Search Results (14)

The aim of this paper is to investigate the measures adopted by higher education institutions (HEIs) for sustainable water management in university campuses. Rain and storm water harvesting and treatment, rain and storm water reuse, wastewater treatment and reuse and technologies for runoff reduction were found to be frequently undertaken. Sustainable approaches to water supply such as water-efficient appliances, irrigation algorithms and the use of drought-resistant plants have been adopted as well. In support, monitoring of consumed water and of rain and storm waters has been a widespread practice. Important considerations were given to the impact of the identified measures on campuses’ energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Nature-based solutions, employment of renewable energies and sustainable disinfection methods are measures to prioritize. Some wastewater technologies may deserve priority in virtue of their positive contribution to circular economy. Drawbacks such as groundwater and soil contamination due to wastewater reuse and the release of pollutants from fertilized nature-based technologies were identified. Despite their variety, it must be noted that many of these measures have generally involved rather limited portions of campuses, taken more for demonstration or pilot/full-scale research purposes. Additional measures not identified in the current review—for instance the prevention of pollution from micropollutants and waste mismanagement—should be implemented to boost HEIs’ environmental sustainability. The findings of this review pave the way for a more structured implementation of water sustainability measures in university campuses. Full article

This article describes the results of research to develop a new technology to treat storm and drainage water generated on a territory of industrial enterprises and reuse it as a feed water for boiler feed and steam generation. To develop such a system, it is necessary to resolve issues related to pretreatment, scaling, and fouling, as well as to provide a minimal discharge in the company’s sanitation network. Principles of the new approach to reach high calcium removal are based on the use of two or three stages of low-pressure nanofiltration membranes instead of the conventional facilities that contain one stage of reverse osmosis membranes. High permeability, low pressure, high recovery, and reduced reagent consumption provide an economic effect. The technology uses low-rejection membranes “nano NF” developed and produced by “Membranium Co.” (Vladimir, Russia). In the article, the results of investigations on the evaluation of scaling rates in membrane modules and rates of homogeneous crystallization in concentrate flow are presented. Processing these results enables us to detect recovery values when scaling begins on the membrane surface as well as to determine the maximum recovery value for the beginning of homogenous nucleation in the concentrate flow. Full article

Drought and heavier spring storms from climate change will increase crop water stress and affect productivity. A study was conducted to determine whether supplemental irrigation on fine-textured soils with recycled drainage and surface runoff water, combined with nitrogen (N) management, could mitigate these effects. This study was set as a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with three replicates. The main plots, which were individually drained, corresponded to three water management strategies (full irrigation, limited irrigation, and rainfed), and the subplots corresponded to six N rates (0, 90, 134, 179, 224, and 269 kg/ha) in the corn phase of the rotation. In the soybean phase, the same water management strategies were uniformly applied across the subplots. Irrigation and drainage water, volumetric soil water content (SWC), and grain yield data were collected. The full irrigation significantly increased the SWC in the top 60 cm of the soil across crops during the driest year, where it increased by an average of 30% compared with the rainfed conditions. The limited irrigation increased the SWC in the top 20 cm only for the soybean during the driest year, where it increased by as much as 25%. As a result, the supplemental irrigation prevented yield reduction in one year. While the irrigation alone did not significantly affect the grain yield of either crop, the irrigation × N interaction for the corn was consistently significant, which suggests that the N effectively enhanced the corn productivity. The results suggest that reusing drainage water could be a valuable practice for reducing the effects of limited soil water on crops in fine-textured soils. Full article

