There is a strong interest in rainwater harvesting (RWH) solutions as the global demand for water increases and water sources face contamination and depletion. Despite the extensive research conducted on the impact of RWH on watersheds, there is significant research to be completed to determine the relationship between the collection tank volume, roof size, and water demand satisfied by the RWH system. This thesis aims to further the understanding of the behaviour of RWH systems through a quantitative assessment of the water provided by these systems. Calculating the reliability of RWH systems in various Canadian regions allows for an evaluation of the capacity of RWH in meeting various residential water needs in Canada’s diverse climates. The results are obtained through hourly continuous simulation to provide the most accurate results and are presented in a user-friendly format through simple equations and graphs. RWH modeling through analytical equations do not require long-term historical data and are easier to use than conducting computer-aided continuous simulations. A better understating of the analytical equations’ application is developed through a comparison between the analytical and continuous simulations methods. The comparison is held for different regions within Canada, and the analysis confirms a lack of accuracy for the analytical method in some climatic conditions. Daily continuous simulations conduced for Ugandan and Canadian regions provide a perspective on the feasibility of RWH systems to meet the human right to drinking water in the two countries. A comparison of the reliability of RWH tanks in Ugandan and Canadian regions is conducted to provide insight into the impact of rainfall patterns on the reliability of RWH systems. The evaluation of RWH performance in the RRM context in Canada and Uganda is aimed to address the lack of adequate water sources in rural, remote, and otherwise marginalized (RRM) communities globally. Examining the most accurate and appropriate modeling tools and assessing the actual yield of RWH systems provides information critical to water-sensitive communities and provides a foundation for future research to further explore the most effective application of RWH in urban and water-sensitive communities. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The objective of this study is to develop guidelines for the analysis of storm water retention ponds in Central Florida. Development of a combined seepage analysis considering both unsaturated and saturated groundwater flow incorporation into a systematic approach for storm water retention pond design will result in safer and more economical storm water management practices. The research was conducted in four phases: 1) A literature review. 2) A review of mathematical and empirical analysis of transient – unsaturated/saturated groundwater flow. 3) Construction and testing of a downscaled storm water pond model. 4) Incorporation of full scale percolation pond test data from ponds constructed and tested in Central Florida. The literature review was undertaken to research mathematical and empirical equations for both unsaturated and saturated groundwater seepage to be incorporated into the modelling and development of final system analysis. The review was concentrated on seepage studies conducted in subsoil conditions similar to those in Central Florida. It was found in the early review of literature that separate studies and modelling for unsaturated and saturated seepage are widespread and relatively well documented. However, documentation of combined groundwater seepage model, since the majority of storm water retention ponds in Central Florida experience both seepage condition (unsaturated/saturated) during the design storm event. Inspection of operational seepage ponds and interviews with regulatory agencies and consulting firms in Central Florida indicated that successful design of storm water retention ponds greatly depends on the accurate definition of the subsoil conditions and the seepage characteristics during a specific design storm event. Interviews with those responsible for pond design revealed that there is currently no widespread accepted design method, and most of the designs are based on mostly local experience. Also, history indicates that even though the unsteady seepage analysis is a complex phenomenon, there is usually very little money I the budget for its analysis and design. However, due to continuous increase of property values and the need to optimize pond sizing, the trend of under budgeting for seepage bond design is reversing. Application of the research results will yield a more accurate analysis which accounts for unsaturated and saturated seepage for sizing of storm water retention ponds in Central Florida. The analytical solutions developed from this research are a combination of acceptable mathematical and empirical groundwater seepage equations or dimensionless graphs modified for the purpose of storm water retention pond analysis.

Stormwater detention systems as they are frequently designed do not provide good water quality control of stormwater runoff. A filtration media to be used in conjunction with detention ponds to improve their pollutant removal efficiencies was tested at the University of Central Florida and found to be effective. The filtration media, which consisted of a mixture of sand and alum sludge, substantially improved effluent water quality. Average reductions of over 80 % were observed in concentrations of dissolved orthophosphorus, total orthophosphorus and total phosphorus. Reductions were also experienced in iron, aluminum, copper and zinc concentrations. A prototype filtration model is presently being tested on the Lake Eola watershed in Orlando, Florida. A stormwater management and design aid computer program originally written by Tim Curran (Curran 1980) to calculate stormwater hydrographs and retention volumes, and updated by the author to also calculate detention volumes will incorporate results from the prototype study.

The operation and maintenance of highways contributes a variety of pollutants to surface and subsurface waters. Solids, heavy metals, nutrients, oil and grease, pesticides and bacteria can all be associated with highway runoff. Although the full extent of the effect of all of these runoff constituents upon the quality of surrounding waters is not well defined, this study will mainly concentrate on nutrient contaminants (essentially nitrogen). The last decade has seen increasing efforts in research and development to abate contaminant discharges from highway runoff using a number of treatment facilities such as retention/detention basins, swales and wetland systems. An evaluation of the effectiveness of these systems in removing nitrogen by physical, chemical and biological uptake is the aim of this research endeavor. This information could prove invaluable in an overall assessment of the effectiveness of highway runoff treatment systems.

M.S.

This study analyzed data that had been previously collected by the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory under the National Urban Runoff Program, to obtain an understanding of the degree of treatment of stormwater runoff obtainable in retention (maintains a water pool) and detention (drains completely) basins. Three basins were studied, two retention and one detention, and a total of 191 storm events were monitored using automatic sampling equipment. The samples were analyzed by the laboratory for COD, all nitrogen forms, all phosphorus forms, total suspended solids, and heavy metals (iron, manganese, etc.). It was concluded that detention and retention ponds achieve substantial reduction in the pollutant loads carried by stormwater runoff from residential areas. Non-soluble settleable materials were removed to a comparable degree by both basin types. However, the pool of water characteristic of a retention basin offered a superior environment for the removal of soluble pollutant forms, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. The treatment obtainable in detention and retention basins make them effective devices for the abatement of urban runoff pollution. Through the mechanisms of solids settling and microbial degradation, a basin can treat polluted runoff to a considerable extent and reduce damage to receiving bodies of water. / M.S.