Natural Treatment Systems as Sustainable Ecotechnologies for the Developing Countries

The purpose of natural treatment systems is the re-establishment of disturbed ecosystems and their sustainability for benefits to human and nature. The working of natural treatment systems on ecological principles and their sustainability in terms of low cost, low energy consumption, and low mechanical technology is highly desirable. The current review presents pros and cons of the natural treatment systems, their performance, and recent developments to use them in the treatment of various types of wastewaters. Fast population growth and economic pressure in some developing countries compel the implementation of principles of natural treatment to protect natural environment. The employment of these principles for waste treatment not only helps in environmental cleanup but also conserves biological communities. The systems particularly suit developing countries of the world. We reviewed information on constructed wetlands, vermicomposting, role of mangroves, land treatment systems, soil-aquifer treatment, and finally aquatic systems for waste treatment. Economic cost and energy requirements to operate various kinds of natural treatment systems were also reviewed

Practical measures for reducing phosphorus and faecal microbial loads from onsite wastewater treatment system discharges to the environment:a review

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS), the majority of which are septic tanks, are a contributing factor to phosphorus and faecal microbial loads. OWTS contribute to waterbodies failing to meet Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives and as such, measures to improve the quality of OWTS discharges are required. Literature has been reviewed for a range of measures designed to reduce phosphorus and pathogen concentrations in effluent from OWTS. A feasibility assessment focussed on their application, effectiveness, efficiency, cost and ease of adaptation. A wide range of measures have been identified that could potentially improve water quality. Results show no one solution could be applied to reduce phosphorus and pathogen loadings to the water environment. The literature suggests that OWTS need to be designed to the local flow and load characteristics of the effluents streams,as well as site specific conditions. With that in mind, measures such as awareness raising, site planning, and maintenance are likely to contribute to reduction of impact of OWTS on the environment. The level of load reduction possible from measures such as awareness raising is difficult to quantify, but it is low-cost and relatively easy to implement. Those most effective for phosphorus and pathogen removal are post-tank measures that maximise physical removal, through adsorption and filtering, and maintain good conditions for biological breakdown of solids and predation of pathogens

