Introduction. Massive algal blooms typical of all climatic zones of the Russian Federation are observed in all federal districts. The greatest danger is posed by the rapid proliferation of cyanobacteria (CB), whose life cycle and death release highly hazardous cyanotoxins into the water.The purpose - hygienic assessment of contamination of Moscow, Chelyabinsk, and Rostov-on-Don surface sources of drinking and domestic water with CB and cyanotoxins and the development of preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk to public health.Materials and methods. The objects of the study were CB and cyanotoxins (microcystin-LR, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, β-N-methylamino-1-alanine (BMAA), saxitoxin), investigated in surface water sources in the cities of Moscow, Chelyabinsk, and Rostov-on-Don. Theoretical and empirical methods of scientific systems analysis were used. Data from domestic and foreign scientific literature were searched and summarized from the MedLine/PubMed/PubChem, Scopus, and eLIBRARY scientific publication databases, the results of industrial control of water supply institutions, and own chemical analytical and toxicological studies.Results. Regional patterns in the quantitative composition and intraspecific differentiation of toxic cyanobacteria species in surface water sources located in different climatic zones were identified. A hygienic assessment of cyanotic contamination of water sources and the effectiveness of drinking water treatment were conducted. In addition to the current MAC for microcystin-LR (SanPiN 1.2.3685–21), MACs for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, and BMAA produced by priority types of CB in water sources in the Russian Federation have been substantiated. An algorithm for current monitoring of water pollution with CB and cyanotoxins has been developed, and preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk to public health from drinking water pollution with cyanotoxins have been proposed.Limitations. The lack of domestic standards and test systems that allow testing the content of priority cyanotoxins in water with the required reliability of results.Conclusion. Most surface water sources in the Russian Federation are subject to anthropogenic and, in recent years, climatic influences, creating favorable conditions for the widespread development of CB. The latter, in turn, adversly impacts the quality and safety of drinking water and requires the development and implementation of methodological recommendations for the prevention and control of pollution of water sources for domestic, cultural and household water use, and drinking water with toxic types of CB and cyanotoxins.Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of a biomedical ethics committee opinion or other documents.Contributions: Sinitsyna O.O. – research concept and design, text writing, editing; Kuz N.V. – research design development, collection and processing of material, text writing; Pushkareva M.V., Turbinsky V.V., Shiryaeva M.A. – handling material. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Funding. The study was carried out as part of the implementation of the state program “Ensuring the chemical and biological safety of the Russian Federation” for 2021–2024.Received: November 11, 2025 / Accepted: December 2, 2025 / Published: February 10, 2026
Abstract Ensuring universal access to clean water continues to be a pressing challenge worldwide. In this research, carbon black and zinc oxide nanoparticles were chemically activated using a mixture of sulfuric acid and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) to enhance their surface reactivity. Following this treatment, a sol–gel synthesis approach was applied to produce hybrid nanostructures composed of zinc oxide (ZnO), SiO2, and carbon black. These hybrids were then surface silanized using two different silane agents (i.e., vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) and bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide (TESPT)) at a concentration of 5%. A suite of advanced techniques was employed to characterize the materials, including XPS, FTIR, TGA, BET surface area measurements, and FE-SEM. The silanization process markedly improved the hydrophobic nature of the hybrids, with water contact angle (WCA) measurements rising from 21° to as high as 150°. Incorporating the functionalized hybrids led to a substantial decrease in the optical band gap to 2.8 eV, enhancing their photocatalytic efficiency. Mechanical testing revealed a significant boost in the reinforcement index for composites containing modified particles. Additionally, surface wettability assessments showed an increase in WCA from 91° to 151°, alongside a sharp drop in oil contact angle (OCA) from 52° to 12°, following silane treatment. These findings highlight the strong potential of silane-functionalized ZnO/SiO2/carbon black hybrids in developing multifunctional rubber nanocomposites for simultaneous oil–water separation and photocatalytic pollutant remediation.
