Clearing the Waters: A focus on water quality solutions

A major global concern at present is that the world will run out of water to meet the needs of its burgeoning population. Since water is needed for every aspect of life, the fear is that there will not be enough water for an estimated 9.3 billion people by 2050 and their numerous water-related needs.

Water Quality, Exposure and Health, 2015

Water is a crucial part of human life. Everincreasing population coupled with changing life styles is constantly increasing the demand for water. Today, populations require more water with higher quality standards than before, and it is becoming more difficult to satisfy these demands without altering the balance of nature. Anthropogenic stresses and natural phenomenon are playing critical roles during the supply of sufficient quantities of water with required quality. Consequently, previously unused resources are being considered for use; advanced treatment methods are being implemented to satisfy the quality requirements, and reuse of wastewaters is becoming a significant factor in many parts of the world. While trying to satisfy this supplydemand cycle, resource managers and decision makers are facing other challenges, which, in essence, are re-defining our whole understanding for water resources management. Health concerns related to water quality are being the primary issue all around the world, and the direction of research is now shifting towards understanding the complex interactions that water quality imposes on human health.

Technical Advisory Paper No. 2 , Goals and Targets for Global Water Quality Assessment. UNEP GEMS/Water Programme. May 2005

KnE Life Sciences, 2017

Water sustainability needs an integrated approach to meet the water need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need of water. It includes water security and water scarcity. The water demand is increasing every year, while the planet’s capacity to sustain increasing demands for water is challenged. The main global water problems fall into three categories. The first is too much of it, secondly is too little of it and thirdly, it is too dirty. The first category is due to extensive flooding, the second category is due to serious drought and the third category is due to pollution and misuse of water which needs water quality management. Nowadays, there are 1.2 × 109 people live in areas of water scarcity and 2.6 billion people in global are lacking safe water supply. There are (6 to 8) × 106humans being are killed each year from water-related disasters and disease. In Indonesia, there is about 37 × 106 people lack access to safe water d...

Water is the most crucial material for human survival, after air. Without water, life would not be possible. It is important to know how much water is available to us and how much water is polluted. We need to monitor pollutants vigorously, both at point and non-point sources, using advanced analytical techniques that can monitor ultra trace amounts of contaminants. Water reclamation is an absolute necessity today because we have contaminated our surface water, and even groundwater in some cases, to a point that it is not clean enough for drinking or cooking. Most importantly, we have to use water judiciously and reclaim water that is contaminated. This book provides information on various global water challenges and solutions. We face many water challenges in terms of availability, quality, and sustainability (Chapter 1). There is an urgent need to find ways to make water more sustainable. To achieve this objective, we will have to address scientific, technical, economic, and social issues. Chapters 2 and 3 raise our awareness of water issues, as well as the impact of climate change. Water challenges, including sanitation issues in Central America, South America, and Africa, are covered in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. Water pollution in various rivers in India is encompassed in Chapters 7, 8, and 9. The currently implemented solutions are discussed in some detail. Water scarcity in the Middle East provides an interesting study in that part of the world (Chapter 10). The impact of firefighting foams on water in Japan is discussed at some length in Chapter 11. Overcoming the water treatment challenges in various European countries is covered in Chapters 12, 13, and 14. Chapter 15 discusses the role of immobilized microorganisms and aggregates in wastewater treatment. Reducing the effect of drought on soil in northeast Brazil is covered in Chapter 16. Promoting biodiversity through the maintenance of healthy wetlands can provide beneficial and sustainable ecosystems; however, it can also have adverse consequences on human health (see Chapter 17 for a study in Australia). Nanotechnology solutions to global water challenges are provided in Chapter 18. As a result of their exceptional adsorptive capacity for water contaminants, grapheme based nanomaterials have emerged as a subject of significant importance in the area of membrane filtration and water treatment. Global fresh water is finite, and its supply is severely strained by competing forces of an expanding world population on the one hand, and alterations in the water cycle as a result of climate change on the other (Chapter 19).

Water Quality - New Perspectives [Working Title]

Water is a blessing and reason forsurvival on earth for human beings. Without water, it is not difficult to live on earth, but it is impossible. Water fulfills domestic, drinking, agricultural, and industrial requirements and makes everything useful for us. Unfortunately, rapid increase in population, unplanned agriculture practices, and industrial sector have become a serious issues for environment and for future needs. Water will be a very important issue for next generations to face. Safe water access up to 50−100 liters per day for drinking and sanitation is a right of every human being, recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in July 2010. Approximately, six billion people may suffer from scarcity of clean water by 2050. The agriculture sector is the largest consumer of freshwater around 70% followed by industry and domestic of 19 and 11%, respectively. The global demand for water is gradually increasing by 1% per year. Global demand for water is predicted to increase...

The existence of water on Earth is vital to the existence of life on Earth. Clean water nourishes ecosystems, grows food, and powers industry at the same time. Freshwater systems are fed by precipitation from the atmosphere, replenishing natural water storages in the landscape such as soil and groundwater, lakes and rivers. This natural cycle is an important basis for balancing water availability and water demand in natural systems and guaranteeing clean water resources.

Institutional and regulatory frameworks of water quality management in Albania , 2015

FRESHWATER: WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THIS THEME? Albania has plentiful water resources but often their quality is a problem due to pollution, especially in low-lying areas where most of the population lives and most industrial and agricultural activities take place. General renewable water resources in Albania are about 13 300 m3 per capita per year. These are used for urban, industrial and agricultural purposes as well as for hydroelectricity. Surface waters are a major asset for the economy of the country. They are very important for many uses such as electricity supply, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, industry as well as drinking water supply. Albania is also rich in groundwater resources. The renewable resource in seven main geological strata is 1 250 million m3 / year. Towns and cities as well as industrial, agricultural and farming areas are sources of pollution of surface waters and groundwater. Managing and protecting the aquatic environment is an important activity for the country. To achieve sustainable development, it is particularly important to develop and implement efficient methods and technologies for the rational use of natural resources, taking both their quality and quantity into account, and to control the impacts of resource use on the environment.

TheScientificWorldJournal, 2014

2017

This book includes the abstracts of all the papers presented at the 5th Annual International Forum Water, 10-13 July 2017, organized by the Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER). In total 41 papers submitted by over 50 presenters, coming from 23 different countries (Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Israel, Lithuania, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, UK and USA). The conference was organized into 14 sessions that included a variety of topic areas such as marine ecology, water supplies and more. A full conference program can be found before the relevant abstracts. In accordance with ATINER’s Publication Policy, the papers presented during this conference will be considered for inclusion in one of ATINER’s many publications.