Facing water shortage in a Mediterranean tourist area: seawater desalination or water reuse?

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Xu ◽  
F. Brissaud ◽  
M. Salgot
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Seawater Desalination

An integrated technical-economic modelling framework was developed to help planning and managing of water resources in a Mediterranean tourist area, Palma on Majorca island (Spain). Due to high water demand, groundwater resources are depleted and new water resources should be developed. Seawater desalination has become an important solution to water shortage, especially in the summer tourist season. Meanwhile, reclaimed water has been applied for agricultural and landscape irrigation. With regard to the treated wastewater not being effectively reused, further water reuse scenarios are envisaged in order to meet new water demand, restore over-exploited aquifers and reduce expensive seawater desalination. Three types of models were established and coupled: (i) hydrological models; (ii) water demand and/or need model; (iii) technical-economic model. In addition, a multi-criteria analysis completed the technical-economic modelling. The simulated water reuse scenarios are not alternative but complementary. They provide the possibilities for total reuse of wastewater in the Palma area. Compared with seawater desalination, water reuse is a cost-effective solution to address water scarcity issues in the Palma area. Using tertiary effluent for landscape irrigation allows over-exploited aquifers to recover. It is very attractive in terms of economic benefits and feasible with respect to technical and social aspects. Further water reuse for extending agricultural irrigation can greatly reduce seawater desalination but acquiring the farmers' agreement to give up pumping groundwater for irrigation would meet some difficulties. Water recharge would help to totally reuse wastewater but uncertainties related to public perception and the attitude or regulatory board and local authorities need dealing with. Because water reuse requires a long-term managing viewpoint in order to prepare and demonstrate its feasibility and security, seawater desalination was adopted as an emergency solution to meet peak demands during the tourist season and in case of drought.

scholarly journals Increasing Water System Robustness in the Netherlands: Potential of Cross-Sectoral Water Reuse

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Pronk ◽  
S. F. Stofberg ◽  
T. C. G. W. Van Dooren ◽  
M. M. L. Dingemans ◽  
J. Frijns ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water System ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Effluent Reuse ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractWater reuse has the potential to substantially reduce the demand on groundwater and surface water. This study presents a method to evaluate the potential of water reuse schemes in a regional context and demonstrates how water reuse propagates through the water system and potentially reduces pressure on groundwater resources. The use of Sankey diagram visualisation provides a valuable tool to explore and evaluate regional application of water reuse, its potential to reduce groundwater and surface water demand, and the possible synergies and trade-offs between sectors. The approach is demonstrated for the Dutch anthropogenic water system in the current situation and for a future scenario with increased water demand and reduced water availability due to climate change. Four types of water reuse are evaluated by theoretically upscaling local or regional water reuse schemes based on local reuse examples currently in operation in the Netherlands or Flanders: municipal and industrial wastewater effluent reuse for irrigation, effluent reuse for industrial applications, and reuse for groundwater replenishment. In all cases, water reuse has the potential to significantly reduce groundwater extraction volume, and thus to alleviate the pressure on the groundwater system. The water-quantity based analysis is placed in the context of water quality demands, health and safety aspects, technological requirements, regulations, public perception, and its net impact on the environment. This integrative context is essential for a successful implementation of water reuse in practice.

scholarly journals Modeling in Water Resources Management in East Nile Delta: Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
Heba F. Abdelwahab ◽  
Elsayed M. Ramadan ◽  
Abdelazim M. Negm
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Nile Delta ◽  
Mathematical Optimization ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Optimal Operation ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Modelling Studies

AbstractIt is acknowledged that providing a safe water supply for all countries is one of the major challenges of the twenty-first century. Egypt is one of the greatest countries affected in Africa and Middle East. The Nile is facing a major water shortage due to the limited water resources and the the demand is growing as a result high population growth and development in industrial and agricultural sectors. This paper has been motivated by the fact that there is no up-to-date literature review of the optimal operation of Water Resources. The analysis of the reviewed literature is structured along five broad branches: (1) Mathematical Optimization Modelling Studies, (2) Numerical Simulation Modelling Studies, (3) Geographical Information Systems “GIS” based Studies, (4) Ecological Studies, (5) Water Reuse Studies. This review is limited to surface water but groundwater has been inexplicitly included. The paper concludes the best way to identify knowledge to cover the gap between water supply and demands and to guide future researches on water resources planning and management.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on evaluation of future water demand in the Euphrates and Aleppo basin, Syria

