The tunicate Styela plicata (Ascidiacea) was investigated for its potential use in bioremediation of bacteria and microalgae blooms from estuarine waters. Salinity tolerances, filtration rate, substrate selection, and effects on digested bacteria and ichthyofaunal communities were examined. If acclimated slowly, Styela can be placed in salinities as low as 24 parts per thousand (ppt) before increased fatalities result. An immediate decrease in salinity from 32 ppt to 20 ppt was not detrimental at short term exposure (four days). One average-sized (~40g) Styela, exposed to 105 and 106 bacteria or microalgae mL-1, can filter as much as 4.7 L hr-1 and 3.3 L hr-1, respectively. Individual tunicate filtration rates varied from hour to hour, independent of organism size, indicating that filtration rates for this species would be better reported on a population basis rather than on an individual weight or size basis. Bacterial viability in tunicate feces was assessed by ATP analysis. Bacteria were found to be non-viable after passage through the tunicate digestive tract. Filtration of eggs or larvae of recreationally or commercially important fish is of concern. The smallest eggs (~0.6mm) reported in the Indian River Lagoon belong to Cynoscion nebulosus (spotted seatrout) and Bairdiella chrysoura (silver perch). Over the course of two hours, 72.5% of 0.5 mm glass beads (simulated fish eggs) were initially retained, but many were later expelled by the tunicates. For 1.0 mm beads, 49.4% were initially retained and for 2.0 mm beads, 43.5% were initially retained. Neither the size of the oral siphon nor the size of the overall animal was correlated to bead retention. Substrate selection was investigated using the tunicate Phallusia nigra. / Newly hatched larvae preferred settling on wood (53.7%), as compared to polyethylene (30.9%), high-density polyethylene (13.0%), and polyvinyl chloride (2.4%). Overall, results of this study indicate S. plicata is very effective at removing bacteria and microalgae from estuarine waters. However, further testing is warranted regarding the unwanted removal of fish eggs and larvae before utilization of S. plicata for bioremedial purposes. / by Lisa Denham Draughon. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

劇烈的城市化過程已經在世界上多個地區發生並產生了許多的城市群，珠江三角洲正是這樣的一個城市群。目前，珠江三角洲上的城市土地利用和土地覆蓋已經發生了巨大的變化。而其中最重要的一個結果就是大量城市不透水層的出現，並已經極大地影響著當地的城市環境，如城市洪水、城市氣候、水污染和大氣污染等。因此，城市不透水層及其分佈的估算對於監測和管理城市化進程及其對環境的影響有著重要的意義。然而，由於城市土地覆蓋類型的多樣性，精確的城市不透水層的估算（ISE）仍然是一個極具挑戰性的課題。本論文旨在通過融合光學遙感和合成孔徑雷達（SAR）遙感技術來提高亞熱帶濕潤區城市不透水層估算的精度。此外，論文還將探索亞熱帶濕潤區土地覆蓋類型分類的季節性變化及其對城市不透水層提取的影響。本論文的研究結果主要包括以下幾個部分。 / 首先，本研究發現亞熱帶濕潤區不透水層提取的季節性效應與中緯度地區截然不同。在亞熱帶濕潤地區，冬季是最適合用遙感影像進行不透水層提取的。原因是由於冬季是旱季，雲量少，許多可變來源區域（VSA）沒有水體覆蓋，而在遙感影像中，水體容易和暗不透水層混淆。另一方面，秋季最不適合不透水層提取，因為存在大量的雲層，並且，大量的降水導致VSA區域充滿水，從而增加了與暗不透水層混淆的區域面積。此外，大量的雲層在影像中也是呈現高反射特徵的，因此極容易和亮不透水層混淆，這是秋季不適合用於提取不透水層的另一重要原因。 / 其次，提出了一種新的基於形狀自我調整鄰域（SAN）的特徵提取演算法。該特徵提取演算法類比人類視覺對圖像感知的強大能力，進行遙感影像低層特徵的提取。實驗結果表明，SAN特徵提取方法對非監督分類有顯著的提高，其中總體分類精度從0.58提高到0.86，而Kappa係數從0.45提高到0.80。SAN特徵對於監督分類的精度也有一定的提高，這些都表明，與傳統的特徵提取方法相比，SAN特徵對遙感影像分類具有重要的作用。 / 再次，通過對比分析光學遙感影像和SAR影像發現，單獨採用光學遙感影像進行不透水層提取比單獨採用SAR影像取得更好的結果。同時，單獨採用光學遙感（Landsat ETM+）時，支援向量機（SVM）比人工神經網路（ANN）取得更好的結果，這是因為ANN對於亮不透水層與幹裸土之間，以及暗不透水層與陰影之間的光譜混淆更加敏感。然而，當單獨採用SAR遙感（ENVISAT ASAR）時，ANN則取得更好的結果，這是由於SVM分析SAR影像時更容易產生雜訊，並具有明顯的邊緣效應。因此，融合光學遙感和SAR遙感具有重要的意義。通過比較不同圖像融合層次發現，像元級融合（Pixel Level Fusion）會降低單獨採用光學遙感提取不透水層的精度，因而不適合光學和SAR影像的融合。而特徵級融合（Feature Level）決策級融合（Decision Level）可以更好的把不透水層從陰影區域和裸土中區分出來，因為更加適合光學與SAR的融合。 / 最後，三組不同的光學遙感和SAR遙感影像被用於評估本論文提出的光學和SAR融合方法，包括Landsat ETM+與ASAR影像，SPOT-5與ASAR影像，以及SPOT-5與TerraSAR-X影像。此外，還比較了不同的融合方法（人工神經網路、支援向量機和隨機森林）對融合結果的影響。結果表明，用光學和SAR遙感影像融合提取不透水層有利於減少在光學遙感影像中容易出現的光譜混淆現象，從而提高不透水層提取的精度。另外，隨機森林在融合光學和SAR影像中效果較其它兩種方法，因為隨機森林對兩種不同的資料來源區別對待，而這正是符合光學遙感與SAR遙感截然不同的工作方式的特點，從而能更好的融合光學遙感和SAR遙感。 / 本論文的研究成果有助於探索亞熱帶濕潤區中物候特點和氣候特點對城市不透水層提取所產生的季節性效應；同時也為融合光學遙感和SAR遙感影像提取城市不透水層提供了一個技術框架。由於珠江三角洲是一個亞熱帶濕潤區一個典型的快速城市化的城市群區域，本文所提出的方法框架和所得到研究結論可為世界上其它亞熱帶濕潤區的城市遙感研究提供一定的參考價值。 / Dramatic urbanization processes have happened in many regions and thus created a number of metropolises in the world. The Pearl River Delta (PRD) is one of such typical areas, where the urban land use/land cover has been significantly changing in the recent past. As one of the most important implications, a large increment of impervious surface (IS) turned out to be one of the features of fast urbanization process and has been influencing the urban environment significantly, including urban flooding, urban climate, water pollutions, and air pollutions. Therefore, the estimation of IS would be very helpful to monitor and manage the urbanization process and its impacts on the environment. However, accurate estimation of urban IS remains challenging due to the diversity of land covers. This dissertation attempts to fuse optical and SAR remote sensing data to improve the accuracy of urban impervious surface estimation (ISE) in humid subtropical regions (HSR). The seasonal characteristics of land covers and its impacts on ISE in HSR are all investigated. Some interesting findings are summarized as follows. / Firstly, the study demonstrates quite a special pattern of the seasonal effects of ISE in humid subtropical areas that is different from that in mid-latitude areas. According to the results, in subtropical monsoon regions, winter is the best season to estimate IS from satellite images. There are little clouds, and most of the Variable Source Areas (VSA) is not filled with water. On the other hand, autumn images obtained the lowest accuracy of IS due to the clouds coverage and the water in VSA. Autumn is a rainy season in a subtropical