Related EU Projects

The whole Mediterranean area is characteriszed by a strong need of new solutions able to provide sanitations services while reducing water use and wastewater discharge. The SWMED project focuses on optimising the per capita water consumption at household and urban level through the implementation of water saving devices, reuse of treated wastewater, rainwater harvesting, and a pool of technologies collectively known as Sustainable Water Management (SWM). The project has achieved the stated objectives primarily by the installation of Sustainable Water Management (SWM) in demonstration houses during house visits.

https://www.keep.eu/keep/project-ext/10834/SWMED?ss=3d3626826ba7d857bdc4d38ea697aef2&espon

Nowadays, saline water pollution is increasingly becoming a major global issue, especially in urban coastal areas. Saline water pollution has major impact on human life and livelihood. It´s mainly a result of static fossil water and the dynamics of sea water intrusion. The problem of saline water pollution caused by seawater intrusion has been increasing since the beginning of urban population. The problem of sea water intrusion in the urban coastal area must be anticipated as soon as possible especially in urban areas developed in coastal zones.

In view of this, this review article aims to: (i) analyse the distribution of saline water pollution in the Semarang urban coastal area in Indonesia and (ii) analyse some methods in controlling saline water pollution, especially due to seawater intrusion in urban coastal areas. The strength and weakness of each method were analysed and compared. This analysis involved assessing the impacts that result from applying (a) different pumping patterns, (b) artificial recharge, (c) an extraction barrier, (d) an injection barrier and (e) a subsurface barrier. The best methods were selected on the basis of their possible development in coastal areas of developing countries. The results showed that artificial recharge and extraction barrier are the most applicable methods in the area.

Purnama, S. and Aris Marfai, M. (2011). SALINE WATER POLLUTION IN GROUNDWATER: ISSUES AND ITS CONTROL. Journal of Natural Resources and Development. [online] Available at:

http://jnrd.info/2012/10/10-5027jnrd-v2i0-06/ [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].

The project aim was to demonstrate that space heating by means of solar energy and aquifer storage is technically feasible and capable of primary energy savings +/- 50%. The project was built in Bunnik for the company Bredero. The office building to be heated consisted in three units of 9,000 m² total floor surface with an annual heat demand of 660 MWh. The building was not equipped with a cooling system except for the computer room.
The heating system contained: flat plate solar collectors, short term energy storage, long term thermal energy aquifer storage (with an estimated injection and extraction of about 18,000 m³), a gas engine driven heat pump and a conventional gas boiler. For space heating, the waste heat of the computer room cooling system was used (95 MWh/yr). The annual gas consumption of the heating system was estimated to be 392 MWh. There were three operating modes of the plant:
Summer: heat from the collectors and the computer cooling system is injected into the Aquifer

Spring/Autumn: space heating by a heat pump with heat supply from solar collectors and cooling system waste heat

Winter: space heating by heat pumps with heat supply from an aquifer and a cooling system and additional heating by a gas boiler at low outside temperatures. The solar system is not in operation in the wintertime.

In this project, the extension of the existing cooling capacity was realised with an Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) instead of a conventional chiller. Compared with a chiller, the use of ATES reduced the electricity consumption for cooling by 50%. Moreover, the heat that was extracted from the ventilation supply air in summer was stored in the aquifer to be utilised in winter for (pre)heating ventilation air. The integration of the ATES system in the installation with 2 chillers enabled also short-term cold storage in summer. Therefore, the risk of cold shortage due to climatic influences (warm summer and/or mild winter), was compensated for without costly investments in extra chiller capacity. Furthermore, the combined use of the aquifer system for seasonal cold and heat storage, as well as short-term cold storage made the system more profitable. Consequently ATES can also be attractive for smaller projects with existing cooling systems that have to be extended. Therefore, this will enlarge the market potential for ATES. For instance, in the first half of summer 1994 (April, May, June and July) the storage delivered 256 MWhth (megawatt hours of heat) cold and 82,000 kWhe (kilowatt hours of electricity) were saved. No additional cooling was applied thanks to the lower temperature in the cold storage.

