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Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 September 2023) | Viewed by 11646

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marc Breulmann

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Guest Editor

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Interests: integrated wastewater management; decentralized wastewater management; reuse of treated wastewater and sewage sludge; governance; thermochemical carbonization processes; soil science ecology; biogeochemistry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Population increase, especially in urban areas of developing countries, has caused a significant increase in the demand for water, associated with increased local water shortages, thus putting enormous pressures on existing sewage networks and wastewater treatment plants and impacting drinking water resources through the infiltration of untreated wastewater.

Investments in adequate infrastructure (e.g., treatment technologies), management schemes, and governance structures need to be implemented in order to protect/restore vulnerable water resources by treating and reusing wastewater in a sustainable way.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality research articles and reviews that seek to address recent developments on worldwide sustainable integrated wastewater management approaches to protect vulnerable water resources covering but not limited to the following issues:

Examples/concepts of integrated wastewater management systems to protect vulnerable water resources.
Water–energy–food nexus.
Innovative decision-making tools for integrated wastewater management.
Groundwater/hydrogeological risk-assessment analysis.
Crop response to treated wastewater reuse.
Treated wastewater effects on soil quality.
Socio-economic impact of treated wastewater reuse.
Governance regulations and water politics.

Dr. Marc Breulmann
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals
Water Scarcity
Integrated Wastewater Management
Reuse of Treated Wastewater
Best Management Practices
Treatment technologies
Risk Assessment
Groundwater Protection
Hydrogeology
Water Politics
Governance

Related Special Issue

Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management: 2nd Edition in Sustainability

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of the Treatment Performance of the Conventional Wastewater Treatment Plant: A Case Study of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

by Boldbaatar Nyamjav, Ayurzana Badarch, Chuluunkhuyag Sangi and Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4528; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054528 - 03 Mar 2023

Viewed by 2584

Abstract

This study is carried out within the framework of the requirements of ensuring reliable operation of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant of Ulaanbaatar to increase the treatment performance and mitigate the adverse impacts of the current poor performance on nature and ecology. The dynamic of the current influent was studied in order to find the best-suited solution as a means of improvement for the WWTP. As an immediate and fast-to-build solution, an equalization tank and pre-aeration facilities were proposed. The positive effect of the facilities on the biological treatment stage and the overall treatment performance was estimated both theoretically and empirically. The results showed that the overall performance of the treatment for BOD₅ and TSS will be increased by up to 30% and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, the high fluctuation problems the central WWTP in terms of hydraulic and pollution load will be positively affected by the intervention, eliminating the main cause of the current poor treatment performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management)

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28 pages, 6985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrological and Hydrodynamic Modeling for Flash Flood and Embankment Dam Break Scenario: Hazard Mapping of Extreme Storm Events

by A’kif Al-Fugara, Ali Nouh Mabdeh, Saad Alayyash and Awni Khasawneh

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1758; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031758 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2287

Abstract

Simulation of dam breach scenarios can help in the preparation of emergency action plans for real dam breaks or flash flooding events. The purpose of this study was to identify flood-prone areas in the Al Wala Valley in the governorate of Madaba in Jordan through analysis of the Al Wala Dam. Modelling of dam breaches was conducted under two scenarios: a Clear Day scenario and a Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) scenario. The former scenario does not address the various dam failure modes; rather, it addresses the formation and development of a breach as a result of structural failures like the sliding of dam blocks in the case of a concrete dam or piping failures in the case of embankment dams. The PMF scenarios, however, simulate unsteady flow in pipes and overtopping failure via consideration of runoff hydrography. In the PMF scenario, flood-prone areas can be identified by in-depth analysis of data from previous extreme rainfall events. The related hydrologic and hydraulic data can then be modelled using intensity-duration-frequency curves applied to an hour-by-hour simulation to discover the areas most at risk of flooding in the future. In the present study, data were collected from inlet of flow to Al Wala Valley on 10 January 2013. The collected data, which included rainfall and discharge data, were fed to the HEC-HMS software in order to calibrate the hydrological parameters of the watershed of the Al Wala Dam. Additionally, the HEC-RAS tool was employed to determine the breach outflow hydrography and hydraulic conditions across various critical downstream locations, which were determined by use of dynamic flood wave-routing models. The simulations revealed that, in the case of the Clear Day scenario, downstream inundation would cover an area of 5.262 km² in the event of a pipe failure. However, in the event of a six-hour storm, a twelve-hour storm, and a twenty-four-hour storm, the flooded area would rise to 6.837 km², 8.518 km², and 9.390 km², respectively. In the event of an overtopping failure, 13.171 km² would be inundated, according to the Clear Day scenario. On the other hand, in the event of a six-hour storm, a twelve-hour storm, and a twenty four-hour storm, the flooded area would rise to 13.302 km², 14.249 km², and 14.594 km², respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management)

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22 pages, 6439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using COP Model to Map the Vulnerability of Groundwater Wells Adjacent to Landfills

by Almoayied Assayed, Samer Talozi, Rana Ardah, Nanci Alziq, Siham Bataineh and Aisha Alhushki

