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No. 5 / September 2005 / Research & Development The magazine of the Scientific Chronicles

Managing water resource quality

Resource management involves both qualitative aspects (combating pollution) and quantitative parameters (protecting the resource by finding alternative solutions, e.g., or the reuse of wastewater). This magazine mainly concentrates on qualitative aspects. Environnement Research & Development is also working on quantitative parameters.

Did you know? Key information

Since Antiquity, humans have France for the quantitative and The volume of water has remained “Access for everyone to the always had to face the issue of qualitative management and constant on the planet for around essential services of water and . monitoring of water resources, and 3.4 billion years: 1.4 billion km3, of wastewater is a priority for The Mayas abandoned their to implement systems to counter which just 0.7% is readily accessible Veolia Water. To achieve this, it resource deterioration. when the water was no longer fit freshwater. is necessary to have effective for consumption. Today, there are an ever- The 12% of the world’s population in techniques to protect the quality The Greeks developed systems to increasing number of sources of developed countries use 85% of the catch rainwater, and simple but pollution, and water resource water consumed each year in the of water resources.” efficient irrigation systems. management is of global world. Antoine Frérot Napoleon I decided in 1805 to importance. The UN has divert part of the water flowing in introduced a specific program President,Veolia Water under the UNEP or the United the Ourcq River into via a The average consumption of Nations Environment Program. canal. However, the quality of the , per day and per water distributed was not good and person, is estimated at: it led to a series of epidemics. In 700 l for an American, 200 l for a 1854, Prefect Haussmann and European, 30 l for an African. Contents Eugène Belgrand, Director of Paris Water and Wastewater, decided to Page 1 Water quality is also under threat: build a sewer system and transport I Did you know? According to UNESCO, each day 2 freshwater in closed aqueducts, I Key information safe from pollution. The water million metric tons of waste material is pumped from the Seine and Marne released into the world’s waterways. I Research objectives rivers upstream from Paris was Just 5 of Europe’s 55 rivers are Page 2 treated by slow sand filtration. considered intact. Need to know about… In the 1960s, River Basin Ancient water tank in Delos, In Asia, all rivers flowing through cities I Authorities were established in Greece. are seriously polluted. Page 3 I Close-up on Research Research objectives & Development programs At its Center of Water Expertise (KWB) (Germany), Veolia Environnement is carrying out Page 4 research projects on improving water resource management, in particular focusing on: I For more information… I Natural and artificial recharging of aquifers; Video fact sheet I Understanding the natural phenomena of bank filtration, and the mechanisms involved in I eliminating impurities; I Contact I The chemical reactions of water’s components.

Michel Dutang Director of Research, Development and Technology, Veolia Environnement. “Gaining a better understanding of the natural processes involved in the production of drinking water to develop them in a less costly way, especially in developing countries, is one of the challenges of Veolia Environnement Research & Development.”

Managing water resource quality Copyright : Institut Pasteur

Cyanobacteria: Anabaenopsis.

Need to know about…

There are two water cycles: the large of a river or lake. The filtered water is cleaned Condensation or natural water cycle, including surface of its impurities and flows into the aquifer to Precipitation and underground water flows (evaporation, then be used as a source of drinking water. In condensation, precipitation, infiltration and Berlin, this treatment method can be used Evaporation run-off), and the small or domestic water cycle because of the suitability of the local geology, (man intervenes in the natural cycle by in particular at lakes Wannsee and Tegel. Infiltration extracting water from rivers and aquifers, This very inexpensive process results in a Run-off treating it to make it fit for consumption, then water of excellent quality. distributing it and treating it again after use to remove pollution before returning it to the Combating the proliferation of algae Large water cycle. natural environment). From one water cycle and cyanobacteria in Berlin to the other, the water is always the same. Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green It is therefore essential to manage resources, algae, are at the interface between the as any untreated pollution can reappear animal and vegetable worlds. Minuscule in Production in our drinking water. size, they can secrete substances of drinking water Stream intake (cyanotoxins) that are highly toxic to Wastewater collection Sources of deterioration humans and aquatic populations. When Wastewater Storage treatment in water quality cyanobacteria and microalgae proliferate in Distribution Discharge into the natural There are a variety of sources of water water, the result is called an algal bloom. environment pollution: chemical, biological and even This massive proliferation can have serious organic (viruses or pathogenic bacteria), consequences on living beings.

