This collection of papers explains how knowledge and capacity development can contribute to improved, effective water management with a digest of lessons learned in the areas of development of tools and techniques, field applications and evaluation. The authors are prominent practitioners, capacity builders and academics within the water and capacity development sectors. Capacity Development for Improved Water Management starts with an introduction and overview of progress and challenges in knowledge and capacity development in the water sector. The next part presents tools and techniques that are being used in knowledge and capacity development in response to the prevailing challenges in the water sector, and a review of experience with capacity change in other sectors. In the third part a number of cases are presented that cover knowledge and capacity development experiences in the water resources and water services sectors. This part also presents experiences on water education for children and on developing gender equity. The fourth part provides experiences with the monitoring and evaluation of knowledge and capacity building.

At a time of great turmoil and crisis, environmentally, socially and politically, water has emerged as a topic of huge global concern. Moreover, many argue that what is needed in order to change our relationship with the environment is a cultural paradigm shift. To this end, this volume brings together diverse approaches to exploring human relationships with the watery world and the other living things that rely upon it. Through exploring multiple creative ways of engaging with water and people, the volume adds to the current zeitgeist of writing about water by expanding the discussion about this vital substance and how, as humans, we relate to it. Chapters focus on creative explorations and explorations of creativity in relation to developing these understandings, including concepts such as hydrocitizenship and responses to drought and flooding. Drawing on the in-depth research and experience of arts practitioners including participatory artists, as well as academics from a variety of fields including geography, anthropology, health studies and environmental humanities, the book provides a rich and multidisciplinary perspective on water and creative ways of engaging and understanding human-water relationships. It represents a valuable source and inspiration for academics, arts practitioners and those involved in environmental policy and governance.

Environmental concerns have pushed the decarbonisation of the European economy high on the EU political agenda. This has renewed old debates about the role of nuclear energy in the European economy and society that gravitate around the issues of nuclear safety and radioactive waste management (RWM). RWM carries many elements of technical complexity, scientific uncertainty and social value, which makes policy decisions highly controversial. Public participation is usually believed to improve these decisions, ease their implementation by solving substantial conflicts, and enhance trust and social acceptance. Drawing upon sources including Euratom and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, the author offers a detailed overview of public involvement in RWM in the EU, analysing the implementation of national policies through official programmes and the views of stakeholders from all Member States. This book highlights the key successes and challenges in the quest for greater participation in RWM, and extrapolates insights for other contested energy infrastructures and controversies in land use. This book will be of great relevance to students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in radioactive waste management, energy policy, and EU environmental politics and policy.

This authoritative reference work gives timely information on the global politics of water. Readers will find case studies on a variety of complex water situations, from the Okavango River that flows through Angola, Namibia and Botswana, to the Euphrates-Tigris of the Upper Persian Gulf.

With the current threat of climate change and increasing demand on water resources, the book gives valuable insight into an increasingly politicized topic. Politics of Water is a welcome addition to Routledge s extensive The Politics of reference series.

Readers will benefit from:

• essays on major topics in water politics from a variety of contributors (thirteen in all), including Is water politics? Towards international water relations and The politics of water and mining in South Africa
• sensitive debate on gender issues, reflecting the fact that in many cultures men are responsible for the supply of water, and women as cultivators and house keepers are the major users
• an A-Z glossary of key terms, issues, organizations, etc. in water politics
• information on selected major river basins of the world, including maps detailing water consumption and resources.

The Politics of Water is a useful guide to the politics surrounding the availability and provision of water on a world-wide scale. It will prove to be a useful reference source for anyone interested in, or studying, the politics of water and climate change.

Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa, are the most common and widespread health risk associated with drinking water. Most waterborne pathogens are introduced into drinking water supplies by human or animal faeces (enteric pathogens) but they can also exist naturally in water environments as indigenous aquatic micro-organisms. Controlling the risks related to these pathogens is a permanent challenge for the water industry. In addition to the constantly evolving range of pathogens to consider, assessing and managing such risks requires the integration of information issued by a wide range of disciplines. The necessary knowledge is however still sketchy and incomplete for most pathogens, and research efforts are necessary to fill the remaining gaps of knowledge. The purpose of this study is to provide an updated, comprehensive review of current knowledge on a selection of pathogens of interest for the drinking water industry, and to identify the remaining gaps of knowledge and thus the necessary research to be conducted. Emphasis has been laid on the information needed to assess and manage the risks related to each of these pathogens in drinking water production and distribution. The pathogens considered in this review were selected on the basis of: Their recognized or highly suspected transmission by drinking water through ingestion, inhalation, or contact Their recognized pathogenic character for humans The severity of their health effects Each micro-organism in this study is described in a summary fact sheet composed of the following items: microbiology, human health effects, geographical distribution, epidemiology, ecology, inactivation/removal, surrogates, environmental detection and research needs. Since much remains unknown about many aspects that are common to viruses, the study features a general section on virus research needs. A special section summarizes the risk management research conducted on waterborne pathogens. Finally, the conclusion gives an overview of the main gaps in current knowledge on waterborne pathogens. Visit the IWA WaterWiki to read and share material related to this title: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/WaterbornePathogens

Principles of Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes is the third book in the Water and Wastewater Process Technologies Series. The book outlines the principle unit operations that are involved in the separation, degradation and utilisation of organic and inorganic matter during water and wastewater treatment. The module builds on the subjects of chemistry, biology and engineering covered in Process Science and Engineering for Water and Wastewater Treatment (Module 1) and provides a descriptive introduction to unit operations that are further described with design and operational details in later books in the series. The text of Principles of Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes has been divided into the following Units: Water Quality Process Flowsheeting Physical Processes Chemical Processes Sorption Processes Biological Processes Membrane Processes Sludge Treatment Utilisation Odour Management These units have has been designed for individual self-paced study that includes photographs, illustrations and tables and describe the form, function and application of unit operations for the treatment of water and wastewater. Each section of the text gives step-by-step learning in a particular subject, that includes an approximation of how long you will need to spend on that section and provides key points that highlight the principles of the different sections. Each unit includes exercises to help understand the material in the text, self-assessment questions to test your understanding and text references.

Understand the effects of climate change on urban water and wastewater utilities with this collection of international scientific papers. Case studies and practical planning, mitigating and adapting information provided on greenhouse gases, energy use, and water supply and quality issues. This title is co-published with the American Water Works Association.

The literature review described in this report is part of a larger research project to assess STU performance with respect to treatment of important wastewater constituents. The overall goal of the project is to provide a toolkit and tool-use protocol that is easy to implement and available to a wide range of users to assess STU performance. This literature review is not a preview of tools that we will develop and propose, but rather an analysis of the information and data and the literature, to help guide our tool development. All tools developed will be based on rigorous experimental data and quantitative models verified with field data from operating systems. In some cases, more sophisticated tools (e.g., complex mathematical models) may be warranted depending on the relative complexity of the problem and the relative risk associated with a poor design. This literature review focused on STU performance, key conditions or factors potentially affecting STU performance, and the current best practices for using models and other available tools to predict expected STU performance. The information gained during this literature review will guide the future direction of the project. Constituents of interest include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), microbial pollutants, and emerging organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs). Based on this literature review, it is clear that due to the variability of data collected at field sites, simple binary relationships (e.g., C/Co versus depth for various soil types) for statistical predictions of the attenuation of N, P, microorganisms or OWCs cannot be justified. Specific to N, hydraulic loading rate appears to be more important than soil texture or soil depth within the first 30-60 cm, although both soil depth and texture remain important variables. Most of the reported results related to the interaction of P with soil appear to be from laboratory batch tests. Similarly, field-scale evaluations of pathogen removal are limited. Finally, most of the existing OWC work has focused on the occurrence and concentrations of selected compounds in streams, lakes, and groundwater impacted by wastewater treatment plant effluents. Currently very few models have been developed for movement and treatment processes of N or P in OWTS. However, adapting the CW2D model for STUs that will predict the effect of different soil types (texture, structure, and drainage class) appears promising. CW2D is a module of the well known HYDRUS model designed to simulate nitrogen treatment in a sand filter. This model incorporates most of the features one might consider, including a comprehensive treatment of microbial growth, the impact of oxygen mass transfer on nitrogen transformation, and variable rates of denitrification due to changes in dissolved oxygen concentrations, dissolved organic matter, and microbial growth. The review of existing models demonstrates that simulation of microbial characteristics in OWTS is still largely uncharted territory.

