Water Supply in a Late Medieval Motte Tower Castle. Remarks Concerning the Discovery of a Well within the Mottetype Manor in Ciochowice in Upper Silesia

The dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus type 1 (DMT1) in all countries of Central and Eastern Europe seems to be correlated with the rapid transformations of the political, economical, and social conditions. The aim of this study was to analyze the increase of DMT1 incidence vs. changes of parameters describing economical conditions, medical care standards, and level of hygiene. The study was based on the Upper Silesia, Poland, prospective register of DMT1 cases, a part of the EURODIAB program. The analyzed parameters were number of salmonellosis, taeniasis, diarrhea, and diarrhea in children aged 0 - 2 yr, alimentary toxicosis, neonatal mortality rate, average male and female life expectancy, gross domestic product (GDP), and accessibility to the water supply and sewage lines. The dynamics of incidence increase has been very high: from 4.71/100 000 (1989) to 15.20/100 000 (2002); average increase per year is 7.52%. The statistically significant positive associations between DMT1 incidence and average male and female life expectancy, GDP, and accessibility of the water supply and sewage systems as well as the negative association for both neonatal mortality rate and nursery attendance were observed. No significant correlation was found between DMT1 and incidence rates of chosen diseases. Currently, Poland and its part, Upper Silesia, belong to regions with high DMT1 incidence in children. The change from low to high incidence of DMT1 over the past 14 yr corresponded to profound social and economical transformations. Our observations confirm the importance of environmental factors in the aetiopathogenesis of DMT1. The state of hygiene and the state of the health of the society influence its susceptibility to DMT1.

Water from underground intakes is the main source of potable water for people in Poland, hence the protection of its resources is of great importance for the functioning of society and the economy. A new regulation in Polish Water Law imposes the obligation of performing risk analysis for water intakes, including the assessment of health hazards, factors negatively affecting water quality which are identified on the basis of hydrogeological and geological analyses. The main objective of the study was to determine the health risk for chlorides and to present an innovative approach to the health risk for non-toxic substances. In Upper Silesia, which is the most industrialized and urbanized area in Poland, old mining shafts are often used as deep wells in the water supply chain, and higher mineralization is the key feature of abstracted water which does not quite eliminate them as a source of drinking water supply. This paper proposes a new method of health risk determination as hazard index (HI). We present analysis of the health risks with increased concentration of chlorides in water which cause health effects for water consumers, especially for men, children aged 4-8, pregnant women and women during lactation.

The current principles of doing business differ radically from those that were applied a few years ago. Global economic crises have shown that business must have a more social character. This gave rise to the creation of management solutions that would guarantee the satisfaction of a wide range of corporate stakeholders. In this context, ideas based on social potential began to emerge. As a consequence, the concept of social business models was born, accompanied by an attempt to search for the best business models possible in order to build the appropriate configuration of their components. According to the authors, an attribute of trust may be such a component based on which effective social business models can be built. As water supply companies are social enterprises, they have become the object of scientific research in this case. The purpose of the article is to determine the position of trust in the construction and application of social business models of water supply companies. The scope of the article includes scientific research into water supply companies in the most industrial region of Poland, Upper Silesia, with the most extensive and dense water supply network in the country. In this article, the AHP (analytic hierarchy process) method was used to conduct research. The aim of the analysis was focusing on the issue of trust as a key factor in shaping the social business model of the company. In the questionnaires, respondents were asked to answer questions on the following issues: trust-based organizational behavior at the company; trust-based social capital at the company; trust-based relationships at the company; trust-based processes and activities at the company; trust-based risk at the company; and the trust-based business model at the company. The adopted logic of the scientific argument conducted indicates that trust and its place and role in the social business model of a water supply company have a significant impact on the social and economic performance of the water supply company, and as a consequence, on increased social responsibility towards stakeholders as well. Trust even stabilizes the organization and its business model; it is also a value catalyst and neutralizes the potentially negative impact of the organization on other entities gathered around it. Trust as a stabilizer can also affect the consistency and scalability of the social business model of a water supply company.

Road maps to health

The paper describes an example of a failure of an office building in Upper Silesia, Poland. Following a technical description of the building, the authors describe the damage to the building structure and damage development. The causes of damage of the building structure are assessed and discussed. The main cause is a long-term failure of the water supply system that resulted in deterioration in the foundation subsoil. The investigations also showed previously unidentified subsoil deformation left after old mining exploitation. The paper concludes with the discussion of the ongoing restoration of the technical efficiency of the building.

