INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL PROGRAMME PROGRAMME HYDROLOGIQUE INTERNATIONAL
PROCEEDINGS / ACTES
Frontiers in urban water management: Deadlock or hope?
Frontières de la gestion de l’eau urbaine: Impasse ou espoir?
SYMPOSIUM 18-20 June / juin 2001 Marseille, France
Edited by / Sous la direction de: José Alberto Tejada-Guibert and Čedo Maksimović
IHP-V Technical Documents in Hydrology / Documents Techniques en Hydrologie No. 45 UNESCO, Paris, 2001
Water Academy World Water Council City of Marseille Académie de l’Eau Conseil Mondial de l’Eau Ville de Marseille
(SC-2001/WS/10)
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The ideas and opinions expressed in this book are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UNESCO.
Les appellations employées dans cette publication et la présentation des données qui y figurent n’impliquent de la part de l’UNESCO aucune prise de position quant au statut juridique des pays, territoires, villes ou zones, ou de leurs autorités, ni quant au tracé de leurs frontières ou limites.
Les idées et les opinions exprimées dans cet ouvrage sont celles des authors et ne refletent pas nécessairement le point de vue de l’UNESCO.
ii
3DUWQHUV
$JHQFHGHO¶(DX5K{QH0pGLWHUUDQpH&RUVH $JHQFHGHO¶(DX6HLQH1RUPDQGLH
&KDPEUHGH&RPPHUFHHWG¶,QGXVWULH0DUVHLOOH3URYHQFH &RQVHLO*pQpUDOGHV%RXFKHVGX5K{QH
&RQVHLO5pJLRQDO3URYHQFH$OSHV&RWHG¶$]XU *URXSHGHV(DX[GH0DUVHLOOH
,QWHUQDWLRQDO$VVRFLDWLRQRI+\GURORJLFDO6FLHQFHV ,QWHUQDWLRQDO$VVRFLDWLRQRI+\GUDXOLF(QJLQHHULQJDQG 5HVHDUFK
,QWHUQDWLRQDO:DWHU5HVRXUFHV$VVRFLDWLRQ
0LQLVWqUHGHO¶(TXLSHPHQWGHV7UDQVSRUWVHW 0LQLVWqUHGHO¶$PpQDJHPHQWGX7HUULWRLUHHWGH GX/RJHPHQW O¶(QYLURQPHQW
2IILFH,QWHUQDWLRQDOGHO¶(DX 3UpHFWXUHGHV%RXFKHVGX5K{QH
81&+6+DELWDW
:RUOG+HDOWK2UJDQLVDWLRQ
LLL
Preface Preface
The International Symposium “Frontiers of urban water Le symposium international “Les Frontières de la Gestion de management: Deadlock or hope?” (Marseille, 18-20 June l’Eau Urbaine”: Impasse ou Espoir?” (Marseille, 18-20 Juin 2001) represents a unique opportunity to assess the 2001) constitue une chance unique d’évaluer l’état actuel des current status of urban water systems in various settings systèmes d’eau urbaine existant dans un certain nombre de around the world and to explore various approaches, milieux autour du monde, et de passer en revue les différentes proposals and technologies that hold promise in facing the approches, propositions et technologies disponibles pour faire shortcomings. The nature and gravity of the urban water face aux situation défectueuses existantes. La nature et la gravité problems in the developing countries is such that they des problèmes d’eau urbaine dans les pays en développement warrant our immediate attention. The aim is not only sont telles qu’ils nécessitent notre attention immédiate. Le but recherché n’est pas seulement la découvert de moyens de finding ways to cope and to hold off an impending résister aux situations menaçantes de destruction et de les collapse, but to provide sustainability and improve the néutraliser, mais aussi de fournir et d’améliorer une qualité de quality of life of the urban population, while safeguarding vie durable aux populations urbaines tout en sauvegardant le the well-being of all members of society. bien être de la société.
This Symposium, organised by UNESCO and the Ce symposium organisé par l’UNESCO et l’Académie de l’Eau Académie de l’Eau de France, with the support of the City de France, avec le soutien de la ville de Marseille et du Conseil of Marseille and of the Secretariat of the World Water Mondial de l’Eau, représente le point culminant des activités Council, represents the culmination of the activities entreprises dans le thème de la Gestion intégrée de l’eau related to the theme Integrated Urban Water Management urbaine de la Cinquième Phase (1996-2001) du Programme of the Fifth Phase (1996-2001) of the International Hydrologique International (PHI) de l’UNESCO. Un certain Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO. A number nombre d’autres importants partenaires et parrains ayant of other important partners and sponsors who provided an apporté un support essentiel au Symposium sont présentés dans essential support to the Symposium are identified in a une page spéciale. Leur aide dans la préparation et separate page. Their support in preparation and running l’organisation du symposium a été déterminante et est hautement the Symposium is highly appreciated. appréciée.
This volume holds the papers selected to be presented Ce volume contient les contributions qui seront oralement orally at the six workshops of the Symposium, and the présentées au symposium et les résumés d’articles acceptées abstracts of the papers accepted for poster presentations. pour être présentées par affiches. En évaluant les documents In evaluating the papers submitted to the Symposium, the soumis au symposium, le Comité Scientifique a jugé de la qualité des présentations, de leur couverture des thèmes retenus et de la Scientific Advisory Committee assessed the quality of the distribution géographique des auteurs. Certaines articles de papers, coverage of topics and geographical distribution discours introductifs et de ateliers n’étaient pas encore of authors. Some of the keynote papers and workshop disponibles quand le volume a été soumis à l’imprimeur, donc papers were not available when this volume had to be elles n’ont pu être inclues dans ces actes. Néanmoins, submitted to the printer, so have they not been included l’accompagnant CD-ROM contiendra tout les articles, y compris here. Nevertheless, the companion CD-ROM contains the ceux présentés sur les affiches. full set of papers, including those of the posters.
We would like to express our deep thanks to all the authors Nous aimerions exprimer notre profonde gratitude aux whose valuable contributions appear here. Likewise, we auteurs dont les contributions sont presentées ici. Nous would like to thank all its members of the Scientific aimerions egalement remercier tous les membre du Commité Advisory Committee of the symposium, whose work Scientifique du Symposium dont le travail a permis de fonder provided an admirable base for the selection of the papers. sur d’excelentes bases la selection des documents. Nous We also thank Mr. Yoslan Nur who materially put together remercier également Mr. Yoslan Nur qu’a materialement this volume. préparé ce volume.
We hope that the readings contained here will provide food Nous espererons que son contenu nourrira les pensées come les for thought and action. actions.
Čedo Maksimović José Alberto Tejada-Guibert Urban Water Research Group International Hydrological Programme (IHP) Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering Division of Water Sciences Imperial College of Science,Technology and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization CUW-UK Medicine & Centre for Urban Water (CUW-UK) UNESCO London, UK Paris, FRANCE
v
SYMPOSIUM CHAIRPERSONS PRESIDENTS DU SYMPOSIUM
J. A. Tejada-Guibert (UNESCO) C. Maksimovic (CUW-UK)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMITE INTERNATIONAL D’ORGANISATION
M. Abu-Zeid (World Water Council/Conseil Mondial de l’Eau) J. Bartram (World Health Organization) B. Braga (International Water Resources Association) C. George (International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research) P. Hubert (International Hydrological Programme) T. Milburn (International Water Association) J. L. Oliver (Ministère de l’équipement, des transports et du logement) K. Ray (UNCHS - Habitat) P.A. Roche (Agence de l’Eau Seine-Normandie) L. Roussel (Agence de l’Eau Rhône-Méditerrané- Corce) D. Savic (International Association of Hydrological Sciences) A. Szöllösi-Nagy (UNESCO) P. F. Tenière-Buchot (United Nation Environment Programme) F. Valiron (Académie de l’Eau)
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMITE SCIENTIFIQUE
J. A. Abrishamchi (Iran) J. Marsalek (Canada) M. P. Boudouresque (France) J. Niemczynowicz (Sweden) D. Butler (UK) K. M. Nouh (UAE) L. Casanova (Japan) M. Saad (Egypt) B. Chocat (France) S. Saegrov (Norway) M. Desbordes (France) J. P. Sotty (France) P. Harremoes (Denmark) D. Stephenson (South Africa) T. Lee (Chile) C. Tucci (Brazil) J. Lundqvist (Sweden) E. Vlachos (USA) S. Matsui (Japan)
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMITE LOCAL D’ORGANISATION
L. Fauchon, Chairperson (Groupe des Eaux de Marseille) J. Al-Alawi (Secretariat du Conseil Mondial de l’Eau) V. Burroni (Conseil Régional Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) J-P. Chirouze (Agence de l’Eau Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse) J-N. Guerini (Conseil Général des Bouches-du-Rhône) G. Pipien (Préfecture des Bouches-du-Rhône) P. Martel-Reison (Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Marseille Provence) J. Mancel (Office International de l’Eau) D. Vlasto (Ville de Marseille)
vii
Table of Contents / Table des Matières
Preface
Workshop 1: Demand management practice, policy, data and technologies 1
GPA Strategic Action Plan on Municipal Wastewater with Recommendation for Decision-Making . . . . 3 De Vrees, L (Keynote)
A Case Study of Integrated Water Resource Management in Windhoek, Namibia...... 10 Biggs, D. & R. Williams
Reduction des Pertes: Cas de la Ville de Fès (Maroc) ...... 19 Coulange, F.
Heigthening Urban Water Supply Capacity and Reliability Trough Reconstructing Integrated Regional 22 Water Resources Systems Feng,G. & Y. Feng
Society and Water Quality: Self-Organized Critical Water System...... 30 Geldof, G.D.
Water Quality in Networks in the Condition of Substantial Decrease of Water Consumption ...... 38 Koppel,T., N. Kandler, K. Tiiter and A.Vassiljev
Community-Based Urban Water Management under Scarcity in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania ...... 46 Kyessi, A.G.
Water Crisis in Iran, Codification and Strategies in Urban Water...... 55 Motiee, H., Monouchehri and M.R.M. Tabatabai
GIS “Hydro-Manager” for Urban Areas Water Control...... 63 Tskhay, A.A. & Y.S. Morozova
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 70
The Tuul River Water Resources Changes and Water Use in Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia ...... 70 Batnasan, N.
Impact des Eaux Urbaines sur la Qualite des eaux de l’Oued Seybouse...... 70 Djabri, L., A. Hani, J. Mania, and J. Mudry
Masterplan Tools for Water Supply Network ...... 72 Odeh, K., F. Fotoohi and P. Feron
Implementation of International Technologies and Know-How for Improvement of Water Supply in 72 Alytus, Lithuania Paukstys, B. and E.A. Hansen
Urban Thermal Climate Affects on Stormwater in Cold Regions? ...... 73 Semadeni-Davies, A.F., L. Bengtsson, A. Lundberg and W. Schilling
European Side Water Resources Management in Istanbul...... 73 Sen, Z. and V . Eroglu
ix
Workshop 2: Recycling and Reuse at Different Scale ...... 75
Protecting Urban Water Supplies in South-Central Kansas by Integrated Groundwater-Surface Water 77 Management to Meet Municipal, Agricultural and Ecosystem Water Needs Buddemeier, R.W., H. Rubin and D. P. Young
Xenobiotic Organic Compounds in Grey Wastewater: a Matter of Concern? ...... 84 Eriksson, E., M. Henzen and A. Ledin
Wastewater Reuse – Integration of Urban and Rural Water Resources Management ...... 92 Friedler, E.
Wastewater as a Source: Perspectives and Challenges...... 99 Hamdy, A.
Recycled Water: Technical Economic Challenges for Its Integration as Sustainable Alternative...... 108 Resources Lazarova, V.
La réorganisation du cycle de l'eau en milieu oasien: une nécessité. L'exemple du Sud-Tunisien ...... 117 Moguedet, G., R. Bouckchina, A. Romdhane, D. Dubost, A. Houas, A. Jadas-Hecart, C. Kergaravat and A.M. Pourcher
Removal of Nutrients and Heavy Metals from Urban Wastewater Using Aeration, Alum and Kaolin 127 Ore Rashed, M.N. and M.E. Soltan
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 136
La reutilisation des eaux usées traitées dans le secteur agricole defies et controverses ...... 136 Ben Brahim, H. et L. Duckstein
Early Australian Regulatory Models for Water Reuse to Ensure that it is a Major Contributor to ...... 137 Sustainable Urban Development McKay, J.
Water Reclamation in South Africa: the Answer for the Increasing Water Demand in the Gauteng . . . . 138 Region? Vandaele, S., C. Thoeye and K. Snyman
Water Quality Investigation and Management in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand...... 138 Weeteeprasit, W.
Workshop 3: Water and Health...... 141
Health Impacts of Water ...... 143 Giroult, E. (Keynote)
Needed Innovative Urban Water Management for Developing Countries, Case of Egypt ...... 147 Amer, A.M.
Water, Health and Development ...... 154 Baral, H.
x
Towards a Recycling Society – A Case Study on the Successful Implementation of the Pilot Project in 161 in Dalu Village, China Mi Hua
Rethinking Urban Wastewater Re-use : Opportunities and Challenges ...... 168 Raschid-Sally, L., C. Scott, M.U. Hassan, J. Ensink, Y. Matsuno, and W. Van der Hoek
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 177
La Reustilisation des Eaux Usées Traitées dans le Secteur Agricole Defis et Controverses ...... 177 Ben Brahim, H. and L. Duckstein
Managing the Water Quality Effects from Densely Populated Settlement in South Africa...... 178 Boyd, L.A., M. Hinsch and G. Quibell
Monitoring and Comparing the Levels of 20 Trace Metals in the Reservoirs of Water Supply and 178 Sewerage Corporation of Athens using the ICP-MS Technique Lytras, E., F. Tzoumerkas and D. Xenos
Catchment Restoration and Sustainable Urban Water Management: A New Paradigm 179 Powell, A.M. and L. Jones
Water Quality in Three Reservoir at Citarum River Basin, Indonesia ...... 180 Sembiring, S.
Workshop 4: Technological outlook for the future...... 181
Sustainable Management of Municipal Wastewater and Stormwater: UNEP-IETC's Information and 183 Capacity Building Resources Casanova, L.
Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting - An Alternative Technology for Fresh Water Augmentation in 191 Chronically Deficient Urban Agglomerates of India Dhar Chakrabarti, P.G.
State of the Art and New Opportunities for Membranes in Municipal Water Treatment ...... 200 Durand Bourlier, L. K., Glucina, I. Baudinand P. Aptel
Energy Related to Sustainable Waste Handling Technology ...... 209 Eilersen, A.M. and M. Henze
Waste Design Paves the Way for Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management ...... 219 Larsen, T. A., W. Rauch and W. Gujer
Prévention et Diminution des Inondations Urbaines; Emergence de Solutions Intégrées ...... 230 Lavallée, P., M. Pleau, R. Martin, D. Guthrie and M. Link
"Slum Networking" - Using Slums to Save Cities ...... 238 Parikh, H. H.
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 246
Urbanisation Process and Urban Hydrology Problems in Developing Countries: The Case of Argentine 246 Bertoni, J.C. and P. Chevallier
xi
Integrating urban water management in the Higher Education Curriculum, Hungarian case study ...... 247 Csobod, E.
The evolution of stromwater management in New South Wales, Australia ...... 247 McManus, P. Smith, R.R. Brown and R. Ryan
Workshop 5: Integrated urban water management for the future ...... 249
An Australian Case study: Why a Transdisciplinary Framework is Essential for a Successful Integrated 251 Water Management Policy Brown, R.R., R. Ryan and R. McManus
Water Management in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area: The Hard Way to Learn ...... 260 Castelan, E
Sustainable Management of Water Supplies for Developed Urban Areas: Issues, Perspectives and a 269 Vision Kallis, G. and H. Coccosis
Development of Sustainable Water Management in Beijing, China ...... 279 Nie. L. & W. Schilling
Vers un Service Universel : Nouveaux Concepts pour l’Approvisionnement en Eau et l’Assainissement 285 des Zones Urbaines à Faible Revenus Mathys, A.
Overcoming Macro/Micro Gridlock: the Implications for Regulatory Reform of a Local Urban Water 292 Conflict M’Gonigle, R.M.
L'Assainissement Urbain dans les Pays en Voie de Développement. Le Besoin d'une Stratégie ...... 301 Alternative Roumagnac, A & M. Benedetti
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 307
Tashkent Irrigation Net in Tashkent City - Problems and Decisions ...... 307 Makhmudov, E.J. & A.D. Ganiev
The Challenges for Urban Water Management in Tropical Coastal Megacities: Bangkok, Jakarta and 308 Manila Nur, Y
La Ville Nouvelle de Sidi Abdellah et le Développement Durable un Example d’Amenagement à Partir 308 de la Gestion des Eaux Urbaines Souag, M. and S. Dorbhan
Urban River Catchment Management Association - A Long Term Experience as a Model for the Future 309 Sperling, F
Urban Water Problems: the Case of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City ...... 310 Tortajada, C.
xii
Workshop 6: Private participation in the provision of urban water services 311
Partnership for the Sustainable Urban Water Utilisation and Management in South-West Nigeria: . . . . . 313 Issues and Prospects Akegbejo-Samsons, Y.
The Importance of Public Attitudes and Behaviour for Management of Urban Water Systems ...... 318 Ashley, R.M., N. Souter and S. Hendry
Is Privatisation of Urban Water Supply Services in Developing Countries a Sustainable Alternative? 327 Experiences from Argentines Recent Privatisation Strategy Bundschuh, J. & A. Fuertes
Water Provisioning in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: The Publilc - Private Interface ...... 337 Kjellén, M.
The Participation of the Private Sector in Urban Water Services Provision...... 344 Moss, J.
A New approach for the Delivery of Sustainable Services in Poor Peri-Urban Areas: Business Partners 352 for Development. Kwazulu-Natal Project Rousseau, P. & E. Tranchant
The Challenge of Urban Water Management in Africa...... 358 Thuo, S.
Abstracts of Poster Presentations: ...... 362
Urbanization and Water Industry Growth in Malaysia: Issues and Challenges in the New Millenium . . . 362 Hashim, N.M.
Social and Economic Aspects of Urban Water Management. The City of Thessaloniki Case...... 363 Kolokytha, E.G., Y.A. Mylopoulos and A.K. Mentes
Water Supply Options in Urban India – Institutional Challenges and Opportunities ...... 363 Saravanan, V.S.
xiii
Workshop 1
DEMAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICE, POLICY, DATA AND TECHNOLOGIES
Convenors: United Nations Environment Programme UNCHS - Habitat
GPA STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN ON MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING
L.P.M. de Vrees*
* UNEP/GPA Coordination Office, P.O. Box 16227 2500 BE The Hague, The Netherlands. Email: [email protected] or [email protected] ; Web-site: www.gpa.unep.org
ABSTRACT
This paper outlines the Strategic Action Plan on Municipal Wastewater of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment. The GPA/Coordination Office developed this Action Plan, in cooperation with other organisations, to support nations to address the problem of sewage adequately. One element of this action plan is the development of Recommendations for Decision-making on Municipal Wastewater. The aim of this paper and its presentation is to stimulate an exchange of views on the usefulness, adequacy, applicability, or appropriateness of these proposed Recommendations for Decision-making on Municipal Wastewater.
KEYWORDS
Clearing-house, Global Programme of Action (GPA), Marine Environment, Recommendations for Decision-making, Wastewater management
BACKGROUND
Coastal and marine pollution have become world-wide phenomena and triggered international action. In 1995, the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA, 1995) was adopted by 108 countries and the EC. The GPA recognises that the environmental effects associated with domestic wastewater are generally local, though with transboundary implications in certain geographic areas. The GPA notes that the commonality of sewage-related problems through coastal areas of the world is significant. Therefore, urban wastewater discharges are considered one of the most significant threats to sustainable coastal developments world-wide.
The priority for action on “sewage” was also identified by: • Seven regional workshops of Government-designated experts held in the period 1996-1998 in the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme/UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme and involving more than 60, mostly developing, countries; • UNEP Governing Council (decision 20/19B.1.d) who requested the Executive Director in cooperation with other relevant organisations to explore the possibility to convene a global conference to address sewage as a major land-based source of pollution, affecting human and ecosystem health.
3
The slowly growing awareness, the technical complexity and high cost of wastewater management, are main reasons why it has taken several decades before the rich industrialised nations managed to take effective action. The burden on the developing countries is the heavier as they are less wealthy and have weaker institutions. Therefore, the GPA Strategic Action Plan on Municipal Wastewater (GPA, 2000a) aims at supporting the efforts of States to address the serious public health problems and the degradation of coastal ecosystems that result from the disposal in coastal areas of inadequately treated municipal wastewater. It does so through, amongst others, the development of Recommendations for Decision-Making on Municipal Wastewater (GPA, 2000b) and associated Knowledge Base; and the holding of regional meetings - including partnership meetings - and global consultations. The Recommendations for Decision- making are a guide for local and national decision-makers and professionals on appropriate and environmentally sound wastewater management systems, including treatment. It contains key principles and annotated checklists of recommended practices and procedures.
The Action Plan builds upon, develops and enhances the relevant sections on sewage of the GPA. This Action Plan is the reflection of concerted actions by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organisation (WHO), Habitat (UNCHS) and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).
COMPONENTS OF THE GPA STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN ON MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER
Assessment
• Global review of the State of Affairs, including the extent of the problem, hotspots and root- causes; • Four regional reports on socio-economic opportunities and potential partners (i.e. East Asia, South Asia, Eastern Africa and South East Pacific); • Case studies, illustrating the social, environmental, and economic benefits of action (and no- action); • An analytical paper on challenges, opportunities and benefits. Especially the effects of improper sewage management on health, and the difficulties of sewage management in large urban centres will be analysed.
Management
The envisaged outputs are: • Global Knowledge Base, describing the range of management options for addressing the sewage problem. Best practices, experiences and cases studies will illustrate these options. The GPA information and data clearing-house on sewage and sanitation will be used as a vehicle for access, dissemination and further development of the Knowledge base. This so- called “Sanitation Connection” is a partnership of UNEP/GPA, World Heath Organization (WHO), International Water Association (IWA), Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP), and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and is accessible via www.sanicon.net. • Recommendations for Decision-making on appropriate and environmentally sound wastewater management. It contains key principles and annotated checklists of recommended
4
practices and procedures. It details ranges of approaches, infrastructures and tools available to practitioners and policy makers. The full document is available at: www.gpa.unep.org/documents. • Regional Cooperation for Innovative Actions: Four regional meetings (i.e. in the Caribbean, Eastern Africa, West Asia and East Asia region) are planned in the period February – July 2001, bringing together national and local experts, private sector, international financial institutions, potential donors and other stakeholders to: • Review the Recommendations for Decision-Making • Share technical, administrative and financial experience • Identify demonstration projects • Provide a forum for partnership creation • Identify regional resource centres • Global Consultation Process, consisting of (i) High level segment at the GPA Intergovernmental Review in 2001. To this high level segment the results of the regional meetings will be presented and the Recommendations for Decision-Making submitted for endorsement. The meeting will be requested to assess if the process and outputs of the implementation of the Municipal Wastewater Action Plan as described above could be used to guide the development of similar activities for the other source categories, identified in the Global Programme of Action (such as nutrients, heavy metals, and habitat modification); (ii) Sessions for professionals during planned global conferences, organised by professional associations, such as the 10th Stockholm Water Symposium (August 2000), Canada 2000 (September 2000), the fifth Global Forum of the WSSCC in Brazil (November 2000), the Symposium “Frontiers of Urban Water Management: deadlock or hope?” in Marseilles (June 2001), etc; (iii) Regional partnership meetings, as mentioned above.
AIM OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING
The development, consultation with experts from the different stakeholders and finally seeking political endorsement of the Recommendations for Decision-making fits within the normative function of UNEP. Seeking involvement of key stakeholders is another focus of UNEP. There is an important role of central and local authorities, citizens, non-governmental groups, private sector, in their role as water polluter (industries), water user (certain sectors such as tourism, fisheries) and water service operator (water supply and treatment industry). New partnerships between all these stakeholders, also involving regional organisations and finance institute is the new paradigm along which solutions for the future need to be sought.
There are several prerequisites for addressing the management of wastewater in order to safeguard human and ecosystem health, and to avoid the degradation of water quality and other coastal and marine resources. These include: • Stakeholder involvement, which will foster the political will to assign a high priority to wastewater management among other pressing public investment needs • Financial affordability.
5
These recommendations aim to provide guidance how to gain this political will and to increase financial affordability by describing sustainable systems for wastewater management, including less expensive technical options and ways of attracting support.
The key principles for managing wastewater sustainable are to conserve water resources, by eliminating pollution at the source, using water efficiently, and maintaining water quality, and to respond effectively to demands from society.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING: KEY-ISSUES
This paper gives all the (draft) key-issues and recommendations, which will be reviewed at the regional meetings mentioned above, amended, and possibly, to be endorsed at the GPA Intergovernmental Review of November 2001.
Issue 1 A comprehensive and integrated approach to urban wastewater management is needed to maintain the environmental integrity and the economic functions of aquatic ecosystems, including ground water, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. Recommendations 1.a Promote studies to quantify the socioeconomic impact of environmental pollution in case of inaction and action, and use such information to determine the priorities for investment and clean-up programs. 1.b Prioritise actions to minimise current and future environmental damage with carefully selected policies, programmes, and investments; invest stage-wise in infrastructure for wastewater management while maintaining a long-term horizon for planning and operations. 1.c Impose appropriate effluent standards that are feasible for local conditions. 1.d Integrate planning for wastewater with the planning for other sectors, such as water supply, solid waste, and land use. 1.e Use a mix of technological options and managerial approaches, including community- based development approaches, that are appropriate and optimal for different zones in the city. 1.f Incorporate wastewater management within integrated approaches for the management of river basins and coastal zones.
STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT Issue 2 Successful wastewater management requires a high level of public commitment. Recommendations 2.a Invest in creating and maintaining awareness among citizens regarding their dual role as polluters and beneficiaries of wastewater management.
6
2.b Develop commitment to a clean environment and “river basin solidarity,” and demonstrate that “win-win” situations exist when all polluters cooperate in wastewater management. 2.c Devolve decision-making to the lowest appropriate administrative level, and ensure that local communities receive financial power to participate in local or regional initiatives to operate, manage, and maintain their part of the infrastructure. 2.d Ensure that citizens receive an adequate wastewater management service relative to their financial contributions. Issue 3 Wastewater management is pre-eminently an effort that involves many actors who must be willing to cooperate and contribute to the overall result. Recommendations 3.a Apply both restrictive and enabling regulations. To make this approach more palatable and effective, add positive incentives, such as load-based licensing fees. 3.b Introduce market-based instruments, such as tradable effluent permits, in conjunction with administrative regulation to give polluters more flexibility to invest and operate in the management of wastewater. 3.c Develop mechanisms that allow civil society and its representatives (such as consumer associations) to hold polluting entities accountable, whether they are owned and operated privately or publicly. 3.d Ensure that the investment and operational mechanisms and instruments enable the equitable distribution of costs and benefits among all stakeholders.
FINANCING Issue 4 The financial sustainability of the wastewater management system must be assured. Recommendations 4.a Strive to apply the principles of “the water user pays” and “the polluter pays” in the wastewater management systems. 4.b Design the financial system to balance the quality of the service, the investment costs, and the tariffs that households are willing and able to pay (demand-driven approach). 4.c Involve the stakeholders who are to gain from the water quality improvement, including those benefiting from enhanced land values, and ensure that they contribute financially (opportunity-driven approach). 4.d Use charges or pollution fees to establish funds for the cofinancing of wastewater treatment facilities, instead of considering these revenues as taxes that enter the national budget. 4.e Establish systems to ensure that tax revenues are allocated to the appropriate service provider. 4.f Examine the potential to use cross-subsidies.
7
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Issue 5 A country’s central government can play a significant role as a facilitator and initiator of appropriate wastewater management. Recommendations 5.a Develop systems to ensure good and sustainable governance and protect the performance of investments and operations, whether performed by the public sector or the private. 5.b Recognise the responsibility and authority of the central government to set the institutional environment to encourage local governments, the private sector, regional and river basin agencies, and other partners to initiate and implement programmes. This can include: • Developing and maintaining national policies and strategies in cooperation with local governments and other stakeholders • Enacting legal and regulatory instruments • Encouraging the development of appropriate organisations to complement local government initiatives. 5.c Consider cofinancing schemes and infrastructure that are highly cost-effective and that have a high priority, as appropriate. 5.d Make local governments and environmental agencies accountable to central governments for implementing, operating, and maintaining sustainable wastewater management systems. 5.e Establish criteria for central governments to assess the performance of local governments and environmental agencies in reducing pollution.
