Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:04:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lea Marina Silva.pdf: 9837499 bytes, checksum: d2a3d5ef17c6b5b733efab787b6d3ed7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-22 / This work studies the demand for unsafe drinking water and the development of a system for reuse of greywater for social interest housing (SIH). The study presents a characterization of the profile of water consumption in a community of SIH the Jabaeté Residential in Vila Velha (ES). Investigates what water conservation actions best apply in everyday community in question, analyzing the reuse compared to the other interventions evaluated and finally, proposes some possible configurations of reuse systems in this community, through architectural design, as preliminary studies. These studies indicated an average consumption of water in SIH studied of 79 l.p-1d-1 and other indexes relating to the demand for potable water in every household activity (the most representative is the laundry, responsible for approximately 41% for total consumption). The methodology was based on questionnaires and monitoring of water consumption by reading water meters. By applying a method of decision support Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) it was determined the advantage of practices such as the use of dual discharge and segregating urine basin on the reuse of greywater. Furthermore projectual studies were performed of two types of configurations reuse systems: the decentralized and semi decentralized system, for which it was budgeted deployment costs. Observed economic advantage from adopting the semi decentralized, whose implementation can be up to 112% cheaper than the decentralized system / Este trabalho estuda a demanda de água não potável e o desenvolvimento de um sistema de reúso de águas cinza para Habitações de Interesse Social (HIS). Para tanto, realiza a caracterização do perfil de consumo de água em uma comunidade formada por HIS o Residencial Jabaeté, em Vila Velha (ES); investiga quais ações de conservação de água melhor se aplicam no cotidiano da comunidade em questão, analisando o reúso frente às demais ações avaliadas; e, por fim, propõe algumas configurações possíveis de sistemas de reúso nessa comunidade por meio de projeto arquitetônico, no nível de estudo preliminar. Tais estudos apontaram um consumo médio de água nas HIS estudadas de 79 l/hab. dia e demais índices relativos à demanda de água potável em cada atividade doméstica (a mais representativa é a lavagem de roupas, responsável por aproximadamente 41% do consumo total). A metodologia utilizada foi aplicação de questionários e monitoramento do consumo de água pela leitura de hidrômetros. Através da aplicação de um método de suporte à decisão o Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), determinou-se a vantagem de práticas como uso de descarga dual e bacia segregadora de urina sobre a prática do reúso de água cinza. Além disso, foram realizados estudos projetuais de dois tipos de configurações de sistemas de reúso: o sistema descentralizado e o sistema semi-descentralizado, para os quais foram orçados os custos de implantação. Observou-se a vantagem econômica da adoção do sistema semi-descentralizado, cuja implantação pode ser até 112% mais barata que o sistema descentralizado

O reúso de água é um instrumento importante que contribui para a redução da pressão sobre os mananciais e para redução do consumo de água potável para fins que não requeiram água de padrão potável. Neste contexto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo principal analisar um sistema de coleta e tratamento de águas cinzas provenientes de pias de banheiro, chuveiros e máquina de lavar roupas tendo em vista o reúso não-potável em edificações. Os objetivos específicos foram: caracterizar qualitativamente e quantitativamente as frações de águas cinzas; operar e monitorar um sistema de tratamento de águas cinzas sintéticas em escala piloto e analisar o efluente após tratamento. A partir de uma edificação existente no campus da EACH/USP, adaptou-se a estrutura hidráulica de forma a permitir a segregação e coleta desta fração de águas residuárias para caracterização e tratamento. A instalação de hidrômetros nas tubulações de alimentação dos pontos de uso (máquina de lavar, chuveiros e lavatórios) possibilitou analisar a produção de águas cinzas individualizada. Para o tratamento em escala piloto, adotou-se um biorreator de leito móvel com biofilme (MBBR) seguido por decantador. A avaliação do sistema de tratamento foi realizada com base no monitoramento periódico dos parâmetros físico-químicos durante o período de operação do sistema. Com base nos resultados obtidos, dentre as três frações de águas cinzas, a do chuveiro foi a que apresentou maior concentração de E.coli, enquanto que a maior concentração de coliformes totais foi na água cinza de lavatórios. As eficiências de remoção de DBO e DQO foram de 59 por cento e 70 por cento respectivamente. Houve baixa remoção de fósforo e não houve remoção de Nitrogênio Total durante o tratamento. / Water reuse is an important tool that can contribute to the reduction of the pressures from human activities on water resources and to reduce the demand for potable water for purposes that do not require high quality water. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate a greywater collection and treatment system from lavatories, showers and washing machine aiming the non-potable reuse in buildings. The specific objectives were: to characterize in terms of quality and quantity the greywater from each source, to monitor a pilot system for synthetic greywater treatment and to analyze the quality of the effluent after treatment. In an existing building in the University of Sao Paulo campus, the wastewater collection drains were modified to allow the segregated wastewater collection and the greywater characterization and treatment. To evaluate the greywater generation three water flow meters were installed in water inlet of each greywater source (washing machine, showers and lavatories). The greywater treatment included a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and a settling tank at pilot scale. The evaluation of greywater treatment was conducted based on the periodic monitoring of several physicochemical water quality parameters during the operation of the experimental system. Based on the results, amongst the three greywater sources, the greywater from showers had the highest E. coli count while the lavatories greywater had the highest total coliforms count. The removal efficiencies of BOD and COD were 59 per cent e 70 per cent respectively. In addition there was low removal of phosphorus and there was not Total Nitrogen Removal during the treatment.

