Scarcity Of Potable Water Research Articles

Coping Strategy for Jingzhou City in Rural Drinking Water Security

In recent years, due to water pollution water quality in Jingzhou City has been deteriorating and does not come up to the national standard of drinking water. Incompetent water over the district leads to scarcity of potable water, especially in the rural area more than 60% of the total population has a low reliability in drinking water security. For solving this problem some useful strategies should be taken, including: a) environmental supervision at Jingzhou section of Yangtze River; b) prevention and control of water pollution where has been or will take place in rivers and lakes within the district; c) financial and technological support on rural drinking water project and rural environmental protection; and d) establishment of central water supply construction in the rural area.

Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable Energy Stand-Alone Unit for Simultaneously Producing Hydrogen and Fresh Water from Sea Water

The present paper proposes a new imaging of a stand-alone unit for the simultaneously production of fresh water and hydrogen gas from sea water and brackish water. The proposed stand-alone unit can contribute effectively to the integrated water policy in Egypt's present and future. The fresh water is produced using desalination with reverse osmosis technologies driven by renewable energy systems. This is thought to be the optimum solution to the potable water scarcity at remote areas characterized by the lack of conventional energy sources like heat and electricity grid. Different new electrochemical concepts for hydrogen production from the produced brine stream are illustrated with the emphasis on the safely removal of the evolved chlorine. Electricity used, either for driving high-pressure pumps or for ionization of salts contained in the sea water, is produced from a hydrogen fuel cell unit. The proposed stand-alone unit can become widely utilized not just for drinking water applications but for industrial process applications where high purity is demand.

Differentials in Public Acceptance of Packaged Water Products in Two Nigerian Cities

In recent years due to increased scarcity of potable water in Nigeria, there has been a rise in the activities of private organizations specializing in the production of packaged water. This paper in the light of this experience examines the extent to which the Nigerian public has accepted these water products. Based n a study conducted in two cities in Nigeria. (Ibadan and Abeokuta), results revealed that there were significant differences in the acceptance of packaged water products based on some socio-demographic variables such as socio-economic background and marital status while there was no sig- nificant difference on the basis of gender. The implications of this findings were addressed and recommendations made as to how producers of packaged water can improve on their product quality as a way of commanding more patronage from the Nigerian public.

DOWNSTREAM ECOCIDE FROM UPSTREAM WATER PIRACY

Upstream India and downstream Bangladesh share more than 50 international rivers. India has set up wat er diversion constructions in more than 50% of these r ivers, the largest one being on the Bangladesh’s northwest upon the Ganges River, puts Bangladesh’s Gangetic ecosystem at stake. In some border rivers, India has set up groins on her side of river banks. Also, Indian side pumps Bangladesh river water ste althily from border-rivers. Further, India is constructing another dam and reservoir upstream on the Barak River on the northeast of Bangladesh. Furthermore, India has chalked out a grand plan for river networking. Exploration has been made to assess the degree of t he ecosystem degradation both inland and on the coa st due to all water diversion constructions around the border, except for the Tipaimukh Dam in which case estimation of projected ecosystem degradation has b een mentioned. Finally, Indian grand plan of river networking plan has been briefly touched upon. Site visitations, observations, surveys, measurements a nd interviews of professionals were made in the projec t country. Relevant literatures on this issue were reviewed in electronic and print databases. Related published articles in electronic and print media w ere systematically searched following the key words for the case. Finally, both electronic and print news media have been closely followed to know the latest devel opments on this issue. The reduced flow of the Gang es in Bangladesh has caused scarcity of fresh water, s pecies endangerment and extinction, obstruction to livestock raising, loss of livelihoods, people’s di splacement, changes in crop production, reduction i n navigable routes, extreme weather, increased flood occurrences, scarcity of potable water, groundwater contamination, reduction in coastal sediment deposi tion, deterioration of the Ganges water quality and inland intrusion of saline water front. Water diver sion constructions in other rivers have caused simi lar type of ecological problems. The construction of groins on the Indian side of the border rivers has caused bank erosion on the Bangladesh side which changes her map. India benefits herself by occupying the resultin g shoal formation within the Bangladesh side of the r iverbeds. The Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River will affect the virgin haor ecosystem the same way as th e Ganges basin over a certain time scale. India’s r iver networking plan is going to create a widespread eco cide in the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. Water, if not the most, is one of the most important components in an ecosystem. Living being cannot survive without it. Ecocide occurs in its absence. Obstruction to the d ownstream natural flow of rivers by the upstream co untry unilateral actions is tantamount to violations of h uman rights which is a crime. With the dilapidated ecosystem, Bangladesh’s national security is at sta ke. Bangladesh’s internal immunity is not strong en ough to face the threats of climate change events. Bangl adesh government should take a tough stand for the country’s interests. Since she has failed to save h er interests on a bilateral basis with India, she s hould take immediate steps for fair share of the pirated river water under the UN supervision. Also, she should approach the UN for getting back the river shoals c aptured by India. Bangladesh should have a master p lan of dredging rivers and canals for water storage and inland distribution to the depleted surface water bodies to reestablish the wetland ecosystem. This will hel p, to some extent, in the gradual mitigation of all the problems including groundwater arsenic contamination, fish scarcity, erratic climate. It is due for Bangladesh to charge the upstream country for the d redging cost of the rivers and canals since upstrea m country’s water piracy has regionally silted her ri vers and canals. Since the saving of the biodiversi ty is an international slogan of the time, Bangladesh should ask the UN to enforce strict international laws to stop any means of upstream water piracy including new constructions of dams, barrages, reservoirs, link can als upon international rivers to save the downstream bi odiversity. Sanctions should be put in place for th e violators of the law. Bangladesh’s approach to inte rnational court may be an option, too.