monsoon region, for which clouds occur very often and VSA areas are always filled with water. Consequently, clouds are confused with bright IS due to their similarly high reflectance, and more water in VSA is confused with dark IS due to their similarly low reflectance. / Secondly, a novel feature extraction technique, based on the shape-adaptive neighborhood (SAN), is proposed to incorporate the advantages of human vision into the process of remote sensing images. Quantitative results showed that improvement of SAN features is particularly significant improvement for the unsupervised classifier, for which the overall accuracy increased from 0.58 to 0.86, and the Kappa coefficient increased from 0.45 to 0.80, indicating promising applications of SAN features in the unsupervised processing of remote sensing images. / Thirdly, a comparison study of ISE between optical and SAR image demonstrates that single optical image provides better results than using single SAR image. In addition, results indicate that support vector machine (SVM) is a better choice for ISE using Landsat ETM+ (optical) images, while artificial neural network (ANN) turns out to be more sensitive to the confusion between dry soils and bright IS, and between shades and dark IS. However, ANN gets a better result using ASAR (SAR) image with higher accuracy, while the SVM classifier produces more noises and has some edge effects. Considering both the merits and demerits of optical and SAR images, synergistically fusing the two data sources should be a promising solution. Comparison of three different levels of fusion shows that pixel level fusion seems not appropriate for optical-SAR fusion, as it reduces the accuracy compared to the single use of optical data. Meanwhile, feature level fusion and decision level fusion obtained better accuracy, since they improves the identification of IS from shaded areas and bare soils. / Fourthly, a methodological framework of fusing the optical and SAR images is proposed. Three different data sets are used to assess the effectiveness of this methodological framework, including the Landsat TM and ASAR images, the SPOT-5 and ASAR images, and the SPOT-5 and TerraSAR-X images. In addition, different methods (e.g. ANN, SVM and Random Forest) are employed and compared to fusion the two data sources at a mixed level fusion of pixel and feature levels. Experimental results showed that the combined use of optical and SAR image is able to effectively improve the accuracy of ISE by reducing the spectral confusions that happen easily in optical images. Moreover, Random Forest (RF) demonstrated a promising performance for fusing optical and SAR images as it treats the two data sources differently through a random selection procedure of variables from different data sources. / The major outcome of this research provides evidence of the seasonal effects on IS assessment due to phenological and climatic characteristics, as well as provides an applicable framework of methodology for the synergistic use of optical and SAR images to improve the ISE. Since the PRD region is highly typical of many fast growing areas, the methodology and conclusions of this research would serve as a useful reference for other subtropical, humid regions of the world. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Zhang, Hongsheng. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-185). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / 論文摘要 --- p.vii / Table of Contents --- p.xi / List of Abbreviations --- p.xv / List of Tables --- p.xvii / List of Figures --- p.xviii / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Research background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research questions and hypotheses --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives and significance --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organization of the thesis --- p.7 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- Significance of Impervious Surface --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Environmental significance --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Socio-economic significance --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- Climatology and Phenology in HSR --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Characteristics of the climate and phenology --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Seasonal effects from Climatology and Phenology --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Land-cover complexity in rapid urbanized region --- p.21 / Chapter 2.5 --- Approaches of ISE --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Sub-pixel approaches --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Per-pixel approaches --- p.23 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Synergistic use of optical and SAR data for ISE --- p.27 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.28 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- STUDY AREA AND DATA SETS --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1 --- Study area --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Site A: Guangzhou --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Site B: Shenzhen --- p.33 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Site C: Hong Kong --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2 --- Satellite data --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Landsat ETM+ --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- SPOT-5 --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- ENVISAT ASAR --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- TerraSAR-X --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3 --- Digital Orthophoto data --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4 --- In-situ data --- p.39 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.40 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- METHODOLOGY --- p.43 / Chapter 4.1 --- Framework --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2 --- Per-pixel modeling of ISE --- p.45 / Chapter 4.3 --- Investigation of the seasonal effects --- p.46 / Chapter 4.4 --- Feature extraction --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Conventional approach --- p.48 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Novel approach based on shape-adaptive neighborhood --- p.48 / Chapter 4.4.2.1 --- The concept of shape-adaptive neighborhood --- p.49 / Chapter 4.4.2.2 --- The determination of a shape-adaptive neighborhood --- p.51 / Chapter 4.4.2.3 --- Extracting spatial features --- p.54 / Chapter 4.5 --- Fusing the optical and SAR data --- p.58 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Multi-source image co-registration --- p.60 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Compare the single use of optical and SAR image --- p.61 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Compare different levels of fusion --- p.62 / Chapter 4.5.4 --- Fusion with supervised classifiers --- p.65 / Chapter 4.5.4.1 --- Artificial neural network --- p.66 / Chapter 4.5.4.2 --- Support vector machine --- p.68 / Chapter 4.5.4.3 --- Random Forest --- p.71 / Chapter 4.6 --- Results validation and accuracy assessment --- p.75 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Training and testing data sampling --- p.75 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Accuracy assessment --- p.76 / Chapter 4.7 --- Summary --- p.77 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (I) - ASSESSMENT OF SAN FEATURES --- p.79 / Chapter 5.1. --- Analysis of threshold to determine the SAN --- p.79 / Chapter 5.2. --- Feature extraction from SAN --- p.80 / Chapter 5.3. --- Assessment of the SAN features with classification --- p.82 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Training samples and classification --- p.82 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Testing samples and accuracy --- p.84 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Assess the effectiveness of the SAN based features --- p.85 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.87 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (II) - SEASONAL EFFECTS OF ISE --- p.89 / Chapter 6.1 --- Seasonal effects of ISE --- p.89 / Chapter 6.2 --- Analyzing the seasonal changes of typical targets --- p.92 / Chapter 6.3 --- Comparing the seasonal sensitivity of methods --- p.96 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary --- p.97 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (III) - URBAN LAND COVER DIVERSITY --- p.101 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.101 / Chapter 7.2 --- Urban LC classification Using RF --- p.102 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Optimization of RF --- p.102 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Land covers classification with optimized RF --- p.104 / Chapter 7.2.3 --- Compare RF with other decision tree-based methods --- p.107 / Chapter 7.3 --- Summary --- p.108 / Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (IV) - FUSING OPTICAL&SAR DATA --- p.111 / Chapter 8.1 --- Introduction --- p.111 / Chapter 8.2 --- Comparison of ISE with single optical and SAR data --- p.111 / Chapter 8.2.1 --- ISE with ETM+ data --- p.112 / Chapter 8.2.1.1 --- Mapping the IS --- p.112 / Chapter 8.2.1.2 --- Effects of the parameter configurations of the methods --- p.114 / Chapter 8.2.2 --- ISE with ASAR data --- p.115 / Chapter 8.2.2.1 --- Mapping the IS --- p.115 / Chapter 8.2.2.2 --- Effects of the parameter configurations of the methods --- p.117 / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Comparisons over the data and methods --- p.119 / Chapter 8.2.4 --- Discussion and implications --- p.121 / Chapter 8.3 --- Comparison of different levels of fusion method --- p.122 / Chapter 8.3.1 --- Fusion strategies at different levels --- p.122 / Chapter 8.3.2 --- Results of feature extractions --- p.124 / Chapter 8.3.3 --- Fusion results on different levels --- p.126 / Chapter 8.3.4 --- Comparisons --- p.128 / Chapter 8.3.5 --- Discussion and implications --- p.129 / Chapter 8.4 --- Synergizing optical and SAR data with RF --- p.130 / Chapter 8.4.1 --- Feature extraction from ASAR data --- p.130 / Chapter 8.4.2 --- Determine the optimal number of features in each decision tree --- p.132 / Chapter 8.4.3 --- Determine the optimal numbers of decision trees in the RF --- p.134 / Chapter 8.4.4 --- ISE with optimized RF --- p.135 / Chapter 8.4.5 --- Discussion and implications --- p.140 / Chapter 8.5 --- A comprehensive study: ISE using SPOT-5 and TerraSAR-X data --- p.142 / Chapter 8.5.1 --- Data set and experiment design --- p.142 / Chapter 8.5.2 --- Feature extraction of SPOT-5 data --- p.145 / Chapter 8.5.3 --- Feature extraction of TerraSAR-X data --- p.148 / Chapter 8.5.4 --- LULC classification with optimized models --- p.149 / Chapter 8.5.5 --- ISE with optimized models --- p.152 / Chapter 8.5.6 --- Discussion and implications --- p.155 / Chapter 8.6 --- Summary --- p.156 / Chapter CHAPTER 9 --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.159 / Chapter 9.1 --- Findings and conclusions --- p.159 / Chapter 9.1.1 --- Seasonal effects of ISE in HSR --- p.159 / Chapter 9.1.2 --- Feature extraction methods --- p.160 / Chapter 9.1.3 --- Comparison between optical and SAR data --- p.161 / Chapter 9.1.4 --- Fusion level and fusion methods --- p.162 / Chapter 9.2 --- Recommendations for future research --- p.163 / Chapter 9.2.1 --- Feature extraction --- p.163 / Chapter 9.2.2 --- Study areas selection and design --- p.163 / Chapter 9.2.3 --- Validation with in-situ data --- p.164 / Chapter 9.2.4 --- Fusion level and strategy --- p.164 / Chapter 9.2.5 --- Fusion methods --- p.165 / References --- p.169 / Chapter Appendix I --- Codes for Determining Shape-adaptive Neighborhood --- p.186 / Chapter Appendix II --- Publication list related to this thesis research --- p.188