Water is critical for food production, food security, and health. Water quality management influences freshwater sustainability, land, and energy administration. Global agriculture accounts for more than 70% of all water consumption; the fertilizer, manure, and pesticide overspills are chief sources of water pollution worldwide. On a global scale, food-related waste directly impacts local food production and water resource management. The purpose of this multiple-case study on the food and beverage (FB) industry in the State of Georgia was to identify successful strategies for improving water management efficiency. The concepts of systems thinking, adaptive resource management, and integrated water resource management provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected via personal interviews with 2 global supply chain leaders in the FB industry and 1 water expert in the public water utility system in Georgia. The findings showed 10 themes: sustainability; mission-driven culture; ethical responsibility; water quality and governance; food safety and sanitation; water conservation and climatic trends; waste management; nutrition and the freeze drying method; knowledge sharing and collaboration; and water detention and retention systems. The study results are intended to contribute to social change by providing information to global supply chain leaders, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and sustainability leaders to implement sustainability beyond the environmental value; these findings will also help achieve a positive posture on resource overconsumption and waste management for efficient and complex decision making within a worldwide spectrum.

In response to drought and regional growth in the arid western United States, urban water demand management is increasingly important. Single family residences use approximately 60% of their water consumption to irrigate landscapes often in excess of plant water requirements. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to investigate outdoor water consumption and assess the effectiveness of a landscape water check conservation program. Study objectives included describing a contextualized landscape system to reveal variables influencing water use, identifying better ways to evaluate landscape water use, and more effectively targeting and delivering water conservation programs. The study was conducted during the 2004 and 2005 irrigation seasons in Logan City, Utah, in connection with a city-sponsored water check program. In Utah's sixth year of drought, free water checks were offered to all city households and delivered to 148 self-selected volunteers (2004) and 101 recruits from a target sample of above-average water users (2005). The site-specific approach incorporated landscape water checks to inspect residential landscapes, historical ETo data to create irrigation water schedules, survey data to assess water conservation behavior and the effectiveness of a water check program as a conservation tool, remote sensing data to develop household water budgets, and city water billing records to evaluate water consumption during a six-year period (2002 - 2007). The data analysis informed creation of a conceptual framework of the residential landscape system that describes the complex systems thinking required to use water effectively. Water use case studies illustrate the interplay of system domains; site, plant material, irrigation technology, and behavior. Several assessment and monitoring tools were developed to aid in data analysis, which include the Urban Landscape Water Index and Conservation Outcomes Assessment and Intervention Evaluation Tools. Key research findings reveal the influence of sprinkler system controllers, adoption of recommended water schedule and conservation measures, and residential mobility on subsequent water use. Research findings shed light on the complex and contextualized nature of water use in relation to residential landscapes and on methodological issues involved in evaluating conservation program effectiveness. These findings have important implications for the design and implementation of outdoor water conservation programs.