2014 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 307-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Alazzy ◽  
H. Lü ◽  
Y. Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Weap Model ◽  
Aleppo Basin

Abstract. Syria is one of the Middle Eastern countries that suffer from scarcity in water resources availability, which affects the growth and development of economic activities. In this research, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model is applied to evaluate future water demand in the Euphrates and Aleppo basin (EAB), Syria, by taking into account the climate change that may affect water demand in the domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors until 2050. The climate change projections of temperature and precipitation were assessed using a new version of the MAGICC/SCENGEN tool with two greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (A2 and B2) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Based on the results of IPCC (A2, B2) scenarios projections, the EAB basin is likely to face a decrease in precipitation amount by 21 % according to A2 and by 12 % according to B2, while temperature would increase by about 2.5 °C according to A2 and by 2 °C according to B2. Within the three scenarios adopted in this research: (1) available technology development; (2) increasing treated wastewater in agriculture and industry sectors; (3) and two combined scenarios, the results of the simulation demonstrated that the proposed scenarios are effective for reducing stressors on EAB’s water resources, but are not sustainable to bridge the gap between demand-supply by the year 2050, which leads to the deterioration of the available water resources.

Deep-bed filtration of SBR effluent for agricultural reuse: pilot plant screening of advanced secondary and tertiary treatment for domestic wastewater

1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 219-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asher Brenner ◽  
Semen Shandalov ◽  
Gideon Oron ◽  
Menahem Rebhun
Keyword(s):  
Batch Reactor ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Reclamation ◽  
Tertiary Treatment ◽  
Granular Filtration ◽  
Single Medium

A wastewater reclamation program has been proposed as a means of supplying a major part of agricultural water demand in Israel. This program may solve the two fold problem of a national water shortage combined with continuous contamination of groundwater resources by inadequately treated wastewater. A pilot-scale investigation of an advanced treatment scheme incorporating a sequencing batch activated sludge system, followed by deep-bed granular filtration, has been started. It is aimed at the development of design and operation guidelines for such systems to be applied on a full scale. Preliminary results presented herein indicate that the sequencing batch reactor system is capable of producing high-quality, low-suspended-solids effluent to be further polished by granular filtration. A single medium quartz sand filter operated under a high variety of filtration velocities and inflow turbidities with no chemicals added, demonstrated good performance and supplied basic design information to be applied in further investigation.

Climate change impacts on the hydrology of south-western Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don McFarlane
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Dryland Salinity ◽  
Flood Risks

