Water Reclamation and Sustainability

Satinder Ahuja

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9780124165762
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Environmental Management
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Many hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes associated with water reclamation and reuse are poorly understood. In particular, the occurrence and effects of trace organic and inorganic contaminants commonly found in reclaimed water necessitates careful analysis and treatment prior to safe reuse. Water Reclamation and Sustainability is a practical guide to the latest water reclamation, recycling, and reuse theory and practice. From water quality criteria and regulations to advanced techniques and implementation issues, this book offers scientists a toolkit for developing safe and successful reuse strategies. With a focus on specific contaminant removal techniques, this book comprehensively covers the full range of potential inorganic/organic contaminating compounds and highlights proven remediation methods. Socioeconomic implications related to current and future water shortages are also addressed, underscoring the many positive benefits of sustainable water resource management. - Offers pragmatic solutions to global water shortages - Provides an overview of the latest analytical techniques for water monitoring - Reviews current remediation efforts - Covers innovative technologies for green, gray, brown and black water reclamation and reuse

1

Overview

Water Reclamation and Sustainability

Satinder Ahuja Ahuja Consulting, 1061 Rutledge Court, Calabash, NC 28467

Abstract

This chapter provides a broad overview of water reclamation and sustainability. Some of the water pollution problems worldwide are highlighted. This chapter provides a short discussion on monitoring water quality and water reclamation to achieve sustainability. A number of recent developments in water reclamation and sustainability are covered at some length.

Keywords

Contaminants; Monitoring; Pollutants; Resource recovery; Sludge; Sustainability; Ultratrace analysis; Wastewater; Water reclamation

1. Introduction

Water sustains life on Earth; without water life, as we know it, would not be possible. Even though Earth is composed largely of water, only 3% of the total water available to us is fresh water. To make things worse, only 0.06% is easily accessible. As a result, more than 80 countries in the world suffer from water shortages and more than one billion people drink unclean water. According to the United Nations (UN), water shortages will be faced by an estimated 2.7 billion people by 2025. These shortages can lead to conflicts over water, worse than conflicts over oil. We need to maintain our water availability, quality, and purity, that is, attain water sustainability.^1–5 To achieve sustainability, we must assure that we meet our needs and avoid compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.⁶ To attain this objective, we will have to address technical, economic, and social issues,⁴ and we will have to reclaim wastewater. Water reclamation (the act or process of recovering) is an absolute necessity because we have managed to pollute our surface water, and even groundwater in some cases, to a point that water needs to be purified for drinking (see Chapter 1 in reference 1).

1.1. Water Pollution Problems Worldwide

Drinking water contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites causes about 250 million cases of water-related diseases each year, including cholera, typhoid, schistosomiasis, dysentery, and other diarrheal diseases. Water-related diseases kill 5–10 million people, mostly children, around the world each year.

Table 1 shows 10 of the worst major bodies of water from the standpoint of contamination by microbes, eutrophication, chemicals, suspended solids, solid waste, and radionuclides. Each year, plastic waste in water and coastal areas kills up to 100,000 marine mammals, one million seabirds, and immeasurable numbers of fish. There are large areas of the seas, known as “plastic oceans,” where enormous gyres are covered with plastic debris. To highlight the problems of worldwide water pollution, some of the water quality issues in various parts of the world are summarized below.

Table 1

Major Bodies of Water/Areas with Serious Water Pollution Problems

Area	Micro-biological	Eutrophication	Chemical	Suspended Solids	Solid Wastes	Thermal	Radio-nuclides	Spills
Gulf of Mexico	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	None known	None known	Slight impact
Caribbean Sea	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	Slight impact	Severe impact
Baltic Sea	Slight impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	Slight impact	None known	Slight impact	Moderate impact
Aral Sea	Slight impact	Severe impact	Severe impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	Slight impact	Slight impact
Yellow Sea	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Slight impact	Slight impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	None known	Moderate impact
Bohal Sea	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	Moderate impact	Slight impact	None known	Severe impact
Congo Basin	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	None known	None known	Moderate impact
Benguela Current	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Slight impact	Severe impact	Severe impact
Lake Victoria	Severe impact	Severe impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Slight impact	None known	None known	None known
Pacific Islands	Moderate impact	Slight impact	Moderate impact	Moderate impact	Severe impact	Slight impact	Severe impact	Slight impact

Adapted from UNEP SEO Report, 2004–2005.

1.1.1. Underdeveloped Countries

Travelers to Africa, Asia, and Latin America are advised not to drink the local water. The rivers in these areas are often considered the most polluted in the world. They have 3 times as many bacteria from human waste as the global average, and 20 times more lead than rivers in developed countries. In 2004, water from half of the tested sections of China's seven major rivers was found to be undrinkable because of pollution. It has been reported that the Yangtze, China's longest river, is “cancerous” with pollution. The pollution from untreated agricultural and industrial waste could turn the Yangtze into a “dead river” within 5 years. This would make it impossible to sustain marine life or provide drinking water to the booming cities along its banks. For further information on water quality in China, please see the chapter by Wang in Volume 4 of Comprehensive Water Quality and Purification.⁵

Bangladesh has the most polluted groundwater in the world: the major contaminant is arsenic, which occurs naturally in soil sediments. Around 85% of the total area of this country has contaminated groundwater. This problem is encountered to some extent worldwide. Detailed information is available^1,2 as to how groundwater is contaminated with arsenic, desirable methods for monitoring arsenic contamination at ultratrace levels, and the best options for remediation.

1.1.2. Developed Countries

The quality of water in Europe's rivers and lakes that are used for swimming and water sports worsened between 2004 and 2005. Almost one-third of Ireland's rivers are polluted with sewage or fertilizer. The Sarno, in Italy, is the most polluted river in Europe, featuring a nasty mix of sewage, untreated agricultural waste, industrial waste, and chemicals. The Rhine, which flows through many European countries, is regarded by many as the dirtiest large river; almost one-fifth of all the chemical production in the world takes place along its banks. The King River is Australia's most polluted river, suffering from a severe acidic condition related to mining operations. Canadian riv...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• 1. Overview: Water Reclamation and Sustainability
• 2. Adaptation to Climate Change for Water Utilities
• 3. Green Chemistry Solutions to Water Pollution
• 4. Characterization of 234U/238U Activity Ratios and Potential Inorganic Uranium Complexation Species in Unregulated Water Sources in the Southwest Region of the Navajo Reservation
• 5. Metallurgical Slag as an Efficient and Economical Adsorbent of Arsenic
• 6. Addressing Arsenic Mass Poisoning in South Asia with Electrochemical Arsenic Remediation
• 7. Domestic- and Community-Scale Arsenic Removal Technologies Suitable for Developing Countries
• 8. Advances Made in Understanding the Interaction of Ferrate(VI) with Natural Organic Matter in Water
• 9. Assessment of Copper Slag as a Sustainable Fenton-Type Photocatalyst for Water Disinfection
• 10. Nitrate Photochemistry in the Context of Water Reclamation
• 11. Hydroxyl Radical Probes for the Comparison of Secondary Treated Wastewaters
• 12. Ozone Treatment of Antibiotics in Water
• 13. Noble Metal Nanosystems for the Detection and Removal of Pollutants in Drinking Water
• 14. Estimating Water, Energy, and Carbon Footprints of Residential Swimming Pools
• 15. Sludge Drying Through Hydrophobic Membranes
• 16. Sustainability of Activated Sludge Processes
• 17. Technologies and Framework for Resource Recovery and Beneficiation from Human Waste
• 18. Water Recycling and Reuse: An Overview
• Index