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010623 - 29 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1872

Abstract

Protecting the quality of the groundwater is of the utmost importance, particularly in countries such as Jordan, where the groundwater comprises a significant portion of the total water resources. A groundwater vulnerability assessment is one of the viable preventive measures that is normally used to preserve this strategic water resource. Groundwater vulnerability maps provide information on the groundwater basins that are vulnerable to contamination, particularly those coming from the landfills, and thus, they can be used for sustainable land use planning. The general goal of this study was to map the groundwater vulnerability to contamination and evaluate the impact of landfills on the groundwater quality at five landfill sites in Jordan, i.e., Akaider, Al-Husaineyat, Madaba, Dair Alla, and Azraq by using a COP hydrogeological model. The COP method is an European approach for aquifer vulnerability in the karst regions. This method uses the parameters: C—Concentration of flow; O—Overlying layers; P—Precipitation. Unlike the other methods, the COP model allows for us to assess the impact of the karst systems if they exist. For the study area, daily rain records from three weather stations surrounding each landfill were used. Along with the vulnerability maps, Peizometric maps for Akaider, Azraq, Dair Alla, Madaba and Al-Husaineyat were produced that assisted in our efforts to determine the wells located in the upstream and downstream of each targeted landfill. The water quality was tested two times in the upstream and downstream wells of each targeted landfill to explore the potential impacts of the landfills on the groundwater wells. The developed vulnerability maps show that most of the lands surrounding the landfills’ areas, within a diameter of 15 km, are located in low to very low vulnerability areas, except for the Al-Husaineyat landfill in Mafraq where a significant part of it lies in a moderate vulnerability area across a fault section. Additionally, the results of the water analysis from the surrounding wells indicated that there was no clear evidence of the contamination of the groundwater resulting from surrounding landfills, which was in agreement with the produced vulnerability maps. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management)

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12 pages, 2077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge with MCDA in the GIS Environment to Determine Site Potential for Water Harvesting in Wadi Hammad Basin in Jordan

by Abdel Rahman Al-Shabeeb, Ibraheem Hamdan, Hani Al Amoush, Rida Al-Adamat and A’kif Al-Fugara

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14033; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114033 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1308

Abstract

The significance of water harvesting in Wadi Hammad basin lies in the fact that the Jordanian government encourages the cultivation of vegetables, wheat, and barley in the country in an effort to improve food security in Jordan and create job opportunities for young people in the agricultural sector. Water harvesting in this basin will augment the water resources used for plant production and livestock watering by flash floods that involve large quantities of runoff. This study aimed to identify the best locations for water harvesting in the Wadi Hammad basin in Jordan via a Multi-Criterion Decision Analysis (MCDA) and indigenous knowledge. This study focused on consulting with indigenous knowledge where they provided information on the study area for water-collecting sites that have been used for years to provide water. In this study, site selection was based on six criteria that had been determined through a review of related literature (drainage density, rainfall depth, lineament density, soil clay content, geology, and slope). Following MCDA analysis, a water-harvesting suitability map was created. The final water-harvesting map uncovered that a large part of the basin (66.53%) has high to very high potential for water harvesting. The technique of water harvesting was subdued to statistical analysis, sensitivity analysis, and the map removal test. This study demonstrates that the selection of relevant water harvesting locations is a lengthy method that needs consultation with indigenous knowledge and the use of MCDA in the GIS environment. The study results, in general, and the final map, in particular, show the good relationship between the sites defined by the use of MCDA and the site suitability for water harvesting that was specified based on indigenous knowledge. Finally, the results of this study, which integrated indigenous knowledge with MCDA, may be employed to help in effective planning for water resource management to warrant the sustainable development of water in Jordan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management)

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18 pages, 20010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Wastewater Management for the Protection of Vulnerable Water Resources in the North of Jordan

by Marc Breulmann, Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar, Moritz Sanne, Manfred van Afferden, Ali Subah and Roland A. Müller

Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3574; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063574 - 18 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2630

Abstract

The protection of vulnerable groundwater resources and their optimal management is essential for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to meet current and future water demands. Our overall objective was to analyse the water situation in the district of Bani Kinana, which has received a large number of Syrian refugees in the past, resulting in an increased water demand, which in turn leads to local water shortages and puts tremendous pressure on local groundwater resources. An integrated wastewater resources management (IWRM) approach to protect groundwater resources and to reduce the risk to local communities and ecosystems was developed, and the most cost-effective wastewater treatment system solution was identified, based on the ALLOWS tool (Assessment-of-Local-Lowest-Cost-Wastewater-Solutions). The results show that a large volume of drinking water is directed to the Jordan Valley and it is recommended that this water should be retained to meet current needs and the projected future demand of 8.3 MC in 2050. The ALLOWS tool revealed that the current practice of wastewater disposal by tanker is the costliest scenario in the long-term and will cause the pollution of groundwater resources. A tailored solution, such as the implementation of a cost-efficient semi-centralized wastewater treatment plant, would contribute significantly to protecting vulnerable water recourses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting Vulnerable Water Resources by Integrated Wastewater Management)

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