<p>Climate change has profoundly affected the hydrology of south-western Australia since at least 1975. It took over a decade before the signal could be detected from annual variability. The impacts of rainfall reductions were exacerbated by higher temperatures and a decrease in wet periods when most recharge and runoff occurred. As a rule-of-thumb, runoff and recharge reduced by 3 percent for each percent reduction in rainfall.</p><p>Reductions in runoff were driven by falling groundwater levels. Stream- and dryland-salinity required levels be monitored, otherwise this driver would have gone unnoticed.</p><p>Runoff into reservoirs has almost ceased as processes irreversibly changed. Using historical records to estimate future runoff had limited application because of non-stationary processes.</p><p>While water resources have diminished, the threats posed by dryland salinity, stream salinity, flooding and waterlogging have decreased. While winter flood risks have dramatically reduced, summer flood risks appear to have increased.   </p><p>Almost all GCMs project an even drier and warmer future. Perth (population 2m) has avoided a ‘Day Zero’ by the rapid expansion of shallow- and deep-groundwater extraction, and seawater desalination. Highly treated wastewater has started to be added to augment drinking water aquifers.</p><p>Recharge under tree canopies have been most reduced. This is due to greater interception losses because showers have largely replaced heavy rain, and trees using a higher proportion of rainfall. Rainfall intensities, at least for long durations, have decreased despite the fear that higher sea surface temperatures (SST) and a warmer atmosphere will result in more intense rainfall. While SSTs have started to rise, there are complications related to El Niño– Southern Oscillation, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the warm Leeuwin Current that flows down the coast of Western Australia. This current results in much higher rainfall than would be expected and may weaken if El Niño becomes stronger and/or more frequent.  </p><p>As well as impacting water resources and rates of land degradation, climate change has affected ecosystems and industries. Abnormally hot and dry years have resulted in the deaths of trees able to withstand harsh Mediterranean summers. Wetlands have dried and groundwater-dependent ecosystems have been lost. Cereal crops are now grown in regions that used to be severely affected by soil waterlogging.  Tree plantations have become unviable due to slow wood growth and deaths.</p><p>Water restriction may have exacerbated urban heat islands as outdoor areas are irrigated less often, losing evaporative cooling. Fortunately, there are opportunities for diverting stormwater and treated wastewater to urban aquifers that provide a non-potable source of water for self-supply.</p><p>Government regulations and planning that have been set during the pre-1975 climate are struggling to keep pace with changes in understanding and future predictions. Restrictions tackling old problems are not being replaced with those needed for new issues. It is difficult to allocate water on a fixed volumetric basis when runoff and recharge are highly impacted. Society is also having to accept water reuse more quickly than is ideal.   </p><p>Lessons learned in SW Australia may be applicable to other Mediterranean climate zones.</p>

Significance of pilot projects carried out on international and regional practice in effective usage of water resources: SOCAR experience

2020 ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
A.H. Aliyev ◽  
◽  
R.A. Huseynli ◽  
R.E. Humbatova ◽  
P.I. Babayeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Biological Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Supply Networks ◽  
Unequal Distribution

According to the researches, arid climate of Azerbaijan, unequal distribution of water resources, population increase and fast economic development recently enhanced the water demand of the country. Due to this reason, the realization of long-term projects on the stable usage of water resources in all activity spheres using international and regional practice became one of the prio- rities. In this respect, SOCAR started works on the advancement of projects on saving and reuse of water in industrial processes, treatment of industrial and municipal wastewater, desalinization of seawater as well. Desalinization units with antiosmosis are app-lied for satisfaction of water demand in offshore field platforms. The water supply networks, desalinated seawater, the water distilled in the units of biological treatment is used for the irrigation of green planting. Currently, Environmental Department of SOCAR started a pilot project in the Waste Management Centre (WMC) on the elimination of water shortage and increase of water use efficiency. WMC manages the unit of biological treatment of municipal wastewater and the unit for the treatment of industrial sewage as well. Moreover, a contract has been signed with “Ecol Engineering Service” CJSC on the treatment of industrial wastewater in 300 m3/month formed in the process of cuttings cleaning. In the future, cleaned water will be used for the irrigation and technical purposes to increase efficiency of water use.

Water crisis: the metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, regional water supply conflict

Water Policy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas M. Missimer ◽  
Philip A. Danser ◽  
Gary Amy ◽  
Thomas Pankratz
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Conservation Plan ◽  
Current Water ◽  
Reuse Of Treated Wastewater ◽  
River Reservoirs

Many large population centres are currently facing considerable difficulties with planning issues to secure future water supplies, as a result of water allocation and environmental issues, litigation, and political dogma. A classic case occurs in the metropolitan Atlanta area, which is a rapidly growing, large population centre that relies solely on surface water for supply. Lake Lanier currently supplies about 70% of the water demand and has been involved in a protracted legal dispute for more than two decades. Drought and environmental management of the reservoir combined to create a water shortage which nearly caused a disaster to the region in 2007 (only about 35 days of water supply was in reserve). While the region has made progress in controlling water demand by implementing a conservation plan, per capita use projections are still very high (at 511 L/day in 2035). Both non-potable reuse and indirect reuse of treated wastewater are contained in the most current water supply plan with up to 380,000 m3/day of wastewater treated using advanced wastewater treatment (nutrient removal) to be discharged into Lake Lanier. The water supply plan, however, includes no additional or new supply sources and has deleted any reference to the use of seawater desalination or other potential water sources which would provide diversification, thereby relying solely on the Coosa and Chattahoochee river reservoirs for the future.