Deterioration of coastal groundwater quality in Island and mainland regions of Ramanathapuram District, Southern India

A study was carried out in the Island and mainland regions of Ramanathapuram District to characterize the physico-chemical characteristics of 87 groundwater samples in Island and 112 groundwater samples in mainland which include pH, EC, TDS, salinity, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total hardness, chloride and fluoride. Heavy inorganic load in majority of the groundwater samples has been estimated due to the salinity, TDS, TH and chloride beyond the threshold level which substantiates the percolation of sea water into the freshwater confined zones. Although the groundwater sources are available in plenty, the scarcity of potable water is most prevalent in this coastal area. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and Langeleir Saturation Index (LSI) have also been calculated to know the potable and corrosive/incrusting nature of the water samples. The statistical tools such as principal component analysis, box plots and correlation matrix have also been used to explain the influence of different physico-chemical parameters with respect to one another among the groundwater samples. The percentage of groundwater samples in mainland was more than that in Island with respect to the acceptable limit of WHO drinking standard, especially in TDS, CH, TH and chloride but the converse is observed in the case of fluoride. About 8% of the mainland aquifers and 42% of Island aquifers were identified to have fluoride greater than 1.5 mg/l. The signature of salt-water intrusion is observed from the ratio of Cl/CO(3)(2-) + HCO(3) and TA/TH. A proper management plan to cater potable water to the immediate needs of the people is to be envisaged.

Nature as infrastructure: Making and managing the Panama Canal watershed

The Panama Canal requires an enormous volume of fresh water to function. A staggering 52 million gallons are released into the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with each of the 35–45 ships that transit the canal daily. The water that facilitates interoceanic transportation and global connection falls as rain across the watershed surrounding the canal and is managed by an extensive system of locks, dams, and hydrographic stations. These technologies – which correspond with the popular understanding of infrastructure as hardware – were largely constructed during the early 20th century. Since the late 1970s, however, administrators and other concerned actors have responded to actual and potential water scarcity within the canal system by developing a managerial approach that integrates engineered technologies and new techniques of land-use planning and environmental regulation across the watershed. Through this process, techno-politics and environmental politics have become increasingly inextricable in the transit zone. Whereas canal administrators previously emphasized the control of water in its liquid state, watershed management emerged as an attempt to manipulate water flows through the legal protection of forests and restriction of agriculture. As forested landscapes have been assigned new infrastructural functions (water storage and regulation), campesino farmers have been charged with a new responsibility (forest conservation) often at odds with their established agricultural practices. Consequently, I bring together scholarship on infrastructure in science and technology studies and political ecology in anthropology and geography to examine why, how, and to what effect landscapes around the canal have been transformed from agricultural frontier to managed watershed. I suggest that the concept of infrastructure is a useful theoretical tool and empirical topic for analyzing the politics of environmental service provision. By paying attention to the contingent history of engineering decisions and the politics embedded in the changing socio-technical system that delivers water to the canal, we can better understand the distributional politics of environmental service provision in Panama today.