Rainfall runoff may be captured and stored for later use, but the quality of this water can be detrimental in some uses without the use of appropriately designed first-flush diverters. The rainfall runoff water quality was measured on nineteen new small-scale and two aged commercial roofs located near high traffic highways. Roof coverings included asphalt shingles, sheet metal, clay tiles, and tar and gravel. Runoff samples were evaluated for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), and pyrethroid insecticides. Eighteen small-scale roofs were subjected to a range of simulated rainfall events, while natural runoff was sampled on the commercial roofs and one small-scale roof. Runoff was analyzed for pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, boron, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium adsorption ratio, nitrate-nitrogen, seventeen PAHs, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin. Samples from four natural storm events were also analyzed for total coliforms and Escherichia coli. In addition, soils below seventeen existing gutter downspouts were sampled to determine long-term pollutant accumulation. Atmospheric deposition was the main contributor of pollutants in the roof runoff. A majority of samples fell within the U.S. EPA guidelines for non-potable urban and agricultural water reuse. Trace levels of PAHs, PFRs, and insecticides were detected, but all detections were three orders of magnitude below the USGS health-based screening level benchmark concentrations. Results indicate that diverting the first flush, based on turbidity, total suspended solids, or conductivity, can improve the overall water quality and reduce the concentrations of PAHs in harvested rainwater. Downspout soil sampling showed potential for the long-term accumulation of PAHs at concentrations exceeding the minimum human-health risk-based screening levels at these high runoff-loading locations. Full article

A contribution to the sustainable management of storm water is the use of sustainable drainage (SuDS)-derived water as an unconventional source for irrigation. If storm-water runoff contains dissolved nutrients in excess of those found in conventional irrigation, reusing this water can contribute to the nutrient demands of horticulture or landscaping, which is known as “fertigation”. Green roofs are SuDS devices, and those with below-substrate water storage, blue green roofs, can be additional water sources. The nutrients released from a roof-substrate-growing medium could contribute to the growth of crop and landscape plants, but materials from blue green roofs must not release residues harmful to fertigated plants or receiving soils. This plant growth experiment examined the effects of water from a blue green roof on plant growth and health and the effects on soil and roof-harvested water when functioning as a nutrient-rich irrigation source. Tomatoes and ryegrass were used as examples of horticultural and landscaping plants, respectively. Blue green roof water was compared with potable water irrigation. The blue-green-roof-derived water provided a distinct growth advantage for tomatoes and lower sodium in fruits than tap water, at 285 mg/kg and 636 mg/kg, respectively. For ryegrass, the differences were minimal, but there was no disadvantage to using roof water for fertigation. Following three years of a blue green roof’s operational life, export of inorganic nutrients from the roof, local storage, and then application to plants were effective in contributing additional fertiliser. Full article

Urban storm runoff is a major source of pollutants in receiving water bodies. To assess the impact of urban stormwater runoff on an urban river, the runoff process of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium (NH₄), and total phosphorus (TP) were investigated on road surfaces classified as arterial road (AR), residential area (RA), and industrial area (IA) in the Pingshan River (PSR) watershed in Shenzhen, China. Event mean concentration (EMC) was calculated to analyze the water quality of road runoff, and the dimensionless M(V) cumulative curves were used to estimate the course of decreasing concentration of runoff pollutants during each rainfall event. Multicriteria decision making methods (PROMETHEE-GAIA) were used to identify the linkage between runoff pollutants, land use types, and rainfall intensity. The EMCs of COD and TP in runoff exceeded the class IV level of the water quality standard for surface water (China). RA was a major potential source for NH₄, COD, and TP in the river. Controlling the first flush is critical to decrease the effect of road runoff on receiving water bodies, as most runoff pollutants in AR, RA, and IA had a first flush effect during heavy rainfall. The specific management measure for runoff pollution varied with land use type. Reducing road TSS concentrations was effective for controlling runoff pollution in AR and RA because NH₄, TP, and COD attached to particulate matter. In IA, the collection and reuse of stormwater in the initial rainfall period were effective for reducing the effect of soluble pollutants in runoff on receiving water bodies. This study provides new information for managing urban road stormwater runoff in different land use types. Full article