Adits played an important role in the hydrotechnical infrastructure for centuries. Initially, they were used mainly to drain wetland and supply water to the population. There were also inherent in the conduct of mining activities. They were used as exploratory, development and supply headings. Their usual function was to drain, ventilate and transport, and after the cessation of mining they became important elements of the hydrotechnical infrastructure in the transformed mining areas. The article presents issues related to the revitalization of the Main Key Hereditary Adit and Friedrich Adit as essential for the areas in which they are located. Both are hydraulic structures with the possibility of adaptation for tourism purposes. The need to consider some technical activities to be undertaken in this type of objects was pointed out, not only including aspects related to their proper protection so that they can continue to safely perform their function, but also to the preservation of their historical values. Due to their age and the method of drilling used in them, those headings are often included in the list of monuments and protected by law.

The study attempted a municipal water supply planning in Oyo metropolis using a land based approach to prepare a long range forecast of water supply demand for Oyo metropolis with the aim of providing effective planning, development and operation of water supply and distribution networks which is one of the most essential compounds of urban infrastructure. The problem of water sector in Oyo metropolis was reviewed and the challenges which may result from the capacities of the facilities of the provision in Oyo metropolis was taken care of through the designs of facilities that will ensure adequate planning for, till the projected year. The study delineated the areas within the metropolis that are unserved or underserved by the water corporation. Geographic information system (GIS) was applied to existing distribution maps of the water corporation to present a graphic detail of the current state of facilities frame work for taking management of new facilities was given. Large scale facility maps that will serve as source of information for vital application for the Erelu water corporation in carrying out its daily function were produced. Such maps in digital forms are extremely vital and are useful to integrate collateral data, that is, available within the corporation. Key words: Water supply, Oyo metropolis, Geographic Information System (GIS).

The study examined the spatial dimension of public water supply in Abeokuta metropolis with the aim of providing effective planning, development and operation of water supply and distribution networks which is one of the most essential components of urban infrastructure. A number of factors ranging from population expansion to inadequate existing facilities are thought to be responsible for the frequent shortage in water supply to the metropolis. The study delineated the areas within the metropolis that are un-served or underserved by the water cooperation. A framework for taking management decisions such as an extension of the supply network and location of new facilities was given. Large sale facility maps that will serve as source of information for vital application for the Ogun State water cooperation in carrying out its daily functions were produced. Such maps in digital forms are extremely vital and are useful to integrate collateral data that is available within the corporation. Key words: Water supply networks, questionnaires.

Domestic water supply plays a very significant role in the day to day life of humans in the global society and without water, life cannot be continued and that while water provisions are one of the basic requirements for human’s survival. This study therefore examined the evaluation of pipe borne water supply in Uyo Capital City, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. In an effort to approximate pipe borne water supply in the study area, the research was hinged on the following objectives, to examine variation in the existing domestic service level of pipe-borne water among communities in the study area and to examine the challenges associated with pipe-borne water supply in the area. Furthermore, a multistage sample technique was used to circumvent a practical difficulty in sampling the study area as the region was delineated into six zones. Geographic Information System was employed to collect coordinates while questionnaire was also used for data collections. 400 copies of questionnaires were purposively administered to the respondents in different zones as follows; Uyo (197), Ibesikpo-Asutan (98), Uruan (45), Ibiono-Ibom (9), Itu (30) and Nsit Ibom (21). Nevertheless, additional 25 questionnaires representing about 10% of the staff (248) of Akwa Ibom Water Company Limited were interpreted with statistical techniques. For hypothesis one, which states that there is no significant variation in the existing domestic service level of pipe-borne water among communities. One way analysis of variance was used and it was discovered that existing service level of pipe-borne water does not differ significantly among communities in the study area (p = 0.81. This result was further supported by Water Production and Supply Intensification Model. Grounded on the findings, it is recommended that water distribution network and supply should be expanded to all the communities within the study area by the government. It is also recommended that the government should partner with organisations for a viable pipe-borne water supply to its residents in the area.

