Integrated Water Cycle Management Research Articles

Modelling water quantity and quality for integrated water cycle management with the Water Systems Integrated Modelling framework (WSIMOD) software

Modelling water quantity and quality for integrated water cycle management with the Water Systems Integrated Modelling framework (WSIMOD) software

A Review and Comparative Analysis of IWCM Concepts in Australia and Similar Jurisdictions

Interpretations of integrated water cycle management (IWCM) differ across jurisdictions. This paper discusses 10 interpretations of the IWCM concept globally, in Australia and in jurisdictions similar to Australia. Five interpretations of many IWCM versions in Australia are reviewed. This strategic concept aims to address the internal challenges of managing water demand and supply, achieving appropriate disposal and/or wastewater recycling for re-use and distribution networks and providing services at an affordable rate, per changing community needs. The IWCM concept is also recognised as a resource planning tool to address external challenges, such as the uncertainties of climate change, the circular economy and resilience. All 10 IWCM concepts reviewed in this paper acknowledge governance and stakeholders to be of primary importance: governance to drive the conceptual interpretation and stakeholders to develop, drive, implement and promote IWCM as adept at addressing local challenges. The two global interpretations place primary importance on governance, stakeholder engagement and natural resource management, whereas the local interpretations place equally high importance on water critical infrastructure and water economy. Technology, which is changing at an unprecedented pace, is considered, but not as an immediate or primary challenge. These differences are mainly attributed to the organisations’ responsibilities and constraints, which drive IWCM concept design.

Sustainable Companies, Addressing Climate Change. A Theoretical Review

Climate change is an unavoidable threat with potentially irreversible effects. In the current economic context, globalization significantly increases the unbalanced use of finite, non-renewable sources of energy. This study aims to describe the main characteristics of sustainable companies, based on ideals and values that are committed to the development of the planet, consuming fewer resources than those that they create. Sustainable companies are based on fundamental principles such as the environment (renewable energy resources, sustainable development, preservation of the environment, responsible energy use, minimization of emissions, eco-efficiency, and the circular economy) and mobility (collective public transport, electric vehicles, clean non-motorized mobility systems). In light of this situation, a number of improvement actions have been proposed aimed at sustainable business development (smart environmental sensor networks, energy efficiency, integrated water cycle management, efficient lighting, smart metering, smart irrigation, environmental protection, smart waste management, smart public transport, monitoring of tolls and access to restricted areas, traffic management, fleet management, smart parking, and electric vehicles). Following a theoretical review of the main related studies, it is concluded that there are gaps in information and research related to climate change. At the same time, a further conclusion is that the instruments currently used to mitigate its effects are insufficient and inadequate. Greater indexes of governance and transnational strategy are urgently needed. Finally, there is also a need for sustainable companies that combine business development with the environment and the protection of the planet.

Meeting Melbourne's future demand for water using aquifer storage and recovery

Abstract Melbourne is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. City West Water (CWW) has developed an Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy which includes the development of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes to store recycled water and storm water to assist with meeting future growth, where these schemes can be demonstrated to be viable and cost effective. The investigation and delivery of ASR projects by CWW is being undertaken in accordance with Australian guidelines, which set out a staged process for developing a scheme involving the use of recycled water. Detailed investigations into the Tertiary sand aquifer, including drilling, test pumping, injection testing, and groundwater and hydrochemical modelling, were used to inform the assessment process. These investigations have confirmed the viability of ASR at the lead site (West Werribee) following a risk-based multi-stage approach with increasing levels of assessment and financial commitment. An ASR scheme has now been constructed at West Werribee with injection trials proposed at a second site. This paper describes the staged investigation process, the key outcomes to date of CWW's investigations, the opportunities that ASR could enable, and the challenges of implementing ASR at CWW.

Aura, the city of colour – Australia's shining example of widescale integrated water cycle management

Aura, the ‘City of Colour’, is a 48,000 person masterplanned community on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Aura commenced construction in 2015 and will be developed over the next 25 years. Aura sets a benchmark in Australia regarding large scale urban water sustainability through the application of techniques such as rainwater capture and reuse, construction and operational stormwater treatment, water conservation, advanced sewer system designs and potentially a major stormwater harvesting and indirect potable reuse scheme. This paper outlines the journey taken in seeing Aura advance from ‘concept’ to ‘reality’, describes data collection undertaken and modelling tools applied and outlines activities being implemented at Aura to protect sensitive downstream environments and simultaneously deliver water cycle and project sustainability benefits.

Risk Management as a Basis for Integrated Water Cycle Management in Kazakhstan

Abstract Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) aims to bring together a diversity of social, environmental, technological and economic aspects to implement sustainable water and land management systems. This paper investigates the challenges and opportunities facing Kazakhstan as it its efforts to move towards a more sustainable approach to managing its finite and highly stressed water resources. The use of a strategic-level risk governance framework to support a multi-disciplinary Kazakh-EU consortium in working collaboratively towards enhancing capacity and capability to address identified challenges is described. With a clear focus on addressing capacity building needs, a strong emphasis is placed on developing taught integrated water cycle management programmes through communication, stakeholder engagement and policy development including appropriate tools for managing the water issues including hydraulic models, GIS-based systems and scenario developments. Conclusions on the benefits of implementing an EU-style Water Framework Directive for Central Asia based on a risk management approach in Kazakhstan are formulated.