On a global scale, with the acceleration of urbanization and the continuous expansion of cities, the problem of urban flooding has become increasingly prominent. An increasing number of experts and scholars have begun to focus on this phenomenon and build corresponding models to solve the problem. The storm water management model 5 (SWMM5) is a dynamic rainfall-runoff simulation model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); this model simulates urban flooding and drainage well and is widely favored by researchers. However, the use of SWMM5 is relatively cumbersome and limited by the operational platform, and these factors hinder the further promotion and sharing of SWMM5. Based on the OpenGMS platform, this study first encapsulates, deploys, and publishes SWMM5 and further builds the Web-SWMM system for the model. With Web-SWMM, the user can conveniently use network data resources online and call SWMM5 to carry out calculations, avoiding the difficulties caused by the localized use of SWMM5 and enabling the sharing and reuse of SWMM5. Full article

A hydrological model was integrated with a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to determine bacteria levels distributed throughout the Inverness stormwater pond in Calgary, Alberta. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) curve number model was used as the basis of the hydrological model to generate flow rates from the watershed draining into the pond. These flow rates were then used as input for the CFD model simulations that solved the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with k-ɛ turbulence model. E. coli, the most commonly used fecal indicator bacteria for water quality research, was represented in the model by passive scalars with different decay rates for free bacteria and attached bacteria. Results show good agreement with measured data in each stage of the simulations. The middle of the west wing of the pond was found to be the best spot for extracting water for reuse because it had the lowest level of bacteria both during and after storm events. In addition, only one of the four sediment forebays was found efficient in trapping bacteria. Full article

To maintain the navigational depth, 1.15 million cubic meters (1.5 million cubic yards) of sediment is dredged out from the federal harbors every year from Lake Erie, Ohio Coast. Treating this huge amount of dredged material is a major challenge due to the mobilization of potential contaminants causing depreciation in water quality and depletion of valuable land. Rather than treating the dredged material as a waste, we suggest investigating alternative ways to recycle and reuse the material within Green Infrastructure (GI) and living architecture applications. This study identifies potential applications of the dredged material in bioretention and vegetative roof systems, and examines the role of dredged material in these edaphic conditions. The paper discusses the beneficial uses of dredged material in GI by investigating the quality of dredged material and performances of GI built using dredged material through laboratory and field-testing. Preliminary results of a growth media using dredged material for the vegetative roof have been developed in lab/field studies that possess the performance values comparable to the current commercial product. The growth media containing lightweight aggregate, made from the dredged material, is observed to have high water retention capacity and high unit weight in comparison to a commercial product. The growth media leachate water test demonstrated the water quality to be comparable to the drained water from the commercial product. The growth media overwintered and advanced a rare plant species, Viola pedatifida, which is similar to conventional media. The beneficial uses of dredged material in the GI will help maintain the economic viability of harbors and ports along the shoreline of Lake Erie in Ohio and GIs, which were built using dredged material that can help address storm water management issues in urban areas due to extensive impervious surfaces. Full article

Pressures on water resources, which have increased significantly nowadays mainly due to rapid urbanization, population growth and climate change impacts, necessitate the development of innovative wastewater treatment and reuse technologies. In this context, a mid-scale decentralized technology concerning wastewater reuse is that of sewer mining. It is based on extracting wastewater from a wastewater system, treating it on-site and producing recycled water applicable for non-potable uses. Despite the technology’s considerable benefits, several challenges hinder its implementation. Sewer mining disturbs biochemical processes inside sewers and affects hydrogen sulfide build-up, resulting in odor, corrosion and health-related problems. In this study, a tool for optimal sewer mining unit placement aiming to minimize hydrogen sulfide production is presented. The Monte-Carlo method coupled with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is used to conduct multiple simulations of the network. The network’s response when sewage is extracted from it is also examined. Additionally, the study deals with optimal pumping scheduling. The overall methodology is applied in a sewer network in Greece providing useful results. It can therefore assist in selecting appropriate locations for sewer mining implementation, with the focus on eliminating hydrogen sulfide-associated problems while simultaneously ensuring that higher water needs are satisfied. Full article