Environmental and health concerns regarding the quality of water in a poor suburb of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo

In many developing countries, the scarcity of potable water is an ongoing challenge. Even when water is plentiful, its quality may be unsuitable for household use such as in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which is the study area for this investigation. Shortage of potable water has forced inhabitants in the city to rely on water wells dug without adherence to regulations or specifications within perimeters of their homesteads. The water from such wells is often polluted with household waste being generally disposed by burning and burying in shallow pits, thrown in pit toilets or into rivers. Such practices have led to contamination of ground water. This study examines the water quality of drinking water drawn from wells in Fer-bois, which falls under the Kimbanseke municipality in the South East of Kinshasa. The dynamics of well design/location, sources of possible contamination with respect to water treatment and water quality as well as its possible impact on health are examined. The area was shown to have poor groundwater quality with significant amounts of pollutants such as NO3, Pb and Cd leading to environmental and health concerns.

Assessment of drinking water quality of Mtopwa village in Bangwe Township, Blantyre

The water quality from open hand-dug wells in Mtopwa village in Blantyre was assessed over a period of four months. The research entailed conduction of experiments using recommended methods to analyse selected water quality parameters. Interviews were also conducted with the Blantyre City Assembly (BCA) personnel on the role of the assembly to eliminate scarcity of potable water and also with the residents on how they are affected by the scarcity of potable water. Results showed that suspended solids and coliforms exceeded the recommended guideline values for drinking water according to World Health Organisation, Malawi Bureau of standards and Ministry of Water development. Turbidity, pH and total dissolved solids (TDSs) were within acceptable limits for all the well water samples tested. The scarcity of potable water and poverty forces the residents to consume water from unprotected hand-dug wells, streams and rivers without any form of treatment.

Sustainable practices that allow the recycling of solid waste and wastewater in urban marketgardening

Mexico City generates almost 11,900 tons of solid waste per day; 50% of the waste is organicand 34% recyclable, As a consequence of the large amount of waste produced, the scarcity ofpotable water, the increase in wastewater generation, and the need in cities to satisfy thegrowing demand for healthy nutritious food, it has become essential to devise alternativemethods that will contribute to satisfying one of the most basic of human needs: the need forfood, This study proposes a safe method for the disinfection of wastewater destined for reusein urban agriculture. It also discusses the year-round production of fresh vegetables inconfined urban spaces, using sustainable practices that involve the recycling of waste whilst atthe same time saving water.To address the aforementioned problems, this study aimed to detennine the efficiency ofapplying organoponic techniques to urban crops, using selected organic compounds andrecyclable solid waste products, plus home-made organic fertilizers and treated wastewater,Three different methods of wastewater disinfection were tested: Ozone, APT, and acombination of both, The results obtained demonstrate that in addition to disinfecting thewastewater, Ozone contributes with oxygen and nutrients to the soil, thereby reducing theneed for chemical fertilizers. Ozone also reduces the risk of infection by eliminating highlypathogenic micro-organisms, and increases the rate of plant growth, Great benefits cantherefore be derived from employing these urban agriculture techniques because, in additionto putting to good use waste products that are generated by the ton, these techniques alsoproduce quality food plants that are I 00% organic,

Present Status of Different Water Sources and Potentiality of Rainwater as Potable Water: a Study on Some Selected Areas in Bangladesh