Issue 6 In many countries, institutional restructuring and strengthening is required to ensure the good performance of the wastewater management system. Recommendations 6.a Develop a long-term strategy for institutional reform and capacity building where existing structures, legal and regulatory frameworks, and organisations inside and outside of the government are weak or inadequate. 6.b Recognise that weak capacities pertain to the capacities of individuals (such as wastewater engineers) and to capacities embodied in managerial procedures, regulations, administrative rules, and career and salary incentives. 6.c Make use of or develop dedicated networks of multidisciplinary sector experts in academia, government, industry, and civil society. 6.d Ensure that these networks and information exchange systems, such as web-based clearing-houses, help to identify or articulate the problems to be solved and draw upon experiences from other countries in the region and globally.
8
Issue 7 Partnerships between the public sector and the private sector are important options and useful tools to assist local governments in financing and operating the infrastructure for wastewater management. Recommendations 7.a Review the regulatory and legal frameworks that might impede public–private partnership arrangements; appropriate frameworks can facilitate local governments and the private sector to investigate partnership opportunities. 7.b Devise carefully the requirements and options for such regulation, which should be compatible with the country’s economic, social, and political situation and should discourage monopolistic behaviour. 7.c Structure the contract and its implementation to maximise the long-term effectiveness of collaborative partnerships between the contracting authority and the operator by building in systems for dialogue. 7.d Implement pilot public–private partnership initiatives and learn from the experiences. 7.e Evaluate fairly and objectively the performance of such partnerships against international benchmarks and consumer satisfaction surveys, regardless of whether the utility is managed by a private firm or a public entity.
TECHNOLOGY Issue 8 The high cost of wastewater management warrants a very careful search for low-cost and thus more sustainable technologies and approaches. Recommendations 8.a Introduce appropriate strategies and incentives that target waste prevention and minimisation, water conservation, and the efficient use of water. 8.b Apply more cost effective technologies such as lagoons, natural systems, anaerobic treatment, and reuse schemes. 8.c Adapt land use policies and financial and other regulation to promote the segregation of industrial effluents unsuitable for municipal wastewater treatment by relocating industries, recycling waste streams, and using the best available technologies. 8.d Promote the exchange of experience with the implementation and operation of different technologies.
REFERENCES (available at http://www.gpa.unep.org/documents)
- GPA (1995). Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. UNEP(OCA)LBA/IG.2/7. Washington D.C. [USA]: UNEP. - GPA (2000a). GPA Strategic Action Plan on Municipal Wastewater. The Hague [The Netherlands]: UNEP/GPA - GPA (2000b). Recommendations for Decision-making on Municipal Wastewater. The Hague [The Netherlands]: UNEP/GPA
9
A CASE STUDY OF INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
By Dudley Biggs* and Rick Williams*
*Department of Water Affairs, Private Bag 13193, Windhoek, Namibia. E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected].
ABSTRACT
Integrated water resource management is crucial in meeting and managing the increasing water demand in Namibia. Recent studies have shown that as part of that process both water demand management measures and non-conventional water supply augmentation schemes are considerably cheaper than developing more traditional pipeline schemes. This paper presents a case study of Windhoek, describing the different initiatives adopted by the municipality in conjunction with the bulk water supplier, NamWater and the Department of Water Affairs in the Government to integrate traditional supply systems, WDM and non-conventional supply initiatives to manage and meet this demand. The case study provides an indication of what can be achieved and what are feasible and practical interventions. The case study shows that lessons that have been and continued to be learnt in Windhoek can apply to many other areas in Namibia as a way to promote sustainable water resource use yet meet increased demand.
KEYWORDS:
Integrated water resource management, supply augmentation, conjunctive use, water demand management
BACKGROUND
Namibia is Southern Africa’s most arid country. Its rainfall and consequently its surface and ground water sources in the interior are extremely limited and variable. Potential evaporation exceeds precipitation by a factor of between two and five. There are no natural resources of perennial surface water other than rivers on the borders of Namibia. It is estimated that 56% of water consumption is derived from groundwater, 20% from ephemeral rivers and 24% from perennial border rivers. Of the low total rainfall of between 20 and 700mm, 83% evaporates, only 1% contributes to groundwater recharge and 2% can be harvested in surface storage facilities.
With a population growth of over 3% and a growing economy, water supply is becoming an increasing constraint for Namibia. Until the beginning of the 1990s emphasis has been placed on supply augmentation. Over the last 40 years surface water dams have been built to collect run off from ephemeral rivers. However, further supply augmentation is becoming increasingly expensive as the country has to look further afield for water. Water demand management (WDM), implemented to reduce demand rather than continue to augment supply, and non- conventional supply schemes have become important components in Namibia’s integrated water resources management (IWRM) programme. The recently approved Water Sector White Paper reflects this and concentrates more on managing water resources.
10
As more research is conducted there is an increasing number of feasible and potentially feasible projects to conserve water and augment supply cost effectively. Windhoek has been the forerunner in IWRM in Namibia. This paper describes IWRM supply and demand side initiatives that have been adopted and which are being investigated for Windhoek and how these have been developed by a partnership of Windhoek Municipality, NamWater and the Department of Water Affairs. It then discusses the implications of current and future IWRM for Windhoek and the progress made in some aspects of IWRM in the rest of the country.
A CASE STUDY: WINDHOEK
Introduction Urban growth in the capital city, Windhoek is high. Due to urbanisation pressures it has a population growth rate of approximately 6% per annum. Economically, politically, culturally and socially it is the most important city in Namibia. The country’s parliament is located there and it is the capital for trade, industry, commerce, culture and education. At the beginning of the 1980s average water consumption was 600-700litres/person/day (l/p/d) in the affluent areas of Windhoek. IWRM was introduced in the early 1990s as a concerted effort to both reduce the level of consumption and increase the safe yield of Windhoek’s water resources to meet increased demand. Considerable progress has been made to date, the current average water consumption having reduced to 180l/p/d, although this is still above average for African cities.
Areas of intervention The areas of intervention for Windhoek’s water supply concentrates on both supply and demand side measures. The different approaches for Windhoek now and in the future are presented below.
Supply side
Current sources of supply for Windhoek Traditional water supply to Windhoek has come from groundwater in the Windhoek locality. Whilst Windhoek still gets some of its yearly supply from groundwater its main source is from the 3 dam system north of Windhoek. Table 1 summarises Windhoek’s supply sources.
Table 1. The Supply of Water to Windhoek (1999).
Operator Water Source Capacity Safe Yield Amount supplied (Mm³/a) (Mm³/a) (Mm³/a) NAMWATER Ephemeral Omatako Dam 43 5 } 20 Rivers Swakopoort Dam 63.5 13.180 Von Bach Dam 48.6 Groundwater Berg Auchas Mine - 3* 2.177 MUNICIPALITY Ephemeral Avis Dam 24 12 Goreangab Dam 3.6 Groundwater Municipal Boreholes - 2.3 Reclamation Goreangab Works - 3.6 2.424 TOTAL 161.6 30.1 17 Source: Ben van der Merwe and Ben Groom (1999)
11
• Integrated three dam system The 3 dam system was developed between 1970 and 1982. Of the three dams, the Von Bach is the nearest to Windhoek and the most efficient1. Water from Swakoppoort Dam bypasses Von Bach Dam and is pumped straight to the water treatment plant and used directly for Windhoek. The Omatako Dam, the smallest of the 3 dams and also the least efficient, is intended to store only a minimum amount of water and is used primarily for surface water catchment2 and replenishing the Von Bach Dam. By operating the dams on such an integrated basis the 95% assurance of supply is increased from 13.7Mm³/a to approximately 20Mm³/a, a 42% increase in efficiency.
• Groundwater Groundwater is Windhoek’s traditional source of water. When settlers first moved into what is now Windhoek, there were springs in a number of places. However the Windhoek Aquifer has been depleted to the point where there are no longer springs. Over the long term the aquifer can sustainably supply 2Mm³/a of Windhoek’s total water consumption. However in the short term and with conjunctive use it can supply as much as 6Mm³/a.
• Reclaimed and reused water Windhoek was the first city in the world to reclaim its water back to potable water quality for use in the reticulation system. The first pilot plant, commissioned in the 1959, was followed by a full scale plant in 1960. The treatment process includes flocculation, sedimentation, flotation, filtration, ozonation and treatment with activated carbon. As a cost effective way of augmenting supply, Windhoek Municipality is currently constructing a new reclamation plant to increase the capacity from 3.6Mm³ to 7.5Mm³ of water per annum. In addition to reclaiming water back to potable standards, approximately 1Mm³ of semi-purified water is distributed from Gamanns sewerage works in a separate reticulation system for use in parks, sports fields and a golf course.
• Kavango River/Karst Aquifer Pipeline schemes Investigations into conventional groundwater and surface water supply augmentation has been done and focus on two main schemes, water transfer from the Karst Aquifer, north east of Windhoek and from the Kavango River. The Karst Aquifer is divided by a natural ridge. The south eastern section is already in production with water drawn from Kombat and Berg Aukas mines and transported along the Eastern National Water Carrier (ENWC) into the Windhoek supply system via the Omatako Dam. The north western section is currently under investigation and would follow the same route with little extra infrastructure required. The Kavango scheme would involve the construction of a 250km pipeline also feeding into the ENWC. Because of their geographical situation these two supply augmentation schemes complement each other. However both are seen as expensive options3 in comparison to other IWRM options, involving water transfers over 350km and 600km respectively.
1 Efficiency is measured as a ratio between depth and surface area. The amount of evaporation relative to capacity is subject to this ratio. 2 With the addition of the Omatako Dam, the 3 dams cover two river basins with a total catchment area of 16 800km². Planners anticipated that this should increase the surety of supply by splitting the risks of drought in different river basins. The success of this strategy has been disappointingly limited since drought patterns in southern Africa stretch over very large areas, minimising the advantage. 3 See table 6
12
• Congo River Transfer scheme Due to sensitivities regarding the use of water from the Kavango River and the potential environmental impact on the Okavango Delta, alternatives that avoid influencing water flow to the Delta are being investigated as well. Many Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries experience or at least anticipate a shortage of water. For this reason a desk study is underway to determine the feasibility to transfer water from the headwaters of the southernmost tributaries of the Congo River such as the Kasai or Lualaba to the headwaters of the Zambezi or Kwando Rivers, possibly in cooperation with hydropower projects e.g. Nzilo.
• Artificial recharge Artificial groundwater recharge is considered a potentially important part of IWRM for Windhoek. To cancel the effects of evaporation, groundwater can be an efficient way of storing water. As an estimated 35Mm³ evaporates every year from the 3 dam system there could be great benefit in preventing evaporation of even some of the water that is stored. At present, research is being conducted into the financial feasibility of artificial recharge in the Windhoek locality and the suitability of certain aquifers for water storage. Initial results suggest that artificial recharge of the Windhoek Aquifer is a feasible alternative to storing water above ground. Further studies are due to start this year on aquifers in the 3 dam system area and to the south of Windhoek. Table 3 shows the estimated amount of water saved over three years through artificial recharge, depending on the amount of water stored. This alternative for water storage could certainly postpone alternative, more expensive supply augmentation schemes, some perhaps indefinitely.
Table 2. Artificial Recharge and Total Saving in Evaporation Loss
Artificial Injection in First Year Saving in Evaporation Loss Total Saving* in Surface Water over only (Mm³) over 3 years (Mm³) Three Years (Mm³) 10.00 3.95 11.95 15.00 5.70 17.70 An allowance of 20% was made for losses in the aquifer during storage Source: Ben van der Merwe and Ben Groom (1999)
• Reduction in unaccounted for water levels An additional water conservation measure on the supply side is to reduce unaccounted for water levels that have traditionally accounted for a disproportionately high level of the total water supply in Namibia. At present, Windhoek loses an estimated 10%, a loss of 1.7Mm³/a4, of its total water supply through leakages and poor maintenance of its reticulation system. This is relatively low in comparison to other municipalities in Namibia but is still a cause for concern. A study is currently underway to look at implementing WDM related maintenance programmes in municipalities throughout Namibia to try to reduce the extent of this problem.
Conjunctive use of water The very low safe yield of the individual surface water sources is a direct result of the low efficiency of storage due to evaporation and the variability of rainfall. By augmenting or ‘backing up’ these sources of supply with other sources that are more reliable like a perennial resource, or at least not as affected by drought, existing sources can be utilised at a much higher risk,
4 Although it could be as high as 15%, a loss of 2.55Mm³)
13 increasing their effective and safe yield dramatically. Table 3 illustrates how the safe yield of the dams increase from 12Mm³ to 20Mm³ by operating them on an integrated basis, which increases to 30Mm³ when the Karstland groundwater is fully utilized, and finally 40Mm³ once water is supplied from the perennial Kavango River. Groundwater is also important. In times of good rain, surface water can be used before the water evaporates as the predominant water source whilst saving groundwater for years of low inflow into the dams due to low rainfall. The table also shows the effects of non-conventional water conservation and supply initiatives such as artificial recharge and the increase of capacity at the Goreangab reclamation facility. Conjunctive use of Windhoek’s water supply system is one of the key components of IWRM for Windhoek.
Table 3: Conjunctive Use of Windhoek’s supply side schemes
SOURCE SUPPLY POTENTIAL Mm3/a Windhoek Boreholes 2 2 2 2 2 Artificial recharge 1.5 1.5 1.5 Windhoek Reclamation 4 4444 Additional reclamation plant capacity 3.5 3.5 3.5 Individual Dams (95% assured yield) 13.7 Dams on Integrated Basis 20 20 Dams with Karstland Water 30 Access to Okavango River 40 TOTAL 19.7 26 31 41 51 Source: Piet Heyns
Demand side
Water Demand Management One of the main components of IWRM and an important consideration in terms of conjunctive use, is WDM. A WDM policy was introduced in Windhoek in July 1994. Windhoek has seen a growth in total water consumption of 1.28Mm³, an increase of just 7.7% over 9 years against a population growth of approximately 60% since 1991. WDM measures can be broadly split into two areas: • Market mechanisms and • Direct interventions.
Table 4: Water consumption in Windhoek
Financial Total Water Growth in water Daily/capita Total daily/capita Year Consumption consumption (%) residential water consumption (Mm³) consumption (l/p/d) (l/p/d) 1990/91 16.72 - 201 322 1991/92 15.59 -6.8 201 283 1992/93 14.58 -6.5 167 251 1994/95 17.50 201 161 271 1995/96 14.41 -17.7 136 211 1996/97 12.36 -14.2 117 179 1997/98 15.24 23.3 130 201 1998/99 17.69 16.1 1999/2000 18.00 1.8 1. This is over the previous two years Source: Windhoek Municipality
14
• Market mechanisms: block tariff structure A block tariff structure based on a system of volumetric charges has been implemented in at least four municipalities throughout Namibia. Windhoek was the first to approve a block tariff structure in 1991. In conjunction with other WDM measures this has met with considerable success in promoting conversation and more efficient use of water. Table 5 shows Windhoek’s block tariff structure.
Table 5. The Block Water Tariffs in Windhoek
Water Consumption (m³/month) Tariff (N$/m³) (June 1998) Tariff (N$/m³) (Dec 2000) 0-6 2.65 3.51 7-15 3.70 4.89 16-36 4.75 6.28 37-45 6.25 8.26 45+ 8.15 10.77 Source: Windhoek Municipality
There are two main benefits of a block tariff structure can have. Firstly a block tariff structure can achieve full cost recovery of the water supply yet still keep the cost of water affordable5 for low income groups. It achieves this through the cross subsidisation of water from rich to poor. The wealthier part of the population are characterised more by those who have large gardens to water, swimming pools to maintain and more cars to keep clean. Therefore these will be people who demand more water. Secondly this pricing structure, as it increasingly punishes higher water consumption, encourages more efficient, careful use of water by consumers because the less water they use the less the average cost of each unit.
The structure of the block water tariff has a significant impact on water conservation. The more a unit of water costs, the less a rational customer will consume. The degree to which this is the case is dependant on the Price Elasticity of Demand6 (PED) In terms of water conservation in conjunction with keeping the lowest block affordable but still achieve full cost recovery, this is very important. Block water tariffs have proven to be an important component of WDM. It is also a relatively flexible tool and works towards three policy objectives of WDM, namely full cost recovery, affordability, and water conservation. In addition the more efficient the use of water, the larger the population that Windhoek’s water supply system can support, thus contributing to the conjunctive use of the supply system.
5 Affordability is defined as the minimum amount of water required for human consumption not costing more than 5% of a person’s income. 6 PED = % change in quantity % change in price
15
• Direct interventions The main components of these measures are summarised in Box 1.
Box 1: Water Demand Management Direct Interventions
POLICY-policies approved and implemented in Windhoek Maximum reuse of water: including semi-purified effluent for irrigating municipal areas and recycling of water to potable standards Plot sizes: reduced for new developments and higher density housing encouraged for existing developments Urbanisation: guidelines have been developed to efficiently supply water to growing population. Reduction of municipal water use: for public gardens etc. reduced by 50%. Wet industries: guidelines given to promote efficient water use in wet industries and re-use of water by new wet industries
LEGISLATION Compulsory water efficient equipment: metering taps in hotels, taps outside non-residential building to be self closing or lockable, toilet cisterns must be dual flush units, automatic flushing devises prohibited; replacement of inefficient devices within 3 years. Groundwater: monitoring of abstraction and groundwater levels controlled. Gardens: watering prohibited between 10.00 and 16.00 Swimming pools: must be covered when not in use Prevention of pollution: regular testing of underwater tanks mandatory and all tanks to be registered TECHNICAL MEASURES Lowering of unaccounted for water: leakage detection carried out, repair programmes in place, water audits undertaken, proper management of meters, and systematic pipe replacement programme. Efficient watering methods: proper irrigation systems for municipal gardens, advice given on efficient watering methods PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS AND AWARENESS Education programmes: lectures in schools and other educational institutions, use of radio, television and local media, pamphlets on water saving ideas distributed with water bills. Consumer advisory service: advice on water related issues an information on leak detection. Advice of efficient gardening methods: including suitable flora and efficient watering techniques Community empowerment in formerly neglected areas: training of community based plumbers and gardeners Source: Ben van der Merwe and Ben Groom (1999)
Comparison of financial implications of IWRM measures for Windhoek
Table 5 shows the difference in unit cost between some the schemes presented above. As can be clearly seen, traditional supply schemes and conventional supply augmentation are generally more expensive that alternatives supply sources and non-conventional supply augmentation. This provides the financial impetus for introducing IWRM in Windhoek and potentially the rest of Namibia.
The progress of WDM in other areas of Namibia
Block water tariffs have been implemented in other areas in Namibia. Table 7 shows the municipalities that had introduced a block water tariff system by 1998.
16
In a survey as part of the IUCN WDM country study, it was found that measures considered part of a WDM initiative have been introduced in 79% of municipalities surveyed. However, only 30% of the municipalities or towns have introduced 3 or more projects. As has been shown in Windhoek, for WDM measures to have significant effect, it is important to implement a range of different measures. But perhaps the most serious problem in many municipalities is the level of unaccounted for water. A level of 30%+ was recorded in 1998 in at least 5 municipalities and the majority of municipalities surveyed lose substantially more than 10% of their water supply.
Table 6: Comparison of supply costs between different schemes in Namibia
Water Schemes Cost per unit (N$/m³) Current water supply schemes NamWater cost recovery tariff 3.17 NamWater bulk tariff 2.40 Goreangab (existing plant) 2.35 Boreholes 1.15 Purified Effluent 1.57 Conventional supply augmentation Okavango pipeline scheme 8.50 Tsumeb Karst Aquifer N/a Congo River Pipeline Scheme N/a Unconventional supply augmentation Goreangab (new plant) 2.80 Artificial Recharge 1.25 Source: IUCN WDM Country Study, 1998
Table 7: Municipalities which have adopted a block water tariff structure (1998)
Town Municipal Block Tariff Range 1998 (N$/M³) Windhoek 2.65 – 8.15 Henties Bay 2.60 – 3.20 Okahandja 1.95 – 5.00 Swakopmund 2.25 – 4.50 Tsumeb 2.25+ Walvis Bay 2.16 – 8.54 Source: IUCN WDM Country Study, 1998
CONCLUSION
As Namibia’s population grows and economy develops, IWRM initiatives are becoming more and more important in terms of conserving water, promoting efficient water use and cost effectively augmenting supply through the conjunctive use of water supply systems. This discussion on Windhoek’s IWRM policies and initiatives show the success these have had and could potentially have in meeting and managing the growing demand for water and enhancing Windhoek’s water supply system. The successes of using such IWRM initiatives as WDM and water reclamation measures are important lessons for the rest of Namibia. Whilst some progress has been made in implementing WDM measures and using reclaimed water in some municipalities there is considerably more that can be done to conserve water and use it more efficiently. This remains one of the many challenges for Namibia.
17
REFERENCES
Groom, B. & Van der Merwe B., (1999) Water Demand Management and Water Re-use in Windhoek, Namibia, Paper for the WMO/UNESCO Water Resources Programs Workshop on Tools for Water Use and Demand Management, Harare, Zimbabwe. Heyns, P. (2000) Presentation on the conjunctive use of water for Windhoek, Windhoek, Namibia Namibia Water Resources Management Review, (2000), Namibia Water Policy: Policy Framework for Equitable, Efficient, and Sustainable Water Resources Management and Water Services, Windhoek, Namibia Van der Merwe, B. Bethune, S., Pieters, R., Steynberg, R., Basson, T., Groom, B., Buckle, J., Redecker, M., & Hugo, L. (1999), IUCN Water Demand Management Country Study- Namibia. Technical Report to The World Conservation Union(IUCN) Van der Merwe, B., (1999) Implementation of Integrated Water Resource Management in Windhoek, Namibia Paper for 4th Biennial Congress of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, Windhoek, Namibia.
18
RÉDUCTION DES PERTES : CAS DE LA VILLE DE FÈS ( MAROC )
François COULANGE
PREAMBULE SUR LA NECESSITE DE REDUIRE LES PERTES DANS UN RESEAU DE DISTRIBUTION D’EAU POTABLE
Au-delà de la conception et de l’exécution des ouvrages, les critères de qualité d’un réseau de distribution d’eau potable reposent sur les bonnes conditions d’exploitation et de maintenance, avec pour objectif la réduction des volumes d'Eau Non Comptabilisée (fuites, pertes, gaspillages, prises frauduleuses, etc.), car les volumes perdus : • Représentent un danger de pénurie, spécialement dans les villes ou pays qui ont des problèmes de ressources en eau. • Peuvent impliquer la nécessité de réaliser des travaux pour renforcer les ouvrages existants, alors qu’une meilleure utilisation de l’eau pourrait suffire pour reporter à plus tard ces projets et les lourds investissements qu’ils représentent. • Donnent une image défavorable des responsables de l'exploitation à la population, laquelle, souffrant d’un manque d’eau chronique, peut reprocher à l’autorité qu’aucune action ne soit mise en œuvre pour remédier à cette situation, • Représentent un manque à gagner important pour le service d’eau. De ce fait, sa capacité de financement se trouve amoindrie, et il disposera de moyens réduits pour améliorer le système. Il faut remarquer qu'il ne suffit pas d'appliquer une technique particulière pour atteindre un résultat. Pour être efficace, la réduction des pertes d'eau impose la mise en œuvre d'une politique globale, mobilisant des moyens techniques, financiers et d'organisation nécessaires à la réduction ou à l'élimination des causes de pertes d'eau. Pour mener à bien la mise en œuvre d’un programme d'amélioration du rendement du réseau, il est indispensable de traiter les points suivants : • élaboration du bilan hydraulique, en définissant les indices qui permettront de suivre l’évolution du rendement du réseau de distribution, • entretien préventif et curatif du réseau, • amélioration du fonctionnement du réseau (régulation des pressions, notamment), • cartographie du réseau, • fichier des abonnés • macrocomptage • microcomptage • recherche de fuites.
REDUCTION DES PERTES D'EAU : CAS DE LA VILLE DE FES (MAROC)
Le cas de Fès est très intéressant car le réseau de distribution d’eau potable de cette ville possédait un rendement très faible en 1990 (50 % environ) et qu’en moins de cinq ans et grâce à la mise en œuvre d'un programme de mesures énergiques élaboré avec l’aide de la Société des Eaux de Marseille , on a pu relever ce rendement à 65 %. Il est encourageant de constater que
19 lorsque les problèmes ont été bien identifiés et lorsque l'on s'en donne les moyens, il est possible d'améliorer rapidement une situation qui semblait très compromise.
1. Le réseau d’eau potable de la ville de Fès
Le réseau de distribution d'eau potable de la ville de Fès, long d'environ 900 km présentait en 1990 un rendement très faible (de l'ordre de 50 %), aggravé par une quasi saturation des ressources en eau. Les incidents et les coupures d'eau étaient fréquents, ce qui entraînait le mécontentement de la population, surtout durant les mois les plus chauds de l'année, où les températures à Fès dépassent souvent les 40°C. La prise de conscience des responsables de la Régie des Eaux de Fès ( la RADEEF ) et la première phase de l'étude du Plan Directeur de Distribution d'Eau Potable réalisé par la Société des Eaux de Marseille, ont rapidement abouti à la mise en œuvre d'un programme d'actions énergiques destinées à améliorer la situation. Il s’agissait comme on va le voir, de mesures souvent très simples, dictées par l’expérience et par le bon sens d’hommes rompus à l’exploitation d’un réseau, et de ce fait relativement aisées à mettre en œuvre.
2. Mesures qui ont été préconisées pour la réduction des pertes d'eau
Les principales mesures qui ont été préconisées par la SEM sont les suivantes :
- Travaux d'amélioration des ressources en eau et de la sécurité d'alimentation de Fès, pour pouvoir satisfaire rapidement aux besoins des usagers. Ces travaux ont été réalisés en partie par l'ONEP ( Office national de l’eau potable ) et en partie par la RADEEF ( Régie des eaux et de l’électricité de Fès ) : mise en service de forages de secours dans la plaine du Saïs, construction de réservoirs de stockage supplémentaires, amélioration de la filière de traitement des eaux de l'Oued Sebou, pose sur plusieurs kilomètres d'une conduite de secours de diamètre 800 mm pour alimenter les réservoirs du Nord de la ville à partir des forages situés au Sud.
- Création d'un service de recherches de fuites (3 équipes motorisées équipées de corrélateur acoustique et d’hydrosols) et suivi permanent du fonctionnement du réseau (par des relevés de pressions). Instauration d'un programme de détection systématique des fuites, dans les secteurs les plus fuyards.
- Amélioration des moyens mis en œuvre pour réparer rapidement toues les fuite décelées.
- Pose de macrocompteurs au niveau de tous les réservoirs de tête du réseau, pour pouvoir mesurer et contrôler les volumes d'eau mis en distribution.
- Création de trois étages de pression en Médina avec la pose de neuf stabilisateurs de pression. Rappelons que les habitations de la Médina de Fès se situent entre les cotes 400 et 250 m NGM (soit un dénivelé total d'environ 150 mètres). La Médina de Fès ne possédait dans les faits qu’un seul étage de pression avant les années 1990, ce qui générait des pressions très élevées, surtout durant la nuit, dans les points les plus bas du réseau..
20
- Mise en oeuvre d'un programme de renouvellement des conduites les plus vétustes du réseau de distribution.
- Pose de plus de 40.000 compteurs neufs (en remplacement des compteurs défectueux), soit près de 50 % du parc total des compteurs des abonnés de la Régie, en 3 ans.
- Création d'un atelier d'étalonnage et de réparation des compteurs.
- Amélioration du fichier des abonnés et mise en place d'un service anti-fraude qui a contrôlé tous les branchements sur le terrain (plusieurs milliers d'usagers qui étaient absents du fichier des abonnés ont pu ainsi être récupérés).
- Lancement d'une vaste opération de pose de branchements sociaux (près de 20.000 branchements sociaux ont été posés à Fès entre 1991 et 1997). En donnant accès au réseau d’eau potable au plus grand nombre d'habitants possible, on a pu réduire le nombre des bornes fontaines, qui sont toujours une source importante de gaspillage. - - Création d'un Comité de vigilance destiné à sensibiliser les usagers aux économies d'eau. Fermeture nocturne des fontaines de la Médina durant les mois les plus chauds de l'année.
2. Résultats obtenus
Grâce à cette série de mesures menées à un rythme très soutenu, les résultats ne se sont pas fait attendre. En cinq ans seulement, le rendement général du réseau de Fès qui était de 50 % en 1990 est ainsi passé à 65 % en 1995. Il s’est ensuite maintenu à cette valeur ; l’amélioration du rendement de réseau de Fès a alors marqué une pause, en partie à cause de la taxe d’assainissement qui est venue augmenter sensiblement le prix de l’eau. La conséquence en a été une réduction importante des consommations.
Ce redressement spectaculaire a rapidement permis à la RADEEF de ne plus avoir à recourir aux coupures d’eau, d'acheter moins d'eau à l'ONEP et d'en vendre d'avantage à ses abonnés.
