School of Applied Sciences (SAS) (2006-July 2014)
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Browsing School of Applied Sciences (SAS) (2006-July 2014) by Course name "Water Management"
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Item Open Access Drinking water quality and treatment practices in Pabal, India(Cranfield University, 2009-09) Mukadam, Aisha; Webster, JamesThe drought prone, rural village of Pabal is an example of improved access to water through a piped water system, however at times the villagers are also recipients of a poor water quality supply. Prevailing illnesses of diarrhoea and gastro-intestinal diseases, especially during the monsoons result in 40-50 % of villager‟s income being spent on medical bills. This research project provided by Engineers Without Borders – UK and EngINdia aims to form an investigative study into the current water quality and treatment methods in Pabal. This was achieved by analysing water samples using the DelAgua Water Testing Kit for microbial pathogens (faecal origins) at different points in their distribution system as well as carrying out a social survey through 22 questionnaires and a few target interviews. Results showed the reservoir water source to be highly contaminated but chlorination at the storage tank removed all traces of thermotolerant faecal coliforms. However all consumer points were also found to be contaminated as well as at the borehole hand-pump. Qualitative data collected through observations, sanitary surveys and the questionnaires provided possible reasons for contamination. The pipeline is in disrepair through lack of maintenance, pollutants and effluence (human and animal) are leached into groundwater and pipe supplies, as there are also no drainage or refuse systems in the village. Most villagers are aware and practice basic health, sanitation and water treatment however some only treat once they fall ill. Water treatment is essential in Pabal at all times and should be implemented at a cost-effective household level. The villager‟s health may be safe guarded by utilising traditional methods such as cloth filtering, copper pot storage (anti-bacterial properties) in addition to chlorination. Further education and future water treatment designs based on biosand and UV filtering can be produced locally via the community involving educational centre Vigyan Ashram.Item Open Access An evaluation of the restoration programme for a cut over section of Wedholme Flow raised mire(Cranfield University, 2008-09) Lewis, Graham; Howden, Nicholas J. K.Wedholme Flow, Cumbria is the site of the largest lowland raised mire remaining in the UK. It forms part of a group of ombrotrophic mires known as the Solway mosses, situated in the north west of England. As with all remaining raised mires in the UK, Wedholme Flow has suffered some historical degradation largely caused by cutting of peat at the site’s periphery for fuel. More recently large sections of the mire surface have been commercially mined mainly for horticultural use. These include sections which have been cut over by hand leaving baulks or upstanding strips of unmolested peat between cuttings but also sections of the mire surface that have been strip mined or milled using machinery. Because of the complete loss of Sphagnum the sections of the mire surface that have been milled represent a particular challenge in terms of restoration. The reinstatement of the Sphagnum layer or acrotelm typical of raised mire sites is an important restoration objective. In order for Sphagnum to re-colonise a cut over mire site the water table must remain in close proximity to the surface of the peat throughout the year. The absence of an acrotelm however contributes to seasonal water table fluctuation by decreasing surface storage and allowing increased evaporation from the surface .On cutover mire sites primary restoration efforts centre on raising the water table sufficiently to facilitate Sphagnum re-colonisation and growth with a view to restoring a functioning acrotelm. This study provides a critical appraisal of a restoration programme that aims to raise water levels on a cutover section of Wedholme Flow in Cumbria. The restoration programme was undertaken by Natural England who own and manage the site. Since acquiring the cut-over section of the site bunds and peat plugs have been installed to reduce drainage and raise the water table. Boreholes have been installed on site to monitor changes in water level during and after the restoration. The progress of the restoration programme is evaluated through examination of the water balance, available groundwater data and a review of contemporary literature. Recommendations for further restoration and monitoring are made.Item Open Access House buyer perceptions on the value of water and grey water recycling systems(Cranfield University, 2009-08) Horton, David; Jeffery, PaulThe population of the East of England is set to increase and climate change predictions suggest that the region will become drier; water resources will therefore come under increasing pressure. In order to meet future water demand and deliver a reliable supply in the years to come, Cambridge Water is assessing the feasibility of installing grey water recycling systems in future housing developments. Grey water is wastewater from showers, baths, and wash basins. Recycling this water is an innovative way to conserve water. Treated grey water is used principally for toilet flushing- which represents about a third of water use in a typical UK household- but also for watering gardens and washing cars. This study investigated house buyer perceptions on the value of water and grey water recycling systems. For this purpose 2000 customers were surveyed using a questionnaire. The aim was to inform Cambridge