Spread of Salt through a Looped Water Distribution System and an Alternative to Conventional System Flushing

Saltwater intrusion in fresh water aquifers due to excessive groundwater pumping and sea-level rise has become a major concern mostly in coastal cities around the world. Subsequently, salt can be drawn to water distribution systems and can cause health problems if the amount is excessive. To document the time and location of unsafe levels of salt, system network modeling was performed here for a realistic looped water distribution system having 958 pipes, 874 junctions, one tank, and one ground water source. It was found that (1) the salt reaches the upstream portions quickly, (2) salt spread is sensitive to the conditions of outer junctions, and (3) salt level oscillates due to oscillating user demand. In addition, the optimal location of a flushing pond was examined as an alternative to conventional system flushing, where the flushing pond will capture the maximum amount of contaminated water possible. It was found that a flushing pond can reduce the amount of contaminated water discharged to the environment and the pond holding capacity is sensitive to its location

Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services; Soil ecosystems

This report is developed in the context of the Soils4EU service contract and the MAES Soil Pilot. Working documents from the MAES Soil Pilot working group are (partly) integrated in this report.Soil ecosystem services, as all ecosystem services (ESS), are fundamental for meeting societal needs such as food and energy provision and for overcoming societal challenges like climate change mitigation and adaptation. The MAES (Mapping and Assessment on Ecosystems and their Services) Soil Pilot aims to increase awareness on the importance of soil functions and related ecosystem services and to show their value. The pilot shows the need for protection, management and restoration of soil ecosystems and the need to make a more sustainable and efficient use of it. In the context of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 20201, the MAES Soil Pilot provides practical guidance and capacity building to the EU institutions and Member States on methods and tools for assessing soil ecosystem services