This report contributes to the discussion of interconnections between scarce resources by highlighting the nexus between land, water and energy (the LWE nexus). It focuses on a dynamic, integrated, and disaggregated analysis of how land, water and energy interact in the biophysical and economic systems. The report provides projections for the biophysical and economic consequences of nexus bottlenecks until 2060, highlighting that while the LWE nexus is essentially local, there can be significant large-scale repercussions in vulnerable regions, notably on forest cover and in terms of food and water security. The analysis is based on coupling a gridded biophysical systems model with a multi-regional, multi-sectoral dynamic general equilibrium modelling assessment. Numerical insights are provided by investigating a carefully selected set of scenarios that are designed to illustrate the key bottlenecks: one scenario for each resource bottleneck, plus two scenarios that combine all bottlenecks, with and without an overlay of climate change.

Waste is a quintessentially ecological economic issue. The generation of waste is rooted in the very laws of nature, but waste is also a social construct, and what we understand to be waste has evolved with human societies. Therefore, a crucial issue in modern waste management is the understanding of attitudes towards waste. This book examines the ecological economics approach to waste, its conceptualisation and management. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue of waste, the authors utilise an array of disciplinary approaches from both natural and social sciences. They begin by considering waste through the thermodynamics of production processes, and through an assessment of the history of waste. Building on this physical-social background, they concentrate on specific aspects of waste policy. These include the public's attitude towards waste, the economics of waste, and the laws and regulations surrounding waste disposal. Further chapters look in detail at the three main types of waste being generated by modern societies: municipal, toxic and nuclear waste. This path-breaking book seeks to lay the basis for a general conceptualisation of waste in ecological economics and to elucidate the main issues relating to waste generation and management. This is a comprehensive analysis of waste as a concept, and as an issue for humans as both producers and consumers. It will be of great value to ecological economists, waste managers and environmental policy analysts.

After decades of regulation and investment to reduce point source water pollution, OECD countries still face water quality challenges (e.g. eutrophication) from diffuse agricultural and urban sources of pollution, that is disperse pollution from surface runoff, soil filtration and atmospheric deposition. The relative lack of progress reflects the complexities of controlling multiple pollutants from multiple sources, their high spatial and temporal variability, associated transactions costs, and limited political acceptability of regulatory measures. This report outlines the water quality challenges facing OECD countries today, presents a range of policy instruments and innovative case studies of diffuse pollution control, and concludes with an integrated policy framework to tackle diffuse water pollution. An optimal approach will likely entail a mix of policy interventions reflecting the basic OECD principles of water quality management - pollution prevention, treatment at source, the polluter pays and beneficiary pays principles, equity, and policy coherence.

Water and energy are inextricably linked as unsound management of either resource can have an impact on the cost, availability, and sustainability of the other. This book explores the "energy for water" component of the water-energy nexus. It offers diverse case studies from around the world including the deserts of Saudi Arabia, rural China, Pakistan's Indus Basin, arid Greek islands, and urban centers such as Los Angeles. The analyses show that while many regions face unique water scarcity challenges, they are all united by the fact that solutions require mobilizing energy. This book focuses on how different policies and technologies are changing the way societies use energy to extract, treat, and transport water. In terms of policy, chapters explore how initiatives aimed at reducing demand for water and improved integrated resource planning can lead to energy savings. Regarding technology, case studies highlight the pros and cons of different methods of meeting water demand. Through exploring both technology and policy across a wide range of diverse case studies, the book offers a robust explanation of the "energy for water" side of the water-energy nexus equation, making it valuable reading for academics and policymakers. This book was originally published as a special issue as International Journal of Water Resources Development.

The authors of this in-depth study describe the theory and techniques that can be applied to the specific case of valuing potable water provided by groundwater supplies. The theory and techniques can be extended to valuing drinking water provided by surface water supplies, and also to valuing alternative levels of water quality. The theory and case studies discussed in the book suggest that important determinants of the economic value of water quality include: the probability of contamination measured objectively and subjectively, information on actual levels of contamination in household water supplies, socioeconomic characteristics of households, and the extent to which the values of water quality people hold include non-use components. The case study results also suggest that empirical valuation results are sensitive to study design effects such as the particular statistical technique used to estimate mean or median values. These results suggest that estimating water quality values using benefits transfer techniques is problematic, but perhaps feasible with improved data and valuation models. Government agencies, private consulting firms and NGOs involved in water quality policy as well as academic researchers, professors and students will find this volume of theory, application and technique an invaluable reference.

