up, not down; improve engine efficiency and people drive more, increasing (as opposed to decreasing)emissions - these are examples of Jevons' Paradox, and clearly illustrate its importance in modern debates around resource use* From an international team of researchers, this is the first book to tackle the issues head-on - with special focus on the case of oil usage* Will be an essential addition to any economics, energy or resource management departmental bookshelf 'Jevons' Paradox', which was first expressed in 1865 by William Stanley Jevons in relation to use of coal, states that an increase in efficiency in using a resource leads to increased use of that resource rather than to a reduction. This has subsequently been proved to apply not just to fossil fuels, but other resource use scenarios. For example, doubling the efficiency of food production per hectare over the last 50 years (due to the Green Revolution) did not solve the problem of hunger. The increase in efficiency increased production and worsened hunger because of the resulting increase in population. The implications of this in today's world are substantial. Many scientists and policy makers argue that future technological innovations will reduce consumption of resources; Jevons' Paradox explains why this may be a false hope.This is the first book to provide a historical overview of Jevons' Paradox, provide evidence for its existence and apply it to complex systems. Written and edited by world experts in the fields of economics, technology and the environment, it explains the myth of efficiency and explores its implications for resource usage (particularly oil). It is a must read forpolicy makers, natural resource managers, academics and students concerned with the effects of efficiency on resource use.

Energy has become a major element to Russia's attempts, under Putin, to restore its influence over former Soviet territories and reaffirm itself as the dominant regional power. This book investigates how Russia has manipulated the energy of its neighbours on Russian energy supplies to achieve its foreign policy goals, focusing in particular on relations with Ukraine. This book, based on a multitude of primary Ukrainian and Russian primary sources until now not brought to the attention of Western readers, examines important events such as Russia's January 2006 suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine, and the implications for Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution', other post-Soviet states and Western Europe. However, it goes further in showing how domestic political conditions in non-Russian states may facilitate Russia's use of energy as a foreign policy weapon, investigating the local groups that often receive significant profits from allowing Russia to control energy markets and energy transit possibilities. With European countries becoming more dependent upon Russian energy, this book will be of interest not only to Russian Studies and Eastern European Studies experts, but to scholars of international relations and European politics.

Geothermal Heat Pumps is the most comprehensive guide to the selection, design and installation of geothermal heat pumps available. This leading manual presents the most recent information and market developments in order to put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system. Internationally respected expert Karl Ochsner presents the reasons to use heat pumps, introduces basic theory and reviews the wide variety of available heat pump models.

One of the consequences of the post-socialist transformation of Eastern and Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union is the emergence of energy poverty, a condition where households are living in inadequately heated homes. This book provides the first full-length examination of the causes, consequences and patterns of energy poverty in former Communist countries. Based on empirical evidence that spans different spatial contexts and scales and compares these with other parts of the world, the book links household-level deprivation with broader organizational and political dynamics. The book also analyzes the lived experiences of scarcity and marginalization with the aid of two in-depth country studies. Furthermore, it identifies the socio-demographic factors that distinguish energy-poor families from the rest of the population, while stressing the need for a comprehensive range of policy tools to address energy poverty. As the issue of energy supply from the former Soviet Union is likely to become one of the most important economic and political problems across the whole of Europe within the next couple of decades, the book argues that there is a direct link between the energy crises experienced by the region, and the social aspects of energy use in households.

Uses simple language easy to be understood even by non-engineers Based on practical and real-life industrial experiences Offers comprehensive discussion of safety in various disciplines within the oil and gas industry Provides multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter Covers international standards that can be used anywhere in the world

Originally published in 1951, this book is a straightforward account of the British nationalized coal industry in the first half of the twentieth century. An introductory chapter gives the history of the industry during the inter-war years and subsequent chapters discuss the complex organization by which coal is marketed at home and overseas. The types and grades of coal and the price structure of the industry are considered. There is a section on finance which explains the capital structure of the industry and statistical charts focus on significant trends in output, man-power, absenteeism, accidents and similar vital features of the coal industry.