Giving you the first comprehensive presentation of the ground breaking research undertaken at Heriot Watt University, with Research Council and industrial funding, this book brings a new perspective to the design of building drainage and vent systems. It provides the building services community with clear and verifiable design methods that will be robust enough to meet challenges such as climate change and water conservation; population migration to the mega cities of the developing world, and the consequent pressures of user concentration; the rise of the prestige building and the introduction of new appliances and control strategies. These all combine to make traditional codified design guidance insufficient. Many assumptions in existing codes defining the entrained airflows within building drainage vent systems cannot be theoretically supported, so designers concerned with these systems need analysis and simulation capabilities which are at least as reliable as those enjoyed by other building services practitioners.

The Method of Characteristics solution techniques which are well established in the pressure surge field are now used to provide solutions for drainage designers. The material is applied to a whole range of abstract scenarios then to a series of real world applications including the forensic modelling of the SARS virus spread within Amoy Gardens in 2003 and the refurbishment of the O2 Dome. Applications to specialised services, including underground station drainage and highly infectious disease treatment facilities are discussed and demonstrated, alongside the use of design and simulation techniques in support of product development.

Aimed at both professional and academic users, this book serves both as a design aid and as a core text for specialist masters courses in public health and building services engineering.

This book presents the basic principles for evaluating water quality and treatment plant performance in a clear, innovative and didactic way, using a combined approach that involves the interpretation of monitoring data associated with (i) the basic processes that take place in water bodies and in water and wastewater treatment plants and (ii) data management and statistical calculations to allow a deep interpretation of the data. This book is problem-oriented and works from practice to theory, covering most of the information you will need, such as (a) obtaining flow data and working with the concept of loading, (b) organizing sampling programmes and measurements, (c) connecting laboratory analysis to data management, (e) using numerical and graphical methods for describing monitoring data (descriptive statistics), (f) understanding and reporting removal efficiencies, (g) recognizing symmetry and asymmetry in monitoring data (normal and log-normal distributions), (h) evaluating compliance with targets and regulatory standards for effluents and water bodies, (i) making comparisons with the monitoring data (tests of hypothesis), (j) understanding the relationship between monitoring variables (correlation and regression analysis), (k) making water and mass balances, (l) understanding the different loading rates applied to treatment units, (m) learning the principles of reaction kinetics and reactor hydraulics and (n) performing calibration and verification of models. The major concepts are illustrated by 92 fully worked-out examples, which are supported by 75 freely-downloadable Excel spreadsheets. Each chapter concludes with a checklist for your report. If you are a student, researcher or practitioner planning to use or already using treatment plant and water quality monitoring data, then this book is for you!

Ageing infrastructure and declining water resources are major concerns with a growing global population. Controlling water loss has therefore become a priority for water utilities around the world. In order to improve their efficiencies, water utilities need to apply good practice in leak detection. To deal with losses in an effective manner, particularly from networks in water-scarce areas, water utility managers are increasingly turning to technology to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve reliability. Companies that continuously invest in technology and innovation should see a positive return on investment in terms of improving daily operations and collection and analysis of network data for decision making and forward planning. Methodologies for achieving the best results to reduce water losses are continuously evolving. Water utilities and equipment manufacturers are increasingly working together to stretch the boundaries of current knowledge. This is leading to some innovative technologies and new product development to complement current methodologies. This book reflects the situation at the time of publication. This 2nd edition of the book updates practices and technologies that have been introduced or further developed in recent years in leakage detection outlining recent advancements in technology used, such as satellite aided methods in leak location, pipeline inspection with thermal diagnostics, inspection of pipelines by air using infra-red or thermal imaging cameras, Drones for leak detection activities and even sniffing dogs . In addition, it is enriched with new case studies which provide useful examples of practical applications of several leak detection practices and technologies.