The project demonstrated:

- That the required extension of the cooling capacity in the hospital can be realised by storage or "winter cold" in a sand-layer (aquifer) in the soil, and that such a storage system can be integrated in the existing cooling system.

- The technical and economical feasibility of combined seasonal cold and heat storage in an aquifer for cooling and (pre)heating ventilation supply air.

- And the advantages of using the aquifer for short time storage of cold that is loaded at night with the available chillers, thus creating extra facilities for energy management and compensating for risks of cold shortage due to climatic influences.

This project was an innovative system for the storage of residual heat in an aquifer at the University of Utrecht. By using heat storage, the number of operating hours of the heat and power installations during the summer period was increased as the heat produced was usefully employed. The stored heat was used during winter for space heating. As a consequence, less gas had to be used for space heating during the winter months and during summer less electricity had to be purchased. The degree of utilisation of the heat and power installations was increased, while the primary energy consumption was reduced.

The aim of the project was to demonstrate a practical applicability of heat storage in aquifers, in combination with combined heat and power installations in order to augment the useful exploitation of these installations. These installations were regulated on the basis of the heat requirements of the buildings of the university complex, which meant that at a reduced heat demand during summer, the installations were run at part load to avoid unprofitable production of excess heat. This led to a lower total yield of the heat and power installations and additional electricity also had to be purchased. As a result, residual heat in the form of water at a temperature of 90°C was stored in an aquifer and then used to produce electricity, which was used by the university complex. The stored residual heat was used in winter for the heating of a few buildings of the complex. In the feasibility study it was estimated that a thermal result (the heat stored which was then retrieved) of about 65% to 75% in the third year was achieved. At the realisation of the heat storage, additional data of the soil structure was obtained, thus soil structure could be represented better diagrammatically.

This article discussed social learning as a means to implement integrated water resources management (IWRM). Implementing IWRM requires cooperation between policy sectors, countries, government bodies, the civic sector and scientific disciplines. The social learning approach suggests several ingredients for such cooperation. The article discusses how water managers and the other stakeholders need to realise their dependence on each other for reaching their own goals, before they start interacting, sharing their problem perceptions and developing different potential solutions. It also highlights that to achieve such results, the development of mutual trust, recognition of diversity and critical self-reflection is required amongst water managers and stakeholders. However, stakeholders must take joint decisions and make the necessary arrangements for implementation. The social learning approach to IWRM had several implications for the IWRM ToolBox of the GWP. Social learning is not a magic solution for all problems, but there is sufficient evidence that it can work.

Mostert, E., Craps, M. and Pahl-Wostl, C. (2008). Social learning: the key to integrated water resources management?. Water International, [online] 33(3), pp.293-304. Available at:

https://lirias.kuleuven.be/bitstream/123456789/408705/1/Mostert,+Craps+%26+Pahl+(2006)+SL+key+to+IWRM.pdf [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].

Equitable and efficient water management and allocation, especially across country borders, needs accurate information on the use and availability of water resources in space and time. An operational monitoring system that covered the Incomati River Basin helped in fulfilling the need for transparency by providing quantified information on water use.

The “Spatial Earth Observation Monitoring for Planning and Water Allocation in the International Incomati Basin project” - or WatPLAN – set up such an operational monitoring system. This joint European Union-Africa GMES earth observation project combines earth observation and in situ data to provide near-real time quantified information at field scale on (agricultural) water need and consumption.

The joint efforts of a consortium of international Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and universities have resulted in a unique operational monitoring system that is capable of providing weekly quantified information at field scale by using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model. This model has been applied and evaluated in more than 30 countries including many African countries. The energy balance describes how solar energy is distributed; part is reflected or absorbed by the surface, and part is used for plant growth. These components of the energy balance can be derived from satellite data using the model to quantify an important component of the water cycle - Evapotranspiration (ET). Subsequently, biomass production, actual-, and potential water consumption, and water deficit are derived on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

Rainfall is another important parameter within the project and is derived by combining microwave data from the FEWS-NET sensor with in situ rainfall data measured using low cost meteorology stations installed as part of the project. These data products provide valuable insight in various aspects of the water balance important for water management. Such aspects include the distribution of renewable water resources, crop yield and water productivity.