Small water cycle. agricultural (insecticides, weed killers, Very difficult to remove because of their fertilizers, nitrogen, nitrates, etc.), or accidental extremely small size, these two types of industrial pollution (heavy metals). Water can organisms are a major problem for drinking even be polluted by urban discharge. plants and for swimming Berlin Center of Water Expertise Laboratories in Adelaide and Indianapolis areas. Climate change could lead to a rise in In 1999, the Berlin Land contracted mana- gement of its water and wastewater ser- temperatures of between 1.4 to 5.8°C by 2050, vices to Veolia Water along with other part- according to the IPCC (Intergovernmental ners. The Berlin Center of Water Expertise (KompetenzZentrum Wasser Berlin - KWB) Panel on Climate Change) report published in was established in 2000. Its research pro- January 2001, Climate Change 2001: Impacts, grams focus, in particular, on bank filtration, The artificial river and aquifer recharging. Adaptation and Vulnerability. Veolia Another Veolia Water subsidiary, United Environnement’s experts have detected that Water International, in partnership with the This is an extraordinary tool for the research carried state government of South Australia and the summer temperature in Berlin (Germany) out on aquatic pollution by the German the Australian government’s CSIRO has increased by 3.2°C since 1912. One of the Environmental Protection Agency (UBA), and used (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial consequences is the appearance of new by the Berlin Center of Water Expertise (KWB). Research Organisation), manages an aqui- micro-algae some of which can be toxic. Comprised of a 750 meter long by 1-meter wide fer recharging program using treated was- plastic loop in which water flows, it is used to test in tewater in Adelaide. In Indianapolis (USA), Veolia Water an artificial environment various pollution scenarios Indianapolis (VWI), which manages the What is bank filtration? that could occur in a natural river. ’s water services, has developed a pro- This is a natural treatment process for drinking The KWB uses this unique research tool in gram to prevent algal proliferation. It has particular to gain a better understanding of river just been awarded ISO 9001 Certification. water. The aim is to filter water through the pollution by microalgae and cyanobacteria. various layers of sediment that line the banks

Page 2 / The magazine of the scientific chronicles / No. 5 / September 2005 / Managing water resource quality

Managing water resource quality

Algal proliferation.

Close-up on Research & Development programs

In conjunction with the Berlin Center of geological characteristics, as well as the Water Expertise, Veolia Environnement changes over time and space to the Research & Development mainly water’s chemical and microbiological concentrates on bank filtration and artificial makeup. recharging systems for aquifers to treat freshwater. At the same time, other Basins for artificially recharging the aquifer programs are run by Veolia Environnement have been installed on the banks of Lake research, in particular, pollution risks. Tegel, northwest of Berlin. This lake is partially fed by water discharged from a Research on bank filtration and treatment plant. It is an ideal site to study artificial systems for recharging the artificial recharging of the aquifer. The Artificial recharging of the aquifer at Lake Tegel. aquifers Center of Water Expertise has studied One of the current interdisciplinary various aspects of this recharging system research programs at the Center of Water using excess surface water. At the same Expertise deals with bank filtration and time, several piezometers* have been artificial systems for recharging the aquifer, installed to monitor and manage the whether in the laboratory (artificial river), at aquifer. a technical site or in the natural environment. The many tools implemented at the Marienfelde research site (monitoring The objectives are to: wells, piezometers*, etc.), help us I Optimize the performance of bank understand and optimize the principles of filtration processes and artificial systems bank filtration to treat freshwater and for recharging aquifers. recharge the aquifer. I Manage resource contamination, especially algal proliferation. Restoring the quality I Develop expertise that is transposable of lake water to developing countries (as a function of In the 1990s, the entry into service of geological criteria) so they can benefit from phosphate removal units on the water efficient, low-cost technology. discharged into lakes Tegel and Schlachtensee has resulted in a This research program will be continued significant drop in phosphorus pollution, under a European project, with particular and so in algal blooms in these two lakes. Diagram of bank filtration emphasis on the feasibility of natural The research project run by KWB and 1- Artificial recharging from infiltration basins 2- Natural recharging treatment processes in New Delhi (India). UBA aims to provide a detailed 3- Pumping explanation of the processes involved 4- Increased surface water flow into the aquifer subsequent to extraction. Part of the water flowing into Lake during the restoration phase of the water Wannsee, located downstream from quality in these lakes. The results form this Berlin, comes from the Berlin Ruhleben study will provide management plant. At this site, recommendations for the restoration of sampling wells, and infiltration ponds and lakes. channels have been installed to gain a better understanding of hydrological and * Piezometer: a well used to measure the level of the water table.