Background: Access to safe water and sanitation are universal need and basic human right, but the provision of quality water and improved sanitation remains a challenge in many African countries including Ethiopia. Objectives: The study investigated drinking water quality, sanitation-hygiene practices and the potential of Moringa stenopetala seed powder for the purification of water in Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 randomly selected households in Robe and Ginnir Towns. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured questionnaires from June 2012 to August 2013. An observation checklist was used to observe the sanitary condition of water sources. A total of 71 water samples were collected using sterile glass bottles in accordance with the standard method of American Public Health Association APHA. The physicochemical and bacteriological water quality analyses were done in Addis Ababa Environmental protection and Oromia water and Energy laboratories. The efficiency of Moringa stenopetala seed powder for removal of turbidity, hardness, and nitrate was evaluated. Data were analyzed SPSS Version 21.0 for the window. Descriptive analysis was done for appropriate variables. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with under-five diarrhea. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratio and P-value of < 0.05 was used to declare significance association. Results: From the total sample, 401 respondents participated making a response rate of 95%. More than one third (37.9%) of the respondents were found to use pipe water. Two hundred and eighty (69.8%) of households wash storage containers before refilling and 325 (81%) of households were using separate containers for water storage. Two hundred seventy (67.3%) of the households had pit latrine. Prevalence of childhood diarrhea was found to be 50.1%. From the logistic regression model, those households having access to clean water source are 68% less likely to have under-five diarrhea, the households having clean storage of drinking water are 45% less likely to have under-five diarrhea in their home, and those households having poor latrine sanitation are 68% more likely to have under-five diarrhea in their home. Seed powder of 200mg/l Moringa stenopetala reduced the Nitrate concentration doses from 5.49mg/l to 8.18mg/l, a 75mg/l was reduced the turbidity from 4.49NTU to 1.07 NTU. A total hardness of 427 was reduced by 7.8% after treatment with powder seed of Moringa stenopetala. Conclusion: Prevalence of childhood diarrhea was high and it is associated with lack of access to a clean water source, poor sanitation of drinking water storage and latrine. Prevalence of open field defecation was remarkably high. The iron content of drinking water was above the range of World Health Organization standards. Moringa stenopetala seed powder has efficiency in the reduction of total and faecal coliform, turbidity, hardness and nitrate level in drinking water Recommendation: Health education on water handling, sanitation and low-cost effective water treatment methods like Using Moringa stenopetala seed should be practiced at the household level. / Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Science)

The paradigm shift in water quality management of South African water resources was based on current international trends. This significant move was from a previous emphasis on source management to a focus on finding a balance between water resource protection and water use. The current approach requires that water quality and quantity should be maintained for sustainable functioning of both the natural aquatic environment and socioeconomic development. This approach has placed the assessment of water quality status as a key decision tool in water quality management. Various assessment tools have been utilized to quantify the quality of South African water resources. In this study we assessed the compatibility of some of the methodologies that have been used in the Department of Water Affairs to determine and report on the water quality status of the resource. During the assessment the context and manner in which these methodologies can be utilized in water quality management were also addressed The Compliance Evaluation and Fitness for use categorization methodologies are both used to describe the water quality threshold of potential concern when dealing with the resource. Compliance Evaluation methodology uses a pass or fail assessment, while the Fitness for use categorization methodology uses a scaled approach allowing for the assessment of gradual change in the system. The out puts of these two methodologies, the Resource Water Quality Objectives and Fitness for use categories/ classes have both been used in the department as benchmarks to describe the current water quality status The assessment of the two methodologies indicated that there are similarities in the approaches and the