21
HEIGHTENING URBAN WATER SUPPLY CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY THROUGH RECONSTRUCTING INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES SYSTEMS
Guozhang Feng* and Yuzhen Feng**
* College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture and Forestry, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China ** Division of Construction for the Infrastructures, Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture and Forestry, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
ABSTRACT
This paper presents essential concept of reconstruction of integrated regional water resources systems (IRWRS), basic status of urban water supply in China, and a case study of solving urban water issues induced by unitary water source through reconstructing IRWRS. Integrated regional water resources systems are defined as water resources systems that consist of water source subsystems, water project subsystems, water utilization subsystems, water management subsystems and the environment of the systems. Lack of enough water sources with sufficient quantity and proper quality is recognized to be one of the most crucial stresses to urban water security. Integrated regional water resources systems with multiple water sources are regarded as an important solution to unitary water source induced urban water scarcity and pertinent issues. The results from the Xi'an Water Resources System show that urban water supply capacity and reliability is capable of being significantly improved through reconstructing IRWRS.
KEYWORDS
Integrated regional water resources system (IRWRS); multiple water sources; water scarcity; water supply capacity and reliability; unitary water source, urbanization.
INTRODUCTION
Urbanization is an essential trend of the developing world. It is generally accompanied by rapid industrialization and population growth in persistently expanding urban areas. One of the most specific phenomena of urbanization is rapid increase in water demand in urban areas. This often causes severe water scarcity and pertinent social, economic and the environmental problems in urban areas. These problems may be aggravated by natural and anthropological factors. Lack of enough water sources with sufficient quantity and proper quality might be one of the most crucial stresses to urban water security.
Traditionally, urban water resources systems are usually isolated systems with unitary water source: groundwater or surface water. This situation is typical in China, where a large number of cities and particularly the urban areas in some large cities only use local groundwater. However, local groundwater in urban areas is limited in quantity and quality by nature and aggravated by human activities (Feng, 2000a, 2000b). The groundwater might suffice for a city's needs fifty
22 years ago, ten years ago, and even five years ago, but may make the city fall in predicament water stresses in few years during its high speed developing stage and cause severe geo-environmental catastrophes. This situation occurs not only in natural water scarce regions such as North China but also in natural water abundant regions such as South China, and so does in many regions or countries throughout the world.
Unitary water source urban water resources systems are evidently inappropriate for sustainable development of urbanized and urbanizing areas. For sustainable development of water stressed urban areas, urban water resources systems have to be improved or enlarged so that the water supply capacity can keep pace with the increasing demand. This needs to seek efficient and effective solutions.
An important feasible solution to urban water scarcity induced by unitary water source is to heighten urban water supply capacity and reliability through reconstructing integrated regional water resources systems with multiple water sources (Feng et al., 1999; Feng, 2000c). The reason of emphasizing on reconstruction is that there have been many available regional water resources systems. Similarly, the reason of advocating integration is that many available water resources systems and even so-called regional water resources systems are actually isolated in water sources and/or users.
The purpose of this paper is to present essential concept of reconstruction of integrated regional water resources systems, basic status of and major problems in urban water supply in China, and an integrated regional water resources system for solving unitary water source induced urban water problems in Xi'an City, one of the most water scarce large cities in China.
CONCEPT
Integrated regional water resources systems (IRWRS) are water resources systems that consist of water source subsystems (WS), water project subsystems (WP), water utilization subsystems (WU), water management subsystems (WM) and environment of the systems. Water project subsystems include all the projects in the systems such as water source projects, water supply projects, water disposal projects, wastewater treatment and drainage projects. The relationship among these subsystems is shown in Fig. 1. There are obvious interactions among WS, WP and WU. Water management subsystems are the management or operational systems of the other three subsystems and their interactions, as well as the interactions of the subsystems and the systematic environment.
As an integration of the subsystems and their environment, IRWRS have obvious advantages over the traditional water resources systems. In an IRWRS, conflicts between water supply and demand are able to be properly solved on regional scale through scientific spatial and temporal regulation and redistribution of water resources in the system; water resources are able to be more effectively utilized through rational urban-rural sharing and recycle uses; multi-functions of water resources are able to be completely developed through comprehensive utilization; degraded water environment is able to be reasonably restored through appropriate reconstruction; water demands of the society, economy and environment are able to be fairly balanced through optimal allocation among all the water use sectors; water supply capacity and reliability are able to be considerably improved in not only the urban subsystem but also the entire regional system through effective reconstruction of water supply project subsystem.
23
IRWRS WS
WM
WP WU
ES
Fig. 1. Relationship among the subsystems, WS, WP, WU and WM in an IRWRS, where WS stands for water source subsystem; WP stands for water project subsystem, WU stands for water utilization subsystem, WM stands for water management subsystem; ES stands for the environment of the system; and IRWRS is the abbreviation of integrated regional water resources system.
Notwithstanding the advantages, IRWRS associated with urban water supply should consider several important aspects. They are scientific assessment of water resources available for the city and pertinent users, in particular, the traditional users such as agricultural irrigation; reliable prediction of water demands for different developing stages based on sustainable macroeconomic development planning of the city and whole the region of the system concerned; integrated water resources planning based on rational allocation of available water to and highly effective utilization by all the water use sectors involved; intensifying protection of water sources and water environment; combined utilization of the water from different sources; optimal operation of water resources systems; appropriate development of water resources under the constrains of economic effectiveness, technological feasibility, environmental security and human acceptability; participation of the public and especially women in water resources management; and capacity building of water resources management institutions. All of these are basic requirements of reconstruction of IRWRS. Otherwise, any inadvertence would inevitably cause new conflicts between the urban and the new water source related sectors. Particularly, any inadvertent share or occupation of the water resources originally used by the suburban or nearby rural areas would severely impact local agriculture and food security, critical urban-rural contravention and non-solidarity, and even social stability. Therefore, in reconstruction of IRWRS for the purpose of solving urban water issues, local rural and controversial water uses have to be ensured, the priorities of water uses of different sectors have to be well balanced and in particular the priority of agricultural water uses has to be emphasized, and the importance of environmental water uses has to be considered as well.
Reconstruction of the available regional water resources systems implies to integrate these systems for the purpose of improvement of urban water supply capacity and reliability through more effective utilization of the water resources in the regional water resources systems that could not be effectively used before. This transformation from isolated to integrated water resources systems requires conceptual, theoretical and technological innovation and
24 transformation from hydrosovereignty to hydrosolidarity. It is not only an integration of the water supply systems, but also all the system components, including water sources and their protection, water storage and supply projects and their operation and maintenance, water-saving technology and water demand management, effective utilization of water resources, effective protection and restoration of water environment, authoritative and qualified water management institution, powerful water law and related regulations, etc.
ESSENTIAL SITUATION OF URBAN WATER SUPPLY IN CHINA
China has made remarkable achievements in its economic development and modernization and received international acclaim since 1978 with the onset of reform (Elizabeth Economy, 1997). Correspondingly, the pace of urbanization has been speeding up. The population in urban areas in China increased from 172 million in 1978 to 370 million in 1997. The percentage of urban to total population increased from 17.9% to 29.9% during the period of the two given years. GDP (Gross Domestic Products) of industry increased 19.8 times during the period. The average annual growth rate of industrial products was up to 10.5%. At the same time, the number of cities in China increased to 668 in 1997 from only 191 in 1978 (State Statistical Bureau, 1998).
Rapid urbanization in China causes serious conflicts between urban water demand and supply. Firstly, in the process of urbanization, water demand for residential uses inevitably increase with rapid population growth. On the one hand, people living in cities require persistent improvement of their living quality. In relation to water demand, popularization of piped water provides chances for wide uses of house showers and washing machines in cities. They are highly water- consumed compared to traditional living surroundings. On the other hand, with the improvement of living quality, the people living in cities desire more public water-related recreational facilities. It usually leads to rapid construction of water-related municipal infrastructures, such as swimming pools, water amusement parks, water landscapes, green land irrigation and municipal sanitation. Secondly, rapid industrialization in urbanized and urbanizing areas inevitably causes rapid increase in industrial water demand. According to a scenario of urban water resources planing, 270 cities in China suffered from moderate to severe water shortages in 1990. They were 57.8% of the total cities. Residential and industrial water demand in 1990 was 23.03 km3 while predicted demand in 2010 is 71.37 km3 (Water Resources Bureau of Ministry of Water Resources, 1995).
In order to meet increasing water demand in urban areas, China has been constructing and improving urban water supply systems. However, the speed of building urban water supply capacity has not yet kept pace with the increasing water demand due to relatively long construction periods of water projects, inadequate investments allocated to the projects, and some societal, economic, political and legislative reasons. The unbalance between the water demand and supply leads to water deficit in urban water resources systems. In the urban water resources systems of the aforementioned 270 water scarce cities, estimated total water deficit of residential and industrial uses will be up to 35.30 km3 by 2010 if there were no new projects to be put into service and only the currently available water supply projects in 1990 were used. Moreover, if all the planned new water supply projects for urban areas including those to be reconstructed and improved in the planning period were completed and put into full service, the deficit could not be completely filled and would still be in the range of 10.25 km3 by 2010 (Water Resources Bureau of Ministry of Water Resources, 1995). In fact, the number of water scarce cities may currently be counted at over 300 and up to 400. The countrywide urban water deficits are much higher than above figures.
25
In the improvement of urban water supply capacity and reliability, a large number of urban water resources systems have been enlarged and become IRWRS, such as the water resources systems for urban water supply to Beijing, Tianjin, Taiyuan, Xi'an, etc., in which Xi'an is a typical example in solving unitary water source induced urban water scarcity.
THE XI'AN WATER RESOURCES SYSTEM
The City and Its Water Problems
Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, is one of the most water scarce large cities in China (Fig. 2). As an administrative region, Xi'an City consists of its urban, suburb and rural areas, in which the area of urban and suburb together is called capital district. Population in the capital district grown from 0.48 million in 1949 to 2.76 million in 1995. People lived in the urban area increased from 0.19 million to 2.09 million during the period. The city's GDP increased over 10 times in last two decades. With rapid societal urbanization and economic industrialization of the city, water demand in its urban area dramatically increased to over 500 Mm3/yr (million cubic meters per year) in 1990s from less than five Mm3/yr fifty years ago. Water scarcity has become one of the most crucial restrictions to the city and even the province's development (Shaanxi Statistical Bureau, 1996; Feng et al, 1999; Feng, 2000b).
In order to meet increasing water demand in urban area of the city, in the past several decades, local groundwater as only water source was withdrawn in high intensity on large-scale. By 1990s, the amount of over-withdrawal local groundwater from self-controlled wells in the urban area of less than 300 km2 was up to 0.14 Mm3/day or 51.10 Mm3/yr on average. This caused enormous over-withdraw of groundwater and persistent lowering of groundwater level, and induced severe geo-environmental catastrophes, such as disastrous ground subsidence and crack with the maximum subsidence of over 2,300 mm at the center of the subsiding area of about 200 km2, evident deterioration of water environment, and unexpected economical loss. Water scarcity once became the most severe stress to the city with a daily water deficit of over 0.40 Mm3 during the extreme drought period of 1994 to 1996 (Feng et al, 1999; Wang & Lu, 1999).
The Integrated Regional Water Resources System
For solving the severe water scarcity and water scarce induced social, economic and environmental problems, some possible solutions have been proposed. Of them reconstruction of IRWRS has been recognized to be the essential measure to the city (Feng et al, 1999, Feng, 2000c). An urban-rural combined and multi-water-source integrated regional water resources system has been under construction and part of the system has already been built up and put into operation.
The IRWRS for Xi'an City is commonly called Xi'an Water Resources System or Xi'an Water Supply System (Feng et al, 1999; Feng, 2000a). In planning, the system consists of all the water sources and users involved. The water sources include all the groundwater and surface water sources in the system. The groundwater sources include all the aquifers being capable of providing groundwater using all the wells that supply water to the urban area. The wells include over 500 self-controlled wells that are arbitrarily distributed in the urban area and managed by individual users, and seven riverside groundwater sources with intensive well groups that are managed by the city's water supply authorities, and all other wells distributed in rural area and
26 small towns such as the county seats. Surface water sources are all the rivers, streams and creeks belong to upstream of the Wei River within Xi'an City and the Shitou River in another prefectural administrative region. There are three reservoirs for urban water supply in the surface water subsystem. They are the Shibianyu Reservoir, the Shitouhe Reservoir and the Jinpen Reservoir respectively. The Jinpen Reservoir is under construction and the other two have already been in operation for years. The channel and pipe conveying surface water from its sources to the urban area were built up and the first drop of the surface water was transferred into the urban area through the system in June 1996. The IRWRS is shown in Fig. 2, which illustrates main surface water sources and water supply projects.
Role of the System in the City's Water Supply
Since the surface water outside the urban area was conveyed in the urban area of Xi'an City in 1996, its water supply status has been obviously improved. Notable social, economic and environmental benefits have been obtained. The groundwater table in the urban area has evidently recovered since then by gradually closing the self-controlled wells. Even so, some problems in the city's water resources system still need to be carefully solved. One crucial problem is rational allocation of the surface water in the system. This problem is recognized to be crucial because the allocation is not a simple share of the water among all the users involved under general rules but should take into account of the priorities of the original users that probably be neglected in the new system. Meanwhile, environmental water use should be considered as an important guarantee for environmental security in the system.
For the purpose of rational water allocation in the IRWRS, a series of simulating operation of the system under several restrictions and constrains are carried out (Feng et al, 1999; Feng, 2000a). A more detailed study is being dealt with. Some primary outputs of the study show that the IRWRS may considerably improve the water supply capacity and reliability of Xi'an City without negative effects on original users and even obvious improvement of the original water supply status in the originally isolated surface water systems, i.e. the small watershed systems. The simulation uses daily runoff records during the period of 27 hydrological years started in October 1968 and ended in September 1995. The irrigation water demands for original users are ensured within the design frequency of 75% and are proportionally reduced while actual frequency of the surface water in a given hydrological year is greater than 75% in order to ensure domestic uses in the urban area. Also, a quantity of stream flow that is equivalent to minimum ten-day daily average discharge that its exceedance probability is equal to 90% is considered as downstream environmental uses along and inside the rivers and streams for riverine ecosystems.
Results show that while the probability of reliability of the water supply to the urban area is equal to and greater than 95%, the design frequency of urban water supply, the ensured water supply would be 580-620 Mm3/yr including 220 Mm3/yr of groundwater from the riverside groundwater sources and part of the self-controlled wells in the urban area. The lower amount is the water supply before the Jinpen Reservoir is completed and the higher amount is the water supply after the Jinpen Reservoir is put into operation. The estimated amount of water supply will be capable of satisfying the increasing water demands in the next two decades in the urban area of Xi'an City and original users involved. While the Xi'an Water Resources System is completely reconstructed, it will play more important roles in the city's water security and sustainable development.
27
Reservoir in operation Reservoir under construction Water disposal system Surface water convey channel River, stream and creek
XI'AN The Wei River
Shitouhe
Jinpen Shibianyu
The Qin Mountains 10 0 10 20 km
Fig. 2. The Xi'an Water Resources System, where the groundwater sources are not illustrated.
CONCLUSIONS
The developing world is moving towards urbanization. As an obvious consequence of urbanization, water scarcity and even water crisis in urban areas are becoming serious social, economic and environmental issues that severely impact regional sustainable development.
Seeking for feasible solutions to urban water issues on a regional range would be very important for urban water security and regional sustainable development.
Lack of enough water sources with sufficient quantity and proper quality has been one of the most crucial stresses to urban water security. Integrated regional water resources systems with multiple water sources are recognized to be an essential solution to unitary water source induced urban water scarcity. This measure has played and is playing important roles in urban water supply in China and overall the world.
Water issues in urban areas are complicated multi-cross-boundary problems concerning almost all aspects of the society, economy and environment. Although IRWRS have obvious advantages over the isolated ones, the heightening of urban water supply capacity and reliability should not be the cost of benefit loss of original users and particularly of the traditional users. Special
28 solutions to possible impacts of the integrated regional water resources systems on traditional users should be further investigated in detail.
RFERENCES
Elizabeth Economy (1994). Reforms and Resources: The Implications for State Capacity in the PRC (Case Study of China). Feng, Guozhang and Li, Peicheng (1999). Optimal Water Regulation and Allocation in the Urban Water Resources Systems of Xi'an. A technical report to the National "95" Keystone Sci- Tech Research Program 96-912-05-02-01. Feng, Guozhang, (2000a). A model of simulating water distribution and allocation for regional water supply system. Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, 31(9), 15-17. Feng, Guozhang (2000b). Impacts of and solutions to urbanisation on agricultural water resources. In Challenges Facing Irrigation and Drainage in the New Millennium (ed. by Deason et al.), Vol. I, 185-204, Fort Collins, USA. Feng, Guozhang (2000c). Promoting economic development of Shaanxi through intensifying construction of the blue engineering. Shaanxi Water Resources, (5), 4-7. Shaanxi Statistical Bureau (1996). Statistical Yearbook of Shaanxi. China Statistical Press, Beijing. State Statistical Bureau (1998). China Statistical Yearbook. China Statistical Press, Beijing. Wang, Gushi and Lu, Bo (1999). Analyses of water-related geo-environmental issues in urbanization of Xi'an City. In Proceedings of the Conference on Water Resources Development and Utilization in Shaanxi Province (ed. by Water Resources Bureau of Shaanxi Province and Water Resources Society of Shaanxi Province). Water Resources Bureau of Ministry of Water Resources (1995). A Brief Report to the Water Resources Planning of Water Supply for National Major Water-Short Cities.
29
SOCIETY AND WATER QUALITY: SELF-ORGANISED CRITICAL WATER SYSTEMS
Govert D. Geldof
Tauw (PO Box 133, 7400 AC Deventer, NL; [email protected]) & Water Resources Management, University of Twente (PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, NL; [email protected])
ABSTRACT
For a long time, urban water management was considered more or less similar to sewer management. Over the last years, this has changed as such management has come to be more widely oriented. Nowadays, the catchword is ‘integrated water management’. However, the realisation of integrated water management has proved to be difficult in practice because it is hard to abandon the safety of a limited sewer technical approach, i.e. optimising systems which have a mainly linear dynamics. Processes with non-linear dynamics are reduced to processes with purely linear dynamics, and this creates limitations that characterise the deadlock of urban water management, illustrated in this paper by the problem of polluting load and water quality. In other words, this deadlock is caused by an approach based on standards (‘standard approach’) that leaves many processes unconsidered, and this diminishes the social relevance to such an extent that public support for the necessary measures crumbles away. The hope for urban water management is characterised by non-linear dynamics, as complexity, subjectivity and uncertainty are no longer the enemy but even made useful. This is called an adaptive approach, which expressly looks at the interaction between water system and society, and takes seriously phenomena that characterise non-linear dynamics, such as self-organised criticality.
KEYWORDS
Adaptive approach, integrated water management, self-organised criticality, society, standard approach, water quality
INTRODUCTION
The title of this symposium is ‘Frontiers in Urban Water Management: Deadlock or Hope?’ This question will be answered by means of the problems concerning sewer systems and water quality as they occur in the Netherlands and many other countries. On the basis of experience in urban water management and insights gained from the science of complexity, two options have been worked out: the deadlock option and the hope option. The former is a standard - normative - approach, the latter an adaptive one. The immediate reason for studying the relationship between sewer system and water quality is the decreasing political readiness of many municipalities to invest in measures aimed at improving water quality. Since the 1970s, much has been done to improve water quality – e.g. water treatment facilities have been built and sewer systems
30 considerably improved – and this has contributed to improved water quality. However, the improvements now appear to have stagnated and this is creating a deadlock. The environment is no longer one of the main political issues and other problems are being given priority.
The 80/20 rule that is often used in practice applies here, i.e. 20% of the effort achieves 80% of the possible effect of a given approach, and the remaining 80% of the effort achieves 20% of the possible effect. The current approach to sewer systems and water quality (i.e. containment, standards, standardisation and uniformity) has seen better times. With this approach, water specialists have worked their way towards the edge of social interest. A new and fresh approach – by definition, an adaptive one – is required in order to get ahead and to safeguard the availability of clean water. This paper outlines such an approach, one characterised by much more interaction with citizens and administrators. Experience with this approach in the Netherlands is promising.
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOCIETY AND THE WATER SYSTEM
Before dealing with the aspect of water quality, attention is focussed on the interaction between society and water system. How does it work and how can we intervene?
Society
A. In theory
Water system
Society
B. In practice Standards
Water system
Figure 1. The interaction between society and the water system The theoretical course of this interaction is presented as ‘A’ in Figure 1. Society influences the water system and the water system influences society. Society places demands on the water system and, because the water system has its limits, the water system places demands on society. In a healthy management situation, these demands are geared to each other. The balance between society and water system is not static, but adapts itself to changing conditions.
In practice, however, often there is no healthy management situation. The water system clearly has its deficiencies as there will be either too little or too much of it, it will flow too quickly and/or will be too shallow or too polluted. Not all functions ascribed to the water system can be fulfilled this way. There are also times when water is life-threatening. Of course, society has its deficiencies, too. The water demand is too large due to wastage, water is discharged too quickly, the system is overused and people put unwanted substances in the water. In addition, society places unreasonable demands on the water system because we think we should be able to have
31 access to water wherever we want it. The establishment of businesses and residential areas used to be determined on the basis of the presence of surface water and drinking water, whereas nowadays establishment mainly depends on employment and the presence of traffic routes. The economy controls spatial planning and water management is supposed to adjust to it.
In the most unfavourable scenario, society and the water system become alienated. Technique veils the problems and ensures that the water runs from the tap and that wastewater is discharged into the sewer system. Just as many children in the Netherlands do not know that milk comes from cows, many people on our globe do not know where their drinking water comes from or what happens to their faeces after they flush the toilet. This clears the road for people to foul their own nest and transfer water problems to other areas and other generations.
What is the mechanism behind all this? ‘B’ in Figure 1 is an important example. Society places demands on the water system, and these are often very clear. For example, one person uses 100 litres of drinking water per day, or irrigation in the summer requires that 100 millimetres of water must be brought in. Clear demands are placed on the quantity and quality of the water management, and these are laid down in standards. When these standards have been established, it can be calculated how to meet them as efficiently as possible. Fixed standards allow for decisive action and obviate elaborate discussions. They are an expression of administrative simplicity. Standards take away the responsibility from society and place it with the water professional. The water professional will do his/her best to meet the standards, because assessment of these makes him/her vulnerable. This is how the standards begin to lead their own lives and, as it were, form a barrier between society and the water system.
The influence of the water system on society is often weak. There are some rare signals, but only in the case of catastrophes. In reality, any social behaviour is permitted and technological solutions to water problems are sought. Although this works, especially in the early phases, feasibility limits gain ground all the time. This does not mean that standards are a bad thing. On the contrary, they have a clear function. However, the water world handles standards too frenetically. For many water professionals, standards provide the only legitimate reason to want something in water management; their motto is ‘Give me clear standards and a purse full of money and I’ll solve all the problems’. This is remarkable, because this really expresses that the water professional thinks that administrators must lay down standards that give direction to all behaviour. Such standards should contain all profundities, and if they were met everything would be ideal. In other words, the standards themselves would have become the goal.
DEADLOCK: THE STANDARD APPROACH
The standard approach can clearly be recognised in the handling of the polluting load from the sewer system and in dealing with water quality. Administrators are asked to lay down clear standards for reducing the polluting load, and then technicians start to compose the ideal combination of measures in order to meet these standards. Such an approach is clear and offers useful starting-points. It reduces the integrated and complex ‘reality’ to a system of sewage pipes and surface water that can be described by means of a linear deterministic model (Figure 2). Overflows are simulated to show their possible effect on the surface water overflows. By creating limits for this effect (i.e. standards) one can discover the weak points in the sewer system and decide which measures are to be taken. The following steps are taken for mixed sewer systems:
32
1. The sewer system is schematised into overflows. 2. The receiving surface water is schematised into receiving basins with their levels of capacity, surface areas, cleansing capacities and contaminant background values. 3. Overflows are simulated to determine their effect, for instance, on the oxygen content. The effects of other contamination are also looked at. 4. Standards are used to limit the effects. For example, the oxygen content may not become lower than 3 mg/l. The level of such standards may depend on the function of the surface water. 5. Measures are proposed to meet the standards, such as removing and relocating an overflow.
Sewer syst. 1 Sewer syst. 2 Sewer syst. 3 Sewer syst. n
Surf. 1 Surf. 2 Surf. 3 Surf. n
O2 O2 O2 O2
t t t t
Figure 2. The principle of the standard approach. This approach seems logical but has some clear disadvantages. The integrated problem of sewer system and water quality is trimmed down to a system with a linear dynamics only. Linear dynamics means that few measures result in little effect and many measures result in much effect. The interaction between water system and society, however, is characterised by non-linear dynamics (Geldof, 1995), which means that both few and many measures can have both little and much effect. Below are some of the points of concern as encountered in practice with regard to the standard approach.
Background values One of the weak points of this approach is how to deal with background values. The system of sewage pipes and surface water is not an isolated one, as there are natural background values and other sources of contamination to take into account. For instance, how should overflows located in areas where the water quality is mainly determined by agricultural activities or by upstream municipalities be treated? The answer to this strongly depends on the points of departure that are assumed.
Water system as a whole? A water system is characterised by non-linear dynamics. There are stable situations – attractors – that do not change after measures have been taken. The effects of these measures are thus invisible to people living in the area concerned. The value of a watercourse, besides its water quality, is greatly determined by the structure of its banks and waterbed and by the way fish can migrate in it. For example, a watercourse may improve and so turn a bream system into a pike system. The water becomes clear; algae give way to water plants and the population of whitefish
33 decreases. But pike have a tendency towards cannibalism and if they cannot migrate to a larger area they will eat their own kind. Spawning territories, foraging territories and wintering territories vary from one species of fish to another. In addition, if there is an overflow in area x which causes fish mortality, the situation will be quickly restored if fish can migrate to the area from area y. The resilience of a surface water system comes from the coherent whole and not from an accumulated behaviour of subsystems.
Configuration system Employees at municipalities – and their consultants – often know the configuration of their sewer system very well. When they think sensibly about which measures should or should not be taken, their conclusions differ greatly from those based on the water quality analysis. This creates a field of tension. It is precisely the clarity of standards that renders it impossible to make creative solutions a subject of discussion with water quality managers, because ‘a standard is a standard’ and ‘if we make an exception in town x, people will want us to make exceptions all over the place’. In short, the introduction of clear standards results in a fear of precedents and a field of tension between standard solutions and common sense.
Simplicity: an advantage? In the background, social issues also play a role. This paper mentions two of such issues, both of which can be characterised as ‘rebound effects’ of linear interventions. Firstly, a simplification of the water quality issue makes it hard for water quality managers to retain good staff: any employee with high qualities will have tired of testing sewer system plans after a couple of years and will start looking for another challenge. This makes it hard to keep the desired level of interaction up to par. Secondly, administrators and citizens react to events. Public support for the improvement of the water quality tends to erode if the system does not ‘stimulate’ people, because priority is then given to other activities that can also have a positive effect on the quality of the living environment.
THE SCIENCE OF COMPLEXITY
The above-described mechanisms illustrate that the interaction between society and water system is important. However, linking them is not easy. Mutually dependent processes with different space and time scales manifest themselves. Nevertheless, the results from the science of complexity can be used to obtain insight into the interplay between processes.
Complexity is seen as a new branch of science. Its development started in the early 1990s (Waldrop, 1993) and its main feature is that people from different disciplines became actively involved: physicists, biologists, medical specialists, computer technologists, economists, sociologists, psychologists, linguists, political scientists, palaeontologists, etc. All these people are fascinated by learning or changing processes, evolution and revolution processes. The subject of research is the ‘complex adaptive system’, a model for all systems that learn and evolve (Gell- Mann, 1994). By studying the behaviour of complex adaptive systems one can gain insight into non-linear dynamics.
Water management calls for models of groundwater flows, hydraulics, erosion, irrigation works, crops, etc. These are all deterministic models, which help to predict what is going to happen under certain hydrological conditions. They also help to predict what the effects of certain interventions will be. All these models have linear dynamics. Some of the processes allow for
34 such models, but past a certain limit, the models become unreliable. This especially applies when biological, social and intellectual processes are included in the consideration because these have non-linear dynamics.
Studying the behaviour of complex adaptive systems does not enable us to make better predictions, though these systems do have a predictive value because patterns can be discovered in complex processes. These patterns help us to describe such processes, and because the patterns are repeated in many processes, we can learn from them. This paper deals with the pattern ‘self- organised criticality’.
SELF-ORGANISED CRITICALITY
The pattern of self-organised criticality was found by empirical observations and through simulations with complex systems (Bak, 1996). The behaviour of complex adaptive systems produces crises that result in large changes within a short period of time. Here, Cohen and Steward (1994) talk about catastrophes – referring to the catastrophe theory – and Bak and Paczuski (1993) talk about avalanches. Nevertheless, this paper will use the term crises. The occurrence of crises can be seen as annoying and difficult, but it is of vital importance to the development of complex systems.
a
Log (frequency)
b
c
Log (magnitude)
Figure 3. The relationship between self-organised criticality (line a) and possible consequences of measures (lines b and c) Bak (1996) uses the term self-organised criticality because of the relationship between crises, the development into a critical state and the self-organising nature. Self-organised criticality is subject to a clear pattern (see Figure 3, line a). Both small crises and large crises can occur, but the former occur more often than the latter. If the magnitude of crises is plotted against frequency on a logarithmic scale, the result is a straight line. Much research into self-organised criticality has confirmed the relationship presented in Figure 3.