Aim: The present study examined the integration of advanced wastewater treatment technologies for sustainable water resource management in the United States. Problem Statement: The increase in industrialization and the increase in the population of citizens in the United States have resulted in an increase in the volume of industrial and domestic wastewater generated. This also contributes to the scarcity of water due to high demand. The increase in the volume of wastewater generated has resulted in rise in the toxic pollutants in the environment when they wastewaters are discharged into lagoons and rivers. Significance of Study: There is a need to develop and incorporate advanced wastewater treatment technologies aside the previous insufficient and inefficient methodologies to tackle the problems of environmental pollution and water scarcity in order to meet up with the SDGs stated by the United Nations. Methodology: This review was compiled with the aid of published articles and relevant books downloaded from Scopus, google and other research journal databases in the area of advanced wastewater treatment technologies and sustainable water resource management. Discussion: In this article, the problems emanating from the discharge of wastewater into the environment together with a limited supply of water are discussed. The need to control these two menaces is examined through the incorporation of advanced water treatment technologies which include advanced oxidation process, ultrasound technique, membrane bioreactor, advanced green technologies and hydrodynamic cavitation technology. The article discusses how useful end-products can be made from wastewater treatment for water resource management sustainability and circular economy purposes. The various steps required in wastewater treatment are also examined while Arizona was cited as a case study. Conclusion: Sufficient volume of water can be generated from wastewater treatment facilities to support suburban populations and cities in the United State to tackle the problem of water scarcity. In conclusion, building more wastewater treatment facilities in the United States is imperative for further waste minimization, curbing the discharge of harmful effluents and making sufficient water available to support suburban populations and cities while the circular economy is maintained as well.
Abstract Artificial intelligence has been extensively used to predict surface water quality to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems proactively. However, water quality prediction in data-scarce conditions is a challenge, especially with heterogeneous data from monitoring sites that lack similarity in water quality, hindering the information transfer. A deep learning model is proposed that utilizes representation learning to capture knowledge from source river basins during the pre-training stage, and incorporates meteorological data to accurately predict water quality. This model is successfully implemented and validated using data from 149 monitoring sites across inland China. The results show that the model has outstanding prediction accuracy across all sites, with a mean Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.80, and has a significant advantage in multi-indicator prediction. The model maintains its excellent performance even when trained with only half of the data. This can be attributed to the representation learning used in the pre-training stage, which enables extensive and accurate prediction under data-scarce conditions. The developed model holds significant potential for cross-basin water quality prediction, which could substantially advance the development of water environment system management.
Yu-Jie Chang, Hsi-Shih Chang, Chung-Hao Chang
et al.
Abstract To bridge the gap between complex water chemistry data and public understanding, we developed a novel Daphnia magna biomonitoring approach combined with deep learning to assess water quality. We recorded Daphnia swimming behavior under different salinity levels (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10%) and extracted key movement features. A Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) model was then trained on these features to classify water quality levels. The MLP achieved an overall accuracy of ~ 80%, with class-wise precision, recall, and F1-scores generally ranging from ~ 0.7 to 0.9. Behavioral analysis showed that Daphnia’s average swimming speed and acceleration decreased at higher salinities (p < 0.01), indicating sensitivity to pollutant stress. This study is the first to integrate video-based Daphnia monitoring with machine learning for water quality assessment, demonstrating a simple, low-cost method to empower citizen scientists and enhance environmental education.
Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes, Environmental sciences
Due to its unique climate and geography, Taiwan experiences abundant rainfall but still faces significant water scarcity. As a result, rainwater harvesting systems (RWHSs) have been recognized as potential water resources within both water legal and green building policies. However, the effects of climate change—manifested in more frequent extreme rainfall events and uneven rainfall distribution—have heightened the risks of both droughts and floods. This underscores the need to retrofit existing RWHSs to function as stormwater management tools and water supply sources. In Taiwan, the use of simple and cost-effective passive release systems is particularly suitable for such retrofits. Four key considerations are central to designing passive release RWHSs: the type of discharge outlet, the size of the outlet, the location of the outlet, and the system’s operational strategy. This study analyzes three commonly used outlet types—namely, the orifice, short stub fitting, and drainage pipe. Their respective discharge flow formulas and design charts have been developed and compared. To determine the appropriate outlet size, design storms with 2-, 5-, and 10-year return periods in the Taipei area were utilized to examine three different representative buildings. Selected combinations of outlet diameters and five different outlet locations were assessed. Additionally, probably hazardous rainfall events between 2014 and 2023 were used to verify the results obtained from the design storm analysis. Based on these analyses, the short stub fitting outlet type with a 15 mm outlet diameter was selected and verified. For determining the suitable discharge outlet location, a three-step process is recommended. First, the average annual water supply reliability for different scenarios and outlet locations in each representative building is calculated. Using this information, the maximum allowable decline in water supply reliability and the corresponding outlet location can be identified for each scenario. Second, break-even points between average annual water supply and regulated stormwater release curves, as well as the corresponding outlet locations, are identified. Finally, incremental analyses of average annual water supply and regulated stormwater release curves are conducted to determine the suitable outlet location for each scenario and representative building. For the representative detached house (DH), scenario 2, which designates 50% of the tank’s volume as detention space (i.e., the discharge outlet located halfway up the tank), and scenario 3, which designates 75% (i.e., the discharge outlet at one-quarter of the tank height), are the most suitable options. For the four-story building (FSB), the outlet located at one-quarter of the tank’s height is suitable for both scenarios 2 and 3. For the eight-story building (ESB), scenario 2, with the outlet at one-quarter of the tank’s height, and scenario 3, with the outlet at the lowest point on the tank’s side, are preferred. The framework developed in this study provides drainage designers with a systematic method for determining the key parameters in passive-release RWHS design at the household scale.
ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop an approach for country-scale domestic grey water footprint (GWFdomestic) accounting and examine spatio-temporal differences using statistical methods. In this scope, the GWFdomestic was calculated as the amount of water required to reduce the total nitrogen concentrations of domestic wastewater released into receiving media from 81 cities in Türkiye. GWFdomestic values were estimated based on the data on wastewater amount and applied wastewater treatment process. GWFdomestic was calculated by dividing the pollutant load of discharged water by the critical concentration in the surface water. The empirical results showed that (a) the produced wastewater amount increased up to 125 m3/year in some cities. (b) GWFdomestic values showed a difference between 330 and 1,900 depending on the level of treatment, and the average value was about 750 m3/ca.year. (c) A total of 81 cities were grouped under four categories, and applied water treatment technology was the main characteristic of this classification. (f) GWFdomestic has not statistically significantly changed over time in a large part of the country. It can be concluded that country-scale GWFdomestic accounting can assist water managers in developing prevention measures by analyzing spatio-temporal differences in the water footprint of domestic discharges.
Gary P. Yoho, Jacqueline Fusco, Tyler Klashinsky
et al.
ATCO Gas & Pipelines plans to deliver 100% gaseous hydrogen to a residential dwelling in Alberta using a temporary supply trailer in 2024. This document introduces a quantitative risk assessment methodology designed for this specific application. The assessment systematically evaluates potential threats arising from equipment failure, improper operational procedures, vandalism, and adverse weather conditions. Additionally, it presents a thorough analysis of the consequences ensuing from the release of hydrogen, both in the presence and absence of ignition. This residence, to be used as a show-home, will utilize pure hydrogen for space and water heating purposes and will serve as a proof-of-concept demonstration to the public, regulators, and industry that hydrogen for residential heating is a viable decarbonization option especially in the extreme cold temperatures experienced in Alberta. Although the equipment employed for this endeavor is conventional for natural gas operations, it’s pure hydrogen application and installation site deviate from the norm. Additionally, threats linked to hydrogen storage have traditionally been confined to industrial settings, where exposure concerns differ. The primary focus of this paper pertains to the vulnerabilities to which the trailer is exposed and the subsequent risk it imposes upon the surrounding residential development. Numerous companies in the natural gas industry are currently investigating the potential of hydrogen as an alternative or supplemental fuel for domestic heating and cooking. They are examining the feasibility of blending hydrogen up to 20% with natural gas, as well as the application of 100% pure hydrogen. To facilitate a smooth and safe transition from natural gas to hydrogen, it is key to thoroughly understand the risks associated with delivering hydrogen to residential areas, homes, and surrounding communities. Conducting detailed quantitative risk assessments is an important step in this process, as it helps to identify and mitigate potential hazards linked to the use of hydrogen in these settings. This comprehensive approach ensures that the adoption of hydrogen as a residential fuel is both safe and efficient.
