The efficient use of natural resources is key to a sustainable economy, and yet the complexities of the physical aspects of resource efficiency are poorly understood. In this challenging book, the author proposes a major advance in our understanding of this topic by analysing resource efficiency and efficiency gains from the perspective of common pool resources, applying this idea particularly to water resources and its use in irrigated agriculture. The author proposes a novel concept of "the paracommons", through which the savings of increased resource efficiency can be viewed. In effect he asks; "who gets the gain of an efficiency gain?" By reusing, economising and avoiding losses, wastes and wastages, freed up resources are available for further use by four 'destinations'; the same user, parties directly connected to that user, the wider economy or returned to the common pool. The paracommons is thus a commons of - and competition for - resources salvaged by changes to the efficiency of natural resource systems. The idea can be applied to a range of resources such as water, energy, forests and high-seas fisheries. Five issues are explored: the complexity of resource use efficiency; the uncertainty of efficiency interventions and outcomes; destinations of freed up losses, wastes and wastages; implications for resource conservation; and the interconnectedness of users and systems brought about by efficiency changes. The book shows how these ideas put efficiency on a par with other dimensions of resource governance and sustainability such as equity, justice, resilience and access.

Pathogen removal mechanisms in macrophyte and algal-based waste stabilization ponds were studied in Ghana and Colombia. The macrophytes used were water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and duckweeds (Lemna paucicostata and Spirodela polyrhiza). The selection of the species was based on economic importance and availability. Lemna was used during the initial investigations. However, Lemna could not withstand the ammonia levels in the wastewater used. Spirodela polyrhiza a rarer species in Ghana was therefore used in subsequent studies. The main mechanisms considered in this study were pH, protozoa predation and surface attachment. The microorganisms used were faecal bacteria namely; Escherichia coli, other coliforms, Salmonella sp., other enterobacteria, E. coli, ATCC13706 and enterococci. Studies were conducted using batch scale, continuous flow bench and pilot scale ponds. Results indicated in order of importance that long retention periods, attachment, sedimentation, predation and low pH are mechanisms in macrophyte ponds enhancing faecal bacteria removal, while in the algal ponds long retention periods, sunlight penetration, high pH, attachment and sedimentation are the mechanisms of importance in faecal bacteria removal. Presence of protozoa was also found to be important but true grazing studies could not be quantified. Dissolved oxygen did not play a major role in faecal bacteria removal.

The demand on land to produce food, for urban development such as housing, industry, shopping areas, infrastructure and also for recreation has increased during the history of mankind. This has resulted in such activities as the reclamation of swamps, flood plains, tidal areas and even lakes by impoldering. Model simulations can be use to gain insight into the system behaviour of different land use and soil composition under temperate humid and humid tropic conditions, The existing package OPOL, based on a non steady model, was further developed to the version OPOL5 for the simulation of hydrological conditions and optimization of the main components of water management systems in polder areas in the temperate humid and humid tropical zone. This model reveals a system's behaviour as well as the effects of variation in the main components of the systems to the overall costs. For example, the designs of pumped drainage systems in polder areas can be optimized

Throughout the ages, people have experienced the life-giving and healing forces in water. Water is integral to life, and surrounds us in nature and in our own bodies. But not all water is the same. Water can carry good energies, and bad energies. How can we understand water enough to know the difference? Theodor Schwenk, the renowned author of Sensitive Chaos, founded an institute for water research in the Black Forest in Germany. He developed the Drop Picture Method, which displays the characteristics of water clearly for the non-specialist. Today, the Institute continues his work and here presents momentous findings about the quality of our drinking water, groundwater, spring water and river water. Stunningly illustrated in colour, this book offers a unique insight into the world of water.

An in-depth assessment of the century-old Wadi Laba indigenous spate irrigation system in Eritrea. This system has relied on earthen and brushwood structures and customary water rules to support subsistence livelihoods of the Wadi Laba communities for many years. This research analyses the effectiveness of the introduction of contemporary water laws and a new headwork which endeavour to increase production and standard of living. The lack of success of the new approach, compared with traditional methods of water management are discussed.

The International Conference on Hydrodynamics is an increasingly important event at which academics, researchers and practitioners can exchange new ideas and their research findings. This volume contains papers from the 2004 conference covering a wide range of subjects within hydrodynamics, including traditional engineering, architectural and mechanical issues as well as significant new technologies and methodologies such as bio-fluid mechanics and computational fluid mechanics.

Water scarcity is increasing all over the world because of growing population and increasing demands. Countries with limited water resources are urgently in need of a new approach toward water management by shifting from the "use and dispose" approach to the "use, treat, and reuse" approach. This book proposes a framework for the sustainable management of scarce water resources. The approach is based on the application of Cleaner Production thinking to water management. This book focuses on the West Bank in Palestine. The West Bank suffers from extreme water scarcity, has (for political reasons) less water than is naturally available, and anticipates an increase in demand for water for reasons of population and economic growth. Therefore, the West Bank needs to shift away from the present approach to water. The book proposes a set of alternatives for sustainable water management in the domestic, agricultural, and industrial sectors in the West Bank. Implementing a combination of water management alternatives as proposed in this book will put water management in the West Bank in Palestine on a sustainable track.