Gestión inteligente de sistemas de distribución de agua

The United Nations predicts that the world's population in 2050 will reach 9.7 billion people. This exponential growth will mean an increase in the global demand for water available for human consumption. In addition, the advance of climate change is causing the occurrence of more frequent droughts, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Indirectly, this means an increase in the costs associated with water transport and purification, as water must be drawn from sources that are increasingly distant from the points of consumption and the quality is getting worse. The traditional management of urban water supply is changing towards a more sustainable model aimed at an efficient use of resources (water, energy, labour) that not only reduces management costs but is also more environmentally friendly. This transformation is taking place due to the development of other transversal disciplines (cloud computing, communication systems, Big Data, electronics, etc.) applied to many fields of science, which applied to water management, can bring considerable benefits. Furthermore, to achieve intelligent management of a water supply network, it is necessary to rely on current tools that provide objective knowledge of the system. For example, geographic information systems (GIS) together with hydraulic models serve as a georeferenced database where the behaviour of any hydraulic network in different scenarios can be simulated. The Internet of Things (IoT) allows the connection of a network of sensors to know the main hydraulic variables at any time, providing key information for hydraulic models to faithfully reproduce the behaviour of modelled systems in real time. Digitalisation itself favours the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to convert traditional management into smart management. For these reasons, new studies are needed to assess the potential and applicability of these new tools. This thesis is organised in 6 chapters focused on the development and application of a decision support system that allow the manager of a water supply network to make decisions based on data recorded on real-time. All the tools developed throughout this thesis have been tested in a real water supply network located in the south of Spain, managed by the Provincial Water Company of Cordoba (EMPROACSA). Chapter 1 shows the trajectory of urban supply management: explaining the starting point and where it is expected to achieve. Then, Chapter 2 describes the main objective and the specific objectives of this thesis, as well as the structure of this document. Chapter 3 presents a methodology that serves as a basis for starting the digitisation process in water supply networks. The system developed is based on three pillars: the geographic information system, the hydraulic model, and the application for mobile devices. The geographic information system provides a georeferenced database of the infrastructures that compose the hydraulic network; the hydraulic model simulates the response of the network to different operation scenarios; and finally, the mobile application facilitates the feedback of the system to keep it always up to date with changes in the systems. One of the distinguishing features of this work is the use of free software (Qgis, Epanet and Google My Maps) in all stages, which fosters digitisation in supply companies with a low budget. Chapter 4 develops an early warning system based on water pressure monitoring. The communication node developed ad-hoc for this work, sends water pressure data to the cloud, where users can visualise them with a device with an internet connection. Among its advantages are its low cost, it allows the use of different communication systems and has a high autonomy powered by batteries, which makes it well adapted to supply systems. The proposed monitoring system detects failures in the network due to pressure drops, alerting managers of the affected zone. Chapter 5 explains the decision support tool developed to deal with failures in water transmission networks. The web platform that supports this tool is divided into 3 independent modules: fault detection, alerts, and fault repair. The first module is responsible for detecting, geolocating and classifying faults in the hydraulic network using the information recorded in real time by the pressure monitoring system described in the previous chapter. The second module is responsible for sending alerts selectively to the workers in the area of the failure. Finally, the third module estimates, applying the hydraulic model, the maximum time that the manager has to fix failures, avoiding supply cuts using the water stored in regulation tanks when the failure occurs. The fault detection and classification module has demonstrated a 95% accuracy when applied to a real case. Chapter 6 contains the general conclusions of the thesis, as well as possible lines of future work. In summarise, water management is experiencing a paradigm shift. This transformation requires sufficiently mature technologies to ensure good results. Therefore, studies are needed that not only advance towards smart management, but also evaluate the tools available now and their integration into the current management model. This thesis presents a decision support system applied to supply networks, which help managers to make decisions based on objective information, not on intuition or experience. The use of open-source software and hardware in all the developments of this thesis must be emphasised. This specific feature allows the adoption of the methodologies proposed by water companies, regardless of size or financial resources, enabling the whole system or only part of it to be adapted to the operation of the company.Las Naciones Unidas prevén que la población mundial en 2050 alcanzará los 9.700 millones de personas. Este crecimiento exponencial supondrá un aumento de la demanda global de agua disponible para el consumo humano. Además, el avance del cambio climático está provocando la aparición de sequías más frecuentes, especialmente en las zonas áridas y semiáridas. Indirectamente, esto supone un aumento de los costes asociados al transporte y la depuración del agua, ya que hay que extraerla de fuentes cada vez más alejadas de los puntos de consumo y la calidad es cada vez peor. La gestión tradicional del abastecimiento de agua en las ciudades está cambiando hacia un modelo más sostenible orientado a un uso eficiente de los recursos (agua, energía, mano de obra) que además de reducir los costes de gestión, es más respetuoso con el medio ambiente. Esta transformación se está produciendo gracias al desarrollo de otras disciplinas transversales (computación en la nube, sistemas de comunicación, Big Data, electrónica, etc.) aplicadas a diversos campos de la ciencia, que aplicadas a la gestión del agua, pueden aportar considerables beneficios. Además, para conseguir una gestión inteligente de una red de abastecimiento de agua, es necesario apoyarse en herramientas actuales que proporcionen un conocimiento objetivo del sistema. Por ejemplo, los sistemas de información geográfica (SIG) junto con los modelos hidráulicos sirven como base de datos georreferenciada donde se puede simular el comportamiento de cualquier red hidráulica en diferentes escenarios. El Internet de las Cosas (IoT) permite la conexión de una red de sensores para conocer las principales variables hidráulicas en cada momento, aportando información clave para que los modelos hidráulicos reproduzcan fielmente el comportamiento de los sistemas modelizados en tiempo real. La propia digitalización favorece el uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) para convertir la gestión tradicional en una gestión inteligente. Por estas razones, son necesarios nuevos estudios para evaluar el potencial y la aplicabilidad de estas nuevas herramientas. Esta tesis se organiza en 6 capítulos centrados en el desarrollo y aplicación de un sistema de apoyo a la decisión que permita al gestor de una red de abastecimiento de agua tomar decisiones basadas en datos registrados en tiempo real. Todas las herramientas desarrolladas a lo largo de esta tesis han sido probadas en una red real de abastecimiento de agua situada en el sur de España, gestionada por la Empresa Provincial de Aguas de Córdoba (EMPROACSA). El capítulo 1 muestra la trayectoria de la gestión del abastecimiento urbano: explicando el punto de partida y hacia dónde se espera llegar. A continuación, el capítulo 2 describe el objetivo principal y los objetivos específicos de esta tesis, así como la estructura de este documento. El capítulo 3 presenta una metodología que sirve de base para iniciar el proceso de digitalización de las redes de abastecimiento de agua. El sistema desarrollado se basa en tres pilares: el sistema de información geográfica, el modelo hidráulico y la aplicación para dispositivos móviles. El sistema de información geográfica proporciona una base de datos georreferenciada de las infraestructuras que componen la red hidráulica; el modelo hidráulico simula la respuesta de la red ante diferentes escenarios de operación; y, por último, la aplicación móvil facilita la retroalimentación del sistema para mantenerlo siempre actualizado con los cambios en los sistemas. Uno de los rasgos distintivos de este trabajo es el uso de software libre (Qgis, Epanet y Google My Maps) en todas las etapas, lo que favorece la digitalización en empresas de abastecimiento con bajo presupuesto. El capítulo 4 desarrolla un sistema de alerta temprana basado en la monitorización de la presión del agua. El nodo de comunicación desarrollado ad-hoc para este trabajo, envía los datos de la presión del agua a la nube, donde los usuarios pueden visualizarlos con un dispositivo con conexión a internet. Entre sus ventajas están su bajo coste, permite el uso de diferentes sistemas de comunicación y tiene una gran autonomía alimentada por baterías, lo que hace que se adapte bien a los sistemas de abastecimiento. El sistema de monitorización propuesto detecta fallos en la red por caídas de presión, alertando a los gestores de la zona afectada. El capítulo 5 explica la herramienta de apoyo a la toma de decisiones desarrollada para hacer frente a las averías en las redes de abastecimiento en alta. La plataforma web, que soporta esta herramienta, se divide en 3 módulos independientes: detección de averías, alertas y reparación de averías. El primer módulo se encarga de detectar, geolocalizar y clasificar las averías en la red hidráulica a partir de la información registrada en tiempo real por el sistema de monitorización de presiones descrito en el capítulo anterior. El segundo módulo se encarga de enviar alertas de forma selectiva a los trabajadores de la zona de la avería. Por último, el tercer módulo estima, aplicando el modelo hidráulico, el tiempo máximo del que dispone el gestor para solucionar las averías, evitando los cortes de suministro con el agua almacenada en los depósitos de regulación cuando se produce la avería. El módulo de detección y clasificación de averías ha demostrado una precisión del 95% cuando se aplica a un caso real. El capítulo 6 contiene las conclusiones generales de la tesis, así como posibles líneas de trabajo futuras. En resumen, la gestión del agua está experimentando un cambio de paradigma. Esta transformación requiere tecnologías suficientemente maduras para garantizar buenos resultados. Por ello, son necesarios estudios que no sólo avancen hacia una gestión inteligente, sino que evalúen las herramientas disponibles en la actualidad y su integración en el modelo de gestión actual. Esta tesis presenta un sistema de apoyo a la decisión aplicado a las redes de suministro de agua, que ayuda a los gestores a tomar decisiones basadas en información objetiva y no en la intuición o la experiencia. Cabe destacar el uso de software y hardware de código abierto en todos los desarrollos de esta tesis. Esta particularidad permite la adopción de las metodologías propuestas por las empresas de agua, independientemente de su tamaño o recursos financieros, permitiendo adaptar todo el sistema o sólo una parte de él al funcionamiento de la empresa