In 1858 the 'Great Stink of London' made much of the city along the Thames uninhabitable. Between 1848 and 1854 nearly 25,000 Londoners died of cholera, a disease borne by foul water. Joseph Bazalgette saved the city, building sewers that would serve 4 million people and stop waste water emptying into the Thames. These sewers are still the backbone of London's sewerage system today, but the city's population is now approaching 10 million; the old sewers can't cope and action needs to be taken to ensure that 'The Great Stink' never happens again. This is where the Thames Tideway Tunnel comes in: a GBP4.2 billion, 25km-long, 7.2m-diameter tunnel that will stop virtually all of the sewer overflows into the Thames and give us a cleaner and healthier river and city. This is the inside story on the tunnel, from the very start to breaking ground and all the steps along the way. Written by Phil Stride, a leading civil engineer, it is a unique chance both to see behind the scenes of an incredible civil engineering project and to meet the people who've taken it forward over the last ten years.

Decades of U.S. nuclear weapons production have exacted a heavy environmental toll. The Department of Energy estimates that cleaning up waste and contamination resulting from production activities will cost over $150 billion. Yet even once that money is spent, these sites will need long-term attention to assure protection of human health and the environment. In the authors' words, stewardship refers to 'institutions, information, and strategies needed to ensure protection of people and the environment, both in the short and the long term.' Probst and McGovern make a compelling case for establishing a formal program of long-term stewardship for contaminated sites. Their report details the requirements of a successful stewardship program and discusses the daunting technical and political challenges facing such efforts, including the designation of an institutional home for key stewardship functions. The legacy of environmental damage is considerable; hazardous waste disposal, radioactive waste, and contaminated facilities are among the problems that will remain after DOE cleanup efforts are complete. Stewardship planning, according to Probst and McGovern, must start now.

Water issues in the American West share many similarities with those seen elsewhere in the world as population growth exacerbates longstanding problems of inappropriate water use and management. The contributors to this timely volume examine the universal challenge of sustainable water management to improve the use of water resources already developed and find ways to moderate our growing collective thirst. The volume begins with an exploration of the opportunities, arguments, and mechanisms for transferring lessons between the American West and foreign nations. Succeeding chapters cover individual issues such as: water allocation and the relationship between market mechanisms and government-based approaches, the challenge of environmental protection, the protection of cultural values with a focus on indigenous water rights, the significance of international and interstate rivers in promoting regional conflict and cooperation, and the role of water management in sustainable development. A comprehensive look at one of our most pressing issues, In Search of Sustainable Water Management will be of great interest to scholars and practitioners in the areas of water management, law, policy studies, economics, planning and public administration.

This book is a Spanish translation of Faecal Sludge Management: Systems Approach for Implementation and Operation It is estimated that literally billions of residents in urban and peri-urban areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America are served by onsite sanitation systems (e.g. various types of latrines and septic tanks). Until recently, the management of faecal sludge from these onsite systems has been grossly neglected, partially as a result of them being considered temporary solutions until sewer-based systems could be implemented. However, the perception of onsite or decentralized sanitation technologies for urban areas is gradually changing, and is increasingly being considered as long-term, sustainable options in urban areas, especially in low- and middle-income countries that lack sewer infrastructures. This is the first book dedicated to faecal sludge management. It compiles the current state of knowledge of the rapidly evolving field of faecal sludge management, and presents an integrated approach that includes technology, management, and planning based on Sandecs 20 years of experience in the field. Faecal Sludge Management: Systems Approach for Implementation and Operation addresses the organization of the entire faecal sludge management service chain, from the collection and transport of sludge, and the current state of knowledge of treatment options, to the final end use or disposal of treated sludge. The book also presents important factors to consider when evaluating and upscaling new treatment technology options. The book is designed for undergraduate and graduate students, and engineers and practitioners in the field who have some basic knowledge of environmental and/or wastewater engineering.