Water conflicts in India have now percolated to every level. They are aggravated by the relative paucity of frameworks, policies and mechanisms to govern the use of water resources. Based on the premise that understanding and documenting different types of water conflict cases in all their complexity would contribute to informed public debate and facilitate their resolution, Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India, a collaborative initiative of the WWF project 'Dialogue on Water, Food and Environment', documented a number of such case studies. One of its kind in India, this book brings together an impressive sixty-three case studies - summarized status of the conflicts, the issues involved and their current position - and gives us a glimpse into 'the million revolts' that are brewing around water. While recognizing that each conflict is a microcosm of wider conflicts, the editors have classified these cases into eight broad themes that try to capture the dominant aspect of the conflict. These are: contending water uses; dams and displacement; equity-access-allocations; micro-level conflicts; water quality; trans-boundary conflicts; privatization; sand excavation and mining. With a mix of academics and activists as contributors, the book makes an important contribution to a new discourse on water in general, and water conflicts and conflict resolution in particular.

Precipitation drives the dynamics of flows and storages in water systems, making its monitoring essential for water management. Conventionally, precipitation is monitored using in-situ and remote sensors. In-situ sensors are arranged in networks, which are usually sparse, providing continuous observations for long periods at fixed points in space, and due to the high costs of such networks, they are often sub-optimal. To increase the efficiency of the monitoring networks, we explore the use of sensors that can relocate as rainfall events develop (dynamic sensors), as well as increasing the number of sensors involving volunteers (citizens). This research focusses on the development of an approach for merging heterogeneous observations in non-stationary precipitation fields, exploring the interactions between different definitions of optimality for the design of sensor networks, as well as development of algorithms for the optimal scheduling of dynamic sensors. This study was carried out in three different case studies, including Bacchiglione River (Italy), Don River (U.K.) and Brue Catchment (U.K.) The results of this study indicate that optimal use of dynamic sensors may be useful for monitoring precipitation to support water management and flow forecasting.

An increasing number of hydrological datasets from earth observations, hydrological models and seasonal forecasts have become available for water managers, consultants and the general public. These datasets are state-of-the-art products which are usually accessible online and may contribute to develop hydrological studies and support water resources management. However, the added value of these datasets has not been completely explored in decision-making processes. Research studies have assessed how well data can help in predicting climate, but there is a lack of knowledge on how well data can help in water allocation decisions. This work provides numerical tools, methods and results to evaluate the value of using hydrological datasets to support water allocation decisions at river basin and irrigation district scale. An integrated approach is used to predict climate, improve decisions and reduce negative impacts. Results show that investing in hydrological data with finer spatial and temporal resolution and longer periods of record improves water allocation decisions and reduces agricultural production loss in large irrigation schemes. Using river discharge data from hydrological models and global precipitation enhances irrigation area planning when little in-situ data is available. Moreover, using seasonal streamflow forecasts improves available water estimates resulting in better water allocation decisions. The framework was tested in Costa Rica, Colombia and Australia, but can be applied in any case study around the world.

Well rehabilitation techniques have been the focus of major advancements in recent times. Environmental engineers can keep pace with those changes with the book Water Well Rehabilitation. Written from a microbiological viewpoint, the text outlines proven solutions to production problems in all types of wells. That perspective frequently yields new ideas and concepts, contrary to prevalent thoughts in mainstream literature on the subject. This is especially true in discussion of iron related bacterial sources, and details concerning unsafe bacterial samples and the contamination of wells.

The book covers energy storage systems, bioenergy and hydrogen economy, grid integration of renewable energy systems, distributed generation, economic analysis, and environmental impacts of renewable energy systems. The overall approaches are interdisciplinary and comprehensive, covering economic, environmental, and grid integration issues as well as the physical and engineering aspects. Core issues discussed include mechanical, electrical, and thermal energy storage systems, batteries, fuel cells, biomass and biofuels, hydrogen economy, distributed generation, a brief presentation of microgrids, and in-depth discussions of economic analysis and methods of renewable energy systems, environmental impacts, life-cycle analysis, and energy conservation issues. With several solved examples, holistic material presentation, in-depth subject matter discussions and self-content material presentation, this textbook will appeal strongly to students and professional and nonprofessional readers who wish to understand this fascinating subject. Readers are encouraged to solve the problems and questions, which are useful ways to understand and apply the concepts and the topics included.

