Search Results (30)

Urban water supply systems require considerable electrical energy inputs across all operational processes: raw water abstraction, treatment, transmission, and distribution. Consequently, water loss within these processes represents not merely a loss of water volume, but also additional energy consumption and an increase in carbon emissions, given that electricity generation relies predominantly on fossil fuels. This study applied two methodological approaches to analyze the role of water loss within the Water–Energy–Carbon (WEC) Nexus of the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA), Thailand, over the period 2017–2024. The first method utilized a detailed WEC linkage analysis to balance water inputs and outputs in each process to quantify specific losses: raw water, in-plant, transmission, and distribution losses. The second method applied the International Water Association’s Leakage Emissions Initiative framework, focusing specifically on potable real water loss in distribution process, which constituted the largest volume (64.85% of total losses) and embodied the highest specific energy consumption. Based on the first method, the average annual potable real water loss was 534.71 MCM/yr (23.58% of water supplied to distribution), corresponding to embedded energy and carbon emissions of 103.76 GWh/yr (24.89% of total energy consumption) and 49,562 tCO₂e/yr (24.89% of total carbon emission), respectively. Although the second method was considerably simplified, the estimated energy and carbon emission values were only slightly higher than those derived from the detailed method, demonstrating the second method’s effectiveness as a streamlined assessment tool. These findings underscored that water loss reduction initiatives are essential for minimizing energy consumption and carbon emissions, thereby supporting Thailand’s pathway toward Net Zero emissions by 2050. Full article

In the context of micro-polluted water sources, the performance decline of filtration units is a major challenge for the operational management of water supply plants. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically analyze the mechanism underlying the decline in filter media activity and optimize the pre-filtration treatment. This study focuses on waterworks, aiming to enhance filtration performance through filter media modification and a combined coagulant-oxidant strategy. A key innovation of this work is the development of a macro-microscopic correlation evaluation system. The results showed that the modified filter media increased the turbidity removal rate by 10.48% compared to the unmodified media. Furthermore, the combined coagulation–pre-oxidation scheme increased the removal rates for turbidity and UV₂₅₄ by 3.24% and 19.03%, respectively, compared to the single-process scheme. Combined with filter media characterization results, the deactivation mechanism of filter media can be inferred. During the high-algae period, microorganisms on the filter media generate anaerobic Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS), which form a biofilm with bacteria and adhere to the filter media. The viscous matrix of these EPS then encapsulates inorganic substances, resulting in hard-to-remove clumps. These clumps clog pores and hinder the adsorption of subsequent pollutants, ultimately leading to continuous deterioration in filter media performance until failure. Full article

Water scarcity is a global challenge faced by millions of people, and it has a negative impact on the ecosystem, public health, and financial stability. Water demand and supply management becomes critical, especially in areas with limited access to clean, safe water. Wastewater and water treatment infrastructure is essential for maintaining environmental integrity and protecting human health. However, water treatment plants in South Africa face various complex obstacles brought on by institutional setups, practical limitations, and environmental concerns, including water quality. This study investigated the institutional arrangements, operational challenges, and environmental concerns that water and wastewater treatment plants face in the Vhembe District Municipality, South Africa. A qualitative study was conducted in Limpopo province, where employees from 12 water and wastewater treatment plants were interviewed, and the data were analyzed thematically. The data were arranged into five major themes using thematic analysis: understanding water and wastewater treatment systems, educational and demographic profile, water quality assessment, operational performance and regulatory compliance, and water volume in waterworks plants. Staff attitudes, institutional and operational challenges, and the current condition of treatment plants were all comprehensively portrayed using Ostrom’s IAD Framework. It was found that workers generally understand water treatment processes, but inconsistencies and a lack of transparency in monitoring water quality were noted, with many parameters from SANS 241 not being tested consistently. A significant educational gap among workers was also observed. Insufficient capacity, load-shedding, limited resources, and inadequate infrastructure prevented treatment plants from meeting daily water needs, worsened by institutional and socio-economic factors. Similar challenges were noted in countries like China, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Brazil, and Libya. To enhance water management efficiency and compliance, the study recommends more training, standardized procedures, proactive maintenance, and stakeholder involvement. Full article