The management and reuse of domestic waste water, which refers to wastewater generated from non-toilet domestic activities, are becoming increasingly important in the context of water resource management. A well-organized waste water management system offers a valuable tool for addressing water scarcity concerns while simultaneously reducing pollution entering the hydrological cycle. The primary objective of such systems is to treat domestic waste water and utilize it in applications that do not necessitate drinking water quality. Examples of non-potable reuse applications include industrial processes, irrigation, toilet flushing, and laundry washing, depending on the treatment technologies employed. This thesis focuses on the development of a laboratory-scale domestic waste water treatment system and examines the water flow within the system. The overall aim is to construct the system and evaluate its efficiency in removing impurities from domestic waste water using herbal filters. The thesis encompasses a comprehensive description of the setup process and the subsequent testing of the domestic waste water treatment system. The present study investigates the effectiveness of herbal filters in eliminating impurities from greywater. The results demonstrate that the herbal filter proves to be highly efficient in removing impurities, thereby improving the quality of treated waste water. By implementing such a treatment system, the potential for reusing waste water in various non-potable applications is significantly enhanced. In conclusion, this thesis provides a thorough account of the construction and evaluation of a laboratory-scale domestic waste water treatment system. The focus on utilizing herbal filters highlights their efficacy in removing impurities from domestic waste water. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of waste water management, offering valuable insights for the development of larger-scale domestic waste water treatment systems aimed at addressing water scarcity and minimizing pollution in the hydrological cycle. Domestic waste water management and reuse have gained significant importance in water resource management due to their potential to address water scarcity and reduce pollution in the hydrological cycle. Domestic waste water, which consists of wastewater from non-toilet domestic activities, can be effectively treated and utilized in various non-potable applications such as industrial processes, irrigation, toilet flushing, and laundry washing. This thesis focuses on the development of a open field waste water treatment system and investigates the efficiency of herbal filters in removing impurities from domestic waste water. The objective is to construct the system and test the water flow within it. The study aims to provide insights into the impurity removal and effectiveness of herbal filters in enhancing the quality of treated domestic waste water. Water is an essential resource for life, and its distribution varies across locations. To meet our daily needs and various purposes like washing, cooking, and cultivation, we rely on different water sources and collection methods such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater and surface water collection, and springs. However, the water we utilize eventually becomes wastewater, which can contain pollutants due to its ability to dissolve various substances. Therefore, it is crucial to clean wastewater before its discharge to ensure a sustainable supply of clean water for the future use. Waste water management plays a crucial role in addressing water scarcity, ensuring water quality, and mitigating environmental degradation. By properly treating and reusing domestic waste water, pollution of freshwater resources can be minimized. Domestic waste water, excluding toilet wastewater, contains fewer contaminants, making it suitable for recycling. The thesis aims to describe the process of building a open field domestic waste water treatment system to contribute to the understanding and implementation of effective domestic waste water management practices. Water scarcity, poor water quality, and water-related disasters pose significant challenges for current and future water resources. Domestic waste water management offers a promising solution by reducing pollution in freshwater resources through the reuse of treated domestic water. This approach not only minimizes environmental impacts but also improves the overall water quality. Domestic waste water, originating from various sources such as baths, showers, hand basins, washing machines, dishwashers, laundries, and kitchen sinks, contains microorganisms, oil spills and chemical contaminants that need to be effectively addressed through appropriate treatment methods. The principles of domestic waste water management revolve around the efficient use of water by minimizing waste and exploring alternative water sources. Reusing treated domestic waste water for non-potable applications ensures sustainable water use, reduces freshwater consumption, decreases wastewater production, and ultimately leads to cost savings on water bills. Even in areas with abundant water resources, water recycling through domestic waste water management remains crucial for achieving sustainable living practices. In the literature review, Lucy Allen, a research associate at the Pacific Institute's Water Program, is mentioned. Her research interests encompass water quality, drinking water regulation, and the interconnectedness of water, energy, and climate change. With her background in conservation and resource studies, she has contributed to research projects on soil organic carbon cycling and the impact of earthworm invasion on soil organic carbon turnover and stability. KEYWORDS: Domestic waste water management, Water scarcity, Impurity removal, non-potable reuse, Herbal filters (Salvinia molesta, Ocimum Sanctum, Withania somnifera, Cattail, In additional with pubbles and sands).