The continuous growth in the demand for water supply and sanitation services has posed decision makers with the challenge to discover new, and to adapt existing, institutions. Since the last two decades, the most prominent institutional change for the water and sanitation sector is neo-liberalism. Neo-liberalism manifests itself in the water sector through privatization, private sector involvement and liberalisation. This book analyses whether neo-liberalism has influenced the institutions, the strategies, and the performances of water providers. Strategies are interpreted through what a water provider can do (strategic context), wants to do (strategic plans), and actually does (strategic actions). Based on studies in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, the United Kingdom and Italy, the book concludes that neo-liberal institutional changes matter for the strategies of water providers. However, it also finds that the inherent problems with performance interpretation, measurement and comparison obscure any accurate insight in the effect of neo-liberal institutional changes on performance. In this regard the book opens a window for research both on the relation between institutions and conduct, and between conduct and performance of water and sanitation providers.

This book examines the drivers for improved performance of the drinking water sector in Ghana by focussing on the role of the national macro-environment, water supply related organisations and institutions and the water service providers (urban and small towns). Political interference, which adversely affects the drinking water sector in both the urban and the small towns' water supply are described. The drinking water sector is gradually implementing aspects of the New Public Management (NPM) with the small towns' water sector ,ore advanced than the urban water sector. Water pricing in the dinking water sector is analysed and its particular implication on the urban poor is highlighted. The role of the policy, legal and regulatory environment in achieving universal service coverage in sustainable, effective, equitable and efficient manner is presented.

In this work, several modelling approaches are explored to represent spatial pattern dynamics of aquatic populations in aquatic ecosystems by the combination of models, knowledge and data in different scales. It is shown that including spatially distributed inputs retrieved from Remote Sensing images, a conventional physically-based Harmful Algal Bloom model can be enhanced. Also, Cellular Automata based models using high resolution photographs prove to be good in representing aquatic plant growth. Multi-Agent Systems can capture well the spatial patterns exhibited in GIS density maps. A synthesis modelling framework was developed to include biological/ecological growth and diffusive processes, and local effects in conventional modelling framework. The results of the complementary modelling paradigms investigated in this research can be of help in achieving a sustainable environmental management strategy.

This book discusses drinking water treatment technologies that address contaminants and contaminant categories regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and its 1986 amendments. It covers both established and emerging technologies needed to comply with the new regulations of 1986 amendment.

Empowering people, reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and promoting economic growth, while at the ensuring sustainable ecosystems, requires local, appropriate and widely replicable solutions. In the search for these, poor sanitation and poor water supply are major drivers in cycles of disease, poverty and powerlessness which avoid people in developing nations to escape poverty. Sustainable water supply is not only a matter of groundwater and sanitation-technical solutions, but as much implies tackling major issues concerning hydro-social and public health components. The African continent, has lagged behind other regions in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in water supply and sanitation, and continues to be a much neglected water resource. This volume disseminates investigations and pointers towards achieving sustainable groundwater supplies in challenging local community environments across the African continent. The first part presents the search integrated water, sanitation, hygiene delivery and best implementation practice. The second part, through a variety of case studies, illustrates the current status and pitfalls that hydrogeologists experience and highlights the relevant challenges that especially Sub-Saharan Africa still faces in this battle. The chapters present the current situation, best practices, challenges identified and directions developed by the authors in their advancement towards comprehensive solutions. For anyone involved with the development of water supply and sanitation in developing countries.

The modeling tool is applied to address water management issues in the case study region (Sharm El Sheikh, South-Sinai, Egypt) that suffers from water shortage and that is located near a unique but sensitive marine environment of high ecological value. The main economic activity in the city is tourism.The modeling tool box is composed of five types of models depending on the specific site situations: water demand/need model, water supply model, wastewater reuse model, environmental model and economic model. The coupling of the models facilitates assessing different scenarios for integrated water resources management including different time-variant domestic and irrigation water demand, water supply options: long-distance piping and reverse osmosis desalination (RO), potable and non-potable water supply contracts between a hotel and a water company, optimum capacity and expansion for an RO desalination plants, renewable and non-renewable energy sources for RO desalination, and brine disposal options.