The subject of investigation presented in this article is a filling and draining system of the ship lock installed in the Gabčíkovo Waterworks. This article describes the operation and construction of the special regulation segments, i.e., the check gates that are situated in the ship locks. After the failure and replacement of the original check gate with the new, improved one, the strain gauge sensors were applied to the new check gate in order to determine stress distribution on the segment surface as well as the loading of the actuating arms. The application method and application places of the strain gauge sensors are described in detail. The performed measurements detected the occurrence of additional motional resistances during the opening and closing of the check gate. These resistances caused a partial non-functionality of the original check gate actuating mechanism. Full article

This article addresses an important task for the operators of public water supply systems. It is to ensure the long-term security, reliability, and provision of the required quantity and prescribed quality of drinking water systems. To fulfill this task, a program called “Risk Assessment” has been developed. The risk assessment program for the drinking water supply system is incorporated into current legislation, which mandates that all operators of public water supply systems assess the waterworks that they operate. The objective of this article is to assess the risks of the drinking water supply system of the Nový Malín communal waterworks in accordance with the applicable legislation and recommended methodology. These waterworks constitute communal waterworks and encompass 7 underground water sources serving 3 municipalities and 7 settlements totaling 3500 residents. The results of this analysis should serve as a basis for updating the operational regulations of the waterworks and for assessing whether the methodology used is suitable for this type of water supply system. Full article

Multi-regional waterworks are large-scale facilities for supplying tap water to the public and industrial parks, and interruptions in the water supply due to leaks result in massive social and economic damages. Accordingly, real-time, around-the-clock accident monitoring is necessary to minimize secondary damage. In the present study, a section of a large-scale waterworks transmission mains system with frequent changes in its physical boundaries was defined for sensor network map-based deep learning input and output. A deep neural network (DNN)-based pressure prediction model, able to detect pipe burst accidents in real-time using short-term data collected over periods within 1 month, was developed. A sensor network map refers to a sensor-based hierarchy diagram, which is expressed using a hydraulically divided area. A hydraulically independent area can be determined using known value information (e.g., the known flow, pressure, and total head) in a complex water supply system. The input data used for the deep learning model training were: the water levels measured at 1 min intervals, flow rates, ambient pressure, pump operation state, and electric valve opening data. To verify the developed methodology, two sets of real-world data from past burst accidents in different multi-regional waterworks systems were used. The results showed that the difference between the pressure as measured by pressure meters and an estimated pressure was extremely small before an accident, and that the difference would reach a maximum at the time point when an accident occurs. It was confirmed that an approximate estimation of an accident occurrence and accident location could be estimated based on predicted pressure meter data. The developed methodology predicts a mutual influence between pressure meters and, therefore, has the advantage of not requiring past data covering long time periods. The proposed methodology can be applied immediately and used in currently operational large-scale water transmission main systems. Full article

Droughts, which are expected to worsen under global climate change, have major impacts on human life and the natural environment. In this study, an analysis system was established for predicting and determining hydrological drought conditions at ungauged water stations and in watersheds connected to municipal river water intake facilities. The aim was to help prevent drought damage or minimize its effects based on an immediate response to severe drought events. A system is presented for the selection of ungauged watersheds that take in river water, and three methodologies are proposed for identifying and forecasting hydrological drought conditions. Two South Korean pilot sites among the numerous ungauged water intake plants that lack local data collection facilities were selected as study areas. In addition, a roadmap for the establishment of standards for the determination of drought conditions in ungauged river basins was proposed. The methodologies introduced in this study assume nationwide expansion and construction. Their utilization can facilitate effective drought responses, based on drought forecasting and restricted water supply criteria for each phase of water intake, at local (and other) waterworks. Full article