This project was initiated in response to the establishment of mercury TMDLs around the country and issues raised by this process, specifically concerning the issue of mercury bioavailability. While many TMDLs recognize that point sources constitute a small fraction of the mercury load to a water body, a question has been raised concerning the relative bioavailability of mercury coming from various sources. For instance, is the mercury discharged from a wastewater treatment plant more or less bioavailable than mercury in precipitation, mercury in urban stormwater, or mercury in sediments? This project seeks to address this question by developing a reliable definition and approach to estimating bioavailability, by profiling various sources of mercury in a watershed with regard to the species of mercury present and by profiling those factors or conditions in either the effluent or the receiving water that enhance or mitigate the bioavailability of those forms. The report consists of two volumes. Volume I is a background document for evaluating the biovailability of mercury in wastewater effluents and receiving waters and establishes relevant project objectives. Volume II is a guidance document for wastewater treatment professionals interested in assessing the bioavailability of mercury in their wastewater, comparing it to other sources, and assessing changes in bioavailability in their effluent when it is mixed in a receiving water body. The project concludes that, based on available data and bioavailability as defined in this report, wastewater effluent is one of the lowest among the sources evaluated with respect to mercury bioavailability due to its typically low levels of methylmercury. Due to their typically low levels of suspended solids, wastewater treatment plants employing post-secondary treatment should not contribute appreciably to local sediment mercury burdens.

This book shows the effectiveness of DRASTIC model in a geographical setting for validation of vulnerable zones and presents the optimization of parameters for the development of precise maps highlighting several zones with varied contamination. Impact of vadose zone has also been assessed by considering every sub-surface layer. Exclusive title covering effectiveness of DRASTIC model for groundwater vulnerability assessment Reviews of the strengths and limitations of assessment methods Presents multi-criteria evaluation of hydro-geological and anthropogenic factors Discusses integration with geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) Includes application of groundwater governance framework with a case study study of a geographical setting

The best papers from the three-day conference on Safe Drinking Water from Source to Tap June 2009 in Maastricht are published in this book covering the themes of challenges of the water sector and adaptive strategies, treatment, distribution, risk assessment and risk management, sensors and monitoring, small scale systems, simulation, alternative water supply & sources, consumer involvement, and future drinking water. Worldwide, the water supply sector is facing tremendous challenges. Every new emerging contaminants and pathogens and aging infrastructures that are vulnerable for deliberate contamination pose a threat to the quality of water supplies. Shortage of good quality and readily treatable resources is increasing due to global warming, urbanisation and pollution from agriculture and industry. Regulators and consumers are becoming more demanding. Techneau - the largest European project on drinking water - addresses these challenges by developing adaptive supply system options and new and improved treatment and monitoring technologies. Future system options to be studied are flexible, small scale and multi-source supplies, utilising non conventional resources like brackish ground water, treated wastewater and urban groundwater.

The objective of this research was to develop guidance for collecting samples of biosolids for microbial analysis to ensure representative samples are tested. The types of biosolids products studied included liquid, cake and compost. To accomplish the research objective, three phases of research and development of a suite of communications documents were undertaken. The first Phase involved information gathering and establishing the status of sampling guidance and practices for biosolids. Phase II involved conducting sampling and microbial analysis of biosolids products from four target facilities utilizing different biosolids treatment technologies to determine which of a series of sample collection and handling parameters most affects sample integrity and representativeness. Phase III of the project involved field testing at nine utilities. Microbial monitoring results were compared and utility protocols were examined to determine the suitability of their sampling approach. Finally, a series of communications documents were prepared. These communications tools were designed to convey the importance of sampling and handling details at multiple stakeholder levels. This research demonstrated that analysis of multiple, discrete, grab samples provides insight into product variability. In addition, proper handling and adherence to sample size and storage protocols provides a reliable measurement of biosolids microbial content from the biosolids production process being sampled

The Southeast Asian environment has been degraded by the release of industrial and domestic wastes, agricultural and aquacultural chemicals, and pollutants from automobiles. It suffers from water-related disasters, such as tsunamis, floods, typhoons, etc. In order to deal with these issues an integrated approach from the inhabitants, governments and researchers is essential. The environmental threats arising from the increasing population, overuse of natural resources, industrialization, urbanization, and natural disasters present ever increasing challenges to pursuing sustainable development of the region. Many developed countries such as Japan have experiences of dealing with severe environmental pollution and this publication is the result of building an academic network among researchers of related fields from different regions to exchange information. The most important articles presented at the Fourth and Fifth International Symposiums on Southeast Asian Water Environment have been selected for this book. This book will be an invaluable source of information for all those concerned with achieving global sustainability within the water environment in developing regions, including researchers, policy makers, NGOs and NPOs.