Abstract The study examined the feasibility of co-culturing high-value microalgae sp. (Chlorella vulgaris (C.), and Scenedesmus (S.)) with filamentous microalgae sp. (Tribonema (T.) and Lyngbya (L.)) to remediate dairy wastewater (DW) and enhance biomass production and harvesting. The results showed that biomass productivity increased by 12‒174% compared to monocultures, and the best consortium was S:T. This consortium achieved the highest biomass productivity of 84.25 mg L−1 d−1 while removing 86.7% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), >88.7% of NO3 −-N and >98.5% of PO4 3–-P. The study also tested the effect of harvesting time on the accumulation of biochemical components and found the optimal harvesting times of day 9 and day 11 to achieve maximum carbohydrate and lipid productivity, respectively. Additionally, the microalgae consortium S:T achieved a high biomass recovery of 78.5%, compared to 32.4% obtained for S. alone, highlighting its potential for efficient DW remediation and resource recovery.
Samira Mirshafee, Hossein Ansari, Kamran Davary
et al.
Abstract The numerical modeling of the land surface can make up for the insufficient station data in terms of number, dispersion, and temporal continuity. In this research, to evaluate the Noah-MP land surface model, the water balance components were estimated in the Neyshaboor watershed in the monthly time step during 2000–2009. Model input data were obtained from the global land data assimilation system version 1 (GLDAS-1), and the SWAT (soil and water assessment tool, a semi-distributed for small watershed to river basin-scale model) model output was used for the evaluation of the Noah-MP model. In this study, the ability of the Noah-MP model in simulating vegetation dynamically was studied. The precipitation was corrected before running the model for a more reliable evaluation. The time between 2000 and 2001 was considered a spin-up period and 2002–2009 for calibration and validation. The model has the best simulation in the mountainous areas; the runoff simulated by the Noah-MP model is in good agreement with the modeled runoff by SWAT in these areas. (R 2 = 0.78, NSE = 0.62, RMSE = 1.98 m3/s). The R2 for simulated soil moisture for soil layers (0–10, 10–40 cm) was 0.62 and 0.57, and RMSE was 0.059 (m3/m3) and 0.052 (m3/m3), respectively, in Motamedieh field. The annual amount of evapotranspiration estimated by the two models is comparable to the average annual evapotranspiration in the watershed (about 300 mm). Based on the results from the research, the model has well simulated: the runoff in the mountainous areas, the moisture in the upper layer of the soil, and the average annual evapotranspiration in the study area.
Abstract The proportion of Indian households with access to a toilet has grown considerably over the past decade. Many of these toilets rely on on-site containment, either in the form of a septic tank or soak pit. If the waste from these containers is not removed using some type of mechanized method, it can overflow into drains before flowing into treatment facilities or being discharged into water bodies. Therefore, drains are a critical part of the sanitation chain. What remains unknown, however, is what types of drains are available to households in India. Understanding this is critical given that people are at a greater risk of ingesting contaminated water and making dermal contact with pathogens if waste flows in open drains. For the first time, India’s National Family Health Survey from 2019–2021 contains data on the type of drainage available to households. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to estimate the prevalence of households relying on no drainage, open drainage, drains to soak pits, and closed drainage. We also estimate these prevalence values for each of India’s 720 districts and by urban/rural communities to understand the geographic clustering of drainage types throughout India. Overall, we found that the most common drainage type was open drains (37.5% | 95% CI: 37.3–37.6), followed by closed drains (33.9% | 95% CI: 33.7–34.0). The household prevalence of open drainage was above 42% in more than half of India’s 720 districts. Similarly, the household prevalence of closed drainage was below 24% in more than half of India’s 720 districts. We also found that open drains were more common in rural communities, while closed drains were more common in urban communities. We also found a socioeconomic gradient in terms of drainage types, with those lower on the socioeconomic spectrum more likely to have open drains or no drainage. Our results underscore the need to both geographically and socioeconomically target interventions that ensure households have access to adequate drainage. Doing so is vital to remove contamination from the environment as a means of preventing morbidity.
