496 research outputs found

    Low Impact Storm Water Management Projects at the University of New Hampshire

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    The University of New Hampshire has become increasingly concerned with storm water management on the Durham campus. Due to Federal regulations many regional municipalities are feeling pressure to enhance and increase management of storm water to reduce impacts to surface waters. The specific objective of this proposal is to demonstrate reductions in the discharge of storm water runoff from UNH-Durham campus properties. The construction and use of three Low Impact Development (LID) integrated management systems on UNH property will help UNH and the UNH Stormwater Center to champion innovative approaches in the state and region for reducing storm water runoff and improving the health of coastal watershed areas

    Water resources on outer-lying islands in Micronesia

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    2016 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.To view the abstract, please see the full text of the document

    Rainwater Harvesting in Mandi, India

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    Rainwater harvesting (RWH) was explored as a possible method to alleviate seasonal water scarcity in Himachal Pradesh. To investigate the feasibility of RWH, local residents were surveyed about their current water infrastructure and their perceptions of RWH. Based on analyzed data, models of RWH systems were designed for potential implementation on the IIT campus, Mandi town, and nearby villages. It was determined that RWH systems would be beneficial, but costs, lack of infrastructure, and misconceptions about RWH have impeded implementation

    An Alternative Source of Water Supply: Design and Construction of Rainwater Harvesting System for Domestic Use in Ovia-North East Local Government Area, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

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    Demand for freshwater is on the increase due mainly to population growth and urbanisation. Many of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. Hence, there is need for alternative water supply sources. With this in mind, there has been a growing attention on the potentials of rainwater harvesting as an alternative source of water supply. In this study, rainwater harvesting (RWH) system was designed for a 5-membered household in Ovia-North East LGA of Benin City, Nigeria. However, a prototype of the RWH system (mini system) was constructed to ascertain its suitability. It consist of a corrugated metal (zinc) sheet catchment of 6m2, a collection system made of PVC pipes and a filter with granular activated carbon and fine sand and two locally available plastic storage drums having capacity of 100L each. Rainwater samples were collected from the storage drums and analysed for their suitability in domestic purposes. These samples were analysed for thirteen parameters, namely; pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Temperature, Turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Chloride (Cl), Ammonium Nitrogen (NH4N), Nitrite (NO2-), Nitrate (NO3-), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Coliforms Count (Col.) using standard methods. Results revealed that with a roof area of 40m2, 75m3 reservoirs or tanks capacity will be required for dry period. It was observed that all parameters analysed were within acceptable limits for drinking water quality except for coliform bacteria. Although minimum level of coliform bacteria was observed, however pure water should be free from all kinds of coliforms, thus it is recommended that the addition of a disinfectant to the harvested rainwater is required to further improve it quality for domestic use. Also proper maintenance of the catchment area and storage containers could eliminate the presence of coliform bacteria and make rainwater safe for domestic purposes. This study has revealed that the harvested rainwater is of good quality and that the amount of rainwater to be stored with a 75m3 reservoirs or tanks will be more than enough for a 5-membered household to meet its domestic use throughout the whole dry periods of the year. Hence, RWH can serve as an alternative and viable source of water supply. Keywords: Catchment Area, Collection System, Runoff coefficient, Rainwater Harvesting, Rainfall, Water Demand, Water Supply. DOI: 10.7176/CER/14-7-01 Publication date: November 30th 202

    Designing a Roof Runoff Water Reclamation System

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    The National Grid Sustainability Hub houses interactive exhibits and educational materials to promote both their Smart Energy Solutions Program and their available sustainable opportunities. National Grid asked our team to address the issue of flooding on the sidewalk around the building and to incorporate both gardening and sustainability into our solution. To achieve these goals, our team designed a roof runoff water reclamation system that will be attached to a sustainable solar-powered hydroponic garden. We first researched and prioritized system constructs based on feasibility and then presented the three most cost effective and sustainable solutions to stakeholders

    Environmental performance of rainwater harvesting strategies in Mediterranean buildings