Phase 1 of this project demonstrated the technical feasibility of using decentralized stormwater controls in urban areas for retrofits and controlling combined sewer overflows. This technical feasibility was illustrated by a number of early adopters using decentralized controls to complement their existing municipal stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. However, institutional and programmatic issues required further study to broaden the use of a distributed, decentralized stormwater approach. This research evaluates implementation strategies for incorporating decentralized controls into an infrastructure management system. The distributed nature and multiple environmental benefits of decentralized controls necessitate an integrated and inter-departmental management approach. The results of this research identify various implementation strategies for incorporating decentralized controls into urban infrastructure management programs. Case studies and programmatic and regulatory examples detail alternatives to expedite the adoption of decentralized controls. Managing infrastructure by limiting demand is explored in the context of distributed controls. In addition, an evaluation of economic methods appropriate for assessing environmental costs and benefits is included to more fully capture the financial consideration of decentralized controls. Guidance for modeling decentralized controls with commonly used stormwater models is also provided.

This project was initiated in response to the establishment of mercury TMDLs around the country and issues raised by this process, specifically concerning the issue of mercury bioavailability. While many of these studies recognize that point sources constitute a small fraction of the mercury load to a water body, a question has been raised concerning the relative bioavailability of mercury coming from various sources. For instance, is the mercury discharged from a wastewater treatment plant more or less bioavailable than mercury in precipitation, mercury in urban stormwater, or mercury in sediments? This project seeks to address this question by developing a reliable definition and approach to estimating bioavailability, by profiling various sources of mercury in a watershed with regard to the species of mercury present and by profiling those factors or conditions in either the effluent or the receiving water that enhance or mitigate the bioavailability of those forms. There were several important objectives relevant to the estimation of bioavailability and potential bioaccumulation of mercury from wastewater treatment plants and other sources in receiving waters. The first was to develop a working definition of bioavailability. For purposes of this project, this definition includes not only methylmercury, the form of mercury that readily bioaccumulates in aquatic food chains, but also bioavailable and potentially bioavailable inorganic mercury species that can be converted to methylmercury within a reasonable time frame. It is concluded that the strength of binding to solids and mercury-sulfur-organic matter associations are major factors in determining the bioavailability of inorganic Hg. A second major objective was to identify those factors or conditions in both the effluent and the receiving waters that enhance or mitigate the transformation of inorganic mercury to methylmercury and its subsequent bioaccumulation. Profiles were developed for various sources of mercury in watersheds, including wastewater treatment plants, with regard to bioavailable and potentially bioavailable mercury, and key factors in effluents and receiving waters that enhance or mitigate it. A procedure to assess the relative bioavailability of mercury from various watershed sources, including wastewater treatment plants was developed and tested using data from a US location. The project also features a literature review of conventional and emerging technologies for the removal of mercury from effluent streams and their effects on mercury bioavailability. A review of the salient aspects of mercury TMDLs completed by EPA and the states is also included. This project concludes that, based on available data and bioavailability as defined in this report, wastewater effluent is one of the lowest among the sources evaluated with respect to mercury bioavailability, along with urban runoff and mining runoff. Atmospheric deposition and contaminated sediments tend to be among the highest sources with respect to mercury bioavailability.