Civilizations have been able to bloom because of the way they have been historically associated with water resources, especially in seeking strategies to ensure a supply to diverse sectors that require them. Thus, challenges in satisfying water demand are shaped by the particular epoch and geographical area. In this sense, Roman engineering represents a new view of waterworks construction. Above all, it concerns building arched structures to convey water from supply sources to cities; even the hydraulic technology developed by Romans would transcend beyond the time this empire ruled the world. Consequently, this paper shows a brief outlook of some hydraulic systems in Asia, Europe and America settled thousands of years ago. Additionally, a historiographic approach is made for several aqueducts built within the limits that currently constitute the state of Zacatecas during colonial times and independent Mexico in order to evaluate their transcendence for mining, agriculture, and cattle. In addition to the allusion to historical context, the main goal has been to evaluate the hydraulic design of eight olden aqueducts based on current engineering approaches, with the purpose of typifying coincidences between constructive procedures inherited from Roman culture and those used by Spanish conquerors to erect similar civil works in this region. Full article

In South Korea, a reasonable rate system that can be domestically applied to calculate sewage and stormwater separately from the domestic sewage fee system is needed. This study proposed a phased pricing scenario to separate sewage and stormwater in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, and the rate changes were compared based on a simulated calculation of the stormwater utility fee. In this investigation, stormwater runoff cases from other countries and the current domestic system were analyzed. A stormwater utility fee introduction scenario was presented that considers the impervious surface area. Water and sewage usage statistics and hydrant spatial data were collected from the Incheon Metropolitan City Waterworks Authority, and the total amount of water and sewage fees from the land use area were calculated. The stormwater utility fee was calculated, and the rates of each step were compared. The total sewage fee of Bupyeong-gu during 2014 was KRW 21,685,446,578, and the phased stormwater utility fee was calculated, assuming that 40% represents the stormwater cost. The sewage fee for the residential area in phase 3 decreased by 0.77% compared to phase 1. For the commercial areas, the sewage fee decreased by 36.87%. Because the impervious surface ratio was high, the overall area contributing to the impervious surface area was small. In the industrial area, the sewage fee increased by 8.35%. In the green area, the sewage fee increased by 37.46%. The sewage fee for the apartment complexes decreased by 10.6%. Finally, the possibility of estimating the actual stormwater utility fee was confirmed. Full article

The province of León preserves a unique hydraulic infrastructure 1200 km-long, used for the exploitation of auriferous deposits in Roman times. It represents the most extensive waterworks in Europe and is one of the best-preserved examples of mining heritage in Antiquity. In this work, three mining exploitation sectors (upper, middle, and lower) characterized by channels and leats developed in different geological materials were examined, using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). A multi-approach based on a comparison of photogrammetric and multispectral data improved the identification and description of the hydraulic network. Comparison with traditional orthoimages and LiDAR data suggests that UAV-derived multispectral images are of great interest in areas where these sets of data have low resolution or areas that are densely covered by vegetation. The results showed that the size of the channel box and its width were factors that do not depend exclusively on the available water resources, as previously suggested, but also on the geological and hydraulic conditioning factors that intervene in each sector. Additionally, the detailed study allowed the establishment of a water sheet maximum height that was much lower than previously thought. All in all, these inferences might help researchers develop new strategies for mapping the Roman mining infrastructure and establishing the importance of geological inheritance on the construction of the hydraulic system that led the Romans to the accomplishment of the largest mining infrastructure ever known in Europe. Full article

The objective of this present study is to use choice experiments and an extensive cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to investigate the feasibility of installing two advanced water treatments in Cheongju waterworks in South Korea. The study uses latent class attribute non-attendance models in a choice experiment setting in order to estimate the benefits of the two water treatments. Moreover, it explores strategies to mitigate potential hypothetical bias as this has been the strongest criticism brought to stated preference methods to date. Hypothetical bias is the difference between what people state in a survey they would be willing to pay and what they would actually pay in a real situation. The study employs cheap talk with a budget constraint reminder and honesty priming with the latter showing more evidence of reducing potential hypothetical bias. The lower bound of the median WTP (willingness to pay) for installing a new advanced water treatment system is approximately $2 US/month, similar to the average expenditures for bottled water per household in South Korea. These lower bounds were found using bootstrapping and simulations. The CBA shows that one of the two treatments, granular activated carbon is more robust to sensitivity analyses, making this the recommendation of the study. Full article

This article presents several algorithms for controlling water supply system pumps. The aim of having control is the hydraulic optimisation of the network, i.e., ensuring the desired pressure in its recipient nodes, and minimising energy costs of network operation. These two tasks belong to the key issues related to the management and operation of water supply networks, apart from the reduction in water losses caused by network failures and ensuring proper water quality. The presented algorithms have been implemented in an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) system developed at the Systems Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IBS PAN) and implemented in the waterworks GPW S.A. in Katowice/Poland. Full article