The Environmental Management Revision Guide: For the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management is the perfect revision aid for students preparing to take their NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management. As well as being a handy companion volume to Brian Waters' NEBOSH-endorsed textbook Introduction to Environmental Management, it will also serve as a useful aide-memoire for those in environmental management roles. The book aims to: Provide practical revision guidance and strategies for students Highlight the key information for each learning outcome of the current NEBOSH syllabus Give students opportunities to test their knowledge based on NEBOSH style questions and additional exercises Provide details of guidance documents publically available that students will be able to refer to. The revision guide is fully aligned to the current NEBOSH syllabus, providing complete coverage in bite-sized chunks, helping students to learn and memorise the most important topics. Throughout the book, the guide refers back to the Introduction to Environmental Management, helping students to consolidate their learning.

The book provides an interdisciplinary perspective on groundwater governance, based on primary date that are very difficult to find in other literature. All chapters have a policy focus, making it a useful resource for policy makers.

This open access book highlights knowledge and expertise in Urban Water Demand Management (WDM) in ASEAN through comprehensive literature review and analysis, as well as stakeholder consultations. It documents urban WDM policies, initiatives, and practices that have demonstrated effective implementation outcomes across various contexts and which are expected to be relevant for cities in ASEAN. A WDM typology developed for this book identifies four key WDM measures, namely: water losses, economic instruments, non-price mechanisms, and alternative water reuse systems in the ASEAN context. Case illustrations of their effective implementation in different ASEAN cities are also included.

This important new reference addresses the principles and calculations dealing with the hydraulics of water systems. Hydraulics for Operators includes what is necessary for a basic understanding of water and wastewater utility operations, and it emphasizes practical applications of these principles. This practical reference covers a wide variety of important subjects such as mass density and flow, pressure, open channel flow, pumping, friction loss, and flow measurement. Hydraulics for Operators is loaded with graphics, and sample exercises are included to ensure this new book is an easily understood reference. It is a must for your operator library.

Whether you are a new employee or seasoned professional you need easy access to the latest test methods, updated quality control procedures, and calculations at your fingertips. You need to perform analyses quickly and easily and troubleshoot problems as they arise. You need a resource that is not only informative, but also practical and easy to use. Drinking Water Chemistry: A Laboratory Manual fills this need. The book gives you a thorough overview of the most basic, and therefore important, laboratory topics such as: Laboratory Safety - dos and don'ts based on real experience Sampling - preservation techniques, online sampling, and record keeping Laboratory Instruments - practical use ranges, principles of operation, calibration, conditioning, useful life and replacement, common quality control issues Chemical Use - reagents, standards, indicators, purpose and use, chemical quality and properties, avoidance of contamination, molecular weight calculations Quality Control - replicate analyses, spiked, split, and reference samples, percent recovery of standard, standard deviation, control charts, and everyday quality control measures Weights and Concentrations - care and analytical balances, mathematical conversions among concentration units, dilutions and concentration changes The remaining chapters cover test analysis including: reason for the test, type of sample taken, treatment plant control significance, expected range of results, appropriate quality control procedures, apparatus used, reagents, including function, concentration and instructions for preparation, procedural steps, calculations and notes on possible problems, and references. This is a working manual, meant to be kept by your side in the lab, not on the shelf in an office or library. You can bend it, you can lay it flat, you can take it anywhere you do your job.

Sanitary landfills are the most widely utilized method of solid waste disposal around the world. With increased use and public awareness of this method of disposal, there is much concern with respect to the pollution potential of the landfill leachate. Depending on the composition and extent of decomposition of the refuse and hydrological factors, the leachate may become highly contaminated. As leachate migrates away from a landfill, it may cause serious pollution to the groundwater aquifer as well as adjacent surface waters. There is growing concern about surface and groundwater pollution from leachate. Better understanding and prediction of leachate generation, containment, and treatment are needed. This book contains a literature review of various methodologies that have been developed for prediction, generation, characterization, containment, control, and treatment of leachate from sanitary landfills. The contents of this book are divided into nine chapters. Each chapter contains theory and definition of the important design parameters, literature review, example calculations, and references. Chapter 1 is devoted to basic facts of solid waste problems current status and future trends towards waste reduction and recycling. Chapter 2 provides a general overview of municipal solid waste generation, collection, transport, resource recovery and reuse, and disposal options. The current status of sanitary landfill design and operation, problems associated with the landfilling, and future trends are presented in Chapter 3. Methods of enhanced stabilization, recycling landfill space, methane recovery, and above grade landfilling, and closure and post closure care of completed landfills are also discussed in detail. Chapter 4 provides a general overview of Subtitle D regulations and its impact upon sanitary landfilling practices. Chapter 5 is devoted entirely to moisture routing and leachate generation mechanisms.