principles behind the two processes. The observation of the results, however, indicated differences in the manner of presentation of the results, the interpretation of the outcome and in how water quality management measures that needs to be implemented are linked. Both methodologies are easy to apply when conducting water quality status assessments. However, the two methodologies are not sufficient on their own when making decisions on water quality management. It was concluded that although the compliance evaluation methodology can play a pivotal role when setting end of pipe standards, the process needs to consider the gradual changes of water quality in the river system in order to enable instigation of different water quality management measures at appropriate levels. Further it was recommended that with some modification the two approaches can be applied to assess water quality to support adequate water quality management decisions at various levels. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / Unrestricted

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa’s efforts to ensure safe drinking-water provision to all have resulted in an admirable reduction in the backlog in drinking-water provision since 1994. However, in the non-metro areas of South Africa poor drinking-water quality is common and, combined with inadequate sanitation, results in a significant and deleterious primary health impact. Given the South African government’s commitment to co-operative government and good governance, and a willingness to both mobilize government funds and to involve the private sector in addressing poor water services delivery by local government, it can be expected that a significant opportunity exists for a “service/product” combination that assists local, provincial and national government in both, (i), the progressive realization of suitable drinking-water quality via a consultative audit, and (ii), an environmental governance function to ensure that acute and chronic issues are timeously identified and resolved. Drinking-Water Quality Management (DWQM) procedures developed and operated by the government research organization, CSIR, have been shown to be effective in achieving (i) and (ii) above. However, CSIR is not the appropriate business environment from which to roll out a commercialized service. This study assesses the prospects of a start-up Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) to access and develop the DWQM market in South Africa. A thorough review of the role of governance in the delivery of water services in South Africa is provided, and it is confirmed that DWQM procedures can be expected to contribute towards improvement in drinking-water quality in non-metro South Africa and satisfy government’s requirement of demonstrated good governance (co-operative and regulatory governance) and co-operative government. A situational analysis of the internal (CSIR) and external business environment confirms that a win-win opportunity exists for entrepreneurs from within CSIR to “spin-out” the DWQM services, and thereby fulfill CSIR’s mandate of supporting SMME’s and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). A summary of considerations for a start-up SMME in South Africa emphasizes the importance of some key factors. A key factor for a SMME selling services to government is the satisfaction of BEE requirements. Additional key factors include the business marketing factors of customer relationship management, delivering value and ongoing evolvement of marketing strategy. A case study involving Stellenbosch Municipality is used to demonstrate the customer centric nature of DWQM, and the positive Value Impact delivered to the client. The above are used to critically consider a Business Action Plan (which has a focus on the first year of operation) and to identify amendments required for the future and separate preparation of a full Business Plan. The short term focused Business Action Plan (BAP) confirms that market forces and opportunities combine with the skills and the background of the start-up team to provide a positive prospect for the startup SMME. Conversion of the BAP to a fully fledged Business Plan will require the development of a full business strategy, and supportive marketing strategy, as the short term focus strategies are inadequate. Importantly, adjustments to the black equity holding should be brought in line with the requirements of the Broad-Based BEE Act. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se deurlopende pogings om veilige drinkwater te verskaf het gesorg vir ‘n benydenswaardige vermindering in die agterstand in verskaffing van drinkwater sedert 1994. In die nie-metropolitaanse areas van Suid-Afrika is swak drinkwater gehalte egter steeds algemeen en is verantwoordelik, saam met ontoereikende sanitêre infrastruktuur, vir beduidende en dodelike primêre gesondheidsrisikos. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering is toegewyd tot samewerking met die private sektor en die toepassing van goeie besigheidsbeginsels. Dit is ook gewillig om regeringsfondse beskikbaar te stel indien die betrokkenheid van die privaat sektor kan help om swak waterdienste lewering deur die regering aan te spreek. Daar kan dus verwag word dat ‘n daadwerklike geleentheid bestaan om ‘n “diens/produk” kombinasie daar te stel wat plaaslike, provinsiale en nasionale regering sal bystaan in beide die: (i), progressiewe verwesenliking van geskikte gehalte drinkwater deur middel van ‘n konsultatiewe oudit, en (ii), ‘n omgewings oorsig funksie om te verseker dat akute en kroniese probleme tydig geidentifiseer en opgelos word. Drinkwater Gehalte Bestuur (DWGB) prosedures ontwikkel en toegepas deur die regeringsnavorsingseenheid, die WNNR, is bewys as effektief in die bereiking van (i) en (ii) soos hierbo gemeld. Die WNNR is egter nie ‘n geskikte besigheids-omgewing vir die wyer kommersiële toepassing en verskaffing van sodanige dienste nie. Hierdie studie evalueer die vooruitsigte van Klein, Medium en Mikro Ondernemings (SMME) om die DWGB mark in Suid-Afrika te betree en te ontwikkel. ‘n Deeglike oorsig van die rol van etiese bestuur in die verskaffing van waterdienste in Suid-Afrika word gedoen. Daar word bevestig dat DWGB prosedures na verwagting sal bydra tot die verbetering van drinkwater gehalte in die nie-metropolitaanse Suid-Afrika, maar ook sal voldoen aan die regering se vereistes van daadwerklike en sigbare etiese bestuur (samewerkings en regulatoriese etiese bestuur) en samewerking van die regering en derde partye. ‘n Omgewingsondersoek van die interne (WNNR) en eksterne sake omgewing bevestig dat ‘n wen-wen geleentheid bestaan vir entrepreneurs binne die WNNR om DWGB dienste af te stig, en sodoende ook vir die WNNR om sy mandaat te vervul, by name die ondersteuning van SMME’s en Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging (SEB). ‘n Opsomming van die saaklike kwessies vir die stigting van ‘n SMME in Suid-Afrika lei tot die identifisering van ‘n aantal sleutel suksesfaktore se belangrikheid. ‘n Sleutel suksesfaktor vir ‘n SMME, wat dienste aan die regering verkoop, is die voldoening aan SEB vereistes. Verdere sleutel suksesfaktore sluit in die sake bemarkingsfaktor van kliënte verhoudingsbestuur, die lewering van waarde en die volgehoue evolusie van bemarkingstrategie. ‘n Gevallestudie waarin Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit betrokke was word gebruik om die kliënt-gesentreerde toepassing van DWGB te demonstreer, en die positiewe waarde wat aan die kliënt gelewer is, word uitgelig. Laastens word die bogenoemde gebruik om ‘n kritiese evaluering te doen van ‘n Besigheids Aksie Plan (met ‘n fokus op die eerste jaar se bedrywighede). Veranderinge wat vereis sou word vir die voorbereiding van ‘n toekomstige en afsonderlike volledige Besigheids Plan word geidentifiseer. Die korttermyn gefokusde Besigheids Aksie Plan (BAP) bevestig dat marktendense en geleenthede tesame met die vaardighede en agtergrond van die Kleinsake-span ‘n positiewe verwagting skep vir die voornemende kleinsake-bedryf. Die omskakeling van die BAP na ‘n volledige Besigheids Plan vereis ‘n volle Sakestrategie en ‘n ondersteunende Bemarkingsplan, aangesien die korttermyn gefokusde strategieë ontoereikend is. Verdere aanpassings tot die swart aandeelhouding moet gedoen word om te voldoen aan die vereistes van die breëbasis SEB-wetgewing.

Thesis (MEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The processes of monitoring, modelling and managing the water quality of a catchmerit system including all its unique complexities and interrelationships requires an innovative tool or set of tools to help water managers with their decision making. Numerous methods and tools have been developed to analyse and model the real world. However, many of these tools require a fair degree of technical expertise and training to operate correctly and their output may have to be translated or converted to meaningful information for decision-making using a further set of analytical and graphical display tools. A more appropriate technique for management would be to combine all these functions into a single system. The objective of this research was to develop one such tool, an integrated water quality information system (WQIS). A review of the literature revealed that there has been extensive research and development of tools for the management of individual aspects of water resource distribution, augmentation and quality. However, these tools have rarely been integrated into a comprehensive information system offering decision support to a wide variety of river users and managers. Many of the literature sources also noted that a process of interactive development and integration (i.e. including the intended users in the decision of which components to include, the interface design and the graphical display and output) was vital to ensuring the information system becomes an integral part of the users routine work and decision-making. The WQIS was developed using the recommendations from numerous knowledgeable persons in response to questionnaires, interviews and a prototype demonstration. It includes the results of hydrodynamic river and reservoir simulations and the ability to perform operational river scenario testing. However, the development process is continual and always evolving based on the current or local requirements of water managers. These further developments and research needs are discussed in more detail in the conclusion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proses om die waterkwaliteit van 'n opvanggebied, met al die unieke kompleksiteite en onderlinge verhoudings van so 'n stelsel te monitor, modelleer en bestuur, vereis 'n innoverende instrument om waterbestuurders te ondersteun in hul besluitnemings. Talle instrumente en metodes vir die ontleding en modellering van die werklikheid is reeds ontwikkel. Die gebruik van hierdie instrumente vereis gewoonlik 'n redelike mate van tegniese kundigheid en opleiding. Dit mag verder nodig wees om die uitvoer van sulke instrumente te vertaal en/of om te skakel na betekenisvolle inligting vir besluitneming deur die gebruik van bykomende analitiese en grafiese vertoon instrumente. 