In addition, it should be observed that the straight line may change due to external influences, but will always veer back towards a straight line because the system orientates itself towards this type of behaviour. Although people may have the inclination to suppress crises and to ‘force’ a system into a state of equilibrium, they will not succeed. The pattern persists. This is why Bak (1996)
35 proposes that it is better to learn to live with the occurrence of crises. Crises are characteristic of complex systems that can adjust to changing conditions in the environment. By taking measures to improve the water quality, line a can be shifted, but ‘rebound effects’ from society will reorganise the behaviour into a straight line again. If the new line is a rotation (see line b) this means that the risk of a small crisis is reduced, but that of a larger crisis is increased. For instance, there will not be frequent occurrences of fish dying from sewer system discharges, but when such does occur, the consequences will be greater. It is better to shift the line towards the position of line c.
HOPE: THE ADAPTIVE APPROACH
An adaptive approach does not involve a reduction of complexity, and all interactions between water system and society are taken into consideration. Although standards are still in the picture, they no longer play a decisive role. Thus, objectives and measures emerge in a natural way. The main point in water quality issues is to prevent undesirable events from happening in the surface water. There must be no fish mortality, the water must not smell and it must not infect swimmers. It is also desirable to develop the water system in such a way that the people appreciate it and that it has the potential to realise ecological values. Such values are more abstract than standards and are also of a subjective nature, but at the same time offer more room for variation. Measures taken within the context of an adaptive approach are therefore characterised by a greater degree of diversity and identity in comparison to the standard approach, which is based on standardisation and uniformity. The adaptive approach does not involve administrative simplicity. The measures are realised by actively participating in the interaction between society and its administrators. This interaction takes place on three levels: 1. The whole (society and water system as a complex adaptive system). 2. The water system (mainly surface water, groundwater and ecology). 3. The water chain (drinking water, water use, sewer system and treatment) and sewer systems as subsystems. Each level involves different patterns and values. Coherence is monitored on the first – and most abstract – level. At the level of the water system, contamination sources, structure, fish migration, potential for natural values, perception, etc. are looked at. The level of the water cycle deals with optimisation, giving the ‘thinking sensibly’ concept an emphatic role. When more knowledge is gathered about the relationships on the first level (the whole), guidelines can be drawn up for the other two levels. This does not yield the optimum solution, however, as the answer to the question ‘Which is worse, an accident every five years or a full- blown catastrophe once a century?’ remains subjective. Therefore, an adaptive approach to water quality issues does not involve deriving standards, but rules of play7, which mainly relate to the way in which involved actors exchange information and involve each other in the search process. The outcome of this search process can be surprisingly different each time.
7 For instance: for soccer matches, the outcome has not been standardised but there are fixed rules of play. These rules make it a different match every time.
36
Initial exploration in the Netherlands shows that an adaptive approach (the development towards line c) yields a wider distribution of qualities (see Figure 4) and that it fits ‘source control’ more than ‘end-of-pipe control’. By discussing water quality with citizens and politicians and by linking this to other activities with regard to spatial planning, better opportunities are created for retaining rainwater and treating it locally. There have even been cases in which the integration of urban water management has forced a breakthrough in the deadlock in the fields of traffic, spatial planning and public safety (Geldof, 2000). But there is a long road ahead of us.
Attractor 100% standard approach
Amount of Attractor watercourses adaptive exeeding this approach? water quality
Bad Good Very good water quality water quality water quality
Figure 4. Distribution of surface water of bad, good and very good quality
REFERENCES
Bak, P. (1996). How nature works. The science of self-organised criticality. Copernicus Springer- Verlag, New York. Bak, P. and Paczuski, M. (1993). ‘Why nature is complex’. Physics World. December 1993. Cohen, J. and Steward, I. (1994). Chaos geordend. De ontdekking van eenvoud in complexiteit. (Original title: The Collapse of Chaos. Discovering simplicity in a complex world). Uitgeverij Contact, Amsterdam/Antwerpen. Geldof, G.D. (1995). ‘Adaptive water management. Integrated water management on the edge of chaos’. Water Science and Technology, Volume 32, No 1, pp. 7-13. Geldof, G.D. (2000). Stormwater source control and pubic acceptance. An application of adaptive water management. Proceedings NATO ARW Workshop on Source Control Measures for Stormwater Runoff, St. Marienthal, Germany, Nov. 8-12. Gell-Mann, M. (1994). The quark and the jaguar. Freeman, New York. Waldrop, M.M. (1993). Complexity, The emerging science at the edge of order and chaos. Viking Books, London.
37
WATER QUALITY IN NETWORKS IN THE CONDITION OF SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE OF WATER CONSUMPTION
T. Koppel*, N. Kändler*, K. Tiiter** and A. Vassiljev*
*Tallinn Technical University, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia E-mail:[email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] **Tallinn Water Ltd., P. O. Box 174, Ädala 10, 10502 Tallinn, Estonia E-mail:[email protected]
ABSTRACT
The analysis of the network of the Tallinn City Centre has been performed. The overall water consumption has decreased during the last 10 years approximately 2.7 times. The water network is oversized for the present consumption and this has caused critical decrease in the water quality of network. Flow velocities are very low, the age of water in the network before consumption is relatively high. This has facilitated intensive corrosion of metal pipes together with encrustation of pipes. The concentration of iron is high in the network water. The water quality deterioration in the network is mainly dependent on very low flow velocities. The rehabilitation strategy of network depends on several factors, including water quality and network geometry. Proceeding from the mean age of water consumed, the optimal number of water main pipes has been estimated with the help of the developed methodology for City Centre network.
KEYWORDS
Distribution networks; water quality; water age; rehabilitation.
INTRODUCTION
Drinking Water Distribution Systems (DWDS) are built to guarantee that good quality water is delivered to consumers at any time under sufficient pressure. Optimisation of the design, rehabilitation and operation of DWDS should include water quality considerations. Water quality as a rule changes during transport through the distribution network due to complex physical, chemical and biological processes taking place in the water and between water and sediments on the walls of the pipes in the network (Clark, 1995). Water quality could deteriorate in DWDS and this is a risk to the health of consumers (Clark, Grayman, Males & Hess, 1993). Serious water quality problems have been observed especially in dead-end pipes and in the network areas where intermittent flows could take place.
The most common disinfectant to guarantee the high quality of water in DWDS is chlorine, it is inexpensive and effectively controls a large number of disease causing bacteria. Residual concentration of chlorine within a set of limits is part of the solution: the lower limit is for pathogen control and the upper limit is to minimize potential health effects and to eliminate the complaints on taste and odour. The main parameters for considering water quality in DWDS are iron, aluminium, turbidity, faecal coliforms and trihalomethanes (THM). Social costs are associated with waterborne diseases, the risk of cancer due to disinfection byproducts THM
38 and the cost of poor aesthetic quality of the water (Dandy & Hewitson, 2000). Water quality has an important influence on the corrosion processes of metal pipes (Engelhardt et al., 2000). Encrustation of pipes will decrease pipe diameters and increase head losses. In addition they will affect the distribution of contaminated water in the network. Failure of water mains could be related to several critical factors including water quality. Water quality has played, and will continue to play an important role in any rehabilitation strategy of networks.
Computer modelling of water quality in DWDS is widely used nowadays. The simplest way to estimate water quality in DWDS is to calculate the consumed water age over the network geometry. Water age could forecast changes in water quality and should be considered in the development of the rehabilitation strategy of DWDS.
Resulting from the changes in the structure of the society in Estonia, the water consumption regime has changed there essentially in the last years. Decrease in water consumption has led to a situation when practically in all towns water networks are oversized. This has caused critical decrease in water quality. Obsolescence or lack of hydraulic systems increases the risk of environmental pollution. Therefore, extensive rehabilitation programs for water networks and sewerage systems should be applied.
The number of inhabitants in Tallinn has decreased and the same tendency is proceeding. On the other hand the price of water has increased 3 times in the last four years and this has a strong influence on water consumption. There is a good correlation between the price of water and the consumption of water per capita. Overall water consumption in Tallinn has decreased during the last 10 years approximately 2.7 times. The water distribution network has been constructed for the previous consumption rate and this has a severe influence on water quality in the network. Flow velocities are very low, the age of water in the network before consumption is high.
The network geometry of the City Centre of Tallinn is given in Figure 1, where pipes with diameter ≥ 300 mm are drawn and mains with diameter ≥ 500 mm are presented with bold lines. The water supply system of Tallinn uses mainly the surface water of Lake Ülemiste. Before injection to DWDS the lake water is treated in Water Treatment Works (WTW). The network of the City Centre is the most complicated part of the network of Tallinn, where some pipes date back to the year 1883. Unaccounted for water is equal to 28%. In order to characterize the age of the network, the pipes are grouped by age and the length of age groups is indicated in Figure 2. New pipes with age less than 10 years form the smallest group by length and the group of old pipes with age over 100 years account for a relatively big part of the network.
There is a SERVICE AGREEMENT between Tallinn Water Ltd. and City of Tallinn for ensuring the functioning and maintenance of the public water supply and sewerage system of Tallinn. A rehabilitation strategy has to be developed by the Company by September 30th 2004. This will enable an extensive underground asset rehabilitation and renewal programme for both sewerage and water networks to be implemented during the period from 2006 to 2010.
39
Water Treatment Works
Figure 1. The Network Geometry of the City Centre of Tallinn.
<10
30-10
50-30 Age (years)Age 100-50
>100
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Lenght 10-3 (m) Figure 2. Length of the pipes with different age.
HYDRAULIC AND WATER QUALITY NETWORK MODEL
The computer simulation of water networks can provide a powerful tool to help us understand the complex interactions between pressure, flow and water quality parameters that occur within the distribution system. Tallinn Technical University has developed water network models for most parts of Tallinn networks on the basis of EPANET 2.0 software. For the leakage distribution and calibration of the model, algorithms have been developed. Subprograms on the basis of these algorithms are linked to the EPANET 2.0 software (Ainola, Koppel, Tiiter & Vassiljev, 2000).
40
Comparison of calculated velocities for the present mean consumption (A) and to the 2.7 times increased consumption (B), which corresponds to the network design flow rate, are given in Figure 3.
B A >0.5 0.5 - 0.25 1% 7% <0.05 >0.5 13% 17%
<0.05 0.1 - 0.05 38% 14% 0.25 - 0.1 30%
0.5 - 0.25 26%
0.25 - 0.1 0.1 - 0.05 30% 24%
Figure 3. Velocities (m/s) in the network pipes of the City Centre of Tallinn (A – present consumption, B – 2.7 times increased consumption which corresponds to the network design flow rate).
The age of water in the network is directly dependent on the low values of the flow velocities. In Figure 4, the age of water for the present and network design consumption is given after a 54 hour simulation. The age of water consumed at present has increased substantially.
A B
36 - 24 > 36 < 6 0.4% 1.5% 36 - 24 > 36 24 - 12 5.0% 1.7% 0.7% 1.7%
< 6 24 - 12 35.4% 32.8%
12 - 6 12 - 6 59.0% 61.8%
Figure 4. The age of water (hours) in the network pipes of the City Centre of Tallinn (A – present consumption, B – 2.7 times increased consumption).
The network is oversized for the present consumption, flow velocities are too low and the age of water in some parts of the network is too high.
41
ESTIMATES OF WATER QUALITY
Tallinn Water Ltd. has an extensive programme of water sampling in the distribution network. Samples are analysed for a number of parameters, including iron, turbidity and colour. The concentration of iron is high in the network water. As the flow velocities are low, the network is acting as a sedimentation tank. The maximum concentration of iron currently stipulated in EU Drinking Water Directive is 200 µg/l. More than 50% of samples exceed this limit at present. Sedimentation effect of iron in the network can be seen from the relation between the simulated flow velocity and the iron concentration in the network water in Figure 5.
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25 0.20
0.15 Iron (mg/l) Iron 0.10
0.05 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 Velocity (m/s)
Figure 5. Relation between the simulated flow velocity and the iron concentration in the network pipes.
Most consultancies are using a principle that the mains with maximum velocities above 0.5 m/s are ‘self-cleansing’ and will not collect sediments. On the basis of calculated velocities for the present mean consumption only 1% of pipes conform this criteria (Fig. 3). In spite of dispersiveness of data in Figure 5 the tendency of iron concentration to decrease in higher velocities could be noticed. We should consider that Tallinn Water Ltd. is using continuous flushing programme of network and the velocity values in pipes are simulated, not measured. These factors could have an influence on data in Figure 5.
NETWORK GEOMETRY AND REHABILITATION STRATEGY
The main problems in Tallinn DWDS are connected with the deterioration of water quality once it enters the distribution system. Water age is a parameter which characterizes possible water quality changes in the network and this is directly dependent on the distribution network capacity. Figure 6 characterizes the capacity of the City Centre Network where the capacity of
42 pipes with indicated and smaller diameter is given. The main amount of water is in the network pipes with diameters 500 mm or higher.
In order to estimate the influence of pipe diameters on the water age in network nodes several calculations had been executed by the network model. In Figure 7 three graphs are given showing the fraction of nodes in different water age categories. By using two nominal smaller pipe diameters instead of the existing network pipe diameters calculated water age in network nodes is decreasing. In reality the impact of small diameter pipes on the age of water in the network is very small. To improve water quality in DWDS water mains with diameter ≥ 500 mm are important in the rehabilitation process.
90 80
) 70 3 60 (m -3 50 40 30
Capacity 10 20 10 0 32 38 40 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 250 280 300 350 375 400 500 600 700 800 1000 Diameter (mm)
Figure 6. Capacity of the City Centre Network Pipes.
35 existing 30 d ≥ 200 mm (two nominals) 25 d ≥ 500 mm (two nominals) 20
15
Age (hours) Age 10
5
0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 Cumulative Fraction of Nodes Below Age Value
43
φi
ρ.
0 1 Water mains Sectors border Figure 7. Influence of decreasing pipe diameters by two nominals on the water age in the network.
Figure 8. Scheme of City Centre Water Mains Geometry.
The network of City Centre of Tallinn is supplied with the water from WTW which is situated at the border of the City area (Fig.1). The logical scheme for mains is represented by a batch of pipes starting from WTW. The looped network is formed by connecting mains with smaller diameter pipes in some distances from the WTW. Consequently, the real geometry of City Centre water mains could be represented by the scheme given in Figure 8. Every main is supplying with water a sector of town and the optimal main diameter should be calculated on the basis of water consumption in the sector. As the consumption area is increasing, going further away from WTW, the calculated optimal main diameter is almost constant over a half length of the main. The mean water age coefficient τi in the network, covering a semicircular town area, could be determined from the next equation in polar coordinates
ϕ 4i 1 i τ = ρ 2 (1+ ϕ)dϕdρ , (1) i π ∫∫ 00 where i is the number of water mains, ρ is the nondimensional length of the main and φ is the angle (Fig. 8). If we solve the equation (1) we have the coefficient of mean water age in the network dependent on the number of water mains
2 π τ = + . (2) i 3 6i
The water will be delivered to all the consumers by the shortest way, first by the main pipe and then by radial direction pipes. The mean water age coefficients for a different number of water mains in the semicircular town area are given in Table 1.
44
Table 1. Mean water age coefficient τi for different number of water mains i i 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ∞ τi 1.189 0.928 0.840 0.796 0.771 0.753 0.741 0.731 0.724 0.718 0.666
In Table 1 we can see that the 4 mains is an optimal number, onward increasing of the number of mains will not essentially influence the consumed water age. The following calibration of the coefficient of the mean water age τi has been used: at the end of water main ρ = 1 and τi = 1. To get a real mean water age in the network the coefficient τi should be multiplied by the following value: water main length divided by the mean flow velocity. As an example, considering the ‘self-cleansing’ velocity 0.5 m/s in the water main, the water age in the network of the City Centre of Tallinn (Fig.8), consisting of three water main pipes with the length of 6000 m, would be approximately 2.8 hours. The simulated mean water age in the same existing network according to the developed water network model, on the basis of EPANET 2.0 software, is equal to 8 hours.
CONCLUSIONS
The network of the City Centre of Tallinn is oversized for the present water consumption. Measurements and calculations are indicating that the capacity of network is too large, flow velocities are very low and this has facilitated intensive corrosion of metal pipes together with encrustation of pipes. The concentration of iron is high in the network water. The water quality deterioration in the network is mainly dependent on very low flow velocities. By the developed methodology, which is proceeding from mean age of water consumed, the optimal number of water main pipes has been estimated for network.
REFERENCES
Clark, R. M. (1995). Modeling water quality changes in distribution systems: a U. S. perspective. In Improving Efficiency and Reliability in Water Distribution Systems, eds. Enrique Cabrera & Antonio F. Vela, pp. 395-14. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Clark, R. M., Grayman W. M., Males R. M. & Hess A. F. (1993). Modeling contaminants propagation in drinking water distribution systems. ASCE J. Environ. Engr., 114(4), 454-66. Dandy, G. & Hewitson, C. (2000). Optimising hydraulics and water quality in water distribution networks using Genetic Algorithms. In ASCE 2000 Joint Conference on Water Resources Planning & Management, eds. Rollin H. Hotchkiss and Michael Glade, CD-rom, 10 pp. Engelhardt, M. O., Skipwoth, P. J., Savic, D. A., Saul, A. J. & Walters, G. A. (2000). Rehabilitation strategies for water distribution networks: a literature review with a UK perspective. Urban Water, 2, Issue 2, 153-70. Ainola, L., Koppel, T., Tiiter, K. & Vassiljev, A. (2000). Water network model calibration based on grouping pipes with similar leakage and roughness estimates. In ASCE 2000 Joint Conference on Water Resources Planning & Management, eds. Rollin H. Hotchkiss and Michael Glade, CD-rom, 10 pp.
45
COMMUNITY-BASED URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT UNDER SCARCITY IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Alphonce G. Kyessi∗
ABSTRACT
Diminishing state resources coupled with inadequate urban management capacity and insufficiency of conventional approaches have rendered it impossible to provide basic infrastructure in urban areas in developing countries such as in the city of Dar es Salaam. However, a notable phenomenon has emerged in many informal and formal settlements where the communities, through self-help and local governance in their own neighbourhood associations, have organised to fill the gaps in services left by the central and local governments. Among other things, community groups mobilise and organise fund-raising, mutual self-help and external technical assistance to provide water supply and sanitation, roads and drainage channels within the immediate area. This seems to be a trend in infrastructure improvement in poor neighbourhoods, that need to be enabled by interested parties including the public and private sectors, training institutions and donors. The community-based water management in Tabata, Dar es Salaam is taken as a case to explain this paradigm shift.
Note: Due to length limitation, the sections, “The case of community-based water management in Tabata, Dar es Salaam; and Lesson of eperience” of this paper are not included here, but the full paper appears in the companion CD-ROM.
INTRODUCTION
Since independence the public sector in many developing countries, especially those in Africa, had adopted the role of provider of infrastructure services, treating infrastructure as a social service provided either free of charge or highly subsidised (Kreibich, 1998). With fast urbanisation, the task of providing, operating and maintaining community basic infrastructure services has grown beyond the capacities of both central and local governments that have had little control over the urban development process (Majani, 2000). The result was increasing shortfalls in basic technical infrastructure provision, such as water supply and sanitation, roads and drainage, and solid waste management, in the face of rapid urbanisation and the degradation of existing systems due to under-investment in maintenance and poor management (Kyessi, 1999).
While the need to provide basic urban technical infrastructure has been recognised since Tanzania’s independence in the 1960s, there are multitudes of factors that have prevented actions to change present conditions in human settlements in urban centres. The primary ones include rapid urban growth, prevalence of urban poverty, insufficiency of conventional policies and concepts that disregard community participation8 and ignoring the principles of economics of
* Alphonce G. Kyessi is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Human Settlements, University College of Lands and Architectural Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35124, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. E-Mail: ihsbr@ uclas.ac.tz
46 infrastructure, urban management deficits and application of inappropriate technology and rigid standards that do not reflect the severe resources constraints and existing settlement situations. These factors have led to the growing gap between demand and supply of infrastructure services in urban areas. Three major factors are discussed in the subsequent sections:
PREVALENCE OF URBAN POVERTY
The Tanzania National Poverty profile (World Bank, 1993) showed that in general, poverty is concentrated more in rural areas where it is also widespread and more severe. Some 59 per cent of the people living in rural areas were shown to be poor, as compared to 39 per cent of those in urban areas. Although the situation in urban areas may appear to be better, the continued rapid growth of these urban areas partly caused by the movement of people from rural areas is, however, increasing urban poverty (Kironde, 1999). In the absence of reliable statistics on urban poverty, based on people’s incomes and assets, one possible way of estimating the scale of poverty is to base it on how many people live in poor-quality homes or settlements that lack the basic infrastructure and services (UNCHS, 1996). Many urban areas in Tanzania are characterised by paucity and poverty of infrastructure and poorly delivered. Urban poverty could also be conceptualised in terms of policies affecting employment and income generating activities; the enforcement of a minimum wage, and controlling prices of basic goods and services such as food and housing. The other approach has been the drive to offer free basic education, health, water services and other municipal services. However, poor national economic performance and Structural Adjustment Programmes torpedoed many of these policies (Kironde, 1999). Urban areas are growing at a rate that public authorities cannot ensure the necessary employment and income earning opportunities, or the expansion of the necessary infrastructure, social and economic services.
From the above discussion it is presumed that improving infrastructure will have a positive impact on poverty reduction. Lack of access to infrastructure services, for example water and sanitation services, is at the heart of the poverty trap as is the poor who pay the most for the services and who suffer the most in terms of health and lost of economic opportunities (World Bank, 1999:27). If infrastructure is made available funds saved could be diverted to other productive activities. The critical challenge facing Tanzania is to keep up the pace at which the poor are gaining improved access to sustainable infrastructure services. Meeting the challenge through demand-based approaches will require updating of policy frameworks, effective decentralisation and institutional co-ordination, broader involvement of communities9 and mobilisation of the local resources including those of the private sector.
8 Community participation refers to substantive involvement of residents of a settlement in defining their priority needs; in mobilising their financial, human and material resources in fulfilling their priority needs; in decision making towards planning (design), implementation (including construction) and operation and maintenance of provided services in their settlement 9 The National Poverty Eradication Strategy identified four reasons that had also prevented the efforts of the government in eradicating poverty, they include low level of peoples' participation in different stages of planning which resulted in lack of support and hence made the plans unsustainable. In addition, these efforts were implemented as campaigns and not as part of the overall development plans and therefore could not be sustained after the campaigns were over. There were also lack of guidelines for all stakeholders and the absence of a co- ordination mechanism for poverty eradicating initiatives (URT, 1998).
47
INSUFFICIENCY OF CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES AND CONCEPTS
In general terms, infrastructure services are key intermediate inputs to most production as well as being indispensable for human survival. However, administrative culture prevailing at all levels of government and its agents in urban management can be characterised as passive, procedural and prescriptive (Halla 1997). This situation is often compounded by rules, procedures and regulations imposed by central government based upon ‘borrowed models and concepts’ dating back to several decades that often discourage innovation, risk-taking and delegation of authority. Although urban authorities are empowered by law to provide the various services in areas of their jurisdiction, the central government, and national agencies have almost unfettered powers of operation within urban areas. Major public utilities such as water, energy, major roads and central sewer systems in urban authorities fall under the responsibility of authorities without local financial base. This has incapacitated urban authorities in the operation and maintenance of these services. However, urban authorities are greater providers of ancillary services to such utilities. These ancillary services include street cleaning, sanitation, street lighting and drainage. However, urban authorities have recovered costs neither from these outside agencies responsible for those utilities nor from the public. The marginalisation of urban authorities in the provision of such essential public utilities, apart from weakening the revenue base of urban councils, has also led to uncoordinated provision of these services with actual urban development. The result has been gross under-provision of urban services through the public sector.
On the planning and development part, there has been a problem of inefficient use of resources caused by selection of inappropriate technology, relying on rigid standards and non-link and co- ordination of local actors for their effective participation. Traditional or conventional practices based on outdated and inappropriate legislation have continued to be applied in urban settlement planning, development and management in Tanzania. Much emphasis is on well-planned neighbourhoods based on conventional surveying techniques. The urban planning practice in Tanzania is unable to address the specific problems of human settlements (Nnkya, 1999). A major negative feature in the process includes urban development without guidance: Urban development and infrastructure provisioning in Tanzania is increasingly proceeding without regulation. This is indicated by inter alia: mushrooming of informal settlements on marginal lands to include areas liable to flooding, steep slopes, areas left for recreational purposes and relocation of development from the designated areas to the informal settlements or other strategic areas as determined by the developers (Kyessi, 1990). As a result, large numbers of citizens are left without legal tenure and access to safe water and quality sanitation or accessibility, while the increase in the haphazard patterns of urban growth has caused economic inefficiency, environmental degradation and human misery.
A large spectrum of technical planning concepts incorporating rigid and unaffordable standards have been proposed through different ‘planning schemes’ including master plans and squatter upgrading programmes to meet the growing demand for land and infrastructure. High standards in upgrading have created a situation where more property had to be demolished especially in informal settlements such as in Manzese and Mtoni/Tandika in Dar es Salaam (Kironde, 1995). Decreasing budgets and increasing demands for compensation have created situations where some of the infrastructure services have had to be foregone or standards reduced during the planning stage or in the implementation stage (Materu, 1986).
There is missing co-ordination and linkages of infrastructure providers and users exactly what planning should be for. For about four decades since independence, each institution offering
48 infrastructure utilities has usually concentrated on its own sector in terms of planning and implementation of projects without co-ordination with other parties and the result has been complete chaos. The whole planning system and procedure has been top-down and very sectoral, a process that has created deficiencies in urban development and management in the country. In fact, potential developers acquiring plots (formally or informally) in urban areas have usually taken their own initiatives, at exorbitant costs, to secure the services for water and electricity on an individual basis. This practice is also found in the informal settlements. It is common to find one developer or house owner financing the installation of a kilometre of water pipe, sewerage pipe, electricity power line and a road to his single plot/house. Technical services have been provided to different users in various parts of the city of Dar es Salaam without proper plans necessitating spaghetti type of supply of these services. This, in a way, increases the cost of supply of the services per area and per capita respectively. Again, costly investments in roads, drainage construction and other technical infrastructure have been wasted for lack of maintenance. If all the several developers/house owners along those utility lines were mobilised and linked, the cost for the installations per plot would definitely be a fraction of the total cost that they all end up paying. Due to limited budgets, inability of the agents to recover costs of infrastructure provision and absence of co-ordination of land developers and consumers has led to under supply to urban residential areas.
INEFFECTIVE COST RECOVERY MECHANISMS AND SOCIALLY ORIENTED POLICIES
There has been a practice of heavy reliance on external funding and transfer of central government grants for infrastructure projects for example the squatter-upgrading programme of the 1970s and municipal services respectively, with limited or no effective local mechanisms for recovering infrastructure capital and operating costs. Service cost recovery mechanism has never been efficient within parastatal agencies and the local authorities. There has been an absence of realistic cost-recovery system - rich and poor have been treated equally. In Dar es Salaam City residents, mostly the rich, have capitalised on this inefficiency by not paying for the service charges. User charges for example of water supply are often based on elaborate system of central government subsidies and based on a flat rate with no meters for control, therefore, in the strictly economic sense, the services run at a loss (URT, 1997). This has a negative impact on the 'eternal-linkage triangle' of efficient, effective and sustainable provision of urban infrastructure involving costs, service level and cost recovery respectively.
The traditional system has limited the prospects of re-investment in the concerned sectors and has constrained the expansion of services to other settlements putting to an end the possibilities of replication.
On the other hand there has been a belief by the government that the poor cannot pay for improved services, so services such as water supply is not extended to their areas. On the contrary various studies have shown that water vendors are benefiting from poor households because the poor are paying more than those connected to the facilities such as water supply (see Table 1)
Further analysis of the above statistics indicate that if water services were provided in low income settlements (depending on a number of factors viz. mode of delivery), the poor communities may be able to access the services at lower prices normally entailing a saving in spending on the service. Paying for the service means recovering costs incurred in the
49 construction or provision of a service and meeting the cost of operation and maintenance. This is one of the key elements in an effective, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure provision and essentially in a market-led economy. On the other hand, there is clearly a problem of willingness to pay, especially by the poor households. The question which needs to be answered is, How will the initial cost of provision be mobilised in a poor society and suffocating state. Could community participation initiatives reduce cost of infrastructure provision?