scholarly journals Evaluation of water demand and supply in the south of Iraq

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 214-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. O. Al-Furaiji ◽  
U. F. A. Karim ◽  
D. C. M. Augustijn ◽  
B. I. H. Waisi ◽  
S. J. M. H. Hulscher
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Demand And Supply ◽  
Water Demand And Supply ◽  
Annual Water ◽  
South Of Iraq ◽  
Total Water Demand ◽  
Southern Iraq

This paper presents results from the first study that focuses on water resources availability and demand for different purposes in the four oil-rich provinces of southern Iraq. The region accounts for 23% of the surface area and 18% of the country's population, but holds 88% of its oil. A water shortage of 430 Mm3/year for 2010 is estimated for this region where irrigation accounts for 81% of the total water demand. Dhi Qar is the largest agricultural producer and water consumer while Al Basrah and Al Muthanna have the largest water shortages among the four provinces. The interrelationship of energy–water production and utilization is discussed and the annual water balance for irrigation, industrial, domestic and livestock usage in the different provinces determined. On this basis recommendations are made for treating and utilizing the steadily increasing amounts of water produced from the oilfields to supplement the other sustainable water resources in that region.

Current status of water reuse systems in Korea

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Noh ◽  
I. Kwon ◽  
H.-M. Yang ◽  
H.-L. Choi ◽  
H. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Water Reuse ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Water Recycling ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Produce Water ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Site Water ◽  
Recycling Systems

In Korea, the current water resources will fall short by 2.6 billion tons to meet the 38 billion ton water demand in the year 2020. To overcome the future water shortage, it is desirable to minimize water consumption and to reuse treated wastewater. There are a total of 99 on-site water-recycling systems in the country. The potential capacity of the 99 systems is 429 thousands tons/day, which is 3.6% of the total service water. Compared to other industrialized countries, the number of the water recycling systems in Korea is extremely small. This is mainly due to the following reasons. First, in Korea, any building with more than 60,000 m2 of total floor space is required to install a water reuse system by law. However, only less than 0.5% of the total buildings have more than 10,000 m2. Therefore, the regulation is ineffective and merely nominal. Second, service water is supplied at low charge (0.20 US-dollar/m3 water). The inexpensive service water often discourages people to recycle treated wastewater. Third, people still think recycled water is not clean enough and can cause diseases. Therefore, they should be informed that a well-maintained recycling system does not fail to produce water with high quality.

Jordan Strategy for the Collection, Treatment and Reuse of Wastwater

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. R. Arar
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Total Water ◽  
The Government ◽  
Water Strategy ◽  
High Level

Jordan is situated in an arid to semi- arid zone with low and unpredictable rainfall. The country has an exceptionally low per capita water supply at less them 200 cubic meters per annum; one of the lowest on record world wide. This situation is exacerbated by increasing demand for water resulting from rapid growth in population due in part to the arrival of refugees and displaced persons, increased urbanization. improved standard of living and the continuing demands for irrigation. The gap between total demand and water supply is estimated by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI) at about 336 MCM in 2005 and this to increase to about 434 MCM in 2020. To minimize the negative impact of this shortage one of the country water strategy is to increase the water supply through maximizing the production of treated wastewater and its use for irrigation / industry and other suitable uses in order to protect the environment and to save fresh water for drinking purposes. At present 90% of the population are served by piped water and 65% by sewerage network with 22 treatment plants producing the equivalent to 10% of the total water resources. This will increase to reach, in 2020, about 18.6% of the total water resources. To ensure the implementation of the reuse projects successfully the country has created the Water Use and Environment Unit supported by the necessary legislative and institutional frame work and human resources development programme and by the establishment of the high level National Water Reuse Co-ordinating Committee, representing all those Concerned in the government agencies and the private sector.

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