Infiltration, the process of water movement through the soil surface is one of most important hydrological processes to be considered in watershed management. The process depends on rainfall, soil, vegetation and topographic conditions. The last three variables can be influenced by human land-uses. This study is concerned with the influence of landuse types (categories) on infiltration at the upper Ciliwung watershed of West-Java, Indonesia. Sixty six infiltration measurements were carried out in 5 types of land-uses i.e. natural forest, agriculture, settlement, productive (old) tea and new tea plantation areas. The measurements were done using ring infiltrometers. The data obtained were expressed in the form of Philip's equation I = st1I2 + At, where I is cumulative infiltration; S is sorptivity; t is time; A is a parameter which was calculated from saturated hydraulic conductivity (K). Crown cover, slope gradient and soil variables such as soil moisture, organic carbon content, total porosity, bulk density were also analysed from each of the 66 sites. The results of the study shows that land-use types have significant influence on these soil variables and on infiltration. Crown cover and human activities in term of land management are among the most important factors which affect soil condition. These variables mostly influence total porosity of soil which is the most important variable to determine sorptivity and hydraulic conductivity. High percentage of crown cover and less human activity in forest area result in high accumulation of litter and humus and high total porosity of soil. On the other hand, settlement and new tea plantation areas have comparatively low crown cover and more frequent human activity which result in soil compaction. Discriminant function analysis of land-use categories shows that the soil under forest is very distinct from the soils under other land-use types. However, the soils under the remaining land-use types are more similar to each other, especially between the soil of settlement and tea plantations. The rank of infiltration rate from the highest to the lowest magnitude is as follows; natural forest, agriculture, productive tea plantation, new tea plantation and settlement areas. Infiltration rates under natural forest and agriculture are significantly different from each other as well as from those in the last three land- use types. However, there are no significant differences in infiltration rates among the last three land-use types. The result of this study also provides basic information for landuse management and further research in order to solve soil and water conservation and management problems in the watershed.

Hotels constitute one of the main, and still expanding, pillars of the tourism sector and are highly unique among other commercial buildings. Resource intensive and frequently inefficient systems and operational routines applied in the sector, result in considerable environmental impact and indicate an urgent need for more environmentally sound practices and products in the hotel industry. A certain level of activity in the area of reducing resource use has been observed for quite some time but the motivation for this was related to cost-benefit issues rather than the environment. Furthermore, most of the initiatives are still considered to be best practice case studies and not daily routines. The constantly increasing prices of basic commodities, such as energy resources and water, encourage the implementation of energy and water efficiency and conservation measures in hotel facilities. To this end, numerous guidelines and initiatives have been produced by hotel-related organisations. The study of attitudes among 610 European hoteliers indicated that, at the moment, the level of environmental awareness among hotel managers is not high enough to introduce significant changes, although attitudes differ depending on the country of origin and the corporate policy. The prospects of significant cost savings, as well as customer demand were identified as the most likely parameters to enhance environmental responsibility among hoteliers. The popularity of CSR reporting and sustainability indices, especially among the larger companies, leads the author to believe that the industry is preparing to change. Many of the companies running hotels are also reporting their environmental management goals and indicators of environmental performance, while benchmarking and all types of comparison league tables are gaining popularity. There is, however, no system or methodology of data collection and monitoring that is universally accepted or applicable throughout the hotel sector. Furthermore, the accuracy and validity of the published performance indicators and benchmarks is widely debated due to large variations in the figures reported. The analyses performed on data from over 180 upscale and mid-market European chain hotels (Hilton International and Scandic) indicated that even among relatively uniform (service-wise) hotels the amenities offered did influence consumption, further complicating the concept and applicability of uniform benchmarking and resource consumption modelling. It was thus concluded that, creating a uniform model for all hotels is almost impossible, or would require a significant amount of very detailed input data, and that the results could still be highly inaccurate. Instead, it was suggested that it might actually be more accurate to develop models for individual hotels. Such an approach would allow for the modelling of the behaviour of all types of hotels with no size, type of services or standard limitations. Multi-variate step-wise regression analyses performed on individual Scandic hotels in Sweden indicated that energy consumption was dependent on the outdoor air temperature/actual heating degree days, while water consumption was mainly influenced by the number of guest-nights sold. Experience gained by the author during the process of the Hilton Environmental Reporting system upgrade allowed for the formulation of a set of rules of thumb that ought to be followed in the design of similar schemes. The experience of various regions and numerous companies also suggests that well designed and implemented environmental and resource management programs bring significant benefits at an individual as well as a corporate level. This study provides an indication of the strategies that can be used by various stakeholders in the process of development and implementation of such programs. This research further suggests that future developments in environmental performance indicators and benchmarking may best be served by disaggregating hotels into modules (such as guest-rooms, catering outlets, conference centres) and developing consumption models and best practice indicators for these particular components. The individual efficiencies/performance indicators should then be combined and weighted to provide a just overall evaluation of a facility that could then be compared to a benchmark (developed in the same manner). In a similar manner, sustainability assessment schemes and indicators for destinations and communities could be developed. However, more accurate and differentiated knowledge of the individual performance of sub-systems is necessary to proceed with such an alternative. In addition, the methodologies for data collection and reporting procedures, at all levels of the company and sector, need to be standardized and detailed / QC 20100818