Assessing Wastewater Treatment in Yopal Colombia Using GIS

The amount of wastewater has surged alongside population growth, urbanization, and economic development, which can influence the wastewater treatment process, especially in the treatment capacity, particularly in developing countries. In Colombia, the low coverage of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) leads to a complex environmental issue. This has threatened water quality and aquatic ecosystems of waterbodies that receive this type of water by increasing disease prevalence and creating hypoxic conditions. To determine how a WWTP could impact water quality, it was necessary to understand the treatment process and the physicochemical parameters being monitored. The focus is to answer the central research question of how the management of a WWTP can impact the quality of water discharge, with a particular focus on Yopal, Colombia. The surge of raw wastewater treated in a WWTP that has yet to be upgraded to accommodate population growth and respond to regulatory and environmental challenges impacts communities downstream of the discharge point. The case of Yopal WWTP served to demonstrate the necessity to implement, improve, and upgrade wastewater management practices as well as monitor water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, and TSS by using GIS practices and implementing better guidelines for domestic wastewater reuse for land use practices such as agriculture, and human use. Finally, public awareness, engagement, and community education are pivotal in promoting responsible water use and wastewater disposal

Sustainable Treatment and Reuse of Municipal Wastewater

In many countries, especially in developing countries, many people lack access to water and sanitation services and this inadequate service is the main cause of diseases in these countries. Application of appropriate wastewater treatment technologies, which are effective, low cost, simple to operate, proven technologies, is a key component in any strategy aimed at increasing the coverage of wastewater treatment. Sustainable Treatment and Reuse of Municipal Wastewater presents the concepts of appropriate technology for wastewater treatment and the issues of strategy and policy for increasing wastewater treatment coverage. The book focuses on the resolution of wastewater treatment and disposal problems in developing countries, however the concepts presented are valid and applicable anywhere and plants based on combined unit processes of appropriate technology can also be used in developed countries and provide to them the benefits described

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

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