This study is part of a comprehensive research aimed at the development and application of the “Water Sensitive Cities” idea in Israel. This is a sustainable concept, incorporating among others the harvesting, treatment, and reuse of storm-water. The use of engineered biofiltration systems for the harvesting and treatment of storm-water in Israel is complicated due to the prolonged dry climate period, spanning 7–8 months of the year. Therefore, the tactic suggested is to use a hybrid biofiltration system for both storm-water harvesting/polishing during winter, and for remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater during summer. This paper focuses on the summer design (denitrification) configuration. In preliminary experiments, it was found that crude cotton could serve as an effective carbon source for denitrification. Further results are reported herein regarding the design and operation of biofilter columns applied for the treatment of synthetic mixtures simulating nitrate-contaminated groundwater. The columns were composed of crude cotton wool and polyethylene beads, which prevented the effect of cotton compression. This application was shown to enable controlled removal of nitrate to low levels, while emitting very low concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrite. It was also concluded that a biofilter requires judicious design and operation, since complete removal of nitrogen oxides might lead to the formation of undesired compounds such as sulfides due to the development of anaerobic conditions. Full article

This paper presents a critical review of the physical impacts of decentralized water supply systems on existing centralized water infrastructures. This paper highlights the combination of centralized and decentralized systems, which is referred to as hybrid water supply systems. The system is hypothesized to generate more sustainable and resilient urban water systems. The basic concept is to use decentralized water supply options such as rainwater tanks, storm water harvesting and localized wastewater treatment and reuse in combination with centralized systems. Currently the impact of hybrid water supply technologies on the operational performance of the downstream infrastructure and existing treatment processes is yet to be known. The paper identifies a number of significant research gaps related to interactions between centralized and decentralized urban water services. It indicates that an improved understanding of the interaction between these systems is expected to provide a better integration of hybrid systems by improved sewerage and drainage design, as well as facilitate operation and maintenance planning. The paper also highlights the need for a framework to better understand the interaction between different components of hybrid water supply systems. Full article

Sustainable water systems often comprise complex combinations of traditional and new system components that mimic natural processes. These green systems aim to protect public health and safety, and restore natural and human landscapes. Green infrastructure elements such as most sustainable drainage systems trap storm water but may contaminate groundwater. There is a need to summarize recent trends in sustainable water systems management in a focused document. The aim of this special issue is therefore to disseminate and share scientific findings on novel sustainable water systems addressing recent problems and opportunities. This special issue focuses on the following key topics: climate change adaptation and vulnerability assessment of water resources systems; holistic water management; carbon credits; potable water savings; sustainable water technologies; nutrient management; holistic storm water reuse; water and wastewater infrastructure planning; ecological status of watercourses defined by the Water Framework Directive. The combined knowledge output advances the understanding of sustainable water, wastewater and storm water systems in the developed and developing world. The research highlights the need for integrated decision-support frameworks addressing the impact of climate change on local and national water resources management strategies involving all relevant stakeholders at all levels. Full article

The Magenta Shores development fronts 2.3 km of Tuggerah Beach on a formerly sand mined and landfill site in an urban growth area on the central coast of New South Wales. To increase the natural defences against storm waves and mass sand movements, the incipient foredune was retained and the parallel beach ridge landform was re-established by mimicking natural processes. Analysis of waste and resources led to a coordinated large-scale onsite re-use, recycling and waste management program that reduced landfill, transportation and natural resource requirements. Bitou bush removed from the Coastal Protection Zone was incorporated into golf course soils to improve grass growth. Leachate in the groundwater from the former landfill was diverted away from Tuggerah Lake and re-used in golf course irrigation. Upgrade of the local sewer treatment plant and installation of a public dual pipeline servicing Magenta and the adjoining township satisfied irrigation demands and provided non-potable water for the existing and expanding urban community. The sustainability challenges of the project were met through clear identification of existing environmental risks, application of scientific research, integrated team management and stakeholders’ cooperation. Full article