Table 1: Differentials in the Cost of Water in Selected Cities (ratio of price charged by water vendor to prices charged by the public water utility)
City Price ratio (Private vendors to public agents) Surabaya (Indonesia) 20:1 to 60:1 Dhaka (Pakistan) 12:1 to 25:1 Karachi (Pakistan) 28:1 to 83:1 Port-au-Prince (Haiti) 17:1 to 100:1 Lima (Peru) 17:1 Abidjan (Cote d’Ivore) 5:1 Lagos (Nigeria) 4:1 to 10:1 Kampala (Uganda) 4:1 to 9:1 Nairobi (Kenya) 7:1 to 11:1 Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) 3:1 to 17:1
Source: World Bank (1988), Field study in Dar es Salaam in 1999
A SEARCH FOR STRATEGIC APPROACHES: A PARADIGM SHIFT
In recent years, community participation and self-help have emerged as notable phenomena in infrastructure improvement in many formal and informal settlements. For example, in 1999, 30 (55 per cent) out of 54 major informal settlements in Dar es Salaam had registered local groups addressing a different technical infrastructure in their neighbourhoods10. Institutional performance in service provision rests on the strategic actions to bridge the growing gap between demand and supply. In addressing this problem of shortage of services, one of the major challenges is to promote a demand orientation to the provision of urban infrastructure services that focuses on users, user ownership and management and cost recovery. In the upgrading and extension of existing services and the installation of new services, the potential for dividing responsibility and linking actors involved could be considered from the priority setting, planning and design stage, and implementation, operation and maintenance.
Of late, there has been a major paradigm shift in thinking about provision of urban community infrastructure services, such as water supply, sanitation, solid waste disposal and road and drainage maintenance. It is no longer considered that these services have to be provided by the national or local authority as free public goods or as obligatory service offered in return of
10 Information was obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs where civil organisations are registered. There are, however, many informal groups observed in informal settlements that are unregistered and address a specific infrastructure problem after which it is dissolved or continue to address another as need arises.
50 general taxes levied by the national or local governments. Increasingly, these services are being viewed as commodities that a service charge or user fee has to be paid, in addition to the development levy or general tax paid by urban inhabitants. The service charge or user fee is in the long-run expected to be adequate to meet the entire cost of supplying these services, that is both capital cost and operation and maintenance cost.
Again, of late, there has been increased realisation by the central and local governments that local (settlement) development and related problems are best handled by locally based agencies. For example, the Water Policy adopted by the government in the 1990s clearly states that community-based approach should be the strategy for achieving the Sector goals. Recently, many NGOs, CBOs and private collectors have been admitted in the collection system of solid waste in urban centres. In Dar es Salaam there are about 60 institutions including the Dar es Salaam City Council (Majani, 2000). Their participation has greatly improved the waste collection and disposal especially in informal settlements although many households are not paying for the service. Generally, organised, registered and non-registered CBOs and NGOs have been on the increase in urban areas (Kyessi, 1999).
A lot of discussion is going on in the world on community infrastructure and how to provide it to the poor, what techniques and ways to use/apply to reduce the cost of provision, operation and maintenance. On the one hand, in a situation of urbanisation in poverty, a major issue is 'how will the improved basic infrastructure services generate employment and incomes and provide incentives to low-income households to improve their shelter and settlement condition'. On the other hand, 'what kind of provision process to adopt and how to enable all key actors in the public, private and community sectors to play an effective role to ensure the provision of technical infrastructure in informal settlements'? The demand to follow market-oriented principles poses another problem on how privatisation and improving infrastructure services for low-income settlements relate to private commercial enterprises. Cost recovery of infrastructure provided is as important as ability to pay for the operation and maintenance. In reality, there is a need for a new paradigm for urban infrastructure service provision policy, which will be responsive to the market-led economy and settlement condition and most importantly, benefit a wider section of the growing urban population.
COMMUNITY-BASED PROVISION PROCESS: WHY DOES IT WORK?
Faced with failures of the conventional prescriptions, most urban dwellers in developing countries have to rely on their own initiative in order to access infrastructure. The question is how, or more precisely, which process emerges? The deficiencies in the public sector infrastructure delivery have prompted an increasing role of the private sector, NGOs and CBOs. In fact the role of the public sector is changing slowly. The success stories from the Kampungs improvement in Indonesia and the Katchi Abadis improvement in Pakistan explain the situation of changing roles of local actors (Suselo et al., 1995, Hasan, 1997) and these promulgate the concept of helping people to help themselves as a way of making the poor to get access to basic infrastructure and ultimately tackling poverty.
Participation of local actors and self-help has been on the increase especially in informal settlements in Dar es Salaam (Kyessi, 1999; Lückenkötter, et al., 1994)). On the one hand, neighbourhood residents have come together in certain parts of urban areas to enforce some building and land use regularisation and to contribute toward road and drainage construction and maintenance. Also, tapping water from wells and from the public provided system (through
51 vendors or individual households), and sanitation improvement. There is considerable presence of the private sector, be it corporate or small scale or individual, rendering different services or offering specialised consultancy (Kombe, 1999). On the other hand local authorities and other state agencies and donors have been offering technical and financial support to enable the communities to implement the specific infrastructure improvement.
It would be noted there is a growing acknowledgement that the only feasible way for urban communities and overburdened public sectors to meet the urban poverty challenge is to build on local initiatives and co-operative partnership. In fact leaving all urban development to self-help efforts would be unrealistic and assume that the governments have abdicated their own major areas of responsibility (Lyby, et al., 1991). The secret to success stories is that: i) Some funding is being channelled more or less directly to CBOs and/or NGOs working in urban areas particularly at the level of community (Atkinson, 2000), ii) Projects are always small in terms of resources, in most cases addressing rather specific local problems predominantly in poor settlements, iii) Infrastructure is being provided on a step-by-step development resembling the progressive improvement model obtained in informal housing development (see Choguill, 1999), but in some cases adopting a broader community development approach. iv) Cost recovery is embedded in the process of provision and operation and maintenance is based at settlement or community level
However, the emerging procedure of providing infrastructure to urban areas seems complex with potentials and constraints requiring revision and policy direction. On the one hand many urban services are being privatised with an element of encouraging a holistic approach to infrastructure provision at the community rather than national level, however, without the knowledge of affordability levels. Although some successes have been recorded where implemented, yet the approach has been more ideologically driven rather than growing out of any demonstrable superiority of the quality of services once privatised. In most cases willingness to pay was not considered. Again, capacity of local authorities to monitor the system and the private entities to render quality services have not been there. On the other hand grassroots continue to provide some of the services at the local (settlement) level because of deficiencies in the current public and privatised system of provision. It would be interesting to understand how the technical infrastructure for example potable water is being provided to informal settlements in Dar es Salaam for the purpose of efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. Other interesting issues include what technology and procedures are being applied and followed and how cost is being recovered and/or reduced to bring-in the element of affordability.
If poverty is to be reduced in low-income settlements, economic growth is certainly necessary, but as a strategy it is not enough. There is no automatic trickle-down. Growth strategy and the provision of services must be linked. The strategy should aim at organising the economic process in such a way that earned value added reaches all participants in the economy directly, because all play a part in it. This is called "growth with equity" or "pro-poor growth" (Thiel, 1999). A pro-poor policy is not primarily about "provision of services for the poor", but about the poor participating in society's value added process. But if they have to participate in this process they must have the chance to work. The capacity to work is the capital of the poor. Every policy aimed at poverty alleviation must be oriented on work, create jobs and promote labour-intensive projects (Thiel, 1999). This phenomenon was part of the early development policy but was forgotten under the influence of technological developments but it has now come into focused attention again, especially in urban areas. At the same time, self-help or voluntary contribution in
52 the provision process, apart from assisting to bring down the cost of provision, would also allow a step-by-step or progressive improvement (Choguill, 1999).
CONCLUSION
As described above, the time taken to fetch water had decreased dramatically and the price of water reduced five times from an average of 5 to 1 Tanzania shilling per 1 litre of water. Also, the burden of women and children using many hours of the day looking for water, sometimes during the night has been reduced tremendously through this initiative. This may be explained as benefits of economics of scale. As identified by other Scholars in other studies it is hoped that the time and money saved by households in Tabata will be used in other activities and services. In fact "time is money" and this is a road toward poverty eradication.
The provision of one type of infrastructure trickles out (supports) the provision of another. The initiative has managed to convince and encourage the Tabata community to continue contributing both cash and labour and in kind in upgrading their settlement infrastructure such as community roads, drainage system and solid waste disposal in the settlement. Contributions are being carried out to improve the Neighbourhood roads through a major community-based infrastructure programme initiated in the settlement. This programme is being implemented under partnership arrangements between the community of Tabata through TDF and the Dar es Salaam City Commission through its Community Infrastructure Programme. The major access road to the settlement is under-construction through funding from the central government, a complement to the efforts of Tabata Community. It is hoped that Community participation combined with self- help and state support through the CIP should be possible to meet some of the needs of the Tabata residents and elsewhere in other informal settlements. In fact after construction is completed, the Tabata community through TDF will continue to maintain all roads and drainage provided. TDF also plans to use part of the funds obtained from water sales and invest in ‘solid waste collection’. It is planned that the “water committee” will pay for the collection services and the community members will be charged collection fees for the services creating an infrastructure linkage. The planned process entails more community mobilisation and devolution of financial powers from the DCC to TDF or at the settlement level.
Lastly development process through participatory approach needs time and patience. CIP and the TDF have been in dilemma on how to adhere to the project implementation schedule without restraining participatory approach demands. Again, infrastructure projects are capital intensive, which require mandatory community contribution. In improving infrastructure, members of the community need to make contribution in order to increase capacity of dealing with the project, ensure sustainability and enhance sense of ownership. On the other hand, the community contribution should be based on community's economic position rather than contribution based on a fixed percentage without due regard to community ability. Most of the time people are not ready or willing to contribute. The challenge is how to internalise the concept of cost sharing for improved infrastructure where there exists no policy and other instruments for ensuring community participation. All in all, the TDF experience makes us to conclude that substantive participation of infrastructure users in all levels of development with a modest external assistance is likely to become centrepiece of development discourse in the future.
53
REFERENCES
Atkinson, A. (2000): "International Cooperation in Pursuit of Sustainable Cities", Unpublished Paper Presented in an International Conference on Cities of the South: Sustainable for Whom? Geneva, 3-6 May 2000. Choguill, C.L. (1999): "Community Infrastructure for Low-Income Cities: The Potential for Progressive Improvement". In: Habitat INTL. vol. 23, no. 2 pp.289-301. Suselo, H., Taylor, J.L. and Wegelin, E.A. (1995): "Indonesia’s Urban Infrastructure Development Experience: Critical Lessons of Good Practice", for UNCHS, Nairobi. Halla, F. (1997): "Institutional Arrangements for Urban Management: the Sustainable Dar es Salaam Project". PhD Thesis, University of New Brunswick, New Jersey Hasan, A. (1997): "Working with Government", The story of OPP's collaboration with state agencies for replicating its Low Cost Sanitation Programme, City Press, Karachi Kironde, J.L (1999): "Mainstreaming Urban Poverty Reduction in Tanzania: Problems and Prospects". In: Urban Poverty in Africa: Selected Countries Experiences, UNCHS, Nairobi, Kenya, pp. 105-113. Kironde, J.L (1995): "The Evolution of the Urban Land-Use Structure of Dar es Salaam 1890-1990: A Study in the Effects of Land Policy", PhD Thesis, University of Nairobi. Kombe, W.J. (1999), "Stakeholder Participation in Urban Infrastructure Design and Implementation, Experiences and Challenges, A case of Hanna Nassif Project, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Kreibich, V. (1998): “Limited Budgets, Growing Demand: How to Provide Social Infrastructures”. In: Jensen J. (ed.), Planning as a Dialogue: District Development Planning and Management in Developing Countries, Spring Centre, University of Dortmund, pp. 203-210. Kyessi, A.G. (1990), "Urbanisation of Fringe Villages and Growth of Squatters: The case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania". Unpublished MSc Thesis, ITC, the Netherlands. Kyessi, A.G. (1999): "Community-Based Environmental Management in Urban Tanzania". In: Atkinson, A., Davila, J.D., Fernandes, E. and Mattingly, M., The Challenge of Environmental Management in Urban Areas, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, England, pp. 287-298 Lückenkötter, J., Fieger, F. and Roger, F: (1994): "Improvement of Squatter Settlements: Between Successful Community Organisations and Lack of Co-operation, A case Study of Self-help Activities in Squatter Settlements of Dar es Salaam", Munchen. Lyby, E., Tournee, J. and Nnkya, T. (1991): "Employment generation in urban works programmes in Tanzania", for UNDP and ILO, Dar es Salaam. Majani, B.B.K. (2000): "Institutionalising Environmental Planning and Management: The Institutional Economics of Solid Waste Management in Tanzania", Spring Research Series, no. 28, Dortmund. Materu, J.S. (1986): "Sites and Services Projects in Tanzania: A Case Study of Implementation", Third World Planning Review, vol. 8, no. 2. pp. 121-138. Nnkya, J.T. (1999): Land Use Planning Practice Under the Public Land Ownership Policy in Tanzania. In: Habitat INTL. vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 135-155. Thiel, R.E. (1999), "Towards a Comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy: Considerations and Proposals". In: Development and Cooperation (D+C), No. 1/1999, January/February, pp. 17-19. United Republic of Tanzania (URT, 1998): "The National Poverty Eradication Strategy", Vice President's Office, Dar es Salaam. United Republic of Tanzania (URT, 1997): "Preparation of the Strategic Plan for the Restructuring of the City Council of Dar es Salaam", vol. II: Strategic Plan, Dar es Salaam. UNCHS (1996), "An Urbanising World: Global Report on Human Settlements, 1996", Oxford University Press for UNCHS, Oxford. World Bank (1999): "Water and Sanitation Program Report, World Bank, Washington DC. World Bank (1993): "World Development Report", Oxford University Press for the World Bank, Oxford. World Bank (1988): Infrastructure and urban development department, FY 88 Annual Sector Review: Water Supply and Sanitation, World Bank, Washington, D.C.
54
WATER CRISIS IN IRAN: CODIFICATION AND STRATEGIES IN URBAN WATER
Dr H.Motiee*, GH. Manouchehri**, Dr M.R.M. Tabatabai***
* Assistant Professor, Water and Wastewater Eng. Dept., PWIT, P.O.Box 16765-1719, Tehran, Iran.E- mail: [email protected] ** Director of Water and Wastewater Company, Tehran, Iran *** Assistant Professor, Water Eng. Dept., PWIT, P.O.Box 16765-1719, Tehran, Iran
ABSTRACT Human civilization has always been in evolution by having direct access to water resources throughout history. Water, with its qualitative and quantitative effects, plays an important role in economic and social develoments. Contrary to other sources, water is not replaceable. By increasing world population and also growth of communities, water and its consumption has become important. This may even become more significant in those countries where the volume of rainfall is limited. Water consumption per capita depends on the culture, kind of activities and climate conditions, which varies in different areas. These differences are such that the variation in water consumption per capita may range between 3.0 to 700 liters per day. Iran is located in southwest Asia with an average annual rainfall of 250 millimeters. It has an arid and semi-arid climate. Water crisis has appeared in Iran as a serious problem. There are mainly two reasons for that: (1) Lack of proper water management and (2) Occurrence of drought. In fact, water crisis can be defined as an unadjustment between water resources and rate of consumption. In this paper attempts have been made to identify factors influencing water crisis in Iran. Solutions are also put forward to control and reduce this for the future.
KEYWORDS: Iran, Urban water, Water crisis, Drought, Water management, Water resources
1. INTRODUCTION
Iran with an arid and semi-arid geographic specification is located in Southwest Asia. The normal annual average of precipitation is 250 mm. The geographic and climatic variation of the country is very extensive. For instance, annual average rainfall in the north is more than 1000 mm, while this figure is less than 100 mm for central and southeast of the country.
Existing of mountainous areas in the north and west have caused the flows of several main rivers. At the same time vast desert spread in the Central and Southeast. For this reason water resources diversity is quite visible. These conditions lead to uneven distribution of population. More than 50% of population lives in the west and north, while about 70% of water resources is located in these areas (Bitaraf, 2000). The sum of annual water resources is estimated 135x109m3, the consumption rate in the three main sectors are as follows: 1- Domestic urban consume sector : five percent (5%) 2- Industrial sector : twenty percent (20%) 3- Agricultural sector : ninety three percent (93%)
55
Construction and performance of hydraulic structures such as dams, kanats, and conveyance channels for reservoirs, transmission and distribution systems have been experience by Iranian people since 3000 years ago. Three decades ago, before 1970, because of low population, agricultural nature and low rate of urban population, water supply was not considered as a critical problem of the country. During the last three decades, large dams have been built around the big cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, etc, in order to supply water for urban, industrial and agricultural consumption. Where surface water has not been available, ground water has also been used as water resources for supply. Since 1980, a rapid population growth as well as rapid economic change has lead to significant agricultural and industrial development and consequently increasing urban population (Manouchehri 2000). Consequently, dramatic changes have been encountered in water demand. Until 1990, water supply was not a critical problem and there was a reasonable ratio between available demand and supply. In recent decade, water supply has appeared as a critical national problem, which is explained in the followings:
2. CAUSES OF WATER CRISIS OCCURRENCE
There are mainly four reasons for which water crisis occurs (Manouchhri, 2000): 1- Rapid population growth which is improprotional to the environmental capacity, 2- Development of different parts of agriculture, industry and urbanization, 3- A decrease in the number of appropriate structures to store, distribute and convey water. This is due to the lack of financial sources, which has led to the less investments, 4- Worldwide occurrence of drought (i.e. Iran) since 1995.
2.1. A Progressional Increase in Population
Since 1979, due to the cultural, social and economic change in Iran, there has been a progressional increase in population in such a way that during the last 20 years the population has increased from 30 to 60 million people. This has caused an increase in urban population by 3.5 percent. Migration of people from rural areas to big cities and the suburbs has also caused an increase in urbanization from one year to the next. This has culminated on a water demands increase. The urban population of Iran was estimated 17 million in 1980, and the number of people who used urban water services were estimated 13 million. This statistics has now risen to 40 million urban population of which 38 million people take benefit of water services.
On the basis of available reports, city migrants have been divided into two classes: economic and environmental migrants. Environmental migrants are those who had to leave their lands due to the droughts (i.e. central and southwest of Iran) while economic migrants are those who have moved to big cities (i.e.Tehran) for better conditions and facilities of life.
Recently, regional water management of Tehran have announced that they might not be able to provide water for Tehran in the near future. In this context, there are migrants who used to consume water 10 Liters/day, but now, they tend to consume more of that in big cities rather than using other urban services. Most of these migrants reside in suburbs where urban services are much cheaper than central and inner zones. In order to reduce population growth rate and migrations, the followings have been designed and applied:
56
• Cutting down the rate of birth from 3% to 1% by applying the adequate population control policy, • Controling migration from rural areas to big cities by constructing urban infrastructural and facilities. For instance, lots of attempts have been made, in addition to other services, in order to convey water to the rural areas by canals and pipelines through dam construction. In big cities of Iran, the rate of capacity of population is challenging which is neither compatible to environmental potentials nor to the rate of economic growth. It is anticipated that the Iranian population will reach about 100 million by year 2020 and the number of urban areas vary from 600 to 1000.
2.2. Development of Different Sectors: Agriculture, Industry and Urbanization
In present decade (1990-2000) water demand has been increased very rapidly in different sectors in agriculture, industry and urban services. This demand is not only due to the population increase but also due to an increase in the three so-called sectors. In the agriculture, with the most water consumption, there is the highest loss, which has been noticed by the people in charge in irrigation and drainage Department. Though urban water demand consumes only 5% to 6% percent of the country water resources, however, due to the high rate of consumption in those catchments, water supply has become serious problems.
Industrial growth can be a serious threat to Iranian water resources for two reasons: On one hand, as the industrial rate of growth increases, the demand for water is also growing in parallel. On the other hand the wastewater resulted from industrial activities may cause surface and groundwater pollution, which makes Iranian water resources problems two folds. Finding rational solutions for industrial effluent treatment is another environmental issues, which have been on the Water and Wastewater Department Agenda.
2.3. Lack of Financial Sources for New Investments
Iran is classified as those countries which have been dependent on the financial sources resulted from sales of oil. The revenue from the sales of oil on the National economy has appeared by an increase in oil prices in international markets, which has caused government to run a lot of projects in reservoir dams as well as water distribution and conveyance systems. On the contrary, as a reduction in oil prices comes to effect in the international markets, a lot of projects are implemented slowly or even stopped. Presently, Reservoir Dam Karkheh with a storage capacity of 7×10 9 cubic meters and Karoun 2 with a storage capacity of 3×10 9 cubic meters are the biggest reservoir dam construction projects. The vitality of water and its storage for Iran, with an estimation of population to be 100 million people by 2020, is so important that several dam construction projects are in progress in most of the rivers. Currently there are 84 dams in operation, 68 dam projects are in progress and 120 are being studied in their early phases. However, the lack of financial sources may cause a long delay in the operation of these projects. This is clearly noticed in Karkheh Dam construction project whish is supposed to be ready for operation in two to three years time but may take a long time for that. This can partly be overcome by selling the shares of these projects in stock market. Therefore, people are encouraged to investe in these kinds of projects to company the government in such national projects. Bearing in mind, that foreign funds have also played very important roles in some projects like the World Bank credit for 145 million Dollars for Tehran sewage Network.
57
2.4. Appearance of Droughts in the World and Iran Since 1995:
Currently, debates on water crisis currently fall into two categories: • Water scarcity, in general • Drought in particular. These categories are completely different, however what is so positive in that respect is that, Iran is exposed to the continuous drought which with authorities have been fighting for a long time. Thus, the plans and programs have to be made to reduce the damages resulted from drought to a minimum. As water consumption increases during wet years consumption exceeds the natural resources, the vulnerability to drought therefore, tend to appear more intensive (i.e. Tehran). This has also appeared in some other areas where reservoir dams have completely been emptied and dried out. In year 98-99 government has devoted 300×10 9 Rials (about 10 million dollars) credit for droughts compensation. These recent droughts have been nightmares throughout Iranian water history, particularly, in 2000. In this year, many rivers such as Zayandeh Rud and Hirmand dried out as well as some swamps and marshlands. A large river like Karoun with an average daily discharge of 500 m3/s during last summer (2000) had an average discharge of 100 m3/s during summer 2000. This, in turn, caused an increase in water concentration of the river and degradation of its quality, which converted the river into a saline one. This still had further undesirable consequences which ended up with the ban of supplying water to adjacent cities, such as Ahwaz, Abadan and Khorramshahr, in the south of Iran. Under these circumstances, government had to supply drinking water for these towns from other other parts of the country with tankers and cargo trains. Serious objections were raised by local people, bring about political problem for the government. So if the drought occurrence continues in the future, it may raise social crisis as well as political issues in some areas.
3. CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND SOLUTIONS
In the view of the problems cropped up from water crisis, the followings have been recommended as solution to water crisis.
3.1. Establishment of Independent Water and Wastewater Companies under a Centralized Unit
Before 1990 urban water and sewage used to be administrated by municipality in large areas while small independent units in small areas could manage that by themselves. Since then independent Water and Wastewater Companies under a centralized unit supervised by Ministry of Energy have been organized so that the urban water and sewage authorities could organize urban water supply under a united management.
3.2. Construction of New Projects
There are several large dams built in Iran before 1980 (Table1), however, in recent decade some new dam construction projects have started (Table 2, Motiee et. al. 2000).
58
Table 1. Dams constructed before 1978
Order Name River Locatin Dam Reservoir Crest Height Construction Period Type Volume Length (m) Start End (MCM) (m) 1 Dez Dez North of Dezful Concrete 3340 212 203 1960 1963 Arch 2 Karoun I Karoun NE Masjed Concrete 2900 380 200 1970 1976 Soleyman Arch 3 Doroud Kor Doroud Zan Rockfill 993 700 60 1966 1972 Zan 4 Sefid Rud Sefid Rud Manjeel Concrete 1800 425 106 1958 1962
5 Aras Aras Qeshlagh Earthfill 1350 945 42 1967 1970
6 Zayandeh Zay.Rud Issi Sou Concrete 1450 450 100 1965 1970 -Rud Arch 7 Amir Karaj 23 km to Karaj Concrete 205 390 180 1959 1963 Kabir Arch 8 Zarineh Zari. Rud Yamin Abad Earthfill 650 720 50 1967 1971 Rud 9 Mahabad Mahabad Mahabad Rockfill 230 700 46.5 1967 1970
10 Latian Jajrud Latian Concrete 95 450 107 1963 1968
11 Golpayga Golpayga Akhte Khan Earthfill 56.6 360 56 1947 1950 n n 12 Ekbatan Abshineh Yalfan Concrete 8 286 53 1959 1963
13 Voshmgir Gorgan Sangar Savar Earthfill 79 430 19 1964 1970 Rud 14 Chah Sisstan Sisstan Earthfill 45 128.5 17 1972 1978 Nimeh
Table 2. Dams under construction and/or study during last two decades
Order Name River Location Dam Reservoir Crest Height Construction Period Type Volume Length (m) Start End (MCM) (m) 1 Jiroft Halil Rud Tange Concrete 430 250 134 1976 1983 Narab Arch 2 Saveh Ghareh SW Saveh Concrete 290 265 128 1983 1993 Chay Arch 3 Lar Lar Polour Earthfill 960 1170 105 1975 1981 4 Esteghlal Minab Minab Concrete 344 450 604 1975 1983 5 Pishin Sarbaz Chah Bahar Roskfill 250 400 63 1978 1992 6 Torogh Torogh Torogh Concrete 40 322 75 1982 1988 Arch 7 Kardeh Kardeh Kardeh Concrete 282 144 67 1982 1987 Arch 8 Vahdat Gheshlag Sanandaj Earthfill 224 300 80 1973 1983 h 9 Kohrang II Kohrang Kohrang Concrete --- 73 22 1972 1985 Gravity 10 Chaqakhor Gandoma Boroujen Earthfill 45 200 10 1988 1993 n
There are also a number of water conveyance projects to supply water to large cities. These projects were done for the cities, where they are the centres of their provinces, without which they could have encountered serious water supply. On the basis of available data during decade 1990 to 2000, the condition of water conveyance in Iran is in the following diagram (Elahipanah- 2000).
59
Q=403 Q=366.2 MCM/Y Q=219.1 MCM/Y
First Programm (1987-1992) H=208m H=413.3m L=644.2 km H=452m Second Programm
L=1135 km Third Programm (1997-2001)
L=1905km km
Figure 1 - Variation of Water Transmission with Distnace
3.3. Unaccounted Flow of Water Since 1990 a series of serious attempts have been made to identify existing urban water networks. This has been accompanied by the investigation of unaccounted water quantity to be estimated about 30%. Lots of attempts are now being made to reduce this to something less than 10%. This can be achieved by reconstruction of water networks as well as installation of modern necessary equipment.
3.4. Separation of Urban Water Network One of the projects currently being researched on is the separation of drinkable water from undrinkable one in urban areas (Mahvi et. al.- 1998). This was done in some southern parts of the country in the last decades, however, it has not been proceeded beyond the research due to its high cost.
3.5. Training and Modification of the Water Consumption Culture Urbanized people have come to realize life with less water consumption, and get to know the approach by which it can be achieved. This is required an intensive training. Currently, without realizing the concept of water crisis and also having 24 hours access to it, water consumption in some urban areas may be in the range of 300-400 litres per second. The strategy of the water and wastewater industry for the settlement of appropriate patterns is planned as follows: 1. In the new water consumption pattern, families classified according to the number of members. An average annual consumption is defined for each family class, hence those families that consume more than what is determined by authorities are counted as overconsumers and have a lot more for their extra-water consumption. In this context, research has shown that if the overconsumer family class reduce their consumption to that of normal consumes class, one and a half times of the present population may be easily supplied with current water resources. Bearing in mind that the urban population of Iran is now approximately 40 million people. 2. Determination of an appropriate consumption pattern for arid and semi-arid environments, as Iran is one of those countries with various climates.
60
3. Determination of an appropriate consumption pattern for drought years, which requires promotion of public education in water consumption: ♦ Applying new technology for water consumption (i.e. water taps in houses), ♦ Visiting and monitoring household water networks, ♦ Changing water metres in tower block into individual household ones, ♦ Enlightening people by the press regarding less water consumption and its benefits
3.6. Bottled Water Production Production of bottled water in internal markets may save water consumption, besides it can turn into an export product and become a source of income. Undoubtedly, bottled water becomes increasingly important and extensively significant due to the lack of water resources as well as their pollution. This has led to the mass production of bottled water, which is done by various manufacturers in Iran now.
4. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE STRATEGIES
The challenge in urban water and wastewater section in Iran may be summarised as follows: 1) People’s demands and their expectation of authorities to supply drinking water from new resources, which have already been identified. This may be achieved by transmitting water from upland rivers to central cities of Iran as well as desert areas (i.e. water transmission from upstream of Karoun River), 2) 2-The danger of an extensive water resources pollution, particulrly in the watersheds where urban water is supplied by, 3) 3-Restriction of high quality drinking water resources in many areas and also reduction of water consumption per capita by increasing population, i.e. this has already occurred in some areas where consumption per capita reduced to one –sixth, 4) Conflicts due to the competition for demand between differnet sectors, 5) The lack of knowledge and adavanced technology requirement, 6) Problems resulted from modification and movement of urban water treatment plants due to qualitative and quantitative loss in local resources, 7) Improportional rate of growth of population in the country; urbanisation has added to this problem, 8) Lack of single rigid policy with appropriate direction for self-administration of Water and Wastewater Companies and also limitation in fixing water rate, 9) Increasing the cost of water transmission for long distances, 10) Breaking down of water networks and equipments.