Originally published in 1987 this book presents a comprehensive survey of the global natural gas industry: it looks at the problems of supply, the pattern of demand, the economics of the industrya nd how the industry in the 1980s was being affected by changes in other energy sectors. As a key commodity in the world economy the supply of natural gas is increasingly affecting and changing international relations between importer and supplier countries: the siberian natural gas pipeline which supplies Soviet gas to Western Europe is a key example of the impact of natural gas on international relations and one which is discussed in the book.

Originally published in 1972, this volume, supplemented extensively with maps and tables, and employing sophisticated institutional and empirical analyses, discusses a number of important issues relating to the viability of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the natural environment. The author concludes that exploiting North Slope oil was justifiable as a calculated risk, although an alternative route and transport mode to the Midwest of eastern market would be more attractive than TAP.

Originally published in 1977, this book concentrates on the period since nationalisation in the history of the coal industry. It provides not only a compact summary for those within the industry but also provides understanding of its problems and achievements for those outside it. The fluctuating world fuel situation threw the fortunes of the coal industry up and down and this book examines these changing fortunes within the context of the new challenges from North Sea oil and other newer sources of fuel.

Originally published in 1984, this book discusses the structure of a multi-sectoral, general equilibrium growth model of the US economy that gives special attention to the energy sectors and presents results from the simulation of this model under varying conditions of energy supply. While the book primarily analyzes the effect of energy supply on economic growth, it also presents a new methodology for approaching this kind of problem, but this same approach can be used to model the effect of changes in the supply of any produced raw material on economic growth.

A timely contribution and incisive analysis, this is the story of the British experiment in privatizing the nuclear power industry and its subsequent financial collapse. It tells how the UK's pioneering role in nuclear power led to bad technology choices, a badly flawed restructuring of the electricity industry and the end of government support for nuclear power. In this volume Simon Taylor has combined interviews with former executives, regulators and analysts with his own unique insight into the nuclear industry to provide an analysis of the origins of the crisis and the financial and corporate strategies used by British Energy plc. Arguing that the stock market was a major factor in the company's collapse by misunderstanding its finances, over-valuing the shares and giving wrong signals to management and that the government policy of trying to put all responsibility for nuclear liabilities in the hands of the private sector was neither credible nor realistic. The book concludes that failure was not inevitable but resulted from a mixture of internal and external causes that casts doubt on the policy of combining a wholly nuclear generator with liberalized power markets. This book will be of great interest to students engaged with the history of nuclear power in the UK, privatization, regulation and financial and corporate strategy, as well as experts, policy makers and strategists in the field.

Douglas F. Barnes and his team of development experts provide an essential guide that can help improve the quality of life of the estimated 1.3 billion rural people in the world who are without electricity.

The difficulties in bringing electricity to rural areas are formidable: Low population densities result in high capital and operating costs. Consumers are often poor and their electricity consumption is low. Politicians interfere with the planning and operations of programs, insisting on favored constituents. Yet, as Barnes and his contributors demonstrate, many countries have overcome these obstacles. The Challenge of Rural Electrification provides lessons from successful programs in Bangladesh, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, and Tunisia, as well as Ireland and the United States. These insights are presented in a format that is accessible to a broad range of policy makers, development professionals, and community advocates.

Barnes and his contributors do not provide a single formula for bringing electricity to rural areas. They do not recommend a specific set of institutional arrangements for the participation of public sector companies, cooperatives, and private firms. They argue instead that successful programs follow a flexible but still well-defined set of principles: a financially viable plan that clearly accounts for any subsidies; a cooperative relationship between electricity providers and local communities; and an operational separation from day-to-day government and politics.

The literature of hydrology abounds with texts on the hydrological and water resource problems in humid regions. However, this is not the case for the arid or semi arid regions. The situation is exemplified by the fact a concrete definition for the term "wadi", as accepted by UNESCO for describing these areas, is difficult to find. Arguably the first book devoted entirely to examining this important resource, Wadi Hydrology presents methodologies for sustainable management of wadis and their water resources. Through unique physical approaches, field cases, sample interpretations, and various applications to different models, this book provides an in-depth understanding of these systems that illustrates the efficiency of harnessing water from wadis. The author compiles the most up-to-date information on arid region hydrology, including specific techniques for hydrological calculations and desertification assessments, and includes examples and solved problems in each chapter.

