Integrating sciences to sustain urban ecosystem services

Effective water management within urban settings requires robust multidisciplinary understanding and an appreciation of the value added to urban spaces by providing multifunctional green-blue spaces. Multifunctional landscapes where ecosystem service provisions are ‘designed-in’ can help ‘transition’ cities to more sustainable environments which are more resilient to changing future conditions. With benefits ranging from the supply of water, habitat and energy to pollutant removal, amenity and opportunities for recreation, urban water bodies can provide a focal point for reconnecting humans and nature in otherwise densely built-up areas. Managing water within urban spaces is an essential infrastructure requirement but has historically been undertaken in isolation from other urban functions and spatial requirements. Increasingly, because of the limits of space and need to respond to new drivers (e.g. mitigation of diffuse pollution), more sustainable approaches to urban water management are being applied which can have multiple functions and benefits. This paper presents a review of ecosystem services associated with water, particularly those in urban environments, and uses the emerging language of ecosystem services to provide a framework for discussion. The range of supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services associated with differing types of urban water bodies are identified. A matrix is then used to evaluate the results of a series of social, ecological and physical science studies co-located on a single stretch of a restored urban river. Findings identify the benefits of, but also barriers to, the implementation of a transdisciplinary research approach. For many, transdisciplinary research still appears to be on the edge of scientific respectability. In order to approach this challenge, it is imperative that we bring together discipline specific expertise to address fundamental and applied problems in a holistic way. The ecosystem services approach offers an exciting mechanism to support researchers in tackling research questions that require thinking beyond traditional scientific boundaries. The opportunity to fully exploit this approach to collaborative working should not be lost

Lifetime and effectiveness evaluation of ceramic pot filters

Poor water quality is a major contributing factor to disease in developing countries. Ceramic pot filters (CPFs) represent an effective and sustainable technology for poor communities, but the characterization of CPF lifetimes is on-going, and the water production seems to be the limiting factor. This dissertation describes laboratory and field investigations conducted to characterize the parameters that impact CPF effectiveness and lifetime in terms of water production and treatment efficacy, both under controlled and real use conditions. CPF initial flow rate is the most common quality control parameter, but it may not be representative of the long-term effectiveness of the CPF since other factors, as water quality and use practices, can have a significant impact on CPF lifetime. The experimental work demonstrated that, amongst the analyzed water parameters, turbidity is the principal indicator in determining CPF lifetime in term of water production. The relationship between turbidity and average flow rate was defined and followed a negative trend with a decreasing rate of 50mLh-1/NTU. A method that permits prediction of the average flow rate given the initial flow rate and the turbidity of the influent water, and determines the turbidity limit for a target average flow rate was established. The field investigation showed that CPFs could maintain bacterial removal efficacies above standards during the first 14 months of use, and flow rates in the recommended range during the first 10 months; however, consumers were tolerant of the lower flow rates. In general, filters were well accepted by users who appreciated the aesthetic quality of the treated water, reported lower incidences of health problems, and expressed their preference of the CPFs over other household treatments --Abstract, page iv

The SPPD-WRF framework : a novel and holistic methodology for strategical planning and process design of water resource factories

This paper guides decision making in more sustainable urban water management practices that feed into a circular economy by presenting a novel framework for conceptually designing and strategically planning wastewater treatment processes from a resource recovery perspective. Municipal wastewater cannot any longer be perceived as waste stream because a great variety of technologies are available to recover water, energy, fertilizer, and other valuable products from it. Despite the vast technological recovery possibilities, only a few processes have yet been implemented that deserve the name water resource factory instead of wastewater treatment plant. This transition relies on process designs that are not only technically feasible but also overcome various non-technical bottlenecks. A multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach is needed to design water resource factories (WRFs) in the future that are technically feasible, cost effective, show low environmental impacts, and successfully market recovered resources. To achieve that, the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) design space needs to be opened up for a variety of expertise that complements the traditional wastewater engineering domain. Implementable WRF processes can only be designed if the current design perspective, which is dominated by the fulfilment of legal effluent qualities and process costs, is extended to include resource recovery as an assessable design objective from an early stage on. Therefore, the framework combines insights and methodologies from different fields and disciplines beyond WWTP design like, e.g., circular economy, industrial process engineering, project management, value chain development, and environmental impact assessment. It supports the transfer of the end-of-waste concept into the wastewater sector as it structures possible resource recovery activities according to clear criteria. This makes recovered resources more likely to fulfil the conditions of the end-of-waste concept and allows the change in their definition from wastes to full-fledged products