Water as a water supplier of how receptive their customers would be to receiving a secondary supply of treated grey water for non-potable use. All those sampled had moved into a newly built home in the past two years. Since investing in grey water recycling systems would have little or no financial benefit for the homeowner, the study focused on other potential benefits. The response rate for the survey was 22 per cent and the quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results show that there was widespread support for the domestic use of grey water. The overwhelming majority of respondents would be willing to invest in grey water recycling systems because they are concerned about the environment, and to ensure a reliable supply at times of water scarcity. Many of those that objected stated that they would need further information before giving their consent.Item Open Access An investigation into illegal discharge of sewage from boats in the broads(Cranfield University, 2008-09) Hardwick, Susannah; Holman, Ian P.In response to concerns expressed by the Environment Agency and Broads Authority, this project aimed to assess the risk of illegal sewage discharge from boats into the waterways of the Broads, East Anglia. The Broads are an internationally important wetland, consisting of marshes, fenland, rivers and shallow lakes. A popular area for boating, sewage discharge from boats could have deleterious impacts on the environment, health and public perception. Water was tested for evidence of faecal pollution at a mooring site at Thorpe Island, River Yare, identified as at risk from illegal sewage disposal from boats. Continuous monitoring of ammonia, ammonium and dissolved oxygen up and downstream of the moorings took place at half hourly intervals over six weeks. Thermotolerant coliforms, ammonia, phosphorous and dissolved oxygen were manually sampled at Thorpe Island and nearby Whitlingham sewage treatment works. Definitive evidence of pollution from boats was not found, either sewage was not illegally discharged during the study period, or methods were inadequate to identify the occurrence of faecal pollution with certainty. The distribution of sewage disposal facilities available for boats was also analysed. The navigable waterways of the Broads were categorised in terms of the risk of illegal sewage disposal due to distance from disposal facilities. The south eastern reaches of the River Bure and western reaches of the River Waveney were identified as being at most risk. Recommendations are made to identify areas of the Broads at risk from pollution due to factors other than distance from sewage disposal facilities. Any further water quality studies should be carried out in these areas and improvements to the methods are suggested. Future management should include raising awareness of boaters about issues surrounding sewage disposal and the consideration of the provision of either mobile or static sewage disposal facilities in areas where current provision is deemed inadequate.Item Open Access Investigation into the spatial distribution of salt loads into the Upper Thurne SAC and likely timescales for response to management controls(Cranfield University, 2013-08) Heward-Mills, Christine; Holman, Ian P.The Upper Thurne Broads (shallow lakes) in the Norfolk Broads are sites of international conservation importance. The protected aquatic species of these lakes are currently threatened by poor water quality, largely due to discharges of saline water from the Brograve land drainage pump, which maintains groundwater levels on adjacent marshlands below sea level. The lowering of water table levels by drainage has caused seawater to intrude into the coastal aquifer and salinise the groundwater and drain network. Through surveying salt concentrations and flow regimes in the drains of the coastal marshes and analysis of telemetry data from the land drainage pumps, this thesis investigates 1) the spatial distribution of the salt loading into the drain system in order to identify where management changes should be targeted and 2) assesses whether changes to the water level management in a nearby drainage area have had any impact on the salt load that is discharged from the pump. Research has shown an uneven distribution of salt loading across the coastal marshes. These differences appear to be driven by the nature of the drain-aquifer interaction in the individual marshes and the relative gradient differential produced between the marsh drainage ditches and the main drain at times of pump activity. The research indicates that restoration of the Upper Thurne water quality will necessitate scaling down water table level management to individual marshlands in order to ensure efficacy of measures. It also makes recommendations for further research to be carried out in the study area. There is insufficient data at the time of writing to suggest that raising water levels in an adjacent marshland has conclusively reduced saline discharges from the pumps since management controls were implemented. However, some lowering of salt concentrations was observed which appear to be distinct from climatic influences.Item Open Access The restoration of an urban still water fishery: monitoring for success at Tom Thumb Lake(Cranfield University, 2008-09) Hughes, Stephen; Gill, Andrew B.Tom Thumb Lake is a former gravel pit and carp fishery situated in East London. In 2005 the Lake was restored as an accessible, self-sustaining fishery. The objectives of this study were to outline a monitoring plan to assess the success of the restoration, this included: monitoring water quality in relation to the requirements of fish, monitoring the macroinvertebrate communities in areas of the lake that will be newly vegetated, an angler survey to assess basic