With China’s rapid economic growth and increasing speed of urbanization, water pollution accidents have become one kind of environmental pollution source in China and bring potential risk to urban drinking water safety. The Huangjuedu Drinking Water Source Area is an important water source in Chongqing City (Southwest China) and a water intake source for the Jiangnan Waterworks of the Chongqing Drinking Water Company. There are still risks of water pollution accidents caused by ship leakage, road traffic accidents, chemical plant leakage, etc. The safety of the drinking water area is related to regional residents’ health and life safety and also has a profound impact on economy development and social stability. To reduce the harmful impacts of water pollution, it is of great scientific value and practical significance to analyze the pollutant diffusion of water pollution accidents with the Three Gorges Reservoir Area drinking water source security platform. In this paper, a two-dimensional water quality monitoring model was applied, and the digital elevation model was incorporated into the geographic information system, which generated a computational grid. Then, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area drinking water source security platform was developed. The platform can predict the water flow velocity, pollutant concentration at the drinking water inlet, and the spatial and temporal distribution of pollutants in the whole water source area. Furthermore, a hypothetical ammonia nitrogen leak accident was analyzed using this safety platform. The ammonia nitrogen concentration at the intake of the drinking water source area was detected and analyzed by the security platform from the time of the accident until the concentration dropped to the background during four water periods under different wind direction conditions. The pollutants took 19, 22, 25, and 40 min to reach the water quality standard during the four water periods. Moreover, the diffusion of ammonia nitrogen in the southeast wind was faster than that in the southwest wind. The results showed that the platform is scientific and practical, and the prediction results are helpful for the Emergency Management Department to quickly and accurately predict the migration of ammonia nitrogen pollution and make corresponding plans under accident conditions. Full article

In this study, waterworks sludge ceramsite (WSC) was combined with 3% iron-carbon matrix in a denitrifying biological filter (ICWSC-DNBF) to enhance the simultaneous removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plant (SE-WTP). The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen removal, as well as phosphorus removal and the adsorbed forms of phosphorus were measured and the removal mechanism of these pollutants by the ICWSC-DNBF system for treating SE-WTP were investigated. The results showed that the ICWSC-DNBF achieved good removals of COD, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, total N and total P; effluent concentrations were 17.23 mg/L, 3.72 mg/L, 14.32 mg/L, 17.38 mg/L and 0.82 mg/L, respectively. WSC enhanced the P removal due to its high specific surface area and the high number of adsorption sites. Fe-P and Al-P were the main forms of P adsorbed by WSC, accounting for 78.53% of the total adsorbed P. WSC coupled with Fe and C improved the biodegradability of SE-WTP and promoted the removal of organic matter. The removal of N was attributed to the abundant denitrifying microorganisms in the system and the electrochemical effect produced by the internal electrolysis of Fe and C. Full article

In order to allocate the raw water of the complex water supply system in Shenzhen reasonably, this paper studied the complex network relationship of this large-scale urban water supply system, which consists of 46 reservoirs, 67 waterworks, 2 external diversion water sources, 14 pumping stations and 9 gates, and described each component of the system with the concepts of point, line and plane. Using the topological analysis technology and graph theory, a generalized model of the network topological structure of the urban water allocation system was established. On this basis, combined with the water demand prediction and allocation model of waterworks, a water resources allocation model was established, aiming at satisfying the guaranteed rate of the water supply. The decomposition and coordination principle of the large-scale system and the dynamic simulation technology of the supply-demand balance were adopted to solve the model. The forward calculation mode of controlling waterworks and pumps, and the reverse calculation mode of controlling reservoirs and waterworks were designed in solving the model, and a double-layer feedback mechanism was formed, which took the reverse calculation mode as outer feedback and the reservoir water level constraint or pipeline capacity constraint as inner feedback. Through the verification calculation of the case study, it was found that the proposed model can deal well with the raw water allocation of a large-scale complex water supply system, which had an important application value and a practical significance. Full article