The following three principles are considered for encountering the supply, distribution and consumption of drinking water challenges, a) An effective water resources management to take advantage of the available potential resources and protection of them, b) Proper management of transmission and distribution of water to avoid losses in the pipes and promote distributions, c) Proper consumption management to optimise water consumption and popularise the right consumption.
61
On the basis of worldwide definition, it is admitted that Iran is on the borderline of water crisis and the country is vulnerable to water supply. Various research and analysis have shown that latest water supply projects comparing to those of the last decade are more expensive, they require higher technology and skills in designing, construction and operation.
REFERENCES
Bitaraf, H. (Minister of Energy) (2000) Protecting Water Resources in Iran. Iranian Water and Wastewater Journal (Shahrab) No. 223. Elahipanah, N. (2000) Progressive Changes in Urban Water, Iranian Water and Wastewater Journal (Shahrab) No. 227. Karamooz, M. (1998) Water Resources Management in Iran, Asian Conference on Water and Wastewater Management, Tehran, Iran. Manouchehri, G. H. (2000) Water Crisis in Iran, Iranian Water and Environmental Journal, No. 39. Ministry of Energy (1997) Iranian Water and Wastewater Manual, Tehran, Iran. Mahvi, A. Neirizi, S. (1998) Importance and Necessity of Separation of Urban Water Network, Asian Conference on Water and Wastewater Management, Tehran, Iran. Motiee, H. and Darakhani, J. (2000) Dam Construction Development in Iran During the 90’s. Third Canadian Dam Assocaiation, Regina, Canada.
62
GIS "HYDRO-MANAGER" FOR URBAN AREAS WATER CONTROL
A.A.Tskhay, Y.S.Morozova
Altai State Technical University, 46, Lenin Str., Barnaul 656099 Russia. E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The mechanism of water quality management in river basin is proposed. This integrated approach is oriented to resources conservation and sustainability and contains administrative and economic actions of exposure to water users. These goals are certainly actual for countries going through transition period from central planning to the market economy as Russia. The GIS "Hydro- manager" is elaborated for water quality assessment and forecasting in basin scale under different sets of management mechanisms impact. "Hydro-manager" includes information- modelling system of water quality in basin scale and is realized for the Upper Ob-river basin on the territory of Altai administrative region.
KEYWORDS
Economic, management, modelling, monitoring, river, water quality
INTRODUCTION
The top priority task for every water resources goal-related programme is creation of effective management mechanism including such elements as: (a) the detailed order of interaction between water users themselves and with control organizations according to normative base in Russia; (b) the procedure of economic regulators definition for water users behaviour: principles of regional ecological foundations (briefly, REF) resources distribution and so on; (c) the definition order of the enterprise as "ecological bankrupt", the analysis and forecasting of ecological consequences for its closing; (d) the additional measures for reduction of prior contaminants concentrations in control river sections; (e) the procedure substantiation of "long-term projects" investment (the results of this realization will be observed only in a few years); (f) the interaction in the system "industrial subscriber - enterprise of water municipal economy - environment protection organization"; (g) the control of non-point sources of anthropogenic pollution; (h) the development of information base for water quality monitoring and management in the river basin; (j) the scheme for water quality management in basin-scale.
The creation problems of such mechanism with necessary decision support system (GIS "Hydro- manager") are considered in this paper.
63
THE GEOINFORMATION SYSTEM OF WATER QUALITY IN THE RIVER BASIN
The geoinformation system is elaborated for support of management decisions on the base of regional economic mechanism on water quality in the river basin (Tskhai, 1995; Tskhai & Dorotshenkov, 1995). The information block of system consists of three parts: text data base; map-graphical data base; modelling data base.
The text data base is intended for gathering, keeping and use of monitoring information of the river basin and data on the corresponding water-technical complex. There are the observed hydrological and hydrochemical data, the information on intensity and composition of the point and diffuse sources of the watershed pollution in this data base. This information is stored in the files of DBF BDMS dBASE III+ format.
The map-graphical data base is realized on the example of the real watershed and is intended for holding the map-diagrams of administrative and river basin boundaries, the places of towns and settlements, the posts of hydrological and water quality observations, the morphometry of rivers and so on.
Water quality model simulates the river spatial distribution for the values of twenty contaminants: (1) BOD, (2) oxygen deficit, (3) suspended matter, (4) COD, (5) ammonia, (6) nitrite, (7) nitrate, (8) synthetical surface-active matter, (9) oil-pollution, (10) phenol, (11) hexachloran, (12) chloride, (13) sulphate, (14) magnesium, (15) calcium, (16) lindane, (17) iron, (18) copper, (19) lead, (20) phosphate for 18 periods of the year (Tskhai et al, 1994). Our GIS- model uses standard data of Russian State Service for Observations as input information.
For estimation of point sources of pollution the ecologico-economical model for enterprise - typical water user - was developed in accordance with present Russian normative basis. Then the method of integer optimization and the production functions approach are used for decision of this problem.
The observation data on 1984-89 for hydrochemical regime are used for the calibration of GIS- model. These data correspond to the Ob-river part limited by two cross-sections: 7 km above and 13.7 km below Barnaul - centre of Altai administrative region. The dependencies of the model coefficients on hydrologic characteristics, the parameters values in the nonconservative coefficients were estimated by means of the non-linear method of the smallest squares. The contaminants concentrations in lateral inflow were estimated by means of regression method (Behrendt & Bohme, 1992) according to the concentrations and loads dependencies on river discharge rates in the river-section above Barnaul.
At the close of simulation modelling data base is created and used for the presenting of temporary and spatial distribution for the contaminants concentrations (see Fig.1).
THE SCHEME FOR REGIONAL WATER PROTECTION MANAGEMENT
The advanced experience shows that the most effective environment management is in reasonable combination of administrative and economic methods. It seems that another approach for country passing from directive planning to market would be unsuccessful. In our scheme of regional water quality management some special administrative procedures are realized. One of
64 the first things the Decision-Maker (briefly, DM) has to deal with is closing the number of enterprises in the analysed region by the Law (1992) requirement. The case in point, when the enterprise pollution payments exceed its net profit after paying taxes to the budget. Let's call such enterprise insolvent. Moreover, recent time we see the following situations frequently turned up: the prime cost of the enterprise exceeds its gain, i.e. the enterprise is unprofitable; however, such enterprises continue their activity because of the social factor: striving for avoiding total unemployment.
In real whole complex of social factors must be taken into account when decision about closing of enterprise is making. Our target is information support of DM in the question about the variants of solutions, in principle, and the ecological consequences too. The comparison of "price" for ecological and social consequences is out of our investigation limits and completely is relied upon DM.
In GIS "Hydro-manager" varied economic parameters are coefficients of ecological situations and "return-parts" of payments for water pollution on enterprises environmental protection activity.
The values Li and Ki are payment rates for i-th contaminant pollution in boundaries maximum of allowable and temporarily been agree contaminants masses, correspondingly, defining in accordance with present Law as Li =a⋅li , Ki = b⋅ki, where li and ki are federal basis norms for i- th contaminant pollution; a and b are coefficients of ecological situations being established by regional authorities and changing in fixed boundaries [ao, al] and [bo,bl].
For Altai administrative region the interval of a and b variation is determined as [1,02; 1,06]. In general case the coefficients of ecological situations may be determined as ak and bk, i.e. are different for various enterprises of region. The values ak and bk for zones with high ecological stress and profitable enterprise with large masses of waster pollution may be increased. In this research, for simplification, the both types of coefficients for all enterprises are considered as equal to a. The best solution is found by exhaustive method with a=aα where α varies from 1 to M1 with step ( al - ao)/ M1.
The principle of REF resources distribution is not determined by normative base at present. The simplest way is to determine d as the same "return-part" of payment for all enterprises on environmental protection activity. In this case REF subsidies to the k-th enterprise are calculated as Tk=d⋅Rk, where Rk is payment of this enterprise for its water pollution. The value d is varied from 0≤do to dl≤0,9 (here 10% - part of REF resources transition to Federal foundation is taken into account). The cases d =dβ where β varies from 1 to M2 with step (dl - do)/ M2 are considered. Such pairs (α, β ) which lead to overdraft of the REF financial balance or rise of new insolvent enterprise must be excepted. Thus varied parameters is proposed scheme of management are indexes α and β changing from 1 to M1 and from 1 to M2 , accordingly.
65
Figure 1. Interface of GIS “Hydro-manager” for water quality control in river basin
In the control simulation as comparison criterion Cr we have chosen the following value
Cr=maxh{γ[C1h(B)/P1+C2h(B)/P2+...+C20h(B)/P20]+
+(1-γ)[C1h(K)/P1+C2h(K)/P2+...+C20h(K)/P20]} → min (1) where Cih(B) and Cih(K) - concentrations of i-th contaminant during h-th time period near Barnaul and Kamen-on-Ob - the boundary point between Altai and Novosibirsk administrative regions; γ.- level of river-section importance; Pi - maximum allowable concentration of i-th contaminant. The mechanism of waste management includes series of procedures:
(a) the DM determines the characteristics of ecological situation coefficient: number of levels M1, limits of its variation ao and al; also he defines the "return-part" of enterprise payment - analogously, M2 , do and dl. It must be mentioned, that in next simulation iteration it's possible to narrow the variation field of manage parameters and increase the number of levels, with the purpose to achieve local minimum pollution of the river basin;
(b) during the estimation of optimal behaviour for each of m basin enterprises - let's assume their number equal to mn - for the individual pair (α, β) from the set contains (M1×M2) possible pairs, DM determines the enterprises which are unable to pay;
(c) after assessment of consequence of closing some enterprise group DM declares that ms enterprises are ecological bankrupts, which must be closed; (mn-ms) enterprises receive the "conditionally closed" status;
(d) from (M1×M2) pairs (α, β) we exclude those, which suppose the number of unable-to-pay enterprises to be more than (mn-ms) . The number of remained pairs is labelled as (M1×M2)*;
(e) DM chooses the set of "prior" contaminants actions (with the cost Y(p)), and the set of "long- term" actions (accordingly, Y(d)) for unconditional financing. Let's denote the total expenses for carrying out the actions of these sets as Y(i);
(f) in order to build discrete production functions of remained (mn-ms) enterprises, in each point (α, β) from remained (M1×M2)* pairs modificated optimization problems are solved. "Long - term" and "prior" actions are sure to be contained in optimal enterprise plan, therefore they are not contained in the number of varied actions. During this, the result of their installation is taken into account on calculating all characteristics;
(g) as the result productions functions are built for each acting enterprise of the basin. They make it possible to set into accordance for each point (α, β) from the feasible area of the manage parameters - optimal for enterprise action set, which defines corresponding enterprise's waste set. Thus for each variant of manage parameters from the feasible area becomes possible to point out intensity and composition of point sources in the river basin which is considered - using composed production functions;
67
(h) in each point (α, β) from remained (M1×M2)* pairs Y(r) - real value of REF (after closing ms "ecological bankrupts" and resources transition to Federal foundation) is estimated as Y(r)=0,9(R1*+R2*+...+Rm-ms,*). Here sign "*" distinguishes characteristics of optimal for according enterprise actions set. Because of overload in symbols further index "s" referring to integrated in basin-scale values is omitted;
(i) in each point (α, β) from remained (M1×M2)* pairs the satisfaction of the following condition of financial solvency of REF is checked: dβY(r) ≤ Y(r) - Y(i), i.e. REF can't return to enterprises means in total amount more than it has at disposal after subsidising "long-term" and "prior" actions. Points (α, β), in which it doesn't obey, are excluding from further consideration. Remained (M1×M2)** pairs are considered to be feasible are of the solving;
(j) applying the forecasting module of GIS "Hydro-manager" accordingly (M1×M2)** time- spatial distributions of contaminants in the river basin are built. From obtained distributions the pair (α, β), which we are looking for, is chosen using the criterion (1);
(k) the following information is outcoming on defined set of varying information: data on optimal for acting enterprises actions, economical indicators and wastes; data on REF: amounts of foundation resources and financing "prior" and "long-term" actions, remainder of means after investing all environmental protection activity.
The manage parameters being varied are s, α, β , as well as lists of "long-term" and "prior" actions which is formed by DM. As the result of simulation for each s-th variant, being considered by DM, model defines proper values of manage parameters - economical norms: ecological situation coefficient and "return-part" of payment, which give rise to special actions set by the whole basin and according time-spatial distribution of pollution in the river.
APPLICATION OF GIS "HYDRO-MANAGER" FOR THE UPPER OB-RIVER BASIN
Bellow are given the results of GIS "Hydro-manager" simulation concerning reduction of the Upper Ob-river basin pollution on the territory of Altai region.
The data of observations of average 1985 water year (hydrological discharges and temperatures); of 1993 year (set of background concentrations of contaminants in river with its tributaries and the fifteen largest enterprises economic and waste characteristics) are used. In control simulation it's supposed the coefficient of ecological situation a is equal to 1,02 and 1,06; the "return-part" d - 0,2 and 0,6.
The different strategies of DM were realized. The first variant is characterised "hard" politics of DM: in accordance with the Law requirements the activity of five from six insolvent enterprises was closed. The sixth enterprise (the Biisk water treatment enterprise) must work, because now it even though slightly treats wastewaters of Biisk's enterprises. If we assume, that direct investments of REF are not in this variant, as result the best from analysed set of variants of economic varied parameters was such: a=1,02; d=0,2 with criterion value Cr=27,188.
68
In the second variant the another extreme approach was realized (it corresponded to reality): all insolvent enterprises continued to work. Then criterion value is essentially worse, than previous: Cr=113,943.
It's clear that in practice DM must to find some intermediate variant. Using the opportunities of GIS "Hydro-manager" allows to estimate impact of different variants choice for manage parameters on water quality. It's turned out: closing of only two enterprises: "ALTTRAK" (Rubtsovsk) and "TETS-1" (Biisk) in accordance with the Law requirements leads to same result as in first case, Cr=27,188.
When REF directly invests the "long-term" treatment reconstruction of proposed Barnaul's, Zarinsk's, Belocurikha's and Rubtsovsk's enterprises, in conditions of the first variant the GIS- simulation shows: REF financial resources are sufficiently for receipt the same result, Cr=27,188.
Finally, in conditions of the first variant we simulated situation with REF unconditional financial support of "prior" for Altai contaminants: oil-pollution and phenol. Then using the same pair of economic parameters a=1,02; d=0,2 leads to some improvement of water quality in control sections: Cr=27,185.
CONCLUSIONS
1) The scheme of regional water quality management in basin scale is proposed. 2) GIS "Hydro-manager" information supporting of the management decision choice is elaborated and realized for the Upper Ob-river basin on the Altai region territory.
REFERENCES
Behrendt, H. & M.Bohme (1992) Point and diffuse loads of selected pollutants in the Rhine-river and its tributaries. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria, Working Paper 92-15. The Low (1992) About environmental protection (in Russian). Respublika, Moscow. Tskhai, A.A., V.Yu.Ageikov, K.B.Koshelev, M.A.Leites, T.V.Tskhai (1994) Models for Water Monitoring and Optimization of Enterprise Water Protective Activity in Present-Day Conditions. In: Water: Ecology & Technology (Int.Congress, Moscow), 1090-1115. Tskhai, A.A. (1995) Monitoring and Water Quality Management in River Basin: Models and Information Systems (in Russian). Altai Publishing-House, Barnaul. - 174 p. Tskhai, A.A., O.P.Dorotshenkov (1995) Model Approach and Application of Water Quality Management for Urban Areas. In: Integrated Water Management in Urban Areas - searching for new, realistic approaches with respect to developing world (ed. J.Niemczynowicz & K.Krahner, Int. Symp, Sweden), 203-213. Tskhai, A.A., S.L.Shirokova, D.G.Konev, K.B.Koshelev, T.V.Tskhai (1995) GIS "Hydromonitoring" and Optimization Model of Enterprise Water Protection Activity. In: Modelling and Management of Sustainable Basin-Scale Water Resource Systems, IAHS Publ., N 231, 263-270.
69
Abstracts of Poster Presentations
THE TUUL RIVER WATER RESOURCES CHANGES AND WATER USE IN ULAANBAATAR CITY, MONGOLIA
N.Batnasan Institute of Geography, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box-664, Ulaanbaatar-24, Mongolia, e-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Presented annual and long-term hydrological regime of the Tuul river, which is flowing through the capital city of Mongolia. Its total length is 704 km and mean annual discharge near Ulaanbaatar city is varying from 24.1 to 26.6 m3/s. In this river basin concentrating about 30 % of all population of Mongolia, and most water users, like light and heavy industry, coal gold mining and irrigated agricultural farming. Thus, the Tuul river basin is most polluted and effected river basin in Mongolia by human activities. The river water resources varies significantly over the basin and has a great differences in seasons and long-term period. Most of the annual runoff is formed during the summer period between June to September, because most (about 80%) precipitation is falling during this period. For about 140-170 days of the year, the river is covered by ice. Analyzed present situation of water use of the Ulaanbaatar city. Discussed some negative effects and possible improvements for water use in this region. Water use of the Ulaanbaatar city is continuously increasing with relation to population growth. For instance, total water use of this city in 1968 was 25000 cub.m, in 1998 increased to 170000 cub.m, and in 2010 expected to increase about 280000 cub.m., which means that, in near future the ground water resources will be not enough for water supply and we must find another solution and put more emphases on water resources management of this region.
KEYWORDS: Climate, discharge, Hydrology, human activity, river flow, pollution
IMPACT DES EAUX URBAINES SUR LA QUALITE DES EAUX DE L’OUED SEYBOUSE
L. Djabri*, A. Hani*, J. Mania**, J. Mudry***
* 11, Rue Asla Hocine, Annaba 23000, Algérie - Tél: 213.038.84.28.21, Fax: 213.0.38.87.14.48 - E-mail: djabri_larbi @ yahoo.fr ** Département Géotechnique et Génie-Civil, Cité Scientifique Avenue Paul Langevin, 59655, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Lille, France. *** Laboratoire de Géologie Structurale et Appliquée, 1 Place Leclerc, 25000 Besançon, France.
RESUME L’oued Seybouse était un plan d’eau très propre. La pêche et le sport (Aviron Club Annabi) se pratiquaient sans problème. Mais avec le temps, la qualité des eaux de cet oued a commencé à se
70 dégrader jusqu’à l’eutrophisation. Parmi les facteurs qui ont engendré cette situation, nous notons: Le climat, la matrice rocheuse, les rejets industriels et les rejets urbains. - Le climat: Ces dernières décennies ont été marquées par la dominance de la sécheresse, ce qui a eu pour effet une baisse du niveau (quantité) d’eau dans l’oued. Les précipitations qui avoisinaient 800 mm/an n’excèdent plus 500 mm/an. - La matrice rocheuse, par le biais des phénomènes de lessivage et de dilution, a contribué à l’enrichissement et à l’appauvrissement de l’eau en éléments chimiques, ce qui explique en partie la présence ou l’absence de quelques éléments chimiques. - Les rejets industriels: les industries installées dans la région (sidérurgie, conserverie, laiterie, levurerie, cycles, céramique, ...) rejettent leurs eaux dans l’oued. Les eaux rejetées dans l’oued ne subissent pas en général de prétraitement, ce qui augmente la dégradation de la qualité des eaux. - Les rejets urbains: Avant de donner un aperçu sur la qualité des eaux des rejets urbains, nous avons jugé utile de faire un historique sur l’évolution de la région. Au lendemain de l’indépen- dance, l’industrie s’est installée dans la région, ce qui a eu pour conséquence un exode rural massif vers les grandes villes telles que Annaba, Guelma et Bouchegouf. Ces dernières ne pouvant contenir une telle population, cela a entraîné l’apparition de beaucoup de villages(Chbaïta, Boukhamouza, Belkhir, ...) sur l’axe de l’oued. Les réseaux urbains n’étant pas réalisés, le raccordement s’est fait à ciel ouvert vers l’oued; on a adopté la solution la plus facile.
Les eaux des rejets prélevées et analysées (1999) montrent des concentrations assez élevées particulièrement en chlorures (1600 mg/l), nitrates (80 mg/l), nitrites (20 mg/l) et ammonium (70 mg/l). Ces éléments indicateurs de pollution parmi d’autres caractérisent particulièrement les rejets urbains. Les valeurs obtenues sont très significatives de pollution par les rejets urbains. Cette pollution par les nutriments est à l’origine de l’eutrophisation observée. Ce constat peut être étendu à la majorité des oueds algériens car l’exode rural s’est réalisé d’une manière massive à travers tout le pays. La présence des nutriments, particulièrement les nitrites et l’ammonium est un bon indicateur de rejets urbains, car ces éléments sont présents dans les urines. Le passage de l’un à l’autre est accéléré car les conditions d’oxydo-réduction sont favorables. Nous venons de donner une conséquence du développement rapide qu’a connu le pays. Aujourd’hui, un autre problème se pose; c’est la rareté de l’eau, ce qui doit inciter les responsables à proposer un plan d’aménagement des cours d’eau. En ce qui nous concerne, nous préconisons la technique de lagunage qui est efficace et peu coûteuse, surtout pour un pays comme l’Algérie où les terrains sont très vastes et le soleil abondant
MOTS CLES: Algérie, Urbain, Eutrophisation, Seybouse, Nutriments, Rejets.
71
MASTERPLAN TOOLS FOR WATER SUPPLY NETWORK
K. Odeh (1), F. Fotoohi (1), P. Feron (2)
(1) Lyonnaise des Eaux – CIRSEE (Centre International de Recherche sur l’Eau et l’Environnement), 59, Avenue Emile Thiébaut, 78110 Le Vésinet, France. Email : [email protected] , [email protected] (2) Lyonnaise des Eaux – SAFEGE (Société Anonyme Française d'Etudes et de Gestion), B.P. 727, 92007 Nanterre Cedex, France. Email : [email protected]
ABSTRACT
In this paper we propose decision-making tools for strategic development planning of drinking water production and distribution system in order to best meet future needs and to guarantee a high reliability. These tools gather and organise all the information required for a masterplan study and facilitate the follow and the update of the master plan.
KEYWORDS: Masterplan, reliability, drinking water, planning, software
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AND KNOW-HOW FOR IMPROVEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY IN ALYTUS, LITHUANIA
B. Paukstys*, E. A. Hansen** and Rimantas Mockus***
*Hydrogeological Company “Grota”, Eisiskiu plentas 26, LT-2038 Vilnius, Lithuania, e-mail: [email protected] ** DHI Water and Environment, Agern Alle 11, Copenhagen, Denmark, e-mail: [email protected] *** Company "Dzukijos vandenys", Pulko street 75, LT-5840 Alytus, Lithuania
ABSTRACT
This paper describes preliminary results of an international project, conducted in co-operation between Denmark and Lithuania to solve complicated municipal drinking water supply problems. A decrease in industrial production has led to a drastic drop in water consumption, and previously designed water supply and treatment facilities are too large. Natural hydrogeological conditions cause clogging and shorten the lifespan of groundwater extraction wells. Ways to optimise water supply and improve water quality in the city are sought. International experience and funding are used to address these and many other issues.
KEYWORDS: Groundwater, leakage, water supply, international co-operation, well field.
72
URBAN THERMAL CLIMATE EFFECTS ON STORMWATER IN COLD REGIONS?
A.F. Semadeni-Davies*, L. Bengtsson**, A. Lundberg*** and W. Schilling*
* Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, S.P. Andersens vei 5, N 7491 Trondheim, Norway. E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] ** Department of Water Resources Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected] *** Division of Water Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
In cold regions spring causes high water loading at a time when the drainage system is least able to cope. Floods in Norway have prompted a call for improved winter simulations of water delivery (i.e., snowmelt) and runoff generation for planning and management applications. Snowmelt and runoff data from Luleå, Sweden, are used to illustrate how the town climate can influence stormwater. A literature based discussion of snowmelt and infiltration processes is followed by a modelling exercise to show how uneven melt and runoff conditions could be handled in an urban drainage model. Five index models for snowmelt ranging from estimates made from the average daily air temperature to one that simulates hourly melt from hourly temperature and net allwave radiation are tested. A simple soil water accounting scheme is altered to mimic changes in storage that can be expected in frozen soil. Further work is outlined and a forum for discussing the special modelling needs of urban catchments is suggested.
KEYWORDS: Cold regions, flood, snowmelt indices, net all wave radiation, soil frost, infiltration, runoff
EUROPEAN SIDE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN ISTANBUL
Zekai Sen* and Veysel Eroglu**
*Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Hydraulics Division, Maslak 80626, İstanbul, Turkey. **General Director, Istanbul Water and Sewerage Department, Aksaray, Istanbul.
ABSTRACT
Urban water requirement for domestic, industrial and other uses is supported by the existing surface water impoundment around the European part of Istanbul which includes the historical and trade centers of the city. Water problems arise on the most densely populated European side as it has always been in the history. Nineteenth century Durusu (Terkos) dam has become more significant from water management of view for Istanbul city, because out of 11 reservoirs, 7 have to transmit their surface waters first to this dam, and then through the supply pipes to two major water treatment centers before pumping to the city water distribution network. The climate
73 regime of the city has shown from the past records that there are severe droughts almost every 8 to 10 years and if the reservoirs enter such a dry spell in lower fullness ratios then the water shortages to the city are unavoidable. This paper explains the basic philosophy, logical structure and dynamism of an optimum operation program which is special for the European side water dams of Istanbul. The main purposes of the program are to reduce the spillages especially from the Durusu dam to the Black sea, to keep reservoirs as much full as possible in the beginning of November which corresponds to the start of wet period in Istanbul region. The software named shortly ISTWATER shows which dams should be given priorities under different circumstances. Hence, it is possible to save about 20 million cubic meter of water spillage to the Black sea. Although the software does not have genuine fuzzy system logic but has its imprints through the control of reservoir fullness indices by certain percentages. In this manner flood control, spillage reduction and drought periods are taken into consideration.
KEYWORDS: Demand; fullness ratio; fuzzy; Istanbul; optimization; water management.
74
Workshop 2
RECYCLING AND REUSE AT DIFFERENT SCALE
Convenor: Conseil Régional Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
75
PROTECTING URBAN WATER SUPPLIES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS BY INTEGRATED GROUNDWATER-SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT TO MEET MUNICIPAL, AGRICULTURAL AND ECOSYSTEM WATER NEEDS
Robert W. Buddemeier*, Hillel Rubin**, and David P. Young*
*Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, U.S.A. E- mail: [email protected] and [email protected]. ** Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel. E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT A key area of south-central Kansas depends heavily on groundwater for a mixture of municipal, agricultural, and environmental needs. Groundwater quality is threatened by natural salt intrusion that is being enhanced and expanded by groundwater pumping. Municipal water supplies face an uncertain long- term future. A regional water management structure is proposed that would make effective use of treated municipal wastewater to modify groundwater flow patterns, mitigate salt intrusion, and meet presently unsatisfied demands for water in a major wildlife refuge. Implementation of a regional water management system designed to address the problems of all users over hydrologically-appropriate scales of time and space would have additional benefits, such as increasing the feasibility of using advanced waste treatment or desalination techniques to augment the regional water supply.
KEYWORDS
Multiple use, regional management, salinity, wastewater injection
BACKGROUND
This study develops the conceptual design of an integrated regional water management system. Its objective is to provide a range of options to stabilize and protect long-term urban water supplies in an area where the primary water source is an aquifer subject to a variety of threats and demands, and the primary uses are non-urban. The region considered is the eastern portion of the High Plains aquifer in south-central Kansas (Figure 1). Critical characteristics of this region include: • A west-to-east transition from predominantly agricultural to largely urban water demands, and (at the state-wide scale) from semi-arid to sub-humid conditions. • Dependence on groundwater extraction and on surface flow that results from groundwater discharge for most of the water use in the region. • Fully-appropriated groundwater in most areas (no new water rights are available), with some areas exhibiting groundwater depletion. • Geologic bedrock formations that are a natural source of salt contamination to portions of the overlying High Plains aquifer. • Two major wildlife refuges (one state, one federal) that have significant water requirements and rights. • A wide range of human threats to water quality, including enhancement of natural contamination processes, agricultural contamination (primarily nitrates) and irrigation- induced salinization, urban and industrial wastes, brine wastes from salt mining and oil production, and the possible introduction of high-density livestock production facilities.
77
Figure 1: Study area, showing the locations of the major communities, the groundwater salt sources, the wildlife refuge, and the possible saltwater and wastewater distribution and injection or extraction systems proposed in this paper.