The biotic ligand model (BLM) is a computational tool that may be used to predict toxic effect levels of metals, including Ag. The BLM considers the effect of site-specific water quality characteristics on Ag speciation and bioavailability. This provides a basis for extrapolating from laboratory waters, used for most Ag toxicity tests, to natural waters, where the bioavailability and toxicity of Ag may differ. The original version of the BLM for the acute toxicity of Ag was reviewed by the USEPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) in 1999 and they recommended the completion of additional Ag chemistry and toxicity studies to provide data to test and refine the model. This project was completed to satisfy these recommendations. A chemistry component was completed to improve the representation of Ag speciation in natural waters and to characterize the important effect of sulfide on Ag bioavailability. These investigations added to the information that was available to characterize Ag chemistry and provided a basis for updating the earlier version of the Ag BLM. The BLM was also calibrated to laboratory toxicity data that were generated for a Ag-sensitive invertebrate, Ceriodaphnia dubia, a cladoceran that had previously been tested to only a limited degree. The studies were carried out in laboratory waters in which the chemistry was systematically varied to provide a basis for calibration of the BLM to the toxicity data for C. dubia. Toxicity tests were also performed with both Pimephales promelas and C. dubia in natural water samples that were well characterized chemically, with the data then used to test the model. While the C. dubia BLM results were relatively successful at simulating the observed effect levels the P. promelas results highlighted the need for further testing and refinement of the Ag BLM as it was applied to this fish species. Physiological tests were performed to explore the apparent increase in sensitivity of P. promelas in some of the test waters that were relatively low in ionic strength. It was determined that acclimation to such low ionic strength waters, in the absence of Ag, did not significantly reduce their sensitivity to Ag. Rather, it appeared that any benefit that may have been realized by acclimation, such as an enhanced ability to upregulate ion uptake rates in low ionic strength waters, was apparently offset by a concomitant increase in the rate at which Ag was accumulated. The Ag BLM was modified to account for the effect of low ionic strength water on the sensitivity to Ag of > 4-day old P. promelas. This led to an improved ability of the BLM to predict P. promelas effect levels in the natural waters. Physiological tests were also performed to investigate the apparent species-specific protection against Ag toxicity that is provided by chloride. Investigations with P. promelas suggested that the differences in degree of protection may be related to differences in how Ag affects the ionoregulation of Na+ and Cl- by different fish species. Although questions remain with regard to chloride, it appears that the BLM is able to predict this response reasonably well, particularly for the relatively sensitive <4 day old P. promelas. In summary, the WERF program yielded an improved chemistry and toxicity database, including data over an extended range of water quality characteristics and for an additional Ag-sensitive invertebrate, thereby providing a basis for refining the acute Ag BLM and improving its overall predictive ability.

There is a tremendous amount of literature on and experience with wastewater disinfection alternative. However, it is difficult for wastewater professionals to sift through all of the available information, especially for relatively newer technologies. In addition, there are many factors, some of them site-specific, that influence whether a facility changes disinfection practice, and which alternative it chooses. There are few resources that provide a comprehensive discussion of decision factors with a direct comparison of the disinfection alternatives. This project developed a singular document that presents the pros and cons and costs of the various technical options for wastewater disinfection. The resulting report is intended to be utilized by wastewater professionals to help evaluate and select the appropriate technology for their application. This report presents a review of the existing literature, a survey of disinfection practice by major POTWs, and surveys of facilities with UV and ozone systems. The known advantages and disadvantages of the mature technologies (chlorine, UV, and ozone), other technologies, and combinations of multiple disinfection alternatives are summarized. The report synthesizes this information and presents a coherent method for selecting a disinfection technology, based on individual priorities and criteria. Finally, the report identifies data gaps that would benefit from additional research.

Phase 3 of the overall WERF project was developed to study eight Phase 2 hypotheses in more depth, beginning in the laboratory (bench-scale) studies and continuing on to targeted investigations where the WERF team manipulated plant parameters at full scale to identify the best means of reducing biosolids cake odors. The Phase 3 research specifically sought ways to enhance anaerobicly digested and dewatered biosolids to reduce the odor levels in the biosolids end product, thereby reducing negatively perceived impacts on the environment or to the public when beneficially used on land. The goal of the Phase 3 study was to provide a general application of findings to WERF subscribers who are seeking ways to reduce odors produced by anaerobicly-digested biosolids. The Phase 3 options summary presents a general roadmap for wastewater treatment plant operators seeking to optimize biosolids processing and reduce biosolids cake odors. Biosolids cakes with minimal odors lead to better public acceptance near biosolids management sites and in neighborhoods adjacent to WWTPs. Reduced odors also could open the WWTP dewatered biosolids cake to other recycling or disposal opportunities that are currently not used due to odor and other concerns (including on-plant site composting or storage). Additionally, significant cost savings could be realized by not requiring extensive odor control or other expensive options for containment and management of biosolids.