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    Purpose: The rapid urbanization and the constant expansion of urban areas during the last decades have locally led to increasing water shortage. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have the potential to be an important contributor to urban water self-sufficiency. The goal of this study was to select an environmentally optimal RWH strategy in newly constructed residential buildings linked to rainwater demand for laundry under Mediterranean climatic conditions, without accounting for water from the mains. Methods: Different strategies were environmentally assessed for the design and use of RWH infrastructures in residential apartment blocks in Mediterranean climates. The harvested rainwater was used for laundry in all strategies. These strategies accounted for (i) tank location (i.e., tank distributed over the roof and underground tank), (ii) building height considering the number of stories (i.e., 6, 9, 12, and 15), and (iii) distribution strategy (i.e., shared laundry, supply to the nearest apartments, and distribution throughout the building). The RWH systems consisted of the catchment, storage, and distribution stages, and the structural and hydraulic calculations were based on Mediterranean conditions. The quantification of the environmental performance of each strategy (e.g., CO2eq. emissions) was performed in accordance with the life cycle assessment methodology. Results and discussion: According to the environmental assessment, the tank location and distribution strategy chosen were the most important variables in the optimization of RWH systems. Roof tank strategies present fewer impacts than their underground tank equivalents because they enhance energy and material savings, and their reinforcement requirements can be accounted for within the safety factors of the building structure without the tank. Among roof tanks and depending on the height, a distribution strategy that concentrates demand in a laundry room was the preferable option, resulting in reductions from 25 to 54 % in most of the selected impact categories compared to distribution throughout the building. Conclusions: These results may set new urban planning standards for the design and construction of buildings from the perspective of sustainable water management. In this sense, a behavioral change regarding demand should be promoted in compact, dense urban settlements.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

    Rainwater harvesting case study: FCT/UNL campus

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    Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, Perfil Engenharia SanitáriaWith increasing pressure on the environment, particularly on water resources, due to outside forces such as climate change and population growth, water is nowadays a scarce and a valuable resource. With the need to find new alternatives, rainwater harvesting should be seen as an important strategy for better management of water resources, once it constitutes a free source of potable water. Rainwater harvesting systems, which already have a global implementation, are a recognised way for urban buildings to reduce their reliance on the public mains supply. Its applications are predominantly non-potable, namely toilet flushing and gardening. The aim of this report is to produce a comprehensive assessment of rainwater harvesting and its potential use all over the world, as well as the potential economical and environmental benefits. It is provided a description of all the rainwater harvesting system components, as well as water quality requirements according to the water final purpose. A case study is presented, which main object is to evaluate the feasibility of rainwater harvesting for gardening, applied to the University Campus of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Universidade Nova, Lisbon (FCT/UNL). A detailed characterization of the existing irrigation system on campus is provided, as well as its potential ability to collect rainwater. According to the supply and demand balance, several scenarios are presented in order to provide the necessary information for the decision-makers to evaluate the best solution for the desired application. For such, all the available information was analyzed, in order to determine the environmental, technical and economical viability of the project

    Rainwater Treatment for Domestic Use

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    The insufficiency of clean water for today usage has been very critical case. This is due to increasing of population, modern urbanization and also pollution that can cause water source affected by contaminants. So, in order to overcome this problem, the interest is much in the filtering of roof-collected rainwater. One of the techniques was to treat the rainwater by UV irradiation and carbon adsorption. This study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of bacteria and another contamination removal from rainwater through ultraviolet irradiation and carbon adsorption. The parameter tested for rainwater was E-coli, coliform, turbidity and color. The rainwater was taken from tile roof at the student hostel, UTP. The experiment was conducted for 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 hours continuous circulation passing through with UV lamp. The results for rainwater before undergo treatment was 1 MPN for E-coli, coliform 7.3 MPN, turbidity 1.97 NTU, color 5NTU and pH 7.76. After 24 hours treatment, the results for the treated rainwater was 0 MPN for E-coli, 0MPN for coliform, turbidity 3.19NTU, color 7.7NTU and pH 6.5. The treated rainwater was safe for domestic usage according to National Standard for Drinking Water Quality. The acceptable value for drinking water for drinking water is 0MPN/100ml for E-coli, coliform 0MPN/100ml, turbidity 5NTU, color 15NTU and 6.5-8.5 for pH

    Rainwater Harvesting in Matenwa, Haiti

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    The purpose of this Interactive Qualifying Project is to propose a practical, short-term solution to the water scarcity faced by the citizens of Mat232nwa, a mountainous village of La Gon226ve, Haiti. This report details our research concerning the selection of an appropriate rainwater harvesting method to solve the water shortage problem, a plan for physically implementing and maintaining this system, and ways to cultivate community participation in this implementation
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