Water is a primary resource for the presence of life on earth, and access to clean water is critical for humans and the ecosystem. Only 1% of the world's water supply is used to meet all of humanity's needs, i.e., agricultural, domestic, industrial, municipal, and residential. During the last decades, water quality has been negatively influenced by a continuously increasing population, rapid industrialization, increasing urbanization, and careless utilization of natural resources [1]. Heavy metals, organic matter, pharmaceutical and personal care products, pesticides, radionuclides, plastics, nanoparticles and pathogens are among the pollutants of major concern [2]. Nearly 2.2 billion people globally lack reliable access to safely managed drinking water [3]. Approximately 40% of the lakes and rivers of the planet have been polluted by heavy metals [4]. For example, around 140 million people in 50 countries regularly drink water that contains arsenic with concentrations higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) reference value of 10 μg/L [5]. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all as Goal 6. The sources of these pollutants can be natural and anthropogenic. Heavy metals, such as Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg, and As, tend to bio-accumulate, which is their overtime increase of concentration in living organisms. Even at very low concentrations they can induce multiple organ damage affecting lungs, kidneys, liver, prostate, esophagus, stomach and skin, and can also cause neurodegenerative disorders and diseases. Natural sources include the interactions with metal containing rocks, normally present in the environment, and volcanic eruptions [6]. The contribution of volcanoes can occur due to large but sporadic emissions, explosive volcanic activity, or continuous low emissions, including geothermal activity and degassing [7]. Anthropogenic sources include those associated with industrial, agricultural and domestic activities [8]. Mining also produces large amounts of heavy metals that are released by mineral extraction and transported through rivers and streams [9]. More than 80 percent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal. For developing countries, one of the main limitations is a low economic capacity to develop and apply remediation technologies [10]. Anthropogenic activities, urbanization, and industrialization represent key factors in increasing the concentration of these pollutants, particularly in recent decades. It should be taken into account that micro-pollutants are not found in water resources individually. Therefore, this mixture can cause synergistic effects, making it more difficult their detection, quantification, and removal [11]. The need to analyze and manage water quality and supply to sustain human activities and ecosystems is widespread. Monitoring the aquatic environment and applying efficient methods for its protection is impossible without employing adequate chemical analytical methods. The technique to be selected for this purpose should be cost-effective, environmentally friendly, selective, and sensitive enough to detect traces with good precision [12]. The portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) equipment has relatively high detection limits [13], although it has a great advantage, which is the non-destructive analysis of liquid and solid samples [14]. Electrochemical techniques, such as the potentiometric, amperometric, voltammetric, coulometric, impedance, and electro-chemiluminescence methods, have their advantages because of their simplicity, low cost and speed. In addition, their derivations of these techniques have produced linear sweep anode (LSASV), square wave anode sweep (SWASV), differential pulse anode sweep (DPASV), cyclic cathodic sweep (CSV), cyclic (CV) voltammetry, and chrono-potentiometry (CP) * Hirofumi Tazoe tazoe@hirosaki-u.ac.jp
Purpose: Access to clean and potable water supply is the priority of many nations including the government of Nigeria towards socio-economic emancipation of the people. Due to increasing population expansion and water pollution, shortage of freshwater has become very common to many nations, particularly to the developing countries. To overcome the growing freshwater shortage, desalination has been proven to be the best alternative option towards freshwater provision for domestic and industrial applications. Desalination could be either thermal or electric methods which include multi-stage flash distillation (MSFD), multiple-effect distillation (MED), reverse osmosis (RO), or solar desalination. The innovation of solar still technology in recovery of fresh water from saline waters makes solar desalination simple and economical. A survey of socio-economic importance of solar energy desalination of saline lake waters at Uburu and Okposi communities, Ebonyi State, South eastern, Nigeria was conducted. Methodology: A survey research design was adopted for the study in order to address an age long tradition of fuel wood utilization in salt processing activity by the local women folk of Uburu and Okposi communities using saline water from the local lakes. Results: The survey showed that about 