Tremendous improvements in ground-water sampling methodologies and analytical technologies have made it possible to collect and analyze truly representative samples to detect increasingly lower levels of contaminants-now in the sub-parts-per-billion range. Though these new methods produce more accurate and precise data and are less expensive, many companies and government agencies are reluctant to update their sampling protocols and regulations claiming the transition would be too costly. The Essential Handbook of Ground-Water Sampling clearly details the economic and scientific case for adopting these new methodologies. Citing examples of unnecessary expenditure due to the inaccuracy of out-dated techniques, the editors point out that the expense of making incorrect decisions based on poor quality samples clearly negates any savings that might be realized by using older, more inefficient, and effectively short-sighted, methods. Using numerous figures, tables, and references to recent research, the editors explain the efficiency of utilizing newer, more accurate, techniques that produce higher quality data. The text provides a detailed discussion of every aspect of ground-water sampling from the development of a sampling and analysis plan, through sample collection, pre-treatment, handling, shipping, and analysis, to the documentation, interpretation, and presentation of ground-water quality data. Successful sampling events and accurate data provide a sound foundation for making important, potentially expensive decisions regarding site monitoring, risk assessment, remediation, and closure. Armed with the information presented in this handbook, environmental professionals will be able to make sound technological and economic decisions regarding the choice of sampling equipment, methodologies, and procedures to meet their site-specific objectives and ensure the success of their ground-water sampling programs.

This three-part book provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction to these challenging topics such as model calibration, parameter estimation, reliability assessment, and data collection design. Part 1 covers the classical inverse problem for parameter estimation in both deterministic and statistical frameworks, Part 2 is dedicated to system identification, hyperparameter estimation, and model dimension reduction, and Part 3 considers how to collect data and construct reliable models for prediction and decision-making. For the first time, topics such as multiscale inversion, stochastic field parameterization, level set method, machine learning, global sensitivity analysis, data assimilation, model uncertainty quantification, robust design, and goal-oriented modeling, are systematically described and summarized in a single book from the perspective of model inversion, and elucidated with numerical examples from environmental and water resources modeling. Readers of this book will not only learn basic concepts and methods for simple parameter estimation, but also get familiar with advanced methods for modeling complex systems. Algorithms for mathematical tools used in this book, such as numerical optimization, automatic differentiation, adaptive parameterization, hierarchical Bayesian, metamodeling, Markov chain Monte Carlo, are covered in details. This book can be used as a reference for graduate and upper level undergraduate students majoring in environmental engineering, hydrology, and geosciences. It also serves as an essential reference book for professionals such as petroleum engineers, mining engineers, chemists, mechanical engineers, biologists, biology and medical engineering, applied mathematicians, and others who perform mathematical modeling.

This important new reference addresses the principles and calculations dealing with the hydraulics of water systems. Hydraulics for Operators includes what is necessary for a basic understanding of water and wastewater utility operations, and it emphasizes practical applications of these principles. This practical reference covers a wide variety of important subjects such as mass density and flow, pressure, open channel flow, pumping, friction loss, and flow measurement. Hydraulics for Operators is loaded with graphics, and sample exercises are included to ensure this new book is an easily understood reference. It is a must for your operator library.

Most government agencies and private companies are investing significant resources in the production and use of geographical data. The capabilities of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for data analysis are also improving, to the extent that the potential performance of GIS software and the data available for analysis outstrip the abilities of managers and analysts to use and analyze the information. This is especially true for environmental applications. Here the need to keep up-to-date is essential for providing effective and efficient services. Environmental Modeling with GIS and Remote Sensing derives from a training course run by ITC for professionals and managers in the environmental sciences, detailing the applications of remote sensing and GIS for environmental modeling and assessment. It sets out the current research results and provides operational methods for environmental mapping and monitoring.

The agri-food chain consumes about one third of the world's energy production with about 12% of it for crop production and nearly 80% for processing, distribution, retail, preparation and cooking. The agri-food chain also accounts for 80-90% of total global freshwater use where 70% alone is for irrigation. Additionally, on a global scale, freshwater production consumes nearly 15% of the entire energy production. It can therefore be argued that making agriculture and the agri-food supply chain independent from fossil fuel use has a huge potential to contribute to global food security and climate protection not only for the next decades but also for the coming century. Provision of secure, accessible and environmentally sustainable supplies of water, energy and food must thus be a priority. One of the major objectives of the world's scientists, farmers, decisions makers and industrialists is to overcome the present dependence on fossil fuels in the agro-food sector. This dependency increases the volatility of food prices and affects economic access to sustenance. This book provides a critical review of recent developments in solar, wind and geothermal energy applications in agriculture and the agro-food sector such as processing, distribution, retail, preparation and cooking.

This study describes the development of water management in Bangladesh, including flood control and drainage schemes. The present landuse situation and hydrological conditions are presented and the coastal lowland development of Southeast Asia is reviewed. A performance analysis of different flood control and drainage systems are discussed, with reference to the coastal belt of Bangladesh. This book aims to set out an approach for sustainable development and water management for coastal Bangladesh, developing the concepts of effective techniques, tools and institutional infrastructure which should support implementation of flood control and drainage schemes.