For instance, these data products can be used by technical committees and agencies, irrigation boards and farmers and also for water accounting. Water accounting contributes to better water allocation, verification of water use and sustainable utilisation of scarce water resources.

Final Report - http://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/262949/final1-watplan-final-report.pdf

Sewage contains the excreted biomarkers of endogenous human metabolism that directly reflects the exposure and stressors placed upon an entire contributing community. The quantitative measurement of these specific biomarkers in sewage from communities allows the averaged patterns of factors related to lifestyle, disease and environment to be used for the assessment of community health. The Action will develop and expand an existing pan-European inter-disciplinary network, bringing together experts from relevant disciplines interested in the application and development of using the quantitative measurement of human biomarkers in sewage to evaluate lifestyle, health and exposure at the community level. In order to achieve its objectives the Action will manage a common Europe-wide testing platform that will develop best practice, provide a significant increase in the comparable spatio-temporal resolution of available data, coordinate the development of new biomarkers in sewage with focus on new psychoactive substances and new biomarkers for the community assessment of factors such as environment, health, lifestyle and diet, and integrate sewage-based approaches with other available metrics. The Action will have a major impact on the development of this emerging field and ensure that the technology is used in a responsible and effective manner and its potentially fully exploited in collaboration with end-users.

Recreational boating is an important, growing leisure activity on the island of Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. This spatial analysis of anchoring of recreational boating along the coast of Mallorca is intended to generate new data to contribute to the achievement of a comprehensive marine and coastal spatial planning on the island in addition to providing important information related to the pressure of increasing demand for anchoring space that, if not properly managed, could jeopardize the coastal and marine environments. The study combines data from the natural (habitats, geology), physical (wave patterns), and social sciences (survey interviews), using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as the main analytical tool. The final result is an estimate of the average amount of seabed available for anchoring during the highest levels of boating activity in Mallorca (i.e. summer high season) based on a number of different sustainability scenarios (i.e. average distance between boats, weather conditions). In addition to being applicable to any location wishing to manage recreational boating activity, the methodology presented in this study represents an integrated, multidisciplinary approach which could be applied to a number of management scenarios with a spatial dimension in marine environments.

This paper provides an approximation of the capacity of the coastal zones (seabeds available for anchoring).  The results can be a decision tool for the proper management of the coastal zone.  The work is based on the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems). The developed method is applicable to any coastal area and is considered useful for the future management.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569110002127?via%3Dihub

SOLUTIONS will deliver a conceptual framework for the evidence-based development of environmental and water policies. This will integrate innovative chemical and effect-based monitoring tools with a full set of exposure, effect and risk models and assessment options. Uniquely, SOLUTIONS taps (i) expertise of leading European scientists of major FP6/FP7 projects on chemicals in the water cycle, (ii) access to the infrastructure necessary to investigate the large basins of Danube and Rhine as well as relevant Mediterranean basins as case studies, and (iii) innovative approaches for stakeholder dialogue and support. In particular, International River Commissions, EC working groups and water works associations will be directly supported with consistent guidance for the early detection, identification, prioritization, and abatement of chemicals in the water cycle. A user-friendly tool providing access to a set of predictive models will support stakeholders to improve management decisions, benefiting from the wealth of data generated from monitoring and chemical registration. SOLUTIONS will give a specific focus on concepts and tools for the impact and risk assessment of complex mixtures of emerging pollutants, their metabolites and transformation products. Analytical and effect-based screening tools will be applied together with ecological assessment tools for the identification of toxicants and their impacts. Beyond state-of-the-art monitoring and management tools will be elaborated allowing risk identification for aquatic ecosystems and human health. The SOLUTIONS approach will provide transparent and evidence-based lists of River Basin Specific Pollutants for the case study basins and support the review of the list of WFD priority pollutants.

Report Summaries –

http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/171679_en.html

http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/197191_en.html

Open access publications –

http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5571148

http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5136570

http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4732001