Grand cycle de l’eau, évaluation des services écosystémiques et aménagement du territoire : un premier retour d’expérience

Integrated water cycle management requires the development of new approaches to assess the contributions of ecosystems to the protection and regulation of water resources, natural risk prevention, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. One way to address this challenge is to test methods of ecosystem services integrated assessment and mapping, in which various stakeholders are involved in an iterative process of construction and discussion of the results. Lyonnaise des Eaux and UMR AMURE have been experimenting such an approach in Bordeaux for more than one year, in collaboration with the Nature Division of Bordeaux local authorities. This article begins by giving the general background of the research on ecosystem services. It then describes the current experience in Bordeaux, the methods used and the first results.

Quality and Quantity Monitoring of Five Rainwater Tanks in Western Sydney, Australia

AbstractRainwater tanks are a fundamental component of integrated water cycle management, but the quality of harvested water is little understood and is potentially affected by many factors such as roofing material, site temperature, frequency of tank use, and surrounding land use. There has been limited study of the first flush, overflow water and harvested water quality from rainwater tanks in Australia. This paper presents the water quality results of a yearlong data collection and analysis study involving five rainwater tanks located in Western Sydney, Australia. The results show that tank water quality was impacted by the construction materials used to fabricate both the tanks and roofs. Furthermore, the overflow and first flush water quality were found to be of a lower standard than the tank samples, with implications for the cleaning of the first flush device and overflow diversion. Finally, the issues identified with the maintenance of the tanks are highlighted and discussed.

Integrated urban water cycle management: the UrbanCycle model

Integrated urban water cycle management presents a new framework in which solutions to the provision of urban water services can be sought. It enables new and innovative solutions currently constrained by the existing urban water paradigm to be implemented. This paper introduces the UrbanCycle model. The model is being developed in response to the growing and changing needs of the water management sector and in light of the need for tools to evaluate integrated watercycle management approaches. The key concepts underpinning the UrbanCycle model are the adoption of continuous simulation, hierarchical network modelling, and the careful management of computational complexity. The paper reports on the integration of modelling capabilities across the allotment, and subdivision scales, enabling the interactions between these scales to be explored. A case study illustrates the impacts of various mitigation measures possible under an integrated water management framework. The temporal distribution of runoff into ephemeral streams from a residential allotment in Western Sydney is evaluated and linked to the geomorphic and ecological regimes in receiving waters.

EMERGING APPROACHES TO URBAN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT: THE POTENTIAL OF LOW IMPACT URBAN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

The incorporation of integrated water cycle management into urban design is essential for urban sustainability. This paper provides insight into the evolution of Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD). It explores changes in urban design and infrastructure that reduce or avoid adverse biophysical effects that have contributed to the decline of aquatic biotic integrity following urban intensification in catchments. Recent practices in Canada, the United States and New Zealand offset receiving water ecosystem degradation by maximising catchment stormwater infiltration at source, contaminant containment and catchment revegetation. Local soil, climate, maturity and density of urban form, and vegetation characteristics determine the balance between infiltration and evapotranspiration in application of techniques. Examples are cited of brownfield stormwater infiltration in the Netherlands (Ruwenbosch, Enschede), neighbourhood containment of water and waste cycles in Germany (Leipzig) and site-specific developments proving the cost-effectiveness of LIUDD. LIUDD, which is evolving from its origins in stormwater management, is making a major contribution to many facets of urban sustainability, including improved urban amenity and recreation, cost-effective infrastructure and biodiversity enhancement.

Integrated water cycle planning for towns in New South Wales, Australia

Integration means different things to different people and as a consequence appears to only partially deliver on promised outcomes. For effective integrated water cycle management these outcomes should include improved water use efficiency, less waste, environmental sustainability, and provide secure and reliable supply to meet social and economic needs. The objective of integration is the management and combination of all these outcomes as part of a whole, so as to provide better outcomes than would be expected by managing the parts independently. Integration is also a consequence of the Water Reforms embarked on by the NSW State Government in 1995. The key goals of the reforms are clean and healthy rivers and groundwaters, and the establishment of more secure water entitlements for users. They are also essential for meeting the Council of Australian Government (COAG) water management strategies. The policies and guidelines that formed the NSW Water Reforms were the basis of the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) (WMA) which is the legislative framework for water management in NSW. The NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation has developed an approach to integrated water cycle management for rural centres in NSW based on a catchment and policy context. This approach includes consideration of catchment wide needs and issues, environmental sustainability, government policy and community objectives in the development of an integrated water cycle plan. The approach provides for a transparent assessment of priorities and how to deal with them, and while specific to urban centres, could easily be expanded for use in the management of the whole of the catchment water cycle. Integration of the water cycle is expected to offer benefits to the local environment, community and economy. For instance, any unused proportion of an urban centre's water entitlement, or an offset against this entitlement created through returned flows (such as via good quality sewage effluent discharge to a river), can provide a surplus which is available to be traded on an annual basis. Further, improved demand management within an urban centre can be expected to result in a reduction in abstraction against the licence entitlement. This may result in the increased availability of in-stream water for environmental or other purposes and is expected to increase the economic value of returned water. Improved water use efficiencies are also expected to result in reduced capital works (and their associated costs) as the efficiency of service delivery and resource use improves. In this paper an example of the application of this process is provided and the outcomes discussed.