The World Health Organization estimates that globally one billion people are without access to safe water and two billion people without adequate sanitation. The health consequence of such a situation is very serious and demands urgent appropriate action. The centralised system, which is still promoted all over the world, will not help in providing water and sanitation for all as it depends on huge financial and technological resources that are often not available. The International Conference on Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems held in Fremantle, Western Australia in July 2006 (organised by the Environmental Technology Centre at Murdoch University) promoted decentralised systems as a means of solving this problem. All the papers submitted at the conference underwent a review process. This book brings together a selection of papers presented at the conference. The papers selected for inclusion in WEMS 13: Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems promote the concept of decentralised systems, focusing on the design, operation, maintenance and management of small water and wastewater treatment plants and the uptake of decentralized systems. This book will be a valuable resource to industry practitioners, consultants and academics.

Approximately 23 percent of the estimated 115 million occupied homes in the United States are served by onsite wastewater systems. The vast majority of onsite wastewater treatment systems include a septic tank, grease trap, or both for primary treatment. These units are efficient, simple, low-energy treatment units whose performance is critically important to the overall functioning of onsite wastewater systems. Regulations, industry standards, guidance materials and engineering texts vary widely and are often incomplete in their consideration of the factors that may influence primary unit performance in onsite systems. The objective of this research was therefore to identify, compile, analyze, and report on the existing body of work addressing the performance of primary treatment units in onsite wastewater systems and the factors impacting performance. Design, construction/installation, and maintenance issues were considered, with a goal of establishing what is known, what is not known and what future research is needed in this area. Over 700 sources of information were collected, with most reviewed and presented in this document - the white paper. A bibliographic database, which can continue to be updated into the future, was developed as a companion piece to the white paper, as a tool for researchers and practitioners.

The sudden increase in indicator bacteria, including fecal coliforms (FCs) and E. coli, was evaluated at several full-scale facilities, in addition to the increase measured during cake storage. The results showed that the sudden increase was a statistically verifiable occurrence at some facilities, but not all, as was the additional increases measured during cake storage. The sudden increase and growth were much more prevalent in processes that utilized centrifuge dewatering compared to belt filter press dewatering. The sudden increase appears to be a result of the reactivation of indicator bacteria that become reversibly non-culturable (RNC) during digestion. Although other hypotheses, such as contamination and presence of inhibitors, cannot be ruled out in all cases. Only one plant that was sampled with high solids centrifugation did not show reactivation and/or regrowth and this plant was different from others in that it utilized thermophilic reactors in series. The results showed a good correlation between the digestion temperature and the reactivation potential and amount of reactivation measured after dewatering. As temperature of digestion increased, the amount of reactivation increased (for plants with reactivation). Similarly, this was generally true, on average for the extent of regrowth. The digestion SRT and VS reduction did not correlate well with reactivation or regrowth.

Wastewater collection system odors and corrosion issues continue to grow in importance to the community and to system owners and operators. Odor and corrosion prevention in collection systems has historically been as much art as science. Common control methods are selected based on practical experience as opposed to a fundamental understanding of why and when methods will be successful. Although much is known regarding the cause of odorous gases in the collection system, the underlying science and mechanisms of odor generation, sewer ventilation, odor characterization and monitoring, and corrosion mechanisms need further research. This WERF research activity helps odor-control specialists transition from "odor artists" to scientists and engineers, while also providing a useful tool both for designers to successfully prevent odor and corrosion events through proper design and for operators to mitigate and prevent odor excursions and corrosion impacts. This project transfers state-of-the-art technology and information gained from the literature survey to the collection system owner and designer on odor and corrosion assessment, measurement, characterization, monitoring, and prevention. The field studies identified in this Phase 1 effort will fill high-ranked knowledge needs. The resultant database and team-developed, web-based application tool will identify the best practices for the entire collection system and its associated facilities, infrastructure, equipment, and pipes. A plain-English guide providing a useful and easily understandable overview about odor and corrosion in collection systems including how odor and corrosion compounds are formed and what to do to control them is provided as an introduction to this document. This Phase 1 report then summarizes the state of the art in knowledge related to odor and corrosion in collection systems. This highlights the latest knowledge reported in the literature. These efforts to compile the literature database have included information-sharing partnerships with municipal utilities, the academic community, and the profession, all on a global basis. Our team included leading odor and corrosion control researchers in the academic, utility management, and consulting communities, and part of their role was to provide exhaustive literature research efforts through catalogue reference, gray literature review, and Internet search mechanisms. In this way we have accessed a broad spectrum of global resources tapping into the knowledge and experience of both WERF member and nonmember utilities.