demographics (such as age, sex, ethnicity) and whether or not the priority groups identified by the Environment Agency were using the Lake. In addition, a basic topographic survey was conducted. Basic water quality parameters (temperature, pH, DO, N and P) were monitored at Impact sites (those to be vegetated) and Reference sites (an area of the Lake already well vegetated), macroinvertebrate samples were also taken at these locations. The water quality requirements of fish were based on Incipient Lethal Levels (ILL) taken from fish physiology publications. The survey was completed and handed out to anglers but numbers returned were not sufficient for inclusion in this report. The topographic survey identified a depth range of 0-2.4m, with shallow areas predominantly close to known gravel bars in the centre of the lake. Based on the monitoring data collected, water quality was generally well within the limits researched from literature, although temperature and pH were occasionally close to the upper limits. Macroinvertebrate samples showed some differences, particularly in total abundance, between the Impact and Reference sites. An outline set of monitoring guidelines were constructed for future managers of the Lake to follow, which should enable them to reliably gauge the success of the project. Recommendations for refining the ILL method and potential uses for other lakes were made.Item Open Access A study of the socio economic sustainability of a proposed gravity fed water scheme in Buea, Cameroon(Cranfield University, 2009-09) Douglas, William; Webster, JamesThe water system for the town of Buea has been underperforming for several years now. A rationing system ensures that all areas receive a water supply for at least a few hours a day. At present there are two functioning single tap stands in Bonduma, the area where the research was carried out. The two tap stands serve an area with a population of several thousand people. The lack of sufficient public taps and the intermittent nature of the supply force people to walk great distances early in the morning or late at night to avoid long waits at the tap stand which become congested later in the day. The current water situation in Bonduma has serious consequences for social and economic development in the area and health is put at risk when the supply is cut for extended periods and people use the local spring instead. A gravity fed water supply has been proposed to alleviate this problem. The people of the community are all in favour of having closer, more reliable water. A water supply system needs to be designed that will best meet the needs and expectations of the consumers at a cost they can afford while at the same time generating enough revenue to cover the O&M, repair and replacement costs. The research was carried out in the communities of Wotolo, Bokoko and Bonduma using a qualitative approach involving an interview schedule and focus group meetings . The research was carried out in the communities of Wotolo, Bokoko and Bonduma and concluded that there is a universally felt need for an improved water supply. Despite examples of a good community spirit in Bonduma, there is little support for those in need and little evidence of community participation in projects that have occurred previously in the area, To give any water project started in the area the best chance of success there has to be community involvement that goes beyond making an initial cash payment.Item Open Access The summer nutrient dynamics of Bosherston lakes, Pembrokeshire, and the potential impacts of future climate and policy change(Cranfield University, 2008-09) Niciecki, Georgina; Holman, Ian P.Bosherston Lakes, Pembrokeshire have had problems with high nutrient concentrations and algal blooms, particularly in the stream-fed Eastern Arm, leading to the loss of Chara within the Eastern Arm. Management in the last 25 years has led to a reduction in external nutrient loading, but the impact of internal loading during the summer has yet to be properly assessed. The potential impacts of climate and policy change on the nutrient dynamics need to be accounted for to be able to efficiently manage the site in the future to preserve the important Chara habitat. The streams and lake water were analysed for both Total Reactive Phosphorus (TRP) and Total Phosphorus (TP) and Nitrate and Total Nitrogen. The sediment in the lakes were analysed for TRP and TP only. Phosphorus release from sediments and the impact of future temperature changes were assessed through laboratory experiments. It was found that the lakes are still suffering from elevated nutrient levels during the summer. The main source of phosphorus to the lakes in the summer is probably through internal phosphorus release from the lake sediments. The Eastern Arm is the most affected by internal loading. The main sources of nitrates to the lakes are from the streams and groundwater. It was found that phosphorus release increased with increasing temperature. There are many uncertainties but future climate changes are likely to increase both nutrient and sediment loading and it is unlikely that the water quality in the Eastern Arm will improve sufficiently to accommodate Chara. The introduction of an NVZ is unlikely to be counterproductive in terms of reducing N:P ratios and will help decrease nitrate levels in the lakes and streams, some of which are nearing the safe drinking water limits. Future management should target phosphorus loaded sediment entering the lakes in the winter and contributing to the phosphorus concentration in the lake water during the summer when phosphorus is released. The sediment traps in the catchment should be maintained or enhanced and weed cutting should be continued if it is found to have no adverse ecological effects.