'n Meer toepaslike bestuurstegniek sou wees om al die funksies in 'n enkele stelsel te kombineer. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om een so 'n instrument, naamlik 'n geïntegreerde waterkwaliteit inligtingstelsel (WQIS), te ontwikkel. 'n Hersiening van bestaande literatuur het getoon dat daar omvattende navorsing en ontwikkeling van instrumente gedoen is vir die bestuur van individuele aspekte van waterbronverspreiding, waterbronaanvulling en waterkwaliteit. Integrasie van hierdie instrumente, in 'n uitgebreide stelsel wat besluitnemingsondersteuning aan 'n verskeidenheid riviergebruikers en bestuurders bied, kom egter selde voor. Verskeie literatuurbronne het ook aangedui dat 'n proses van interaktiewe ontwikkeling en integrasie (m.a.w. in agname van die voorgenome gebruikers se behoeftes in die kense van komponente, die gebruiker raakvlak ontwerp en grafiese vertoon instrumente en uitvoer) noodsaaklik is om te verseker dat die inigtingstelsel 'n integrale deel word van die gebruiker se daaglikse roetine en besluitnemingsproses. Die WQIS is ontwikkel deur gebruikmaking van die insette en aanbevelings van verskeie kenners in reaksie op vraelyste, onderhoude en 'n demonstrasie van 'n prototype. Dit sluit in die resultate van hidro-dinamiese rivier en dam simulasies en die vermoë om operasionele rivier scenario ontledings uit te voer. Die ontwikkeling is egter 'n deurlopende proses, gebaseer op huidige of plaaslike behoeftes van waterbestuurders. Hierdie verdere ontwikkelings- en navorsingsbehoeftes word meer breedvoerig in die gevolgtrekkings bespreek.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water Quality Models are mathematical representations of ecological systems and they play a major role in the planning and management of water resources and aquatic environments. Important decisions concerning capital investment and environmental consequences often rely on the results of Water Quality Models and it is therefore very important that decision makers are aware and understand the uncertainty associated with these models. The focus of this study was on the use of Monte Carlo Simulation for the quantification of prediction uncertainty associated with Water Quality Models. Two types of uncertainty exist: Epistemic Uncertainty and Aleatory Uncertainty. Epistemic uncertainty is a result of a lack of knowledge and aleatory uncertainty is due to the natural variability of an environmental system. It is very important to distinguish between these two types of uncertainty because the analysis of a model’s uncertainty depends on it. Three different configurations of Monte Carlo Simulation in the analysis of uncertainty were discussed and illustrated: Single Phase Monte Carlo Simulation (SPMCS), Two Phase Monte Carlo Simulation (TPMCS) and Parameter Monte Carlo Simulation (PMCS). Each configuration of Monte Carlo Simulation has its own objective in the analysis of a model’s uncertainty and depends on the distinction between the types of uncertainty. As an experiment, a hypothetical river was modelled using the Streeter-Phelps model and synthetic data was generated for the system. The generation of the synthetic data allowed for the experiment to be performed under controlled conditions. The modelling protocol followed in the experiment included two uncertainty analyses. All three types of Monte Carlo Simulations were used in these uncertainty analyses to quantify the model’s prediction uncertainty in fulfilment of their different objectives. The first uncertainty analysis, known as the preliminary uncertainty analysis, was performed to take stock of the model’s situation concerning uncertainty before any effort was made to reduce the model’s prediction uncertainty. The idea behind the preliminary uncertainty analysis was that it would help in further modelling decisions with regards to calibration and parameter estimation experiments. Parameter uncertainty was reduced by the calibration of the model. Once parameter uncertainty was reduced, the second uncertainty analysis, known as the confirmatory uncertainty analysis, was performed to confirm that the uncertainty associated with the model was indeed reduced. The two uncertainty analyses were conducted in exactly the same way. In conclusion to the experiment, it was illustrated how the quantification of the model’s prediction uncertainty aided in the calculation of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The Margin of Safety (MOS) included in the TMDL could be determined based on scientific information provided by the uncertainty analysis. The total MOS assigned to the TMDL was -35% of the mean load allocation for the point source. For the sake of simplicity load allocations from non-point sources were disregarded. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Watergehalte modelle is wiskundige voorstellings van ekologiese sisteme en speel ’n belangrike rol in die beplanning en bestuur van waterhulpbronne en wateromgewings. Belangrike besluite rakende finansiële beleggings en besluite rakende die omgewing maak dikwels staat op die resultate van watergehalte modelle. Dit is dus baie belangrik dat besluitnemers bewus is van die onsekerhede verbonde met die modelle en dit verstaan. Die fokus van hierdie studie het berus op die gebruik van die Monte Carlo Simulasie om die voorspellingsonsekerhede van watergehalte modelle te kwantifiseer. Twee tipes onsekerhede bestaan: Epistemologiese onsekerheid en toeval afhangende onsekerheid. Epistemologiese onsekerheid is die oorsaak van ‘n gebrek aan kennis terwyl toeval afhangende onsekerheid die natuurlike wisselvalligheid