Present situation of different sources of water used for domestic purposes in the rural areas were studied where scarcity of potable water exists during the dry spell. Primary data were collected from five selected villages. The results of the study showed approximately 52 percent of ponds hold water round the year and most of them were polluted from different sources. Hand tube-well water was the main source of domestic water supply in the study areas, but most of the wells were not productive during the dry spell of the year. As an alternative source rainwater seems to be the most viable solution for providing quality drinking water to rural areas in the developing countries. This study significantly indicated_ that about 45 percent people of the study areas were interested on rainwater. Galvanized steel made storage tank of capacity 2.5m3 for supplying only the drinking water during dry period of the year was used to observe the variation of stored rainwater quality. The stored rainwater was found to be safe in terms of pH and bacterial quality during six months of storage period.

The SDAWES project: an ambitious R&D prototype for wind-powered desalination

This paper describes the design and operational strategies of an ambitious prototype for a desalination system powered exclusively by wind energy. The system, installed on the island of Gran Canaria, was designed with several objectives in mind: (a) to determine experimentally the feasibility of the stand-alone operation of wind farms isolated from the conventional power grids and supplying energy for a number of desalination techniques (reverse osmosis, electrodialysis reversal and vacuum vaporcompression; (b) to verify the operational feasibility of the various desalination techniques when the energy source driving the system is an intermittent one; and (c) to analyze the influence that a variety of operational strategies have on the volume and quality of the desalinated water produced and on the useful working life of the main components of the desalination plants. The first of these three questions has been resolved with the feasibility of such stand-alone systems now clearly demonstrated. As for the second question, initial tests would seem so far to indicate that the reverse osmosis technique is the most suitable for use in stand-alone wind-powered desalination systems. The results that are still to come from the remaining studies will be of vital importance for regions like the Canary Islands, which suffer from a scarcity of potable water, lack conventional energy sources, but do have at their disposal wind energy resources.

Production of desalinated water and electricity in a dual-purpose plant operating in a dispatchable electricity system — techno-economical analysis

A scarcity of potable water in Israel is a major concern for the Israeli government. In the next 10 years, extensive planning will be done to add ∼400–600 million m 3 of potable water annually, mainly by building large seawater desalination plants. Furthermore, Israel's demand for electricity has escalated during the last decade at an average annual rate of 7.2%. This extremely high growth rate represents adding 500 MW e of electrical capacity each year in the coming years. As a result, the Israeli market represents a unique situation where large electrical capacity and large water quantities should be added simultaneously. Most of the added electricity capacity will be accomplished through new modern gas turbine combined cycles (GTCC). These GTCC will be operated as intermediate load units. The present work analyzes the techno-economic characteristics of two types of dual-purpose plants that differ by seawater desalination technology: seawater reverse osmosis and low-temperature multi-effect distillation. The power generation in the assessed alternatives is modern GTCC. Two scenarios were studied: Scenario A, where the dual-purpose plant operates according to daily optimal dispatch policy from the electricity production point of view and the desalination plant operates at its nominal capacity for the period; and Scenario B, where the dual-purpose plant operates as a base-load unit (electricity and water). The water production cost was calculated for the two scenarios and for the two technological variants of the dual-purpose plant, while taking into account the economic influence of non-optimal power generation represented by Scenario “B”.

The Health of Ecology and the Ecology of Health

The health of ecology refers to ecosystem health—an extension of the concept of health to the ecosystem level. Health is reflected in the absence of distress syndrome, and by productivity, organization and resilience that characterize sustainability in the Earth's ecosystems. Transformation of ecosystems under stress from healthy to pathological conditions is often irreversible, even when the initial stress factors are removed. The ecology of health refers to the fact that human health is influenced by ecological conditions. The breakdown of ecosystems under stress are often conducive to an increase in human pathogens, recycling toxic substances, reduced yields and compromised food supplies, scarcity of potable water, and air pollution, all of which increases human health vulnerability. Addressing human health issues from an ecological perspective takes account of the social, ecological, and biophysical determinants. This opens the door to potential interventions “upstream”, in order to prevent illness, in addition to treating the disease once the malady has occurred.