The Ambient Groundwater Geochemistry (AGG) initiative of the Ontario Geological Survey is a regional high density groundwater sampling program, the purpose of which is to map and understand the existing groundwater geochemical conditions in Ontario's major rock and surficial sediment aquifers. Throughout the last decade, the study has amassed data for 2664 samples from 2095 stations across 96,000 km2 representing all of southern Ontario. This one-time sampling program relies on existing well infrastructure sampled in a 10x10 km grid pattern. Monitoring and farm wells are used but the majority are domestic water supply wells with purging and sampling protocols adapted to the well type. Sites are randomly selected such that three criteria are met: (1) the water source must be determined, (2) the full, untreated geochemical matrix must be characterized (3) data quality must be assured; i.e. it must be demonstrated that what was intended to be measured has been correctly measured. A combination of field protocols, laboratory methods and a post acquisition QC auditing process, which collectively last for 6 months beyond a typical field season. Wells are selected only if their well construction details can be ascertained and cross-checked. The sources, and therefore reliability, of this information are recorded in the database and used later in an audit of all station information collected in the field. The audit, which uses well logs, field notes, well owner comments, continuous logs of field parameters (temperature, pH, etc) and field photos, typically lasts several months and scrutinizes well construction details, well-head security, plumbing details, integrity of water source and the geological origin of the water. In most years, based on the audit, a small number of sampled waters do not meet one of the three criteria and are rejected for inclusion in the AGG database. Analytical QC/QA procedures are rigorous. At least two analytical techniques are used to analyze many of the important parameters including the major ions, nitrate, iodide and many metals and these redundant analyses are checked against each other. Blind field duplicates, blanks and multiple reference standards are inserted at regular intervals in lab submissions and amount to 15% of all samples submitted and are used to confirm precision and accuracy for all parameters. Where data are found to fail the quality assurance tests, mitigation action is taken that may include re-analysis, resampling, or at worst, removal of the problem samples from the database. These techniques provide the quality assurance required for publication of the database. All blind quality control data are published, along with 27 station attributes, which allows end-users many options in the way they use the data, including creating subsets of the data for particular uses. The breadth of analysis, uniformity of coverage, areal extent and data quality of this dataset together far exceeds that of any previously existing groundwater geochemical databases in the province of Ontario.

Based on new primary and secondary drinking water standards, this detailed manual presents water treatment methods that are considered the best available technology by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It examines the design of water supplies for membrane water treatment plants, including reverse osmosis, membrane filtration, and electrodialysis methods, and it explains process design and the water quality problems associated with each process. It also considers significant aspects of membrane process and groundwater and surface water supply development. Information necessary to operate water supplies and evaluate problems in the system are provided, in addition to specific well construction details necessary for the water wells used to supply membrane plants.

While researching the late medieval manor house in Czechowice, a small number of discoveries were made that directly or indirectly represent traces of food preparation, consumption and storage by the inhabitants of the local settlement. Archaeobotanical and archaeozoological remains and movable material were analysed, and archaeological structures representing the remains of buildings were uncovered. They indicate that the inhabitants of the Czechowice Manor were engaged in cereal cultivation and animal husbandry, which provided the local table with vegetable and meat and dairy products. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to discover the specific place where the food was prepared, but it seems that it was outside the residential part of the manor, perhaps in the open air or within an above-ground building with a light structure. The discovered storage pits or individual objects indicate that the Czechowice manor both stored and preserved meat or other products in a natural manner. It is difficult to create a complete picture of the sphere of life that constituted the consumption, preparation and storage of food by the inhabitants of the manor, however, they are certainly an interesting and important example for comparative studies with other late medieval settlement sites of this type.

Air pollution with nitrates as one of the major factors in the chemical composition of water in shallow-supplied mountain springs

The Third World Water Forum takes place in Kyoto, Japan, this month. It will be the first major meeting of the sector since the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development, which endorsed the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people without access to improved water supply (estimated at 1.1 billion in 2000) and adopted the further goal of halving the 2.4 billion without sanitation. It is to be hoped that the Kyoto meeting will lay to rest three important and harmful misconceptions which have beset the water supply and sanitation sector in recent years. The first two of these are helpfully debunked in a book prepared for the Kyoto meeting (Satterthwaite & McGranahan 2003). Misconception number one is the perception that water supply is largely constrained by water resource limitations. A number of authors have dwelt on the imbalance between available supplies of fresh water and the population’s growing requirements. It has been estimated that by 2025 the share of the world’s population living in regions subject to water stress will reach 35% (Hinrichsen et al. 1998). Some have described the issue in more dramatic terms:

Drip irrigation systems are used extensively by commercial vegetable producers. Such systems permit precise water placement and efficient water utilization. Emitters in drip irrigation lines can easily become clogged if water supplies contain solid particles. Most farm water is not suitable for drip irrigation unless filters are used to remove solid particles from the water. Small scale or part time vegetable producers often find the cost of conventional filter systems to be a substantial financial investment.A filter which is small, lightweight, and portable was designed, built, and tested. The system is constructed from standard hardware and plumbing materials that can be purchased for less than $50. Construction time is four hours or less. The filter system works well for small scale operations that require low flow rates of water.Specifications for construction, including a materials parts list and construction details will be presented.