in ’n natuurlike omgewing behels. Dit is belangrik om te onderskei tussen hierdie twee tipes onsekerhede aangesien die analise van ’n model se onsekerheid hiervan afhang. Drie verskillende rangskikkings van Monte Carlo Simulasies in die analise van die onsekerhede word bespreek en geïllustreer: Enkel Fase Monte Carlo Simulasie (SPMCS), Dubbel Fase Monte Carlo Simulasie (TPMCS) en Parameter Monte Carlo Simulasie (PMCS). Elke rangskikking van Monte Carlo Simulasie het sy eie doelwit in die analise van ’n model se onsekerheid en hang af van die onderskeiding tussen die twee tipes onsekerhede. As eksperiment is ’n hipotetiese rivier gemodelleer deur gebruik te maak van die Streeter-Phelps teorie en sintetiese data is vir die rivier gegenereer. Die sintetiese data het gesorg dat die eksperiment onder beheerde toestande kon plaasvind. Die protokol in die eksperiment het twee onsekerheids analises ingesluit. Al drie die rangskikkings van die Monte Carlo Simulasie is gebruik in hierdie analises om die voorspellingsonsekerheid van die model te kwantifiseer en hul doelwitte te bereik. Die eerste analise, die voorlopige onsekerheidsanalise, is uitgevoer om die model se situasie met betrekking tot die onsekerheid op te som voor enige stappe geneem is om die model se voorspellings onsekerheid te probeer verminder. Die idee agter die voorlopige onsekerheidsanalise was dat dit sou help in verdere modelleringsbesluite ten opsigte van kalibrasie en die skatting van parameters. Onsekerhede binne die parameters is verminder deur die model te kalibreer, waarna die tweede onsekerheidsanalise uitgevoer is. Hierdie analise word die bevestigingsonsekerheidsanalise genoem en word uitgevoer met die doel om vas te stel of die onsekerheid geassosieer met die model wel verminder is. Die twee tipes analises word op presies dieselfde manier toegepas. In die afloop tot die eksperiment, is gewys hoe die resultate van ’n onsekerheidsanalise gebruik is in die berekening van ’n totale maksimum daaglikse belading (TMDL) vir die rivier. Die veiligheidgrens (MOS) ingesluit in die TMDL kon vasgestel word deur die gebruik van wetenskaplike kennis wat voorsien is deur die onsekerheidsanalise. Die MOS het bestaan uit -35% van die gemiddelde toegekende lading vir puntbelasting van besoedeling in die rivier. Om die eksperiment eenvoudig te hou is verspreide laste van besoedeling nie gemodelleer nie.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

AECI Bioproducts (Bioproducts) is part of an industrial complex located at Umbogintwini, approximately 26 km south of Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. This system was selected for water pinch investigation, as it is one of the major users of freshwater on the complex and hence discharges a related quantity of wastewater, amounting to approximately 400 ML per annum. Bioproducts is a manufacturer of l-lysine, which is an animal feed additive. Water stream flowrate and purity data, as well as operating cost information, were obtained from plant records at AECI Bioproducts. Limiting flowrate and purity conditions for the water-using operations were established from a mass balance over the entire system using the Linnhoff-March software, WaterTracker. Subject to the specified constraints and operating costs, the problem was to determine the design of the water-using subsystem. No treatment plants were included in the study, as none exist at the facility. Three scenarios were investigated, which examined the operating variability of one of the evaporators on the site (the AS evaporator), which produces a condensate source of variable purity. The operating cost target and network design for each scenario was determined using the Linnhoff-March software, WaterPinch. Alterations from current operating practice were identified and associated savings (water-using network operating cost and freshwater flowrate) were highlighted. A robust optimal design was identified, with a recycle, which was consistent for all scenarios investigated. The degree of reuse of the AS evaporator condensate source was determined to be dependent on the purity of the source. The limiting constraint was identified at the sea pipeline, for suspended solids (SS): a prohibitively low discharge concentration constraint was identified as posing the major obstacle for saving. The potential for saving was investigated by incrementing the SS concentration constraint and subsequently the free and saline ammonia (FSA) constraint and allowing for the broth effluent to be discharged via the sea pipeline (which was previously disallowed by an effluent exemption). Although relatively small savings were identified through process integration (from 0.61% to 1.56% of the water-using network operating cost), the analysis identified a potential saving of over 70% of the water-using network operating cost, with relaxation of the sea pipeline SS and FSA constraint. / Theses (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

<p>Enacted in 1998, the New South African Water Act has introduced a new approach to water resource management, founded on the principle of decentralization of the management of water resources to regional and local levels and the public participation. The approach has been captured in the new National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998), which allows the establishment of Catchment Management Agencies. The overall purpose of this study was to understand the trends of public participation in the establishment of Catchment Management Agencies in South Africa, by presenting the case of the Berg Catchment Management Agency.</p>