Urban Water Quality: Socio-Economic Distribution of Stream Degradation, and the Influence of Climate on BMP Performance

Urban water quality impairments have long burdened urban aquatic ecosystems in a phenomenon termed “urban stream syndrome”. The symptoms of this “syndrome” include physical changes in stream morphology and water level, biologically stressed environments, and perturbations in ecosystem processes. Despite years of research and costly investments in restoration and rehabilitation, urban waterways are still plagued by degradation. Improvement in urban water quality will require multi-faceted efforts, including progress on 2 key fronts 1) increased understanding of current impairments, and 2) increased knowledge about urban stormwater infrastructure like best management practices (BMPs). Towards both topics, engineers have quantified the influence of controls that can be manipulated in restoration and design to improve water quality, such as imperviousness, real time controls, and soil amendments in BMPs. However, urban waterways remain degraded, and there are still many unknowns regarding the distribution of stream quality impairments. Improvement of urban water quality requires better quantification of water quality distribution and quantification of factors that impact stormwater infrastructure performance. This dissertation provided a diagnosis of the extent of spatial variability in urban stream syndrome in an urban watershed in metropolitan Detroit, and informed stormwater infrastructure performance variabilities through the execution of three objectives. First, the distribution of stream quality variability across socio-economic groups was evaluated through a partnership with volunteer science. Second, nutrient management BMP variability was assessed on a regional climate scale, and variable performance between climates was quantified. Finally, the influence of storm characteristics on BMP nutrient management was assessed and performance under different types of storms was quantified. This research showed that high poverty areas are disproportionately burdened by poor stream water quality and identified phosphorus leaching vulnerability for BMPs in arid climates and during intense storm events

A study on the carbon footprint contributions from a large wastewater treatment plant

The present work analyses aspects of the carbon footprint of a large wastewater treatment plant in central Italy. The plant mainly consists of a traditional activated sludge system along with an anaerobic digester providing a partial contribution of energy to the management. An integrated approach was adopted to evaluate the environmental sustainability of the treatment plant in terms of carbon footprint. For the assessment different sources of greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide were considered: effluent, production and transport of natural gas, energy consumption, boiler, co-generator, substrate and endogenous decays. According to the methodology adopted, energy consumption, production and transport of natural gas and N2O emissions from the effluent were found the most contributing sources of greenhouse gases. Based on this, these sources are suggested as the most relevant ones on which wastewater treatment plant managers should pay more attention when taking actions for carbon footprint mitigation. Considerations on the role of CO2 of biogenic origin (specifically the one in the biogas) in terms of sequestration options demonstrate that the analysis in this field should not be limited to the calculation and comment of non-fossil contributions to the overall balance

Pathways to Water Sector Decarbonization, Carbon Capture and Utilization

The water sector is in the middle of a paradigm shift from focusing on treatment and meeting discharge permit limits to integrated operation that also enables a circular water economy via water reuse, resource recovery, and system level planning and operation. While the sector has gone through different stages of such revolution, from improving energy efficiency to recovering renewable energy and resources, when it comes to the next step of achieving carbon neutrality or negative emission, it falls behind other infrastructure sectors such as energy and transportation. The water sector carries tremendous potential to decarbonize, from technological advancements, to operational optimization, to policy and behavioural changes. This book aims to fill an important gap for different stakeholders to gain knowledge and skills in this area and equip the water community to further decarbonize the industry and build a carbon-free society and economy. The book goes beyond technology overviews, rather it aims to provide a system level blueprint for decarbonization. It can be a reference book and textbook for graduate students, researchers, practitioners, consultants and policy makers, and it will provide practical guidance for stakeholders to analyse and implement decarbonization measures in their professions