Page 3 / The magazine of the scientific chronicles / No. 5 / September 2005 / Managing water resource quality

Managing water resource quality

The artificial river.

For more information…

Video fact sheet Partnerships Regulatory context French Environmental Code, Legislative The Scientific Chronicles No. 5 Bank filtration and aquifer recharging I I Section, Book II, Title I “Water and Aquatic Veolia Water, Berlin Center of Water Expertise Environments” (KWB), German Environmental Protection Agency Log onto the Group Intranet to view the 4’30’’ This code states that water is part of the nation’s (UBA), Free University of Berlin (FU), Technical video about the research carried out by common heritage and that its use belongs to all. It University of Berlin (TU), and Institute of Veolia Environnement on managing water authorizes the government to take measures to Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries (IGB). resource quality. ensure balanced management of this resource. In Documentary resources particular, it includes Law No. 92-3 on Water, and Expert : Francis Luck Veolia Environnement Law No. 64-1245 of December 16, 1964 Director, KWB - Berlin concerning the governance of water, the Témoin : Sylke Freudenthal Audiovisual distribution of water, and combating pollution. VE Foundation Germany I The scientific chronicle No. 5: I French Public Health Code, New Regulatory Scenario : Marie-Odile Monchicourt / Managing water resource quality Section, Book III, Title II, Chapter I, Section I 3B Conseils (See box) In particular, this section defines the nature of the Corporate documents Duration: 4’ 30’’ scope of protection zones for catchment areas for Veolia Environnement drinking water supplies, and sets the quality limits When: June 20 and 21, 2005 I CompetenzZentrum Wasser Berlin, Report 1, for water destined for human consumption Where: Marienfelde UBA, (Laboratory of the Reporting period : May to December 2002, Natural integrating Decree No. 2001-1220 of December German Environmental Protection and Artificial Systems for Recharge and Infiltration, 20, 2001. Agency), Berlin March 2003. I Directive 2000/60/CE of the European Preparation : Fanny Demulier, I Activity Report, VE Research Division Protect Parliament and the Council of October 23, Anne Dequeker-Cormont, and manage water resources, Générale des eaux / 2000, establishing a framework for a Alice Dubos, Caroline Bellecourt, Veolia Environnement. Community water policy Edith Weitz I Planète VE, No. 7, January 2005 This Directive establishes Community action in the Research, Development and I Protect and manage water resources, Générale field of water policy and sets 2015 as the date for Technology Communications des eaux. March 2005 water resource compliance with ecological Department Veolia Environnement Publications standards. Directors: Steeve Sierra, Martin Geisler I Aubertin C , Viven F.D, Les enjeux de la Delegate Producer: biodiversité. Éd Economica, Paris, 1998. Bruno Plasse, Dawa Productions I Thomas C.D, Cameron A, Green R.E, Magazine design and production: Bakkenes M et al. “Extinction risk from climate 3B Conseils change”, Nature, No. 427, pp 145-148, 2004. Graphic design: Bernadette Coléno/3B Conseils I Durhan B, cProceedings, AFAS Symposium, Cern, Geneva May 04 Sciences 2005 Producer : Veolia Environnement

Date released online: September 2005 Specialized websites www.veoliawater.com Thanks to Doctor Rüdiger Berghahn, Biologist, Veolia Water Umweltbundesamt, Berlin, and to Emmanuel www.kompetenz-wasser.de Soyeux, Environmental Risk and Impact KWB, Berlin Center of Water Expertise Department, DRDT Veolia Environnement. www.cea.fr French Atomic Energy Commission www.europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture European Commission The previous scientific chronicles www.unesco.org/water/index_fr.shtml Contact 1 – Legionella Unesco Department of Research, Development 2 – The biroreactor www.ifen.fr/dee2003/ressourceseau/ressourceseau IFEN and Technology 3 – Fuel cells www.gis-ifb.org 36, rue de Liège 75008 PARIS - France 4 – Seawater desalination French Institute of Biodiversity Tél. : +33 (0) 1 71 75 06 60 www.iwmi.cgiar.org/ International Water Management Institute Fax. : +33 (0)1 71 75 10 40 http://www.cnrs.fr/cw/dossiers/doseau/ Mail : [email protected] CNRS French Scientific Research Center

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