Drinking water supply through reverse osmosis desalination plants in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, India

The population in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu State (India) faces potable water scarcity throughout the year in general and acute drinking water problems in lean periods of the year. To mitigate this problem, eleven reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants were installed in problem villages in the district. General performance of these eleven plants and in-depth evaluation of two plants was undertaken to focus attention on the physico-chemical quality of water at various stages of treatment, present status with respect to operation and management (O & M) financial implications and overall management in a rural situation. The study indicated that performance of these RO plants was satisfactory in removing high TDS, though the efficiency deteriorated with time. The average utilization of these RO plants since their installation was 46% as compared to the design capacity, mainly due to non-availability of power in rural areas, time lapsed in repairs of pumps, and non-availability of spares. The average capital cost/m3 and O & M cost/m3 of product water from these eleven plants works out to Rs. 27.40 and Rs. 44.50 respectively; when plants are utilized as per the design capacity. These costs are high and not affordable by the rural population. The RO plants were socially acceptable since the population was satisfied with the treated water quality.

Drinking water supply through reverse osmosis desalination plants in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, India

The population in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu State (India) faces potable water scarcity throughout the year in general and acute drinking water problems in lean periods of the year. To mitigate this problem, eleven reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants were installed in problem villages in the district. General performance of these eleven plants and in-depth evaluation of two plants was undertaken to focus attention on the physico-chemical quality of water at various stages of treatment, present status with respect to operation and management (O & M) financial implications and overall management in a rural situation.The study indicated that performance of these RO plants was satisfactory in removing high TDS, though the efficiency deteriorated with time. The average utilization of these RO plants since their installation was 46% as compared to the design capacity, mainly due to non-availability of power in rural areas, time lapsed in repairs of pumps, and non-availability of spares. The average capital cost/m3 and O & M cost/m3 of product water from these eleven plants works out to Rs. 27.40 and Rs. 44.50 respectively; when plants are utilized as per the design capacity. These costs are high and not affordable by the rural population. The RO plants were socially acceptable since the population was satisfied with the treated water quality.

Management of acidic effluents from tailing dams in metalliferous mines

Mining activity is one of the many causes of pollution of water resources and creates a condition of imbalance between the land and water regime, in both quantitative and qualitative manners. Among the various causes of qualitative pollution, acid mine drainage (AMD) is more predominant and is produced in mines when pyrite and other sulphide minerals become exposed to the atmosphere. The very nature of mineral processing practices such as milling and grinding which are designed to maximize metal recovery also maximize the exposure of the surface area mine tailings and waste materials to subsequent oxidative processes. Though 3.6×108 Sq. km area out of total 5.6×108 Sq. km area of the earth surface is covered by water, yet it is surprising that only 0.3 percent of total available water is fit for human consumption and there is scarcity of potable water. The rapid industrialization and consequent rapid urbanization is exacerbating this potable water scarcity. By keeping this in mind the current paper discusses merits and demerits of various existing methods to manage or control acid generation due to sulphide minerals in tailing dams in order to utilize dam water for further uses.

Marginal-water application in arid zones

The intensified efforts to improve agricultural economy in arid zones is associated with increased demand for water. Scarcity of potable water has hightened the importance of marginal water in dry regions. Marginal water includes saline water, wastewater, and runoff water. These water sources differ in location in regards to the application site, quality, quantity, and stability of supply. Previous experience proved that each of the above alternative water sources can be used separately or in combination, for the economic benefit of the farmers.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Water Conservation in Southern Texas

The Edwards Underground Water District and the city of San Antonio, Texas, conducted a regionwide conservation program during the summer and fall of 1984. The program's goals were to educate the public about the potential water scarcity problem and to promote largely voluntary conservation measures. To evaluate acceptance of the program by the public, a regional survey was administered that included questions regarding knowledge about and attitudes toward water resources development and conservation, the types of information sources people use and prefer to use about conservation practices, and the conservation measures people actually implemented under the impetus of the program. Some considerations relevant to conservation programs throughout the state and elsewhere are discussed. Many institutional and economic factors affect water conservation policy in general, and it was concluded that water conservation must be assigned full resource status in order to implement effective institutional policy options.