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Home , Algal bloom, Nutrient pollution, Turbidity

Use of Earth Observation Data for ImprovedTitle of Presentation Performance in Water Supply Services Agenda

Time Item 14:00-14:10 Overview of session and SPACE-O introduction 14:10-14:20 Overview of priorities and challenges for Asia: Algal blooms and – impacts on water utilities 14:20-14:30 Overview of priorities and challenges for Asia: Economic impacts and investments 14:30-15:00 Group discussions 15:00-15:30 Presentation of DSS Components: 1. Environmental Information system 15:30 – 16:00 Break 16:00-17:00 Presentation of DSS Components: 2. Early Warning System 3. Optimizing performance in water treatment plants – sharing experiences 17:00-18:00 Discussion 18:00-19:00 Cocktail reception TitleAlgal of blooms Presentation and turbidity – impacts on water utilities What is the issue?

• Turbidity - high turbidity levels in sources may either prevent water treatment operators from providing safe potable water to their communities or make treatment more expensive

• Algal blooms - Freshwater Harmful Blooms (HAB) toxins can have a broad range of negative impacts on humans, animals and aquatic What is the cause?

Figure: Links between , Water Quantity and Quality, and Human Exposure to Water-Related Illness. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program https://health2 016.globalcha nge.gov/water -related-illness Global Context of Floods and Droughts Future Flood Risk

Source: Hirabayashi Laboratory, The University of Tokyo Projected change in flood frequency What is the impact? Algal blooms

• Effects of advancing industrialized and increasing population leading to more and more HABs

• has ~ 920 freshwater , many located along the middle and lower stretches of the Yangtze River, and > 85 % have been affected by algae pollution.

• E.g. Tai - high density of and in the lake, favorable and slow moving currents trigger the growth of the algae

What is the impact? Turbidity

• Turbidity and poor from agricultural and industrial activity are key challenges especially when is the main water source • Particles in water bodies provide a surface for other to attach, notably metals and micro-organisms. • act as shields for pollutants (e.g. )  need for more and additional treatment costs.

Increased turbidity in in Thailand and Taiwan due to extreme events (e.g. cyclones, heavy rainfall) What is the impact? Turbidity

High turbidity in Âncora river water Cleaning of service Maximum value of Turbidity: 1000 NTU Maximum value of Turbidity: 100 NTU

Landslides in Âncora river, 2008, Valada Water Treatment Plant. Source: “ Plans and catchment management -The experience of Aguas do Noroeste Water Company” IWA, World Water Congress 2014.

Literature review

Region/utility name Is surface water used? How is water ? Turbidity? Algal blooms? stored? Phnom Penh Water Utility abstracts water from the River Future risks to water quality and flows Supply Authority Mekong, Tonle Sap, and Bassac due to hydroelectric and industrial rivers development Water Supplies 78% of freshwater is Reservoir There is high nutrient runoff from Department (Hong abstracted from the East River agricultural and industrial activity Kong) in mainland China; remaining further upstream of Hong Kong from reservoirs Macau Water 90% of Macao's water comes 8 Reservoirs is the main challenge, which from the West River's addressed through water transfers Modaomen Channel Seoul Metropolitan Yes - Han River Reservoir Upstream urban activities and Government (Office of livestock waste water Waterworks) Jakarta Water Supply Yes, with significant Reservoir High BOD and runoff Enterprise (Pam Jaya) uncontrolled groundwater extraction Vientiane Water Yes – Majority from the River and High turbidity during the rainy season Supply Company Mekong River and the Nam reservoirs (Nam Papa Vientiane) Gnum River Literature review

Region/utility name Is surface water used? How is water Pressures? Turbidity? Algal blooms? stored? Kuala Lumpur Yes - Drawing its supply from 3 Reservoirs Issues with water quality and pollution Selangor Water three reservoirs. control in rivers as main source of water Management Corporation, Ltd. PUB Singapore Yes – rainfall is collected and 17 reservoirs Algal blooms channelled into 17 reservoirs Manila Water Yes – 97 % of water is abstracted 3 Reservoirs Manila Bay is heavily polluted due to Company from rivers, streams, lakes lack of treatment Mayniland Water Yes - the Angat and Umiray River Reservoirs Algal blooms Services Colombo – National Many of the large urban centres Rivers and High (limited sewage Water Supply and along the get their water reservoirs treatment) Drainage Board supply from rivers. Taipei Water Yes - Main source of water: Reservoirs Turbidity caused by heavy rainfall Department Xindian Creek (97% of ) MWA (Thailand) Yes – some groundwater also Rivers and Salinity, algae, high turbidity, organic reservoirs matter contamination PWA (Thailand) Yes- majority of utilities use Rivers, canals, Issues of turbidity and poor water surface water (79%). reservoirs, quality from agriculture and industry groundwater The survey

Prior to this workshop and a previous event, we asked participants to fill out the short survey on the impacts of turbidity and algal blooms

• Do high turbidity/algal blooms affect operations? • What type of economic impact have the algal blooms and turbidity had on operations? • What type of investments have been undertaken to reduce or deal with the algal blooms and/or turbidity?

To date we have received 22 responses from 12 countries (Albania, Belgium, Italy, Iran, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, China, Philippines, Myanmar) What type of economic impact have the algal blooms and turbidity had on operations?

• increased operation/treatment costs (6x) • additional treatment investments (3x) • reduced operational/production capacity due to limitation of treatment plant design • Affects livelihoods • Constrains navigability due to longer term high level of sediment (i.e; sedimentation of channels and periodic flooding) • shut down of plants, ban on water source • increased monitoring costs • increased maintenance • reduced recreational value of water bodies • issues with legal compliance • bad odors and flavors due to turbidity • forced to use trucks instead of supply network What type of investments have been undertaken to reduce or deal with the algal blooms and/or turbidity?

• process streams were upgraded (to address turbidity). • Application of Powdered Activated was put in place (To address impacts) • Addressed through large scale basin project (e.g. Ayeyarwady Integrated River Basin Management Project funded by World Bank to enhance Navigability on Ayeyarwady River) • Additional treatment steps/techniques (6x) • Increase in monitoring (2x) • investments in environmental restoration measures • More maintenance • Finding a new water source and WTP TitleEconomic of Presentationimpacts and investments TitlePriorities of Presentation and challenges – Group discussion Group discussions – Part 1

Economic impact • What type of economic impact have algal blooms and turbidity had on operations?

• What type of investments have been undertaken to reduce or deal with algal blooms and/or turbidity?

Benchmarking • How do you make decisions? – Experience (intuitive) – Diagnostic approach which is reactive (e.g. using historical data) – Predictive (e.g. using forecasting tools to be proactive)

• How do you assess your decisions?

Policy and regulation • What is the status of water policy and regulation around addressing turbidity and algal blooms? Group discussions – Part 2

1. How would you use the information provided by the tools in practice? Who would find it useful and how would they apply it?

2. What would you change in the tools?

3. What forecasting information do you need, how would the information be used to make decisions?

4. How do you determine your upstream risks, where do you get information from? Partners:

SPACE-O has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 730005