Although valuable resources in river basins and other aqueous environments, sediments often receive much less attention from researchers, policymakers, and other professionals than other components of the ecosystem. Until now. Highlighting the important role that sediments play in the geoenvironment, Sediments Contamination and Sustainable Remediation focuses on sediment management for the purpose of environmental cleanup or management. It provides the in-depth understanding of the sediment-water environment needed to develop better management practices and meet sustainability requirements. The book discusses the contamination of sediments resulting from discharge of pollutants, excessive nutrients, and other hazardous substances from anthropogenic activities. It examines impacts observed as a result of these discharges, including the presence of hazardous materials and eutrophication, and elucidates the remediation techniques developed to restore the health of sediments and how to evaluate the remediation technologies using indicators. The text explores the problems inherent in dealing with contaminated sediments in rivers, lakes, and estuaries and includes numerous case studies that illustrate key concepts. The authors provide wide-ranging coverage of the topic and include methods for evaluating the effectiveness of different remediation technologies. They make the case for the development and application of innovative management practices that create long-term solutions to sediment contamination to reduce natural resource depletion, continued landfill contamination, and diminished biodiversity in the aquatic geoenvironment.

Drawing on the authors' combined experience of more than 30 years, Advanced Onsite Wastewater Systems Technologies explores use of these technologies on a wide-scale basis to solve the problems associated with conventional septic tank and drain field systems. The authors discuss a regulatory and management infrastructure for ensuring long-term, reliable applications of onsite systems for wastewater management. The book and its supporting web-site (www.advancedonsitesystems.com) are an information catalog for advanced onsite wastewater technologies. This combination offers tools that will help onsite wastewater professionals communicate effectively with each other and their clients, thus minimizing the confusion and misunderstandings often related to the use of advanced onsite systems. The authors provide an overview of advanced onsite systems technologies and compare them to conventional onsite systems and centralized wastewater systems. They present key concepts for decentralized wastewater solutions and information on advanced onsite wastewater treatment and effluent dispersal technologies currently available. The book delineates a management, regulatory, and planning framework for adopting the use of advanced onsite systems technologies as alternatives to conventional septic systems and centralized collection and treatment plants. It concludes with an exploration of the future of advanced onsite systems technologies and their uses. A toolbox for service professionals, regulators, and community planners, the book highlights objective methods to assess the performance of technologies and examples of real-world applications. The authors detail a solution-driven and performance-based regulatory framework for the use of advanced onsite systems as a true alternative to centralized collection and treatment plants and offer guidance on how to plan for future growth with such systems. They answer the age-old question of "what to do when the land doesn't pe

Creating Freshwater Wetlands, Second Edition clearly demonstrates the step-by-step processes required to restore or create freshwater wetlands. It presents practical advice on choosing sites, getting help, attracting and stocking wildlife, selecting plants, and wetland operation and maintenance. This is an excellent book on one of the most fascinating ecosystems on the planet.

Groundwater is Africa's most precious natural resource, providing reliable water supplies for many people. Further development of groundwater resources is fundamental to increasing access to safe water across the continent to meet coverage targets and reduce poverty. There is also an increasing interest in the use of groundwater for irrigated agriculture as the climate becomes more variable. Sustainable development of the resource is not a trivial task and depends crucially on an understanding of the hydrogeology and people with the skills to make informed decisions on how groundwater can best be developed and managed in a sustainable fashion. Despite these obvious needs, however, little attention has been paid to the systematic gathering of information about groundwater resources in the past few decades, with the result that data are patchy, knowledge is limited and investment is poorly targeted. This book was written to start to bridge the knowledge gap. The 29 chapters are written by a combination of practitioners and researchers mainly from within Africa using experience from recent and ongoing projects. The chapters highlight the complexity and variety of issues surrounding the development and management of groundwater resources across Africa, and provide a snapshot of groundwater research and application in the early 21st century. Chapters range from strategic discussions of the role of groundwater in development and poverty reduction, to case studies on techniques used to develop groundwater, and modelling methods for managing groundwater systems.

Hazardous Industrial Waste Treatment provides technical and economical information on how to develop the most feasible total environmental control program that can benefit both industry and local municipalities.