The agencies responsible for groundwater management in the region operate under a policy of "safe yield" (i.e., withdrawal should not exceed long-term recharge, with allowance for stream baseflow needs). However, groundwater resources are fully appropriated in most areas, water demands are either stable or increasing, and gradual deterioration of water quality has the effect of further limiting the available resources. The varieties of problems, the varieties of water use, and the existence of both governmental and non-governmental bodies committed to avoiding
78 conflicts due to competing water demands, make this region an ideal test-bed for innovative integrated management approaches.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The proposed integrated solution developed in the framework of this research arises from studies of mineral intrusion into the freshwater aquifers of the region. The most recent investigations addressed potential long-term threats to the municipal wells of the cities of Hutchinson and Nickerson (see Figure 1) due to encroachment of natural salinity underneath the Arkansas River from the south (Young et al. 1998, 2000; Rubin et al., 2000). The salt is of natural origin, originating in unconfined Permian bedrock deposits that underlie and are hydraulically connected with the alluvial freshwater aquifer system (Layton & Berry, 1973; Fader & Stullken, 1978; Young, 1993). Salt intrusion is greatest in the western part of the region (north-central Stafford county -- Figure 1), but it occurs sporadically throughout the region, probably associated with low points, paleochannels, and fractures in the bedrock surface (Gillespie & Hargadine, 1993; Rubin & Buddemeier, 1997; Young et al., 1998).
Salt transport is a critical factor in regional water quality problems, and is also the aspect of the problem that is most susceptible to deliberate or inadvertent modifications by humans. Some salt is brought into the region from the west by Arkansas River flow, but far more leaves the area in surface flow after discharge from the deep aquifer source (Quinodoz & Buddemeier, 1997). The balance between discharge to surface water and groundwater transport is a critical factor in the salt balance of the area, with salt remaining in the groundwater being redistributed both vertically and horizontally by regional groundwater flow (Rubin & Buddemeier, 1997) and probably by more rapid and concentrated transport in paleochannels (Rubin & Buddemeier, 1997; Rubin et al., 2000). The groundwater in the area south of the Arkansas River and southwest of the Hutchinson-Nickerson corridor (Figure 1) is largely unusable because of its salinity, which preliminary budget estimates suggest is from a combination of salt transported from source areas in Stafford county to the west and from local bedrock discharge within the region.
Water quality in the freshwater portion of the shallow aquifer is affected by water table changes resulting primarily from large-volume pumping. Irrigation pumping in the Rattlesnake Creek basin has been shown to result in upconing of salt and subsequent dispersion into the freshwater aquifer (Young, 1995; Ma & Sophocleous, 1996). Pumping in this area also has the potential to reduce streamflow, which is a critical water supply for the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, and is an important outlet for discharged salt that helps to mitigate the effect of bedrock discharge on groundwater salinity (Quinodoz & Buddemeier, 1997).
In the Hutchinson-Nickerson region, combined agricultural, industrial and municipal pumping has lowered the water table north of the river to the point where saline water intrusion beneath the river has been observed (Young et al., 2000). Combined with the potential for long-term increases in the groundwater salinity (see preceding paragraph), this implies serious threats to the municipal water supplies on a scale of decades. At the same time, application of federal standards for surface water quality has caused heightened awareness of contamination issues and requirements for resource protection and wastewater treatment and discharge throughout the region.
79
PROPOSED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The fundamental assumptions are that problems of regional origin are best addressed by regional solutions, and that such solutions will be practical only if all of the water-user communities in the region perceive the necessary changes as beneficial. The proposed overall conceptual design is therefore composed of components that could be assembled in various combinations, or implemented over time. A key aspect is the use of treated municipal wastewater (presently discharged to the Arkansas River) for beneficial modification of the groundwater regime to optimize the quantity and quality of water available for various uses. The volumes and qualities of these resources are comparable to those of some of the critical components of the natural system (see Table 1).
Table 1: Inventory/Flux Comparisons -- Approximate Annual Volumes Q Q [Cl-] Wastewater: Pop. acre-ft/yr m3/yr mg/L Notes Hutchinson 40000 6300 7.8E+06 ~400 Nickerson 1000 100 1.2E+05 Great Bend 15000 1800 2.2E+06 ~370 Total 56000 8200 1.0E+07
Water use: Mostly groundwater Hutchinson- Nickerson Area 16000 2.0E+07 N Stafford Co. 10000 1.2E+07 not incl. QNWR
Permian Saltwater Inflow: N Stafford Co. 2400 2.9E+06 40,000
Quivira NWR water right 14600 1.8E+07 Surface water
Wastewater as a Resource
The city of Hutchinson generates approximately 7.7 million m3 of treated wastewater per year; Great Bend generates about 2.2 million m3, and the other communities of the region produce individually smaller amounts that are cumulatively significant. Budget model estimates indicate that the volume of the Great Bend wastewater is comparable to that of the high-salinity brine discharged at the base of the aquifer between Great Bend and Rattlesnake Creek, and the treated municipal wastes are generally of better water quality than the salt-affected groundwater or the Arkansas River. Figure 1 illustrates some of the possible components of a regional management program, including: • Injection of treated wastewater along the Arkansas River corridor to create a local barrier to salt penetration beneath the river, with or without modification of the irrigation regime. • Use of treated wastewater to replace groundwater extraction for irrigation or industrial use in the Hutchinson-Nickerson corridor. This could reduce or eliminate the gradient enabling northward flow of saline water. • Use of treated wastewater for augmentation of the freshwater supply not available to the wildlife refuge, mitigating the effects of groundwater pumping.
80
• Injection of treated wastewater into the aquifer to replace a similar amount of saltwater extracted, and dilution of the extracted saltwater to a quality suitable for enhancing the wildlife refuge supply from Rattlesnake Creek.
The last option is by far the most elaborate, but it promises the greatest benefits. By pumping saltwater from the deep aquifer in primary saltwater intrusion areas and injecting wastewater to replace it, the salinity of the aquifer water will be reduced over time even if irrigation pumping continues at present levels. By managing the relative volumes of groundwater and wastewater discharged to Rattlesnake Creek as a function of flow and salinity, the water supply to the refuge could be increased while keeping it within acceptable salinity limits. Enhancing salt extraction and stream discharge in the Stafford county area will also protect and improve the quality of the groundwater flowing eastward into the region of concern for the municipal supplies.
As a result of agricultural practices, much of the fresh groundwater in northern Stafford county exceeds the drinking water standard for nitrate concentration. Injection of treated wastewater there, or its direct diversion to the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, will thus not result in degradation of the water or environmental quality in this regard (Rubin et al., 2000).
Future opportunities
Continued consumptive use of water in the region, particularly in view of the high salt loads already present, will result in some continued deterioration of water quality. Water demands, particularly in the larger urban areas, can be expected to increase. A regional water management program will be necessary to implement the approach described above, and it will also expand the resource base available to address other problems. Further aspects of the proposed management plan include: • Extension of public water supplies to the rural areas and small communities, which are presently ill-equipped to deal with the extensive non-point nitrate contamination associated with irrigated agriculture; • Waste stream management and segregation to enhance the quality and recycling effectiveness of the treated municipal waste water; and • Selective use of desalination to maintain the overall quality of the public water supplies as a long-term option.
Waste stream segregation and desalination are both practical because the region already has deep waste injection wells, which permit brine disposal without contaminating surface resources. Although these are rather expensive options, they can be applied as part of a large-scale management system because of the potential for wide distribution of both costs and benefits. The region has a large supply of marginal-quality water available; complete desalination would not be required, as a relatively small proportion of high-quality water could be blended to make a much larger volume of water comply with (for example) standards for municipal use.
SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW
Municipal water supplies are faced with combined problems of quality deterioration, increasing demand, and extremely limited options for additional supplies of good-quality water. Agricultural and environmental needs continue to be high, and present patterns of use are
81 probably not sustainable. Enhancing surface flow and groundwater quality in the major salt source region will address the underlying salinity problems on time scales of decades, while local water table manipulation closer to the cities can mitigate problems on shorter time scales. Municipal wastewater is an unused resource in the area, and is available in volumes that would make it effective for high-leverage applications like brine replacement or local flow modification. Agricultural demands are highly seasonal and the surface relief of the region is too low to provide good opportunities for surface storage of water. This also serves to make aquifer injection of the wastewater an attractive option for environmentally effective use to protect against the salinity transport induced by transient water table reduction due to irrigation pumping.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of GMD5, GMD2, the Bureau of Reclamation, the US Geological Survey, the Kansas Water Office, and cooperating landowners in the study area. Dr. D. O. Whittemore contributed to the project as a co- investigator. Mark Schoneweis, Melany Miller, and Sharon Vaughn provided staff support. The Mineral Intrusion studies were funded in part by the Kansas Water Plan Fund.
REFERENCES
Fader, S.W. & Stullken, L.E. (1978). Geohydrology of the Great Bend Prairie, south-central Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey Irrigation Series 4, Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Gillespie, J.B. & Hagadine, G.D. (1993). Geohydrology and saline ground-water discharges to the South Fork Ninnescah River in Pratt and Kingman Counties, south-central Kansas. Report 93-4177 Water Resources Investigations, U.S. Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas. Layton, D.W. & Berry, D.W. (1973). Geology and ground-water resources of Pratt County, south-central Kansas, Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 205, Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Ma, T.-S. & Sophocleous, M.A. (1996). Dynamic simulation of saltwater intrusion at the Siefkes site Stafford County Kansas and decision support for saltwater vulnerability assessment. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-18, Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Quinodoz, H.A.M. & Buddemeier, R.W. (1997). Budgets and fluxes of salt and water – model approaches and examples from the Great Bend Prairie and Equus Beds regions of south- central Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-25, Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Rubin, H. & Buddemeier, R.W. (1997). Approximate analysis of aquifer mineralization by paleodrainage channels. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-96, Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Rubin, H., Young, D.P. & Buddemeier, R.W. (2000). Sources, Transport, and Management of Salt Contamination in the Groundwater of South-Central Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 2000-60. Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Young, D.P. (1993). Mineral Intrusion—geohydrology of Permian bedrock underlying the Great Bend Prairie aquifer in south-central Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-44. Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey.
82
Young, D.P. (1995). Effects of groundwater pumpage on freshwater-saltwater transition zone characteristics water quality and water levels at the Siefkes intensive study site – Stafford County Kansas, Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-45c. Young, D.P., Buddemeier, R.W., Whittemore, D.O., Dealy, M., Kochi, D., Boese, T., & Zehr, D. (1998). Equus Beds mineral intrusion project report FY 1998. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-24. Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey. Young, D.P., Buddemeier, R.W., Whittemore, D.O., & Rubin, H. (2000). The Equus Beds Mineral Intrusion Project: Final Summary and Data Report. Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 2000-30. Lawrence: Kansas Geological Survey.
83
XENOBIOTIC ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN GREY WASTEWATER: A MATTER OF CONCERN?
E. Eriksson*, M. Henze and A. Ledin
Environment & Resources DTU, (Formerly Department of Environmental Science and Engineering,) Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] *Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
A crucial point with respect to alternative handling of grey wastewater is the risk related to the presence of different types of pollutants including xenobiotic organic compounds (XOC’s). Low and variable efficiency in the treatment could be the result when biological methods are used in the treatment steps before reuse for e.g. toilet flushing. Contamination of soil and receiving waters will be of importance when grey wastewater is either used for irrigation or infiltrated. It is necessary to know which compounds and concentration ranges that are common in order to be able to evaluate the risk related to alternative handling of grey wastewater. In this work, grey wastewater from bathrooms was analysed with respect to XOCs, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative analyses positively identified 180 different XOC’s where the dominating compounds were long chained fatty acids and esters. The quantitative analyses included 99 different compounds and summary parameters. Among them were e.g. anionic detergents (up to 125 µg/l), cationic detergents (up to 2100 µg/l), di-(ethylhexyl)-phthalate (up 39 µg/l) and 2,4- and 2,5-dichlorphenol (up to 0.13 µg/l). A number of the compounds identified may present a risk to the environment if the wastewater is infiltrated or irrigated without any previous treatment or to the active micro-organism population in a biological filter that usually are used for treatment of grey wastewater before reuse.
KEYWORDS
Grey wastewater; greywater; alternative handling; reuse; xenobiotic organic compounds
INTRODUCTION
There is a growing demand in the society for introducing integrated decentralised sanitary systems providing opportunities to save and reuse wastewater. The awareness that the centralised urban sanitation systems used for treatment of wastewater today may well be very effective, but may also be expensive and resource consuming, is probably the main reason behind this interest. Another reason to look for alternative handling of wastewater is the water shortage, which is a problem in several parts of the world. One way to reduce the need for freshwater is to reuse wastewater, after some decentralised, low or high tech treatment or without any treatment at all depending on the sources and the reuse applications.
84
There is a focus today on the possibility for reusing the grey wastewater. The term refers to wastewater produced in households, office buildings, hotels, schools as well as some types of industries, where there is no contribution from toilets or heavily polluted process water. This means that grey wastewater corresponds to wastewater produced from bath tubs, showers, hand basins, washing machines, commercial laundries and dish washers, as well as kitchen sinks. This fraction of wastewater has been estimated to account for roughly 75 volume-% of the combined residential sewage (Hansen and Kjellerup, 1994 and references therein).
One possibility for recycling of grey wastewater is to use it for urinal and toilet flushing. It has been estimated that 32 % of the total household water consumption could be saved by reusing grey wastewater for flushing toilets (Karpiscak et al, 1990). Vehicle and window washing, fire protection and concrete production are examples of other suggested usages. Outdoor reuse like infiltration into the ground and thereby making a shortcut in the hydrological cycle is an obvious alternative. The grey wastewater could also be used for garden irrigation and in agriculture, and to develop and preserve wetlands.
The major problem related to all the suggested alternatives for reuse of grey wastewater is the different types of risks related to handling and exposure (humans, animals, crops and ornament plants) to grey wastewater. The risk for spreading of diseases, due to exposure to micro- organisms in the water will be a crucial point for almost all alternatives suggested above and has been given attention in published literature as well as in the regulations from authorities (see e.g. Christova-Boal et al, 1996; Feachem et al, 1983). However, contamination of soil and receiving waters (primary groundwater) as well as growing crops, due to the content of different types of pollutants including XOC’s is another risk, that has not yet been deeply discussed. This could e.g. lead to a deteriorating quality of the groundwater. Reuse of grey wastewater for e.g. toilet flushing will require some treatment. Usually decentralised, low-tech solutions are selected, like biological filters. However, there is an obvious risk for low and variable efficiency of these filters due to the presence of toxic XOCs, that will negatively affect the active micro-organism population in the filters. Other risks not yet discussed are the possible development of resistant bacteria due to the continuous exposure to preservatives that originates from the household chemicals.
In general terms, grey wastewater has lower concentrations of organic matter (measured as the summary parameters BOD and COD), some of the nutrients (N and K) and micro-organisms compared to traditional municipal wastewater (Ledin et al., 2001). The concentration of phosphorus varies in a relatively broad range depending on the contribution from washing detergents, which is the primary source for P in grey wastewater. The variations are a function of the product used as well as the laws and regulations in the country. The concentrations of heavy metals have been reported to be relatively low according to data compiled by Ledin et al. (2001). No information with respect to the quantities of xenobiotic organic compounds (XOC’s) has been found in the literature. However, two studies, reporting on the presence of XOC’s in grey wastewater was found (Ledin et al., 2001). Santala et al. (1998) used a screening method with GC-MS and showed that the major part of the organic compound consisted of detergents and their amount corresponded to 60% of the measured COD. The other study, also describing the results from a GC-MS screening of shower wastewater, revealed that the even-numbered long chain fatty acids of C10 to C18 originating from soap were present (Burrows et al., 1991).
These very limited results concerning the presence of XOC’s in grey wastewater are not representative for the number of XOC’s that could potentially be present. There were 18 million
85 synthetic substances known by science in 1998 (Platt McGinn, 2000) and it has been estimated that some 20 000 substances are circulating in the Swedish technosphere (Kemikalieutredningen, 2000). In municipal wastewater have at least 500 different compounds been identified and quantified (Eriksson et al., 2001) and some these compounds could be expected to be present in grey wastewater as well, since the main sources for the XOC’s are different types of chemical products, such as laundry detergents, soaps, shampoos, toothpaste’s and perfumes. It has been found from the information available in the declaration of contents present on common household products that at least 900 different substances or groups of substances could be present in grey wastewater (Table 1). The major compounds were fragrances and flavours. Other large groups were preservatives, solvents and surfactants used in detergents, dishwashing liquids and products for personal hygiene i.e. non-ionic, anionic and amphoteric surfactants.
Table 1. Groups of compounds found in common household chemicals in Denmark and Sweden (from Eriksson et al., 2001).
Compound group Number of substances in the group
Amphoteric surfactants 20 Anionic surfactants 73 Cationic surfactants 34 Nonionic surfactants 65 Bleaches 16 Dyes 26 Emulsifiers 28 Enzymes 4 Fragrances & flavours 197 Preservatives 79 Softeners 29 Solvents 67 UV filters 23 Miscellaneous 238
211 of these approximately 900 different substances were selected to assess an environmental risk assessment. This selection was based on the information possible to compile with respect to fate (e.g. toxicity, bioaccumulation, biodegradation and mobility) in the environment. Out of these identified to be potentially present in household chemicals. Out of them 66 were categorised as priority pollutants. Among these were different types of surfactants (anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric), preservatives and softeners.
The objective for the present study was to evaluate the risk related to alternative handling of grey wastewater with respect to the presence of XOCs. In order to be able to do that, it is necessary to have a good characterisation of grey wastewater with respect to this very heterogeneous group of compounds and that is why the major focus has been on analyses for XOCs in grey wastewater form bathrooms.
86
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Sampling
Grey wastewater samples were taken in Bo90, a tenant owner’s society located in the central part of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building has 17 apartments, where 38 inhabitants are living; 22 adults (age 18-74) and 16 children (age 2-15). The grey wastewater produced originates from the showers and hand basins in the building, where the daily production is approximately 750 L. All samples were taken at the inlet to a grey wastewater treatment facility that has been installed in order to treat the wastewater on-site and reuse it for toilet flushing. The samples were taken in glass bottles and transported cold and in the dark to the laboratory, where the analyses started immediately.
Analyses
The grey wastewater was analysed with respect to; i) screening analyses with purpose to identify the XOCs present and ii) quantitative analyses for a selected number of XOCs.
The analyses in the first part included solid phase extraction with four different solid phases. The neutral polar organic compounds were extracted and pre-concentrated on C18 (IST Isolute) and HLB (Waters Oasis) and were sequentially eluted with hexane, hexane:diethyl ether (1:1), diethyl ether, methanol:water (1:1), methanol:water (8:2) and methanol according to the procedure described by Paxéus and Schröder (1996). SCX (IST Isolute) columns were used for extraction and pre-concentration of bases and the compounds were sequentially eluted with acetonitrile and methanolic ammonia. All extracts were reduced to a volume of 200 µL by a stream of pure nitrogen gas or by rotary evaporation. The organic acids were extracted and pre-concentrated on Empore anion exchange discs (Chrompack) and in-vial-derivatised with methyliodide (Eriksson and Ledin, 2001). A Hewlett-Packard 6890 Series chromatograph and a HP 5973 MS detector were used for the GC analysis, while the injections were performed with a Varian 8200 CX Autosampler. Tentative identification of the organic compounds were obtained from searching in the NIST MS-library (Version 1.1a) and the library NBS75K in the Enhanced ChemStation G1701AA. The compounds were considered positively identified if their spectra and retention time correlated with that of an external standard or if the spectra corresponded with the spectra’s from the two libraries.
Quantitative analyses were performed, in the second part of the study, either in our laboratory according to the methods give above, after calibration of the GC-MS signals with known concentrations of standards or by a commercial laboratory according to their standard methods. The analyses included 99 different compounds and summary parameters. Furthermore, semi quantitative results were obtained from the qualitative analyses by comparison between the chromatographic area of the selected compounds and the chromatographic area of the internal standard with a known concentration.
General hydrochemical characterisation (pH, temperature, alkalinity, electrical conductivity, oxygen content, BOD, COD, tot-N, and tot-P) was also included in the sampling protocol.
87
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Qualitative analyses
180 different XOCs were positive identified in the grey wastewater from the qualitative analyses. The dominating compounds were the long chained fatty acids (C10-C24) and their esters e.g. methyl-, butyl-, hexadecyl- and octadecyl-esters. Other important groups of compounds were the fragrances and flavourings e.g. Eucalyptol, Eugenol, Coumarin, Menthol and Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, where in total more than 40 fragrances and flavours were identified (Table 2). It can also be noted that several miscellaneous compounds, which not directly were deriving from the household chemicals have been identified e.g. medicinal residuals, flame-retardants as well as the drugs nicotine and caffeine. Notably was also the insecticide Malathion, which was found in a number of samples.
The presence of medicine residuals and drugs can be explained by excretion from humans during showering, tooth brushing and washing (present on the skin or in the mouth or urination (during showering)). Flame-retardants could be originating from clothes and therefore also be present on the skin, while Malathion is used as the active ingredient in a louse shampoo and can be purchased at the Danish pharmacies. It was later confirmed that the tenants had used this type of shampoo during the sampling period.
Table 2. Groups of compounds found by screening in grey wastewater from Bo90.
Compound group Number of substances in the group
Emulsifiers 8 Fragrances & flavours 40 Preservatives 8 Softeners 9 Solvents 29 Surfactants 21 UV filters 1 Miscellaneous 65
The group “Preservatives” consists of six preservatives and two antioxidants. The antioxidants found were butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Ethyl antioxidant 762. Among the observed preservatives were e.g. citric acid and phenoxy acetic acid as well as Triclosan. The latter is mainly used as antibacterial agent in toothpaste. A semi quantification indicated an average concentration of 0.6 µg triclosan/L. The emulsifiers identified were long chained fatty esters, alcohols and amines e.g. hexa- and octadecanol and N,N-dimethyl-1-dodecaneamine.
The three plasticizers; di-(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEPH), di-(ethylhexyl) adipate (ester of hexanedioic acid) and di-(ethylhexyl) sebacate (ester of decanedioic acid) were positively identified as well as one UV-filter/sun screen agent, Parasol MOX.
88
Quantitative analyses
Quantitative analyses for the fatty acids (C8 to C18) showed that the dominating acids were lauric acid (C12), oleic acid (C18:1) and stearic acid (C18:0) (Table 3). It was also shown that some of the chlorophenols, which are preservatives and pesticides were present, as well as four phthalates.
Relatively small amounts of the BTEX’s were measured in the inflow to the treatment plant (Table 3). They are e.g. used as solvents for organic fragrances and dyes in the otherwise water based chemicals.
Table 3. Concentration ranges (µg/L) for some XOC’s quantified in the grey wastewater.
Compound Compound Concentration Group range (µg/L) Fatty acids (C8) <1 – 639 (C10) <1 – 1190 (C12) <1 – 6900 (C14) <1 – 1890 (C16) <1 – 260 (C18:1) 27 – 3580 (C18:0) 2 – 27100
BTEX’s Benzene N.D. Toluene 1.4 - 1.6 Ethylbenzene 2.0 m-Xylene 3.4 - 3.6 o-Xylene 0.5 - 0.7 p-Xylene N.D.
Phthalates Di-(ethylhexyl) phthalate 11 – 39 Dibutyl phthalate <1 – 12 sqa. Diethyl phthalate <1 – 13 Dimethyl phthalate <1 – 15 sqa.
Chlorophenols 2,4- & 2,5-Dichlorophenol 0.06 - 0.13 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol <0.02 – 0.10 2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorophenol <0.02 2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol <0.02 Pentachlorophenol <0.02 – 0.04
Nonionic Nonylphenol <0.5 detergents Nonylphenolethoxylates <5.0 Octylphenol <0.25 Octylphenolethoxylates <3.0
Anionic LAS <25-125 detergents
Cationic detergents Summary of several cationic <100-2100 detergents
N.D. = not detected sqa. = semi quantitative analyses
The anionic detergent LAS were found in the concentration range from <25 to 125 µg/L in the grey wastewater (Table 3). Corresponding values for the cationic detergents were <100 to 2100
89
µg/L. In this case will the cationic detergents mainly derive from hair conditioners and not from fabric softeners, since the laundry wastewater were not included. The content of the nonionic detergents included were below the detection limits for the applied methods.
A majority of the compounds found by quantitatively and qualitatively analyses were also found to be on the list of possible present compounds deriving from household chemicals (Eriksson et al., 2001). Among these were the long chained fatty alcohols and acids, as well as the long chained fatty esters. Several fragrances as citronellol, coumarin, eugenol, farnesol, geraniol, isoeugenol and hexyl cinnamic aldehyde and some preservatives e.g. citric acid, salicylic acid and triclosan were identified in the grey wastewater as well as present on the list over potential compounds. Other examples are the phthalates e.g. dibutyl and dimethyl phthalate and methyl phenol.
The major differences were that the grey wastewater also contained a number of chemicals not deriving from household chemicals e.g. medicinal residuals as well as degradation products mainly caused by hydrolyzation of some XOCs.
CONCLUSIONS
Almost two hundred different XOCs were identified in grey wastewater from bathrooms in a building with apartments (i.e. grey wastewater originating from showers and hand basins). A majority of these compounds were among those compounds that earlier had been proposed as potentially present compounds e.g. the long chained fatty alcohols and acids, e.g. hexa- and octadecanol and octadecenoic acid as well as the long chained fatty esters e.g. isopropyl myristate. Several fragrances like citronellol, coumarin, eugenol, farnesol, geraniol, isoeugenol and hexyl cinnamic aldehyde were identified as well as some preservatives e.g. citric acid, salicylic acid and triclosan. Other examples are the phthalates e.g. dibutyl and dimethyl phthalate and methyl phenol. The measurements also showed that unwanted and unexpected compounds like biocides and insecticides could be present as well as chemicals not directly deriving from household chemicals e.g. flame retardants and medicine residuals.
Among the XOCs found in the grey wastewater were several characterised as high priority compounds i.e. with high environmental impact. Among those compounds were e.g. fragrances like hexyl cinnamic aldehyde. This means that the presence of XOCs in grey wastewater may constitute a risk to the environment if the water is infiltrated or irrigated without any previous treatment. However, the information about toxicity, bioaccumulation and biodegradation for these compounds is limited and the number of compounds classified as priority compounds may drastically increase if more information will become available. Furthermore the number of XOCs could also be expected to increase if other analytical methods are applied in the work for characterisation of grey wastewater.
90
REFERENCES
Burrows, W.D., Schmidt, M.O., Carnevale, R.M., and Schaub, S.A. (1991) Nonpotable reuse: Development of health criteria and technologies for shower water recycle. Wat. Sci. Tech. 24 (9) 81-88. Christova-Boal, D., Eden, R.E., and McFarlane, S. (1996) An investigation into greywater reuse for urban residential properties. Desalination 106: 391-397. Eriksson, E. and Ledin, A. (2001) Analyses of organic acids by solid phase extraction in combination with in-vial-derivatisation and elution. (Manuscript in preparation). Eriksson, E., Auffarth, K., Henze, M. and Ledin, A. (2001) Characteristics of grey wastewater. (Manuscript in preparation). Feachem, R.G., Bradley, D.J., Garelick, H., and Mara, D.D. (1983) Sanitation and disease Health aspects of excreta and wastewater management. Published for the World Bank, John Wiley & Sons, p. 16-21. Hansen, A.M. and Kjellerup, M. (1994) Vandbesparende foranstaltninger. Copenhagen: Teknisk Forlag. (In Danish) Karpiscak, M.M., Foster, K.E., and Schmidt, N. (1990) Residential water conservation: Casa Del Agua. Wat.Res. 26 (6): 939-948. Kemikalieutredningen (2000) Varor utan faror. SOU2000:53. Stockholm, Miljödepartementet. (In Swedish) Ledin, A., Eriksson, E. and Henze M. (2001) Aspects of groundwater recharge using grey wastewater. Decentralised Sanitation and Reuse, DESAR EURO Summer School in Wageningen The Netherlands, ed. Lens P., Lettinga G. and Zeeman G. (In Press) Paxéus, N. and Schröder, H.F. (1996) Screening for non-regulated organic compounds in municipal wastewater in Göteborg, Sweden. Wat. Sci. Tech. 33 (6): 9-15. Platt McGinn, A. (2000) Avveckling av persistenta organiska föroreningar (POP). Tillståndet i världen 2000, Naturvårdsverket. (In Swedish) Santala, E., Uotila, J., Zaitsev, G., Alasiurua, R., Tikka, R., and Tengvall, J. (1998) Microbiological greywater treatment and recycling in an apartment building. AWT98 - Advanced Wastewater Treatment, Recycling and Reuse: Milan 14-16 September 1998. pp. 319-324.
91
WASTEWATER REUSE - INTEGRATION OF URBAN AND RURAL WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
E. Friedler
Juanico and Friedler - Mediterranean Ltd, Kibbutz Dalia 19239, Israel Phone: +972-4-989 7038 Fax: +972-4-989 7037, E-mail: [email protected], Site: www.jandf.co.il
ABSTRACT
Scarcity of water is increasing globally mainly due to population growth, which leads to increasing agricultural demand. Treated wastewater can be considered as a ‘new’ resource that can substitute conventional water used for irrigation. This resource can be added to a regional water balance and integrated with its conventional water resources. The paper discusses the introduction of reclaimed wastewater in water-short and water-abundant countries, its contribution to the protection of water resources in particular and environmental protection in general. Further, it describes the benefits derived by the urban and rural sectors from agricultural wastewater reuse in water-short countries, and suggests a feasible beneficial agricultural wastewater reuse scheme for water-abundant countries.