This Minor Field Study was carried out during November and December in 2011 in the Mount Elgon District in Western Kenya. The objective was to examine nine small-scale farming household´s land use and socioeconomic situation when they have joined a non-governmental organization (NGO) project, which specifically targets small-scale farming households to improve land use system and socioeconomic situation by the extension of soil and water conservation measures. The survey has worked along three integral examinations methods which are mapping and processing data using GIS, semi structured interviews and literature studies.   This study has adopted a theoretical approach referred to as political ecology, in which landesque capital is a central concept. The result shows that all farmers, except one, have issues with land degradation. However, the extent of the problem and also implemented sustainable soil and water conservation measures were diverse among the farmers. The main causes of this can both be linked to how the farmers themselves utilized their farmland and how impacts from the climate change have modified the terms of the farmers working conditions. These factors have consequently resulted in impacts on the informants’ socioeconomic conditions. Furthermore it was also registered that social and economic elements, in some cases, were the causes of how the farmers manage their farmland. The farmer who had no significant problem with soil erosion had invested in trees and opportunities to irrigate the farmland. In addition, it was also recorded that certain farmers had invested in particular soil and water conservation measures without any significant result. This was probably due to the time span these land measures cover before they start to generate revenue.  The outcome of this study has traced how global, national and local elements exist in a context when it comes to the conditions of the farmers´ land use and their socioeconomic situation. The farmers atMt.Elgon are thereby a component of a wider context when they are both contributory to their socioeconomic situation, mainly due to their land management, and also exposed to core-periphery relationships on which the farmers themselves have no influence.

From the Proceedings of the 1971 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 22-23, 1971, Tempe, Arizona / The exploitation of southwestern rivers is discussed in the context of American intrusion, acquisition and development of Arizona. The first Americans in the region were beaver trappers who quickly decimated the Sonoran beaver but otherwise wrought little environmental impact. Immediately following the acquisition of the region by the U.S. after the Mexican war, gold miners descended upon it from California. They quickly scarred hills and streams, diverting water for placers, building piles of ugly rubble and logging off entire forests. The large numbers of people and towns that followed created a need for more home grown food products and large storage dams were soon built. When these washed out the stored floodwaters did more sharp, tragic damage downstream than even the seasonal floods of the past. The common municipal practice of dumping raw sewage into waterways soon brought water pollution. Following the national reclamation act of 1902, large dams were soon built on major waterways and the multiple use projects came into existence. Today, even the Indians, in their quest for economic betterment are destroying natural waters. They have learned a major lesson from the whites---the rivers they used only for basic needs a century ago, may be more profitable if overused without regard for tomorrow.

This report examines water supply planning issues in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio is unique among large cities in the United States in that it relies almost exclusively on a single source, the Edwards Aquifer, for its water supply. Because San Antonio’s water demand is projected to outgrow the Aquifer’s capacity, the city must consider other options to extend and augment its current water supply. After describing the hydrogeology and water supply history of San Antonio, this report explains the multitiered water planning structure and current and future water needs for the city. It then studies and evaluates three short-to-mid term water supply options. By continuing to develop its already successful water conservation programs and water reclamation system, San Antonio can delay the need for more costly and environmentally impactful water supply options down the road, and wisely manage the resources it already draws from. / text

The construction of large dams has become a contentious issue throughout the world. Environmentalists, human rights activists, NGOs, academics and local communities have all contributed to the debate. On the one hand, proponents have highlighted the role of dams in alleviating poverty, improving the quality of life of communities, and their positive impact on local and national economies. Opponents of large dams have argued that the negative impacts on the environment and local communities outweigh any perceived benefits. Methods for assessing the environmental impact of large projects have been used since the 1970's. By 1988 most of Europe had adopted methods such as environmental impact assessment for evaluating the impact of proposed projects. These procedures aim to inform decision makers and authorities of the potential impact that a proposed project may have. World financial institutions, such as the World Bank, have also adopted the use of these assessment methods as part of their evaluation of projects that are seeking funding. This research establishes the environmental standards and requirements that were in place internationally, nationally and regionally, during the planning, design and implementation of Phase 1A and Phase 1B of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The products of the environmental investigations during successive phases of the project (1986-1999) are assessed to establish whether the parties involved conform to these standards. In addition, the research highlights affected communities' experience of the project implementation, as well as the impact of the project on their lives. The research suggests that in the early phases of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (feasibility and Phase 1A), studies failed to meet environmental assessment standards and requirements, Studies undertaken during Phase 1B represent a considerable improvement and conform more closely to World Bank standards. Although the participation of interested and affected parties has improved, there still appear to be areas of major concern to affected communities. The study highlights the need for greater transparency during the assessment phase of projects, and in particular, more effective involvement of the local communities. Future environmental assessments of this nature are likely to be subject to more stringent requirements including the systematic assessment and quantification of downstream impacts and the incorporation of the costs of all impacts in the project costs. Further phases of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, will therefore need to demonstrate environmental sustainability in the long term. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.