Pathways to Water Sector Decarbonization, Carbon Capture and Utilization

The water sector is in the middle of a paradigm shift from focusing on treatment and meeting discharge permit limits to integrated operation that also enables a circular water economy via water reuse, resource recovery, and system level planning and operation. While the sector has gone through different stages of such revolution, from improving energy efficiency to recovering renewable energy and resources, when it comes to the next step of achieving carbon neutrality or negative emission, it falls behind other infrastructure sectors such as energy and transportation. The water sector carries tremendous potential to decarbonize, from technological advancements, to operational optimization, to policy and behavioural changes. This book aims to fill an important gap for different stakeholders to gain knowledge and skills in this area and equip the water community to further decarbonize the industry and build a carbon-free society and economy. The book goes beyond technology overviews, rather it aims to provide a system level blueprint for decarbonization. It can be a reference book and textbook for graduate students, researchers, practitioners, consultants and policy makers, and it will provide practical guidance for stakeholders to analyse and implement decarbonization measures in their professions

Aerobic biodegradation of per-treated methyl tert-butyl ether by ozonation in an up-flow-fixed-bed reactor

Problem Statement: MTBE is a common pollution of environmental and has become an issue of considerable concern in recent years. It is not readily amenable to remove MTBE by conventional techniques in water treatment. In the present study, the feasibility of the continuous aerobic biodegradation of MTBE, was evaluated in an Up- Flow Fixed Bed Reactor (UFBR). Approach: The UFBR at a constant Hydroulic Retention Time (HRT) of 24 h was used as a biological process that receives the intermediates due to partial oxidation of MTBE. The UFBR coupled to ozonation process as a survey system after a primary operation phase that was necessary for creatory of an initial microbial film on the carriers. Residual concentration of MTBE and its major degradation intermediates were measured by gas chromatography. Aqueous concentration of ozone in the reactor and ozone average concentration in off- gas were determined according to the indigo blue method. The COD reduction and BOD5 to COD ratio were selected as biodegradability indexes. Results: Results showed an effective degradation of MTBE in the coupled ozonation-UFBR continuous flow reactor of ten days of operation time. A partial degradation of MTBE in AOPs increases its biodegradation The BOD5 to COD ratio increased from lowest (0.01) up to a maximum of 0.72 that corresponds to an ozone consumption of 0.62mg per each mg of COD initially present in the solution. The results showed when m. MolMTBEo/m. Mol(o3) = 0.611, the COD removal efficiency was 89% and as this ratio increased up to 1.25, the of COD removal efficiency decreased to 80%. 46-68% removal of the COD was needed before the mixture was considered biodegradable. The highest removal rate of MTBE, 82.91 mg day-l achieved through out the UFBR runs (87% removal efficiency, In this study, the removal efficiency of MTBE using integrated-process (ozonation followed biological treatment) was from 78.5-86.5%. In order to determine of biological removal rate of MTBE, another UFBR system used as a blank reactors. Results showed that the efficiency of the COD removal (by stripping with the biological degradation) was 5-8% which implies insignificant biological removal of MTBE without pre-ozonation. Solid produced in the proposed integrated process was 0.27-0.35 kg TSS kg-1 COD removed which is approximately in down range of conventional biological system (0.3-0.5 kg TSS kg-1COD). Conclusion: Present study showed that we can treatment of the polluted aqueous solutions to MTBE without microbial incubation used to integrated process. © 2009 Science Publications