KEWORDS
Rural areas, urban areas, wastewater irrigation, wastewater reuse, integral water resources management
INTRODUCTION
Over a century ago Benjamin Franklin wrote, "When the well is dry, we know the worth of water”. Those words have been prophetic. “Water-short countries” are countries in which the water resources amount to less then 1,000 m3/capita/y. At present about 30 countries in the world belong to this group, which roughly includes 260 million people, while many more countries are “candidates” to be included in this “elite club” in the near future. The major reason for the increasing water scarcity in the world is population growth and the resulting agricultural water demand. While in 1940 mankind utilised about 1,000 km3/y of water (11% of the readily available water), today we consume more then 5,200 km3/y, i.e. over 55% of the global annual budget of the readily available water.
There are five major possibilities to increase the amount of available water: to improve the efficiency of water utilisation, to build more reservoirs in order to increase the storage capacity of surface water, to further develop and utilise groundwater resources, to reuse treated wastewater, and finally to desalinate seawater. Each of these above possibilities has its economic, environmental and social advantages and disadvantages, which will not be discussed here. This paper focuses only the fourth option - wastewater reuse - which is spreading at an increasing rate around the world.
92
Wastewater reuse for agricultural irrigation is a rapidly growing practice in arid and semi-arid regions around the world, where treated wastewater serves as an extra source of water available for the rural sector. In these water-short regions, treated wastewater is especially important since it helps ease the economic (and cultural) stress on the rural sector. Such a stress is caused by the increasing urban water demand, which reduced water supply for irrigation in the rural sector. New reclamation and reuse projects have been reported in many countries all over the world, including: African countries, Australia, China, Middle East and Mediterranean countries, South American countries, and USA (e.g., Angelakis et al., 1999; Bahri, 1999; Bonomo et al., 1999; Faby et al., 1999; Mills et al., 1992; Salgot and Pascual, 1996). Wastewater reuse practice is not unique for water-short regions, because new reuse initiatives (mainly in the urban sector) are emerging in temperate climate regions as well (Dixon et al., 1999a & 1999b; Kubik, 2000; Nolde, 1995; UK Environment Agency, 2000; WRAS, 1999; and others).
TREATED WASTEWATER AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WATER RESOURCES
Treated wastewater may be considered as a ‘new’ water resource, which can be added to the general water balance of a region. This ‘new’ source can substitute ‘conventional’ water used in applications that do not require water of drinking quality, while reducing the pressure on the conventional resources. Thus, reclaimed wastewater may help close negative water balances in countries where all the conventional water resources are exploited to their full capacity. Israel, for example, is presently reusing more than 65% of the total municipal and domestic sewage, and it is planned to increase this reuse to 90% during the next decade (Shevah & Valdman, 1999; Shwartz, 1996).
Water-short regions. In regions, which suffer from water scarcity, water resources are exploited to their maximum safe capacity (or beyond). Thus, the stored volumes of both groundwater and surface water are becoming smaller, which leads to shorter retention times. This is generally followed by deterioration of water quality by pollution. Wastewater reuse practice contributes to the enhancement of the quality of conventional water resources by two means: 1. Reducing the pressure on the conventional resources, resulting in larger water bodies and longer retention times. 2. Eliminating one of the main sources of pollution: municipal sewage.
Water abundant regions. Regions with abundant water resources are mostly those regions where no apparent water shortage is observed. Here, the negative effect of pollution may be reduced by dispersion of pollutants in large water bodies where longer retention times facilitate degradation of some of the pollutants. It should be emphasised, however, that the negative effects are reduced, but not eliminated. In these regions, wastewater reuse contributes to the sustainability of the urban sector in several aspects, including the three major ones listed below: 1. By alleviating the stress on conventional water resources 2. By reducing the quantities of water that have to be conveyed over longer and longer distances 3. By reducing the pollution caused by effluents released to the aquatic environment.
93
WATER AND WASTEWATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Similarities
Wastewater management exhibits several aspects, which are common to the management of conventional water resources as well:
• Seasonal storage - wastewater is produced throughout the year while irrigation in many arid and semi-arid regions is practised only during dry summers. Thus, seasonal wastewater storage is required in a similar manner as for raw potable water.
• Multi-year storage - conventional water resources flow varies between years. This variation is a result of differences in the total annual precipitation, distribution of rain events, and the intensity (or total precipitation) of each event. Thus, the use of multi-year storage may optimise the utilisation of these resources. As with conventional water resources, some multi- year storage capacity can be used to optimise the exploitation of the wastewater resource. This is especially important in water-short regions, where wastewater can substitute depleted conventional resources in dry years.
• Spatial extent - like schemes for conventional water resources utilisation, wastewater reclamation projects may be local, regional or even inter-regional.
• Multiple sources - wastewater reclamation schemes may employ wastewater from a single source or from several sources. Schemes with multiple sources are designed to utilise their inputs in an optimal way, in order to obtain the best water quantity and quality.
• Multiple uses - reclaimed wastewater can be reused in several sectors: • Urban sector - the main uses of reclaimed wastewater are for irrigation of municipal parks and gardens, firefighting, and reclamation of urban streams and rivers. In recent years, some new uses, such as toilet and urinals flushing, and air conditioning in multi-storey buildings, were reported. • Industrial sector - the main reuse of wastewaters is for cooling and heating. However, wastewater can be reused for many other purposes in industrial processes where the product does not pose a health risk to the consumers. Reports of wastewater reuse in paper production, chemical industry, industrial concrete production, etc. are becoming more common in recent years. • Agricultural sector is the main consumer of reclaimed wastewater, especially in water-short regions. Crops range from industrial crops to freshly-consumed ones, depending on the quality of the treated wastewater.
Reclaimed wastewater can be reused more than once as part of an integrated water resources management. For example, wastewater can be reused for river/stream reclamation, and then withdrawn and reused again for irrigation (Asano et al., 1996; Juanico & Friedler, 1999).
94
Dissimilarities
Wastewater resources management differs from conventional water resources management in several aspects, the most important of which are listed below:
• Constant and reliable supply - since this ‘new’ water source depends only on municipal sewage production and not on precipitation, one of its main characteristics is high reliability. Not only its ‘production’ is relatively constant during the year, but also it is almost constant between years. This consistency differs from the climate/weather dependent supply of potable water.
• Increasing annual flow - urban water demand is generally increasing as a result of increasing urban population. Consequently, the wastewater production in the urban sector is also increasing. This is a reverse trend to the situation of the conventional water resources, many of which are becoming depleted due to over exploitation.
• Quality and treatment - the quality of wastewater makes it unsuitable for reuse without proper comprehensive treatment. For the same purposes, water from ‘conventional’ resources is usually suitable without any treatment. This is especially true for agricultural irrigation, which is the main consumer of treated wastewater in water-short countries. To reuse the reclaimed wastewater in agricultural irrigation, it has to comply with agrotechnical, environmental and public health quality requirements, which may differ. Table 1 presents the main requirements of the above three categories. It can be noted in the table that the quality required for irrigation with treated wastewater is different from the quality requirements for the release of reclaimed wastewater into the environment. Thus, sewage treatment technologies employed in wastewater reuse projects may differ from those used for ‘conventional’ sewage treatment and disposal. As a result of local constraints, sewage treatment and disposal projects for large urban areas are usually based on intensive treatment technologies. In schemes of wastewater reuse in agriculture, the storage capacity is essential, as discussed below. Thus, in agricultural reuse projects, at least one component, which is an extensive treatment unit providing both storage and effluent polishing, is commonly employed (Friedler & Juanico, 1996).
95
Table 1: Agrotechnical, Environmental and Public Health Quality Requirements - Relative Importance of Various Parameters Parameter Agrotechnical Environmental Public health Salinity 3 0-3 0 Depending on the receiving water body Clogging potential 3 0 0 Especially in drip irrigation Pathogens 2 1 3 Farmers and consumers health Heavy metals 2 3 1 Plant uptake Non-potable uses Xenobiotic compounds 2 3 0 Non-potable uses Nutrients 0 3 0 Nutrients can replace Eutrophication costly fertilisers Odours 1 3 0
0 - Not relevant; 1- Low importance; 2- Medium importance; 3- High importance
It should be noted that controlled reuse of wastewater may improve public health instead of endangering it. This is especially true in regions that suffer from water shortage, where illegal irrigation with raw sewage, poorly treated effluents, or water from heavily contaminated rivers and lakes is a common practice. In many cases, discharge of wastewater to water bodies implies unwanted and uncontrolled wastewater reuse in downstream areas.
• Simultaneous storage and treatment - the goal of storage of conventional water is solely to balance supply and demand, while storage of wastewater has two goals: 1. To balance supply and demand. 2. To perform additional treatment and equalise wastewater quality. When the storage units are designed and operated to maximise effluent quality, the long residence time enables the slow-rate bio-chemical reactions to become relevant. These reactions are responsible for the removal of ‘hard’ pollutants remaining in the effluent of the intensive treatment units (Ernst et al., 1983; Juanico et al., 1995; Friedler, 1999; Muszkat, 1999; and others). Common storage and treatment units are wastewater reservoirs and SAT (Soil Aquifer Treatment) units.
Dual distribution lines - significant differences between the quality of water and wastewater favour the adoption of dual distribution systems. However, the risk of accidental cross- connection between the two distribution systems is higher in practice than it seems theoretically possible. Some regulations have been developed to avoid these cross- connections, however, these regulations have to be further refined.
96
INTEGRATION OF THE URBAN AND RURAL SECTORS
Wastewater reuse practice results in higher environmental and public health protection, from which both the urban and rural sectors will benefit. However, in order to be successful, wastewater reuse schemes have to be beneficial for both the urban and rural sectors. The benefits to the urban sector are obvious - reduced wastewater treatment and disposal costs. In water-short countries the rural sector will usually benefit directly from this practice, while in water abundant countries the rural sector will benefit indirectly by adopting a role in urban sewage reclamation.
Water-short Countries
Sewage treatment and disposal have been traditionally paid for by the sewage producer - the urban sector. Irrigation with wastewater presents a new element in the financial equation - the farmers who benefit from the treated wastewater. Under several potential different schemes involving the urban and rural sectors, the farmers may purchase the treated wastewater from the urban sector, invest in the sewage treatment plant, or cover the operation and maintenance costs. Thus, the total costs of treatment are shared by both sectors:
• For the urban sector this means reduction of the costs of sewage treatment and disposal. A second benefit is the release of some potable-quality water used by the rural sector to meet the increasing urban demand and to reduce water conveyance costs from distant resources. • For the rural sector this means access to a reliable source of water for irrigation at a lower cost than the cost of importing conventional water from distant sources. This enables further agriculture development, which will result in economic benefits to the rural sector.
In countries where potable water supply for irrigation is substituted by reclaimed wastewater as a result of increasing urban demand, some decrease in crops may occur. It is obvious that in this case the farmers should be compensated for the decrease in their revenues.
Water abundant countries
In water abundant countries, wastewater reuse in irrigation is directly beneficial only to the urban sector. In this case agricultural reuse may serve as a polishing treatment of the effluent before its release to the environment, and thus reduce the treatment costs for the urban sector. The rural sector does not have a direct benefit, since the treated wastewater is not needed for agricultural production. Conversely, because of irrigation with reclaimed wastewater, the rural sector may suffer from some decrease in crop yields. In this case, the rural sector should be recognised as an entity which reclaims urban sewage, by further treating urban effluents and reducing the conventional treatment costs. Thus, the urban sector has to pay the farmers for these services. Unless this compensation is implemented, wastewater reuse schemes in water abundant countries will not succeed.
97
REFERENCES
Angelakis A., Marecos M., Bontoux L., and Asano T. (1999). The status of wastewater reuse practice in the Mediterranean basin: need for guidelines. Wat. Res. 33(10), 2201-2218. Asano T., Maeda M., and Takaki M. (1996). Wastewater reclamation and reuse in Japan: overview and implementation examples. Wat. Sci. Tech. 34(11), 219-226. Bahri A. (1999). Agricultural reuse of wastewater and global water management. Wat. Sci. Tech. 40(4-5) 339-346. Bonomo L., Nurizzo C., and Rolle E. (1999). Advanced wastewater treatment and reuse: related problems and perspectives in Italy. Wat. Sci. Tech. 40(4-5), 21-28. Dixon A., Butler D., and Fewkes A. (1999a). Water saving potential of domestic water reuse systems using greywater and rainwater in combination. Wat. Sci. Tech. 39(5), 25-32. Dixon A. M., Butler D., and Fewkes A. (1999b). Guidelines for greywater reuse: Health issues. J.IWEM 13, 322-326. Ernst D., Moore J., Frieze T. and Scherm M. (1983). Efficiency of waste stabilisation ponds in removing toxic organics. Wat. Res. Symp., 10 (Toxic Materials), 95-107. Faby J. A., Brissaud F., and Bontoux J. (1999). Wastewater reuse in France: water quality standards and wastewater treatment technologies. Wat. Sci. Tech. 40(4-5), 37-42. Friedler E. (1999). The Jeezrael Valley project for wastewater reclamation and reuse - Israel. Wat. Sci. Tech. 40 (4-5),347-354. Friedler E. and Juanico M. (1996). Treatment and storage of wastewater for agricultural irrigation. Int. Wat. & Irrig. Rev. 16(4), 26-30. Juanico M. and Friedler E. (1999). Wastewater reuse for river recovery in semi-arid Israel. Wat. Sci. Tech. 40(4-5), 43-50. Juanico M., Ravid R., Azov Y. and Teltsch B. (1995). Removal of trace metals from wastewater during long-term storage in seasonal reservoirs. Wat., Air & Soil Pollut. 82,617-633. Kubik K. (2000). The city of San Francisco's dual plumbing ordinance. IWA - Specialist Group on Wastewater Reclamation, Recycling & Reuse Newsletter. Mills S. W., Alabaster G. P., Mara D. D., Pearson H. W., and Thitai W. N. (1992). Efficiency of faecal bacterial removal from waste stabilisation ponds in Kenya. Wat. Sci. Tech. 26(7-8), 1739-1748. Muszkat L. (1999).Degradation of organosynthetic pollutants. Chapter 14 In: Reservoirs for wastewater storage and reuse: Ecology, performance and engineering design, ed. Juanico M. & Dor I. , pp. 205-218. Springer. Nolde E. (1995). Greywater reuse in households - Experience from Germany. Proc. of the 2nd Int. Conf. On Ecological Engineering or Wastewater Treatment, Waedenswil, Switzerland. Salgot M. and Pascual A. (1996). Existing guidelines and regulations in Spain on wastewater reclamation and reuse. Wat. Sci. & Tech. 34(11), 261-267. Shevah Y. and Valdman M. (1999). Research and development policy. In: Reservoirs for wastewater storage and reuse, eds. Juanico M. and Dor I., pp. 3-11, Springer Env. Sci. Series. Shwartz Y. (1996). Master Plan for the water sector. Wat. Eng. 28, 5-12 (Hebrew). UK Environment Agency (2000). A study of domestic greywater recycling. National Water Demand Management Centre. WRAS (1999). Reclaimed water systems -information about installing, modifying or maintaining reclaimed water systems. Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), UK. 1999.
98
WASTEWATER AS A SOURCE: PERSPECTIVES AND CHALLENGES
A. Hamdy
Director of Research, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Via Ceglie 9, Valenzano (BA), Italy. E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Treated and re-used sewage water is becoming a common source for additional water in some water scarce regions and many countries have included wastewater re-use in their water planning. Policies have been formulated but few have had the capacity to implement them in their water management practices in terms of actions to deal with water pollution control and waste disposal. In arid and semi-arid countries, particularly the developing ones, the full utilization and re-use of sewage water is still far from our final goal, i.e. to be used as a water source, in spite of the vital role it could play in reducing the high pressure imposed on the limited available freshwater. There are many obstacles restricting the sustainable and safe re-use and recycle of wastewater which require concerted efforts supported by regional and international organizations, if real change and beneficial results are to be realized in the near future.
KEYWORDS
Wastewater re-use, water management.
INTRODUCTION
Expansion of urban population and increased coverage of domestic water supplies and sewage network will give rise to greater quantities of municipal wastewater which can become a new water source, particularly for irrigation. The re-use of such marginal quality waters can be significant in terms of national water budgets, particularly when good quality water is limited. Although there is no universal definition of what constitutes “marginal quality” water, for all practical purposes it is water with characteristics that can cause problems when used for certain purposes, mainly due to associated health hazards.
Consequently, the re-use of municipal wastewater will require more complex management practices and stringent monitoring procedures than when good-quality water is used. Treatment and re-use of sewage waters is becoming a common source for additional water in some water scarce regions. Re-use of sewage waters, when properly managed, has the benefit of reducing environmental degradation. For many of those arid and semi-arid countries, re-use of wastewater may contribute more future water availability than any other technological means of increasing water supplies. Treated wastewater can be used effectively for irrigation, industrial purposes and groundwater recharge and for protection against salt intrusion in groundwater aquifers. Furthermore, the wastewater treatment and possible use of sewage effluents is a health and environmental necessity to the civil society, specially in urban areas. Therefore, for those countries, the use of appropriate technologies for the development of alternative sources of water is, probably, the single most
99 adequate approach for solving the problem of water shortage, together with the improvements in efficiency of water use and adequate control to reduce water consumption. Our water management policy should be fundamentally directed to support that “no higher quality, unless there is a surplus of it, should be used for a purpose that can tolerate a lower grade”. This is what we are challenging for and we have to find the key-recommendations and solutions for action.
WASTEWATER AS A SOURCE: MAJOR ISSUES
Integrating waste and water management
Economic growth in most of the countries of the world has been vigorous, especially in the so- called newly industrializing countries. Nearly all new development activity creates stress on the pollution carrying capacity of the environment. Many hydrological systems in developing regions are, or are getting close to, being stressed beyond repair. Industrial pollution, uncontrolled domestic discharges from urban areas, diffuse pollution from agriculture and livestock rearing and various alterations in land use or hydro-infrastructure may all contribute to non-sustainable use of water resources, eventually leading to negative impacts on economic development of many countries. Lowering of water tables (e.g., Middle-East, Mexico), irreversible pollution of surface water and associated changes in public and environmental health are typical manifestations of this kind of development.
Wastewater treatment technology
Technology, particularly in terms of performance and available wastewater treatment options, cannot be expected to find a solution to each problem. Wastewater systems are generally capital-intensive and require expensive, specialized operators. Therefore, before selecting and investing in wastewater treatment technology, an analysis of cost effectiveness needs to be made and compared with all conceivable alternatives. The selection of technologies should be environmentally sustainable, appropriate to the local conditions, acceptable to the users, and affordable to those who have to pay for them. In developing countries, western technology can be a more expensive and less reliable way to control pollution from human domestic and industrial wastes. Simple solutions that are easily replicated, that allow further up-grading with subsequent development and that can be operated and maintained by the local community, are often considered the most appropriate and cost effective.
Best available technology
In the developing countries usually characterized by high population density and notable shortfall in available water resources, the proper waste water technology to be adopted under the prevailing local conditions is one of the critical issues which should be well defined. Technologies available are many and well known, but any choice should rely on those not entailing excessive costs and providing the best environmental practice and option.
Indeed, the selection of the best available technology is not an easy process: it requires comparative technical assessment of the different treatment processes which have been recently and successfully applied for prolonged periods of time, at full scale. However, this is not sufficient, the selection should be carried out in view of well-established criteria comprising: average, or typical efficiency and performance of the technology; reliability of the technology;
100 institutional manageability, financial sustainability; application in re-use scheme and regulation determinants. Furthermore, for technology selection, other parameters have to be carefully considered: wastewater characteristics, the treatment objectives as translated into desired effluent quality which is mainly related to the expected use of the receiving water-bodies.
Treated wastewater quality and health issues
Among the main obstacles to the use of re-used water are health fears and hazards. Uncontrolled discharge of wastewater leads to an alarming degree of biological pollution in receiving water bodies and groundwater. The implications of sanitation are alarming, because these water bodies are used either as source for drinking or service or, in the case of surface water for recreational purposes or for food production. On average, half of all the municipal wastewater comes from diffuse domestic sources. Factories in surrounding areas without adequate legal requirements and, therefore, not fitted with equipment for reducing pollutant discharges are identifiable point sources of pollution. Traffic and uncontrolled waste accumulation also generate large-scale contamination of surface and groundwater.
Only a few large cities in developing countries and newly industrializing countries have adequate sewer systems and treatment plants, which is not the case for the majority of developing countries. In any case, usually, only a small portion of the wastewater is treated and purified even when it is channeled through a sewer system. Existing sewage treatment plants rarely operate satisfactorily and, in most cases, wastewater discharges exceed legal and/or hygienically acceptable maxima.
This does not necessarily lie in the treatment plants themselves, but in the frequent lack of adequately trained technicians capable of technically operating such treatment plants. The discharge of untreated wastewater and/or minimally treated municipal ones in water sources has resulted in a substantial economic damage and has posed serious health hazards to the inhabitants, particularly in the developing countries. In many countries, various diseases are particularly prevalent and the consequential costs for the health care system are considerable.
Considerable sums have been spent on water and wastewater treatment in both the developing and developed regions of the world to substantially reduce waterborne diseases and meet commonly accepted environmental and ecological objectives. Yet, statistics indicate that in spite of such enormous investments in water quality improvement and protection, in the less developed countries, nearly 2 billion people are suffering from the lack of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. This is now the case in many mega-cities where the drinking water supplies from rivers or local groundwater sources are no longer sufficient, mostly because of their poor quality. As a matter of fact, water quality problems are certainly not restricted to urban areas. The lack of sanitation facilities and the too often associated unsafe drinking waters remain among the principal causes of disease and death, especially in rural areas. Specific measures to counteract water-related threats are often needed, but, lack of investments and inadequate local management often lower their effectiveness.
Institutional manageability
In developing countries, few governmental agencies are adequately equipped for wastewater management. In order to plan, design, construct, operate and maintain treatment plants, appropriate technical and
101 managerial expertise must be present. This could require the availability of a substantial number of engineers, access to a local network of research for scientific support and problem solving, access to good quality laboratories and monitoring system and experience in management and cost recovery. In addition, all technologies, included the simple ones, require devoted and experienced operators and technicians who must be generated through extensive education and training. For adequate operation and minimization of administrative conflicts, a tight coordination should be well defined among the Ministries involved such as those of Agriculture, Health, Water Resources, Finance, Economy, Planning, Environmental Protection and Rural Development. The basic responsibilities of such inter-ministerial committees could be outlined in: developing a coherent national policy for wastewater use and monitoring of its implementation; defining the division of responsibilities between the respective Ministries and agencies involved and the arrangements for collaboration between them; appraising proposed re-use schemes, particularly from the point of view of public health and environmental protection; overseeing the promotion and enforcement of national legislation and codes of practice; developing a national staff development policy for the sector;
Financial sustainability
The lower the financial costs, the more attractive the technology. However, even a low cost option may not be financially sustainable because this is determined by the true availability of funds provided by the polluter. In the case of domestic sanitation, the people must be willing and able to cover at least the operation and maintenance cost of the total expenses. The ultimate goal should be full cost recovery although, initially, this may need special financing schemes, such as cross subsidization, revolving funds and phased investment programmes. In this regard, adopting an adequate policy for the pricing of water is of fundamental importance in the sustainability of wastewater re-use systems. The incremental cost basis, which allocates only the marginal costs associated with re-use, seems to be a fair criteria for adoption in developing countries. Subsidizing re-use system may be necessary at the early stages of system implementation, particularly when the associated costs are very large. This would avoid any discouragement to users arising from the permitted use of the treated wastewater. However, setting an appropriate mechanism for wastewater tariff is a very complex issue. Direct benefits of wastewater use are relatively easy to evaluate, whereas, the indirect effects are “non monetary issues” and, unfortunately, they are not taken into account when performing economic appraisals of projects involving wastewater use. However, the environmental enhancement provided by wastewater use, particularly in terms of preservation of water resources, improvement of the health status of poor populations in developing countries, the possibilities of providing a substitute for freshwater in water scarce areas, and the incentives provided for the construction of urban sewage works, are extremely relevant. They are also sufficiently important to make the cost benefit analysis purely subsidiary when taking a decision on the implementation of wastewater re-use systems, particularly in developing and rapidly industrializing countries.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation of wastewater use programmes and projects is a very critical issue, hence, both are the fundamental bases for setting the proper wastewater use and management strategies. Ignoring monitoring evaluation parameters and/or performing monitoring not regularly
102 and correctly could result in serious negative impacts on health, water quality and environmental and ecological sustainability. Unfortunately, in many countries that are already using or start using treated wastewater as an additional water source, the monitoring and evaluation programme aspects are not well developed, are loose and irregular. This is mainly due to the weak institutions, the shortage of trained personnel capable of carrying the job, lack of monitoring equipment and the relatively high cost required for monitoring processes. In the developing countries, two types of monitoring are needed: the first, process control monitoring to provide data to support the operation and optimization of the system in order to achieve successful project performance; the second, compliance monitoring to meet regulatory requirements and not to be performed by the same agency in charge of process control monitoring. In the developing countries, to avoid failure in wastewater use and attain the desired success, the monitoring programme should be cost effective, and should provide adequate coverage of the system. Equally so, it must be reliable and timely in order to provide operators and decision making officials with correct and up-to-date information that allows the application of prompt remedial measures during critical situations.
Public awareness and participation
This is the bottleneck governing the wastewater use and its perspective progress. To achieve general acceptance of re-use schemes, it is of fundamental importance to have active public involvement from the planning phase through the full implementation process. Some observations regarding social acceptance are pertinent. For instance, there may be deep- rooted socio-cultural barriers to wastewater re-use. However, to overcome such an obstacle, major efforts are to be carried out by the responsible agencies. Responsible agencies have an important role to play in providing the concerned public with a clear understanding of the quality of the treated wastewater and how it is to be used; confidence in the local management of the public utilities and in the application of locally accepted technology, assurance that the re-use application being considered will involve minimal health risks and minimal detrimental effects on the environment. In this regard, the continuous exchange of information between authorities and public representatives ensures that the adoption of specific water re-use programme will fulfil real user needs and generally recognised community goals for health, safety, ecological concerns programme, cost, etc. In this way, initial reservations are likely to be overcome over a short period. Simultaneously, some progressive users could be persuaded to re-use wastewater as supplementary source for irrigation. Their success would go a long way in persuading the initial doubters to re-use the wastewater available.
103
WASTEWATER AS A SOURCE: MAJOR NEEDS
Applying realistic standards and regulations
An important element in the sustainable use of wastewater is the formulation of realistic standards and regulations. However, the standards must be achievable and the regulations enforceable. Unrealistic standards and non-enforceable regulations may do more harm than having no standards and regulations because they create an attitude of indifference towards rules and regulations in general, both among polluters and administrators. In arid and semi-arid countries where wastewater is recognized additional water source standards, guidelines and regulations in the majority of developing countries do not consider the re-use aspect as an integrated part of the treatment process; they are only intended to control and protect the quality of water bodies where the reclaimed water is discharged. In reality, in the arid regions of the Near-East, North-Africa and Southern-Europe, not all countries have developed guidelines and regulations for reclaimed water use. For those countries, standards and regulations for the re-use should be tailored to match the level of economic and administrative capacity and capability standards should cope with the local prevailing conditions and should be gradually tightened as progress is achieved in general development and in the economic and technical capability of the involved institutions and of the private sector as well.
Formulation of national policies and strategies
It is now widely recognised that wastewater re-use constitutes an important and integral component of the comprehensive water management programs of the majority of countries, more so in the water scarce ones. This implies that these countries should have national policies and strategies relating to wastewater management in general and wastewater re-use for agriculture, in particular, in order to guide programmes, projects and investments relating to wastewater collection, treatment, re- use and disposal in a sustainable manner. This requires the establishment of a clear policy with regard to wastewater management. This policy should be compatible with a number of related sectoral or sub-sectoral policies such as national water management and irrigation policy, national health, sanitation and sewage policy, national agricultural policy and national environmental protection policy. Such policy should give guidance on the following issues: the current and future contribution of treated wastewater to the total national water budget; criteria required to achieve maximum benefit of wastewater-reuse for the different water sectoral uses; modalities for strengthening the national capacity building in this sector.
Such policy should be accompanied by an appropriate national strategy for wastewater reuse characterized by the following features: spelling out ways and means of implementing policy directives; defining the nature and mechanisms of inter-institutional collaboration, allocation of funds, establishment of pilot wastewater reuse demonstration sites of good management practices and phasing the implementation of wastewater programmes; fostering the share of responsibilities between involved ministries, agencies and authorities, and the way to link and integrate the activities among them, individually and in combination;
104