1,200 women were involved in the salt production activity utilizing about 26,000 tons of fuel wood per year. Translating this into monetary terms amounts to about US$$1.5 million per year. Socio-economic lives of people in the communities were negatively affected because fuel wood utilization in salt production adversely results to deforestation, environmental pollution and high cost of fuel wood in the communities. The quality and quantity (output) of salt recovering process were not commiserating to time, energy and monetary input in the process. It was observed that the distillate (freshwater portion) of the salt recovery from the saline water was not considered as an important component of the salt extraction process. This is because the salt producers were only interested on the salt extract as the only useful output of the extraction process. Recovery of freshwater component of the process could be an additional valuable income if considered. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: For sustainable salt production and freshwater recovery from the process solar desalination method was recommended for salt processing in the communities. The incorporation of solar desalination system into the age long traditional known method of salt processing will enhance salt production and boast socio-economic activities in the communities. A study of this kind is likely to help solve a major problem of acute water shortage in some communities whose water bodies are salty. The study could be a useful tool for policy makers in making rational policy that would improve and enhance salt and fresh water production as an enterprise.
The purpose of the research is to analyze the water availability and geo ecological situation in the catchments of the rivers in Klinsky district in Moscow region. The characteristic of aquifers used for domestic drinking water supply is carried out and the dynamics of groundwater intake in recent years is analyzed. It was revealed that the main reason for the decrease in water intake is an increase in the efficiency of water supply network up to 0.8…0.89 as a result of repair and reconstruction. In the dynamics of changes in the structure of water consumption, the following trends have been identified: water losses reduction as a result of reconstruction and modernization of water supply networks; water consumers increase due to economic development of the district; total water consumption decrease due to the reduction of water losses and the introduction of advanced water use technologies. The main consumer of water resources is the population (45, 48%, respectively), the second main water consumer is industrial enterprises (40…43%). The influence of the depression funnel around the Northern VZU on the water supply in the Klin district with groundwater which is about 83% of the total water intake, is taken into account. The main causes of groundwater pollution have been identified.
Water is one of the most valuable and essential natural resources for sustenance of life on earth and for any developmental activity. Water resources, being exploited from time to time, may become short of supply or may not be easily available at any site. Surface water is commonly present with different degrees of availability and distribution of the earth. There has been an increase in surface water management and utilization for agriculture, domestic, industry and rural supply schemes for the development of nations. Increasing consumption of water resources due to anthropogenic influences on urban, industrial and agricultural needs and erratic precipitation due to metrological changes greatly degrade water sources. In this study, Water Quality Index (WQI) of Jharipani waterfall, Mussoorie was analyzed with the ten physicochemical parameters such as alkalinity, calcium, chloride, electrical conductivity, magnesium, nitrate, pH, sulfate, total dissolved solid and total hardness to know the suitability for drinking purpose during pre and post monsoon seasons of the year 2022. The value of calcium and total dissolved solid which exceeded the permissible limit during pre-monsoon seasons but average during post monsoon season. The calculated Water Quality Index values are 83.371 during pre-monsoon season and 74.599 during post monsoon season. This water quality rating study clearly shows that, the status of the water body is not suitable for drinking. According to Standard Rating of Water Quality, it is very poor in pre monsoon season and poor in post monsoon season and not healthy for drinking purpose.