As pressures on water resources have increased, problems of water quality have claimed high priority in national concern and governmental policy. In this book, first published in 1969, Lyle E. Craine describes how Great Britain enacted new governmental procedures for studying, planning, and executing water management programmes. Although the physical and social characteristics of the United States' water resources problems differ from those of England, this analysis of the British institutional arrangements for water management suggests constructive insights for managing water resources within the individual states. This title is a valuable resource for students interested in environment and sustainability issues, national water resources problems, and government policy making.

The United States faces a water crisis as critical as the energy crisis that dominated headlines until recently. Like the energy crisis, a solution can be found. Pat Mulroy, for many years the head of the Colorado River water commission and now a Brookings fellow, has gathered together a number of practitioners and scholars to show us why we face a crisis and what we can do to help alleviate it. While the focus has been on California recently with its water restrictions and drought, the many other parts of the United States are also suffering from current and potential water shortages that will only be exacerbated by climate change. The Water Problem takes us to Miami and the problem of rising oceans fouling freshwater reservoirs, Kansas and Nebraska where intensive farming is draining age-old aquifers, and to the Southwest United States, where growing populations and urban environments are putting unsustainable stresses on the Colorado River.Mulroy and her contributors explore not just the problems, but also what we can do now to put in place measures to deal with a very real crisis.

Public agencies and industry will probably spend tens of billions of dollars on new water pollution abatement facilities in the next few decades. Added billions will be spent for the operation of new and existing facilities. How can physical science research reduce the cost of achieving objectives? And how can social science research make sure that the right objectives are being efficiently pursued? This title, first published in 1962, is directed to the orientation of the research effort, and the tool used for this purpose is an economic framework. This book will be of interest to students of economics and environmental studies.

Originally published in 1989, this report deals with issues surrounding ash residues produced by municipal waste combustors. Spurred by huge disagreements over the environmental risks that these ash residues posed; Managing Ash from Municipal Waste Incinerators attempts to shed light on the debates around the issue and move forward towards an appropriate solution. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Studies.

In many countries, a rapidly upcoming demand for decentralised wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) and a demand for efficient community-based sanitation (CBS) can be observed. DEWATS is designed to be an element of a comprehensive strategy for city-wide planning and sustainable infrastructure development. In this book, not only are the technical requirements for the efficient treatment of wastewater at a given location explained, but the specific socio-economic conditions and steps for community action planning are also taken into consideration.

Water scarcity is not simply the result of what nature has to offer but always involves power relations and political decisions. This volume discusses the politics of the freshwater crisis, specifically how access to water is determined in different regions and historical periods, how conflict is constructed and managed, and how identity and efforts to control water systems, through development, technologies, and institutions, shape one another. The book analyzes responses to the water crisis as efforts to mitigate water insecurity and as expressions of collective identity that legitimate, resist, or seek to transform existing inequalities. The chapters focus on different processes that contribute to freshwater scarcity, including land use decisions, pollution, privatization, damming, climate change, discrimination, water management institutions and technology. Case studies are included from North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and New Zealand.

The IWA Performance Indicator System for water services is now recognized as a worldwide reference. Since it first appearance in 2000, the system has been widely quoted, adapted and used in a large number of projects both for internal performance assessment and metric benchmarking. Water professionals have benefited from a coherent and flexible system, with precise and detailed definitions that in many cases have become a standard. The system has proven to be adaptable and it has been used in very different contexts for diverse purposes. The Performance Indicators System can be used in any organization regardless of its size, nature (public, private, etc.) or degree of complexity and development. The third edition of Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services represents a further improvement of the original manual. It contains a reviewed and consolidated version of the indicators, resulting from the real needs of water companies worldwide that were expressed during the extensive field testing of the original system. The indicators now properly cover bulk distribution and the needs of developing countries, and all definitions have been thoroughly revised. The confidence grading scheme has been simplified and the procedure to assess the results- uncertainty has been significantly enhanced. In addition to the updated contents of the original edition, a large part of the manual is now devoted to the practical application of the system. Complete with simplified step-by-step implementation procedures and case studies, the manual provides guidelines on how to adapt the IWA concepts and indicators to specific contexts and objectives. This new edition of Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services is an invaluable reference source for all those concerned with managing the performance of the water supply industry, including those in the water utilities as well as regulators, policy-makers and financial agencies.

Technical regulation of urban water services: The Portuguese regulatory model of water and wastewater services. An integrated approach; Experiences and conclusions from regulation in England and Wales; Experiences and conclusions from regulation in Australia; Experiences and conclusions from regulation in Denmark; Experiences and conclusions from regulation in Latin America; The German benchmarking experience. An alternative to regulation; The assessment of water services from the point of view of multilateral organizations. The experience of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Regulation in Spain from the perspective of the urban water services; Reasons that justify the regulation of urban water services in Spain; Can a regulator contribute to solve the problems of the urban water cycle in Spain?; Regulatory models. Conclusions

The Llobregat belongs to the most thoroughly studied rivers in Europe and is a paradigm of the confluence of human and natural disturbances in a single basin. Because of its location in a very densely populated region and its Mediterranean character, the Llobregat supports a mixture of irregular flow, water abstraction, excess nutrients, mining debris, and a wide array of pollutants. The aquatic organisms strive to survive in a dramatically changing river that passes through a succession of dams, weirs and channels. The long-term river monitoring as well as the research that has been carried out in the river for a long time have provided an extensive knowledge of these disturbances and their effects on the biological communities. This book highlights the available information, with emphasis on the hydrological, chemical and biological elements interspersed in the river. Experts in the field discuss the main nutrient patterns and pollutant occurrence and the responses of the biological quality elements as well as the river ecosystem to the overall natural and man-made influences.

Sealing of boreholes and underground excavations has not received much engineering attention until fairly recently. The growing awareness of and sensitivity to environmental concerns of the technical community as well as of the public at large has resulted in an increasing recognition of the fact that these geological penetrations may have an environmental impact. The issue of possible contamination resulting from migration along boreholes, adits, shafts or tunnels unquestionably has been raised most forcefully with in the context of nuclear waste disposal. Several nuclear waste disposal programs, notably the Civilian and the Defence programs of the US De partment of Energy, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Canadian and Swedish radioactive waste disposal programs have conducted major research efforts aimed at developing adequate seal designs for penet rations in host rock formations for high-level nuclear waste repositories. While a considerable data base has been gathered over the last two decades or so with regard to the performance of seals, most of the information is presented in research reports and widely scattered papers in journals and proceedings of conferences. Hence, the materials are not readily accessible to potential users such as designers, contractors or regulators who are not familiar with nuclear waste disposal programs."

Despite the fact that nanotechnology has been present for a few decades, there is a big gap between how nanotechnology is perceived and what nanotechnology can truly offer in all sectors of water. The question to be answered is 'what more can we expect from nanotechnology' in the water field? The rational nano-design starts with well-defined problem definitions, necessitates interdisciplinary approaches, involves 'think-outside-the-box', and represents the future growth point of environmental nanotechnology. However, it is still largely new to the educated public and even scientists and engineers in water fields. Therefore, it is the purpose of this book to promote the concept of rational nano-design and to demonstrate its creativity, innovation, and excitement. This book presents a series of carefully selected rationally designed nano- materials/devices/surfaces, which represent drastically different, ground-breaking, and eye-opening approaches to conventional problems to embody the concept of nano-design and to illustrate its remarkable potential to change the face of the research in water industry in the future. Each of the book contributors is world-renowned expert in the burgeoning field of rational nano-design for applications. Rational Design of Next-generation Nanomaterials and Nanodevices for Water Applications is intended for undergraduates, graduates, scientists and professionals in the fields of environmental science, material science, chemistry, and chemistry engineering. It provides coherent and good material for teaching, research, and professional reference. Contents: Introduction to rational nano-design for water applications; Rational design of smart materials/surfaces with switchable oil wettability for sustainable oil-spill cleanup; Rational design of three-dimensional macroscale porous electrodes for bioelectrochemical systems; Design of (photo)electrochemical active membranes as next-generation filtration devices; Hierarchical materials as a design concept for multifunctional membranes; Rational design of functional nanoporous materials to confine water pollutant in controlled nano-space; A next-generation forward osmosis draw solution design; Rational design of magnetic permanently-confined micelle arrays (Mag-PCMAs) materials for sustainable water and soil remediation; Rational design of an all-in-one lab-on-chip device for direct seawater desalination; Design of micro-sized microbial fuel cells as miniature energy harvesters Author: Peng Wang, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

River systems around the world are degraded and are being used unsustainably. Meeting this challenge requires the development of flexible regimes that have the potential to meet essential consumptive needs while restoring environmental flows. This book focuses on how water trading frameworks can be repurposed for environmental water recovery and aims to conceptualise the most appropriate role for law in supporting recovery through these frameworks. The author presents a comprehensive study of the legal frameworks in four jurisdictions: the States of Oregon and Colorado in the western United States; the province of Alberta in Canada; and the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia/Basin State of New South Wales. A close comparative analysis of these four jurisdictions reveals a variety of distinctive regulatory arrangements and collaborations between public and private actors. In all cases, the law has been deployed to steer and coordinate these water governance activities. The book argues that each regime is based on a particular regulatory strategy, with different conceptions of the appropriate roles for, and relationships between, various actors and institutions. Legal frameworks do not have the capacity to rationalise and provide an overarching and absolute solution to the complex environmental and governance issues that arise in the context of environmental water transactions. Rather, the role of law in this context needs to be reconceptualised within the paradigm of regulatory capitalism as establishing and maintaining the limits within which regulatory participants can operate, innovate and collaborate.

Natural Water Treatment Systems for Safe and Sustainable Water Supply in the Indian Context is based on the work from the Saph Pani project (Hindi word meaning potable water). The book aims to study and improve natural water treatment systems, such as River Bank Filtration (RBF), Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), and wetlands in India, building local and European expertise in this field. The project aims to enhance water resources and water supply, particularly in water stressed urban and peri urban areas in different parts of the Indian sub-continent. This project is co-funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework (FP7) scheme of small or medium scale focused research projects for specific cooperation actions (SICA) dedicated to international cooperation partner countries. Natural Water Treatment Systems for Safe and Sustainable Water Supply in the Indian Context provides: an introduction to the concepts of natural water treatment systems (MAR, RBF, wetlands) at national and international level knowledge of the basics of MAR, RBF and wetlands, methods and hydrogeological characterisation an insight into case studies in India and abroad. This book is a useful resource for teaching at Post Graduate level, for research and professional reference.

Our interpretations of the world we live in, and the people and institutions that comprise it, are acquired through complex interactions among what we believe to be true, what the world is, and/or what others think it is. Understanding those complex interactions is one of the most important goals of the social sciences. Of the many disciplines that have contributed to that understanding, two take center stage in this book -- psychology and communication. This volume's purpose is to reconnect the partially isolated environments of social psychology and communication. To do so, it utilizes four building blocks: * the cognitive foundations of interpersonal communication as it might be studied from a social psychological perspective * insiders' views of interpersonal communication from a cognitive psychological standpoint * insiders' approaches to interpersonal communication from an AI perspective * a critique of the cognitive enterprise that reflects the strong philosophical grounding of communication. Overall, the chapters typify some of the most interesting cognitive work done in the study of interpersonal communication. As such, the book should promote productive dialogue across disciplinary boundaries and stimulate further work within the field of interpersonal communication.

Ground water is a source for drinking and industrial water supply and pollution created by active industrial sites which often cause social, health, and environmental problems. This groundwater eventually drains into adjacent water sources. Filtration Materials for Groundwater: A Guide to Good Practice presents the up-to-date technology of purification of polluted ground water, its treatment for industrial and human needs and the remediation of polluted sites. The book examines: Types of pollutants in ground water including the main inorganic and organic pollutants and their behaviour. Filtration materials for water treatment and principles of their choice. How to choose suitable filtration materials according to targeted compounds and estimate its efficiency. Technologies for ground water treatment. Cost and risks estimation of treatment facilities. Lifetime, risks and cost estimation of technology. Examples of modern ongoing facilities for ground water treatment and polluted sites remediation. This book is of interest to scientists and engineer who deal with the problem of purification of ground water for different purposes and the remediation of polluted sites.

Urban, demographic and climate trends are increasingly exposing cities to risks of having too little, too much and too polluted water. Facing these challenges requires robust public policies and sound governance frameworks to co-ordinate across multiple scales, authorities, and policy domains. Building on a survey of 48 cities in OECD countries and emerging economies, the report analyses key factors affecting urban water governance, discusses trends in allocating roles and responsibilities across levels of government, and assesses multi-level governance gaps in urban water management. It provides a framework for mitigating territorial and institutional fragmentation and raising the profile of water in the broader sustainable development agenda, focusing in particular on the contribution of metropolitan governance, rural-urban partnerships and stakeholder engagement.