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are fundamental human rights, of critical importance to health, education, wellbeing, and economic prosperity. To fulfil these human rights and drive progress towards universal and sustainable access to WASH services, government service-level monitoring processes and data use are vital for effective decision-making and accountability. Despite increasing sector efforts to improve WASH data access, there is limited evidence of this translating into effective data use to inform effective planning for equitable access and budgeting and of the factors affecting this. Four case studies where WaterAid has worked with national government and sector stakeholders to strengthen WASH monitoring processes in Uganda, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and Myanmar were analysed through an analytical framework to understand the impact of different factors and related system-strengthening activities towards outcomes of increased data coordination, timely and relevant data availability and data use to inform decision-making in WASH service delivery. The analysis highlighted that strengthening activities aiming at improving indicators, data collection and analysis, and the type of data collection and visualisation technology have a direct impact on improving WASH sector coordination and timely data availability. However, to ensure strengthening activities support data use for decision-making, they need to be developed from within and adapt to the on-going wider political economy systems evolution, including formal processes such as decentralisation and evolving informal political drivers. HIGHLIGHTS
Analysis of factors leading to improvements to WASH data availability and data use.;
Indicators, data analysis, data needs mapping, ICT, sector coordination platforms are strategic entry points for strengthening country-led monitoring system.;
Approach to strengthening WASH monitoring requires recognition of the wider WASH system and political economy.;
River, lake, and water-supply engineering (General), Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Abstract Groundwater (GW) is an important source of freshwater in arid and semiarid areas. Some important industrial activities, such as coal mining, also consume GW. There have been few studies evaluating GW quality in the Selian coal mining area of Inner Mongolia. This study aimed to identify the hydrochemical phases and the sources of main ions in the GW of the Selian coal mining area. Water quality analysis was performed on 20 shallow GW samples collected from the study area. Statistical correlation analysis was performed on these water quality data. The quality of irrigation water was evaluated based on water quality indices such as the sodium absorption rate and sodium percentage. The risk of nitrate pollution in the study area to human health was evaluated by GW nitrate content. The results show that the dominant GW chemistry types in the study area are the mixed and Ca–HCO3 types. Correlation analysis indicates that rock weathering and leaching are the main natural drivers of GW hydrochemistry in this area. The irrigation risk analysis shows that GW in this area can be used for irrigation, although some caution is needed. The human health risk assessment shows that GW nitrate pollution poses more risk to children than to adults by a factor of 1.168. It is recommended that centralized treatment of drinking water is the optimal approach to managing this risk. The results of this study can act as a reference for the rational use of GW and for control of nitrate pollution in this area.
Seyyed Ahmadreza Shahangian, Massoud Tabesh, Masoud Yazdanpanah
et al.
Encouraging households to adopt residential water conservation behaviors, as an efficient strategy for sustainable water supply, has caught the attention of water demand management. However, the success of such policies depends on the voluntary acceptance of these measures by urban households. Considering the important role of psychology in explaining human behavior, the present research explored the key socio-psychological factors underlying the household adoption of WCBs and how these behaviors can be explained by expanding the theory of planned behavior via adding the habit variable to the TPB’s main model. In the current study, which focuses solely on water curtailment behaviors (behavioral conservation), 343 Isfahan citizens participated. In this regard, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire, as a research instrument, and the structural equation modeling method was also applied for data analysis. The results revealed that, by adding the habit variable to the TPB's main model, the extended model can predict 75% and 51% in the variance of intention to adopt water curtailment behaviors and water curtailment behaviors, respectively. Based on the findings, the attitude and perceived behavioral control variables had a significant positive relationship with intention, whereby attitude had the most predictive power of intention to adopt water curtailment behaviors. Moreover, the habit and intention variables were significantly and positively related to water curtailment behaviors, of which habit was the most important determinant of behavior. However, subjective norm had no significant relationship with intention, and perceived behavioral control was not significantly related to behavior. Finally, policymakers are advised to develop and implement awareness-raising and education campaigns aimed at (1) creating positive attitude toward WCBs among urban households, (2) increasing their self-efficacy and self-confidence in performing these actions, and (3) improving and/or changing their water conservation habits in order to improve WCBs among urban households.
Technology, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes