This research delves into the water hammer occurrences, in the transmission pipeline of the SMD (Manda Daba) Multi Village Water Supply Schemes in Afar, Ethiopia. It utilizes simulation software, Bentley HAMMER version 8i to assess transient flow issues and the effectiveness of protective measures. The study pinpoints high risk areas in Scenario 1 marked by pressure spikes, negative pressures and frequent cavitation highlighting the importance of efforts. Prior to safeguards significant pressures reaching 288.27 m H₂O and minimum pressures dropping as low as 9.98 m H₂O are observed. In Scenario 2 where protective measures are implemented notable enhancements are seen with pressures ranging from 121.38 m H₂O to 150.49 m H₂O improved safety levels and substantial reductions in minimum pressures at pump stations. Moreover the study delves into Scenario 3 which explores pipe materials and diameters to provide insights, for pipeline design standards. It emphasizes how protective measures effectively mitigate water hammer effects while also highlighting cost saving potential by incorporating 2000 liter hydro tanks at pump stations. This integration leads to decreased pipeline collapses and maintenance expenses underscoring the significance of addressing challenges pinpointing failure causes and offering solutions to enhance system performance and strengthen reliability within the SMD water supply system

Climate change has become the greatest threat to the survival of world and its ecosystem. With the irreversible impact on the ecosystem, problems like rise in sea level, food-insecurity, natural resources scarcity, seasonal disorders have increased over the past few years. Among these problems, the issue of water scarcity due to the lack of water resources and global warming has plagued several nations. Owing to the rising concerns over water scarcity United Nations (UN) has acknowledged water as a primary resource to the development of societies under the ‘Water Goal’ of the sustainable development goals. As the changing climate and intermittent availability of water resources pose major challenges to forecast demand, especially in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which has one of the highest per capita residential water consumption rates in the world. Therefore, the aim of this study is to propose an accurate water demand forecasting technique that incorporates all significant factors to predict the future water demands of the UAE. The forecasting model used is the Long Short Term Memory (LSTM), with the factors considered are mean temperature, mean rainfall, relative humidity, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Consumer Price Index (CPI) and population growth. The LSTM model predicts the water demand forecasting in the UAE showing that the future demand will decrease from 1821 million m3 in 2018 to 1809.9 million m3 in 2027.

The Cauto River Basin (CRB), the heartland of Cuban agriculture, has been hit hard by drought and water shortage. In response to this pressing issue, this study provides a comprehensive as-sessment of water supply, demand and balance within the Cauto River Basin, considering the baseline and projected socio-economic and climatic conditions by coupling of SWAT and WEAP models. The obtained results reveal that the annual flow in the CRB is projected to slightly de-crease (2.5%) in which the reduction in the rainy season (3.1%) is higher than that in the dry sea-son (1.3%). Total water demand in the baseline scenario is around 1.194 billion m3, dominated by agriculture (96%), with rice crop requiring nearly half. For the future scenario of 2050, the study shows a 16.6% surge in demand to 1.394 billion m3, driven by climate change and agricultural expansion. However, domestic use decreases by 10% due to population reduction. Water deficit in the future is projected to increase by 52% from 172.4 to 262.7 million m3 due to rising water demand and declining water supply. This study shows that integrating a hydrological model into a water allocation model is a promising approach to estimate the water supply, demand and balance, which is a crucial component of water resources management.

Technological advances in the last decades have led to the realization of the concept of a smart environment. A significant part of this development is decentralized ledger technology and its variant, a blockchain. The blockchain database is immutable, open to all stakeholders, secure by architecture and robust. Applying a blockchain in water supply sanitary control creates opportunities for optimization, higher quality of service, cost reduction, better sanitary standards and public control. Physical, chemical, and biological water supply contamination is a great source of public health hazards. Implementation of a blockchain for water supply IoT, from the source point to the consumption point, enables effective response to changing environments, possible cross-contamination, stormwater management or disaster and emergency action. The chapter encompasses all fundamental elements and principles of water collection, distribution and consumption, with a focus on the health hazards and sanitary requirements for potable water. The chapter listed the main contaminants, methods of their registration and elimination, and requirements for drinking water in accordance with WHO, EU Drinking Water Directive and EPA standards. Blockchain technology solutions are described for smart water supply, including smart supply management, smart contracts, tokenization, smart compliance systems, and, most importantly, effective utilization of distributed ledger technologies for sanitary monitoring of water sources, water treatment, and water distribution systems.

Water networks are critical infrastructure components, ensuring the continuous supply of high-quality drinking water to consumers. To secure such water supply, regular maintenance, including the replacement of deteriorating pipelines, is essential. In this study, a methodology has been developed for determining optimal pipeline replacement solutions in water supply systems at water utilities with limited data availability. Hydraulic analysis has been conducted on the segment of 25 km of the water supply network using the free software EPANET. Applying water network optimization, eight pipeline replacement projects according to 13 pre-defined criteria have been identified and evaluated. The paper outlines the methods for evaluating the criteria, including defining specific quantitative limits. The Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method was used in the paper to determine the weights of the criteria. The reason for applying this method refers to problems that involve a set of criteria with a mixed structure, including both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Also, the paper describes the steps of the multi-criteria optimization method VIKOR, used to select the optimal project. This paper, considered as case studie, describes a method, i.e. application of a new principles and an innovative way to solve a problem for developing countries.

Access to reliable water supply is critical for sustainable development and public health, yet many peri-urban and rural communities in the developing world face challenges such as poor maintenance, faulty infrastructure, and inadequate governance of water services, hindering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In Emina-Boadi, a small town in Kumasi, Ghana, residents increasingly rely on boreholes due to substandard service from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). This shift highlights concerns about water reliability, quality, and affordability, impacting public health and hindering progress toward SDG 6. This case study assesses water service levels using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as quantity, quality, affordability, accessibility, and reliability, focusing on sources like boreholes, hand pumps, piped water, hand-dug wells, rainwater, and surface waters. The study aims to delineate the roles of different water providers, understand community dynamics, and evaluate contributions to rural development and SDG 6 through stakeholder interviews and questionnaires. Leveraging the WASHCost framework, which aims to improve planning methods and provision of water and sanitation services by addressing the lack of cost information in rural and peri-urban areas, and the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) framework, which monitors progress toward global targets related to water, sanitation, and hygiene, the study categorizes indicators and draws connections among them. Findings reveal a significant preference for borehole services, with 87% usage and an 83% reliability rate compared to 13% for GWCL. Daily water consumption averages 60.75 liters per person, with on-premises access improving water collection efficiency to 7 minutes. Dissatisfaction with GWCL services highlights the need for improved delivery aligned with community needs and SDG targets. Adopting sustainable management practices, enhancing infrastructure, and improving governance are crucial for ensuring safe and affordable water access for all residents of Emina-Boadi and similar communities.

This study was conducted generally by aiming assessment of the hydraulic performance of water distribution systems of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU). In line with the main objective, this study addressed, (1) pinpointing problems of existing water supply versus demand deficit (2) evaluating the hydraulic performance of water distribution system using water GEMS and (3) recommended alternative methods for improving water demand scenarios. The University’s water supply distribution network layout was a looped system and the flow of water derived by both gravity and pressurized system. The gravity flow served for the academic and administrative staffs whereas the pressurized system of the network fed the students dormitories, cafeteria’s etc. The study revealed the existence of unmet minimum pressure requirement around the student dormitories which accounts 25.64% below the country’s building code standard during the peak hour consumption. The result of the water demand projection showed an increment of 2.5 liter per capita demand (LPCD) in every five years. Hence, first, the university’s water demand was projected and then hydraulic parameters such as; pressure, head loss and velocity were modeled for both the existing and the improved water supply distribution. The finding of the study was recommended to the university’s water supply project and institutional development offices for its future modification and rehabilitation works.

Water supply is a mandatory service for Tanzanians from respective legal public water utilities, and their sustainability reflects implementations of best management strategies at a local level. The objective of this study was to assess current approaches used in water quality and quantity management in Tanzania. This was achieved through secondary water data tends, on-site water quality assessments, visits of respective water supply and sanitation authorities, and assessment of their performances. It was observed that water supplied in rural-based authorities was quite different from that supplied in an urban setting as far as quality and quantity is concerned, urban-based supplies being of assistance to users over rural ones. A new strategy on water management is presented for sustainable water supply in Tanzania; it is based on controlling groundwater abstractions and preference of surface water in public water supplies. Rural water supply management must learn several practices realized at urban supplies for the betterment of respective majority water users.

Shanghai is experiencing water supply problems caused by heavy pollution of its raw water supply, deficiencies in its treatment processes and water quality deteoriation in the distribution system. However, little attention has been paid these problems of water quality in raw water, water treatment and household drinking water. Based on water quality data we show that the raw water sources of the Huangpu River and the Changjiang (Yangtze River) estuary are polluted by microbes (TBC), eutrophication (TP, TN and NH3-N), heavy metals (Fe, Mn and Hg) and organic contamination (chemical oxygen demand [COD], detergent and volatile phenols [VP]). The average concentrations of these contaminants in the Huangpu River are almost double that of the Changjiang estuary forcing a rapid shift to the Changjiang estuary for raw water. In spite of filtering and treatment, TN, NH3-N, Fe, COD and chlorine maxima of the treated water and drinking water still exceed the Chinese National Standard (GB5749). We determine that the relevant threats from water source to household water in Shanghai are: 1) eutrophication arising from highly concentrated TN, TP, COD and algal density in the raw water; 2) increasing salinity in the river estuary, especially at the Qingcaosha Reservoir (currently the major freshwater source for Shanghai); 3) more than 50% of organic constituents and by-products remain in treated water; 4) bacteria and turbidity increase in the course of water delivery to users. The analysis presents an holistic assessment of the water quality threats to metropolitan Shanghai in relation to the city’s rapid development.

In arid and semi-arid regions like Tunisia, irrigation water is typically saline, posing a soil and crop salinization risk and yield reduction. This research aims to study the combined effects of soil matric and osmotic potential stresses on tomato root water uptake. Plants were grown in pot and field experiments in loamy-clay soils and were irrigated with three different irrigation water qualities: 0, 3.5, and 7 dS/m. The Hydrus-1D model was used to simulate the combined dynamics of subsurface soil water and salts. Successful calibration and validation of the model against measured water and salt profiles enabled the examination of the combined effects of osmotic and matric potential stresses on root water uptake. Relative yields, indirectly estimated from actual and potential transpiration, indicated that the multiplicative stress response model effectively simulated measured yields and the impact of saline water irrigation on crop yields. The gradual salinization of the root zone further evidenced this effect. The scenario considering a temperature increase of 2°C had no significant impact on crop yields in the pot and field experiments.

Everyone should therefore consistently get access to enough and safe water. The operation of the existing distribution network as well as the proper optimization and implementation of the new distribution systems are required for a sufficient and safe water supply. In Sekota town sufficient amount of water was not reached to the beneficiaries due to shortage of water at the source. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the performance and optimize the existing Sekota water supply distribution system using Bentley Water GEMS.The system's hydraulic modeling is carried out by considering as a continuous supply system, and the evaluation procedure used the extended period simulation approach after calibration was done. Calibration is used to ensure the performance of the model using the observed pressure values. The output of the existing system shows pressure is very high means above the maximum pressure and velocity is very low at peak hour demand. The results of velocity and pressure before optimization have negative effect on the performance of the system. The number of pipes and junctions their velocities and pressures which were in admissible ranges are 15 and 42 pipes for velocities and zero and 59 junctions for pressure before and after optimization were evaluated respectively.

The municipal water supply, related mainly to the cities of Albanian, began to develop in the second half of the 19th century and much intensively after 1945. Today the reported mean water production for the cities, on average, is about 300 l/capita/d including drinking and industrial water supply. The territory of Albania consists of uneven distribution of very heterogeneous aquifers conditioning the reach variety of the municipal water supply solutions. In this article are analyzed and classified the hydrogeological aspects of water supply sources of the settlements, which are summarized in five groups: (a) Wells in alluvial intergranular aquifers; (b) karst springs; (c) wells in karst aquifers; (d) springs in fissured rocks, and (e) mixed water sources. For each group of the water supply sources the main concerns regarding the quantity and quality problems are analyzed facilitated by the description of a variety of representative examples of different situations. Based on the gained experience important recommendation are given for the better understanding of hydrogeological aspects of water supply systems emphasizing the problematics along the river water recharge areas and on the seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers, as well as on transboundary aquifers. However, the main problems of public water supply of Albania remain the poor management of water supply systems which is reflected in the e high water losses, as well as the low public awareness of request for sustainable use.

: This study examines the prospects of residential water demand management policy regulations in Ethiopia and their implications for sustainable water resource management. This study aims to evaluate the existing policy regulations and analyze their effectiveness in promoting efficient water use and conservation practices in residential areas. By considering the potential challenges and opportunities associated with these regulations, the research provides insights into the future of residential water demand management in Ethiopia and suggests strategies for enhancing sustainable water resource management. Integrated literature and policy document review, alongside observation and interviews, was used to assess the viability of residential water demand management policies. The assessment of current policy regulations for residential water demand management in Ethiopian urban towns has revealed significant shortcomings in promoting water conservation activities. Hence, there is a need for significant improvements in the current water resource policy guidelines, which lack specificity, particularly in residential water demand management conservation strategies. The lack of awareness among residents regarding the importance of conserving their limited water resources is evident. To address these challenges and ensure the sustainability of the water supply, the government and policy developers must engage with various stakeholders, including the community, in the process of revising current policy documents. A more precise and tailored approach is necessary for its effective implementation.

Abstract: Urban population growth and the expansion of the built environment, pollution, overexploitation of water, inequality in water distribution, and the impacts of climate change in future availability of water, are all elements that jeopardize urban water security. Due to the complexity of urban water systems and their relevance for urban life, a holistic and integrative perspective is therefore needed to address such challenges. In this paper, Urban Water Metabolism (UWM) has been used for comprehensively understanding water (in)security in the City of Puebla (Mexico) and its metropolitan area. Water inflows and outflows have been estimated using a Material Flow Analysis (MFA) method with data either obtained from official sources or simulated with the Monte Carlo method. Our findings show that the UWM configuration in the City of Puebla and its metropolitan area is effective for generating profits to service providers and water related business, yet ineffective to guarantee citizens’ Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRWS), a right recognized in the Constitution of Mexico. We conclude that to advance towards an inclusive and sustainable provision of water, economic interests must be reconsidered and therefore adjusted so they can be in line with such aspirational socioecological goals. UWM accounting can therefore inform new water governance arrangements, those based on both the best available knowledge and a vibrant participation of all relevant stakeholders.

Rural areas are not only faced with the problems of rural depopulation but also with the problem of water supply and water quality which is a basic necessity of life. In light of this, this paper assesses the rural water supply situation and the bacteriological quality of different water sources in the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. The safety of the water sources for human consumption and possible occurrence of the water borne diseases in the study area were determined. The study employed descriptive and analytical methods of data analysis to achieve the objectives of the inquiry. Findings showed that the study area suffered from inadequate water supply and poor locations of the sources of water: The study also revealed that the microbiological quality of the water sources used was unsafe, poor and not acceptable for human consumption. In addition, many man- days-hours were wasted in search of water. It is therefore recommended that the government should make the rural water supply and the maintenance of water quality a priority in its policy formulation.

In this article, we present the use of the coupled land surface model and groundwater flow model SWAT-MODFLOW with the decision support tool WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning software) to predict future surface water abstraction scenarios in a complex river basin, under conditions of climate change. The modeling framework is applied to the Dee River catchment in Wales, United Kingdom. Regarding hydrology, the coupled model improves overall water balance and low streamflow conditions, compared to a stand-alone SWAT model. The calibrated SWAT-MODFLOW is employed with high resolution climate model data from the UKCP18 project with future scenario of RCP85 from 2020 to 2040. Then, water supply results from SWAT-MODFLOW are fed into WEAP as input for the river reach in the downstream region of the river basin. This system is utilized to create various future scenarios of surface water abstraction of public water supply in the downstream region: maximum licensed withdraw, 50 % authorized abstractions, monthly time series with 1% increase of water use, and maximum water withdraw year based on historical records repeated every year with 1% increase of water use, to estimate the unmet demands and streamflow requirement. This modeling approach can be used in other river basins to manage scenarios of supply and demand.

The sustainable management of water scarcity is a global crucial issue. Germany has es- tablished efficient water management systems, but the agricultural sector still struggles with water scarcity as the demand surpasses the available water supply. The primary aim is to establish a framework for making water accessible for irrigation and additional use on households through the effective utilization of recycled water from wastewater treatment facilities. The research inquiries are focused on evaluating the changes in the agricultural irrigation model in CROPWAT, determining the spatial distribution of zonal severity, estimating the capacity of urban roof catchments, and evaluating the reduction volume of efficient water required from the existing wastewater treatment plant supply. According to the findings, the annual amount of water required for agriculture in the designated study location is approximately 2.9 million m3. Although there is no initial need for irrigation water, yet the demand for irrigation water increases during the development, active growth, and mature stages of maize, winter wheat, and wine grapes, reaching around 189mm, 225mm, and 62mm, respectively. According to our observation, the annual water supply in Weinstadt is around 4 million m3. On the other hand, the amount of water calculated from urban roof rainfall is estimated 0.8 million m3, which is considered valuable from an economic standpoint. This economically efficient volume of water would reduce the current treated water supply passes an opportunity for enhanced agricultural irrigation

Rainwater harvesting could be an optional water source to fulfil the emergency water demand in different setups. The aim was to assess if the rainwater harvesting potential for households and selected institutions were sufficient to satisfy the emergency water demand for the prevention of COVID-19 in Dilla town, Southern, Ethiopia. Rain water harvesting potential for households and selected institutions were quantified using 17 years’ worth of rainfall data from Ethiopian Metrology Agency. With an average annual rainfall of 1464 mm, households with 40 and 100 m2 roof sizes have a potential to harvest between 15.71-31.15 m3 and 41.73-82.73 m3 of water using Maximum Error Estimate. Meanwhile 7.2-39.7 m3 and 19.11-105.35 m3 of water can be harvested from the same roof sizes using Coefficient of Variation for calculation. Considering mean monthly rainfall, the health centres and Dilla University can attain 45.7% and 77% of their emergency water demand, while the rest of the selected institutions in Dilla Town can attain more than 100 % of their demand using only rainwater. Rain water can be an alternative water source for the town in the fight against COVID-19.

It is crucial to forecast the water demand accurately for supplying water efficiently and stably in a water supply system. In particular, accurately forecasting short-term water demand helps in saving energy and reducing operating costs. With the introduction of the Smart Water Grid (SWG) in a water supply system, the amount of water consumption is obtained in real time through an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) sensor, which can be used for forecasting the short-term water demand. The models widely used for water demand forecasting include the autoregressive integrated moving average, radial basis function-artificial neural network, quantitative multi-model predictor plus, and long short-term memory. However, there is a lack of research on assessing the performance of models and forecasting the short-term water demand by applying the data on the amount of water consumption by purpose and the pipe diameter of an end-use level of the SWG demonstration plant in each demand forecasting model. Therefore, in this study, the short-term water demand was forecasted for each model using the data collected from the AMI, and the performance of each model was assessed. The Smart Water Grid Research Group installed ultrasonic-wave-type AMI sensors in the block 112 located in YeongJong Island, Incheon, and the actual data used for operating the SWG demonstration plant were adopted. The performance of the model was assessed by using the residual, root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) as indices. The water demand forecast was slightly underestimated in models that employed the assessment results based on the RMSE and NRMSE. Furthermore, the forecasting accuracy was low for the NSE due to a large number of negative values; the correlation between the observed and forecasted values of the PCC was not high, and it was difficult to forecast the peak amount of water consumption. Therefore, as the short-term water demand forecasting models using only time and the amount of water consumption have limitations in reflecting the characteristics of consumers, a water supply system can be managed more precisely if other factors (weather, customer behavior, etc.) influencing the water demand are applied.

The power generation from hydroelectric plants has increased worldwide, contributing to the participation of the renewable sources to the energy matrix. In the semiarid Brazilian Northeast (NEB), thousands of small dams have been built over time as a solution for water supply. Although incompatible with hydropower generation due to the conflict with human water supply in the region, small reservoirs accumulate water and hydraulic energy at high altitudes. In this work, simulations were performed to assess how the arrangement of various sized reservoirs impact the power demand for water distribution in the Banabuiú River Basin – BRB (19,800 km²), Brazil. The power required to pump water from all 1,405 reservoirs to the districts is 6.5 GWh/year, whereas in the scenario with the 12 larger strategic reservoirs only, the power demand reaches 45.3 GWh/year. Although representing roughly 60% of the water availability of the BRB and being able to supply all the districts, the Arrojado Lisboa reservoir alone would demand 195 GWh/year to supply water to the entire basin, i.e. 30 times the power required in the real reservoir arrangement. By storing water at high altitudes and distributing it spatially, the small reservoirs increase the energy efficiency on the water distribution system.

The impact of climate change on water resources is a global issue with significant regional implications. The Ghba subbasin has experienced a higher socioeconomic change. In this paper, we assess the potential impact of climate change and human activity on water supply and demand in the Ghba subbasin of Ethiopia. We then evaluate the effectiveness of regional adaptation strategies for water supply management under these conditions. To do this, we use the statistical downscaling model (SDSM) and the water assessment and planning tool (WEAP) to simulate and analyse future water conditions. After running the model through a calibration and validation process, minimum (Tmin) and maximum (Tmax) temperatures, water demand and unmet water demand were projected for 2100 horizon, using different climate change scenarios. The results showed that the model's performance, calibration, and validation were all satisfactory. The analysis showed that, under A2 and B2 emission scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the mean precipitation will increase by 31% and 26%, respectively. The projected mean Tmax and Tmin will be warmer than the baseline period, with Tmax increasing by 1.5°C (A2) and 1.3°C (B2), and Tmin by 1.7°C (A2) and 1.5°C (B2) by 2100. The results also illustrate that in all scenarios, water consumption would rise and that this need will not be satisfied, and the pressure on water resources will intensify, resulting in a water shortage. The findings show that future water demand under the influence of climate change is projected to exceed 210 million cubic meters (MCM) by 2100. The findings show that while the evaluations of the recommended adaption techniques are effective, they are not enough to guarantee the Ghba subbasin's water sustainability.

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence to water policy-makers and the evaluation of the application of economic instruments such as price and other factors affecting demand, they contribute to improved decision-making around water management in the Biosphere Reserve El Vizcaino, Mexico. It was estimated a dynamic function with average price specification and other price perception specification. The findings show that consumers react to average price perceived and not the marginal price; long-run price elasticity is higher than short-run and both elasticities are inelastic. Elasticities inelastic with rising prices generate high incomes to improve water planning, supply quality and expand service coverage. The results suggest that the level of knowledge of users on the price is key to take into account restructuring rates in a scenario where the consumer has asymmetric information and themselves achieve goals of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability.

The prevalence of corona virus and the novel COVID-19 disease in the entire globe has exacerbated different impact on socioeconomic spectrum in the world, including water use pattern. Thus a research was conducted to examine the comparative use of water during pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown pattern among post-primary schools in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. A survey was conducted among fifteen schools which were randomly selected, but with eight public and seven private schools for the investigation. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used in data analysis. The results revealed that the major source of water to the schools investigated is ground water which is obtained through hand-dug wells and boreholes. It was further discovered that there was increase in water use during post-COVID-19 lockdown era as a result of the directive by the government that clean water should be provided for hand-washing by all schools regardless of the owner to curtail the spread of COVID-19 disease in the country. One sample t-test also revealed that there was a significant difference in water use at (p<0.01) level. It is recommended that the government and other stakeholders in water sector to ensure that all-time and non-seasonal dependent source of water be provided rather than ground water source which is susceptible to variations in water yields from seasonal variations. This will enable continuous clean water supply, for all purposes, including COVID-19 protocols.

This study addresses the prediction of recurring failures in water supply networks, a complex and costly task, but essential for the effective maintenance of these vital infrastructures. Using historical failure data provided by Companhia de Água e Esgotos da Paraíba (CAGEPA), the research focuses on predicting the time until the next failure at specific points in the network. The authors divided the failures into two categories: Occurrences of New Faults (ONF) and Recurrences of Faults (RF). To make the predictions, they used predictive models based on Machine Learning, more specifically on MLP (Multi Layer Perceptron) neural networks. The study revealed that, by analyzing data from past failures and considering factors such as altitude, number of failures on the same street and days between failures, it is possible to achieve an accuracy greater than 80% in predicting failures within a 90-day interval. This demonstrates the feasibility of using fault history to predict future water supply outages with significant accuracy. These forecasts allow water utilities to plan and optimize their maintenance, minimizing inconvenience and losses. The article contributes to the field of water infrastructure management by suggesting that the data-driven approach can be applied in other cities or in networks of different types, such as energy or communication networks. The conclusions highlight the importance of data collection and analysis in preventing failures and optimizing water utilities’ resources.

This article presents a field-performance investigation on an Integrated Solar Water Supply System (SWSS) at two isolated agricultural areas in Thailand. The two case-study villages (Pongluek and Bangkloy ) have experienced severe draughts in the last decades, and therefore water supply has become a major issue. A stand-alone 15.36 kW solar power and a 15 kW solar submersible pump were installed along with the input power generated by solar panels supported by four solar trackers. The aim is to lift water at the static head of 64 and 48 m via piping length of 400 metres for each village to be stored in 1,000 m3 and 1,800 m3 reservoirs at an average of 300 m3 and 400 m3 per day, respectively for Pongluek and Bangkloy villages. The case study results have shown that the real costs of electricity generated by SWSS using solar PV systems intergraded with the solar tracking system yield better performance and are more advantageous compared with the non-tracking system. This study illustrates how system integration has been employed. System design and commercially available simulation predictions are elaborated. Construction, installation, and field tests for SWSS are discussed and highlighted. Performances of the SWSS in different weather conditions such as sunny, cloudy, and rainy days were analysed to make valuable suggestions for higher efficiency of the integrated solar water supply systems.

The future of the Colorado River water supply (WS) affects millions of people and the U.S. economy. A recent study suggested a cross-basin correlation between the Colorado River and its neighboring Great Salt Lake (GSL). Following that study, the feasibility of using the previously developed multi-year prediction of the GSL water level to forecast the Colorado River WS was tested. Time-series models were developed to predict the changes in WS out to 10 years. Regressive methods and the GSL water level data were used for the depiction of decadal variability of the Colorado River WS. Various time-series models suggest a decline in the 10-year-averaged WS since 2013 before starting to increase around 2020. Comparison between this WS prediction and the WS projection published in a 2012 government report (derived from climate models) reveals a widened imbalance between supply and demand by 2020. Further research to update similar multi-year prediction of the Colorado River WS is needed. Such information could aid in management decision making in the face of future water shortages.

The Umbulan Water Supply Project is categorized by the Shipping Infrastructure Acceleration Committee in the list of Accelerated National Strategic Projects through Presidential Regulation Number 3 of 2016 concerning the Acceleration of the Implementation of National Strategic Projects, targeted to operate in mid-2019. This is what will be the focus of the stakeholders of the Umbulan Water Supply Project. This study was to identifying and analyzing networks among stakeholders. Method: This study used a qualitative approach with exploratory methods combined with meta-analysis identification design Identification of stakeholder mapping in the context of early detection of stakeholder involvement in the implementation of the Umbulan Water Supply Project at various levels starting from the National, Provincial (East Java), District/City (Pasuruan, Sidoarjo, Surabaya, to Gresik), Sub-District (Winongan, Gondang Wetan, and Pohtjentrek). The conclusion of this study was based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions in describing the determination of stakeholders which were divided into two, namely primary stakeholder and secondary stakeholder, and outline the result of the indicators analysis on the stakeholder network of Umbulan Water Supply Project.

Source water quality is a key determinant of drinking water quality. The recast European Union 2020/2184 drinking water directive (DWD) introduced the obligation for comprehensive risk assessment in drinking water supplies, including the water source and incorporated new elements of natural origin in the list of parameters to be monitored. The current study is the first comprehensive assessment of 15 natural elements (B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, K, Li, Mg, Mo, Na, Se, Sr, Ti, U and V) in 1155 (82%) Hungarian drinking water sources, including surface water, bank filtered and groundwater sources. Parameters posing a risk to health (Se, V and U) were typically below the lower limit of quantification (LOQ), but higher concentrations (max. 7.0, 17 and 41 µg/L, respectively) may occur in confined locations, the latter exceeding the DWD parametric value in one water supply. Li in a small geographical area, Mg and Ca in the majority of the water supplies reached the concentration range assumed to be protective to health. Water sources were grouped in 6 clusters based on their element distribution, some of them also showing clear geographical patterns. Water types were not differentiated, with the exception of karstic waters (dominated by Ca and Mg). None of the investigated parameters are expected to be a source of public health concern.

In recent years there has been a clear increase in bottled water consumption, globally which translates to significant health and environmental concerns. This cross-sectional study aims to understand the attitude and preferences of university students in Qatar towards use of bottled and tap water for drinking purposes using an online survey questionnaire. The number of students who responded to the online survey was 14% of the entire student population within the university (n = 688). Overall, majority of the students reported plastic bottled water as the main source of drinking water they preferred to use on campus (n=468; 68.02%), with a higher proportion of females (72.08%) preferring the use of plastic bottled water. Out of the 468 students who preferred plastic bottled water, safety was the most important factor (43.80%) followed by convenience (16.88%) and taste (15.60%). Cost (15.17%), personal/family habits (5.13%), Environmental concerns (2.14%) and minerals (1.28%) were found to be the least important factors. Among the 45 students who preferred tap water over plastic bottled water, cost (46.67%) was the dominant factor followed by convenience (20.00%) and environmental concerns and safety (13.33% each), taste (4.44%), and personal/family habits (2.22%). This study recommends campaigns to focus on attitude and behavior change and not solely emphasize knowledge; 71.7% believed that plastic water bottles are more harmful to the environment, yet the greater majority still resorted to this source. There is an immediate need to further educate students through environmental and health literacy programs on water consumption and quality. Enabling the population to understand the positive and negative aspects of their choices, may be an effective remedy to ensuring a healthy population and healthy environment.

UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 6 presents difficulties for small island developing states such as the Kingdom of Tonga, which relies on rainwater and groundwater lenses for freshwater supply. Planning and managing water resources to supply demands in dispersed small islands under variable climate and frequent extreme events is challenging. Tensions between water planning using top-down versus bottom-up processes have long been recognized. Tonga’s overarching national planning instrument is the Tonga Strategic Development Framework, 2015-2025 (TSDFII). This identifies desired national outcomes and is used to direct and resource Ministries and address international and regional commitments. Water supply was a low priority in the three-month consultations that led to TSDFII. Community Development Plans (CDPs), developed by rural villages throughout Tonga’s five Island Groups over nine years, involved participation from 80% of each village population who ranked local priorities. Analysis of priorities in 117 available village CDPs reveals improvements to village water supply was the highest overall priority in all five Island Groups and ranked within the top three priorities by 76% of all villages, with women, youth and men returning figures of 83%, 66% and 80% respectively. The mismatch between top-down and bottom-up priorities appears to result from an urban/rural divide.

Water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a significant challenge to crop production, with drought being a prevalent factor limiting grain production globally. Enhancing agricultural water use efficiency is crucial for managing water resources effectively in these areas. Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing, and optimizing the use of water resources. Water use efficiency management is also essential for crop growth in arid regions. Various agronomic and irrigation strategies can improve crop water use efficiency and drought tolerance. The primary goal of these strategies is to maximize irrigation efficiencies by applying the precise amount of water needed to restore soil moisture to the desired level. These sustainable practices not only reduce the cost of water and labor for farmers through reduced irrigation but also optimize the use of soil moisture storage. This review paper explores practical techniques to improve water use efficiency, highlighting the role of nutrients in enhancing water use efficiency in crop plants.

The sustainability of agricultural commodities produced in the Southern U.S. under irrigation is increasingly at risk due to erratic rainfall patterns, inadequate water supplies and compromised water quality. This study assessed the needs of crop growers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southern Region. The purpose was to identify growers’ critical water resource management concerns to identify research priorities from the perspective of growers in this region. To obtain this information, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to growers throughout the Southern Region in 2020. The final sample included 112 crop (row and specialty) production growers from the Southern Region. Overall, respondents named the water available to irrigate as the greatest water resource management priority. Within all the water availability priorities asked, respondents’ first choice was declining water supply in the future. Declining water supply and the cost of irrigating presently were the next most frequently named water availability priorities. Growers named both increasing the efficiency of irrigation and development of farming practices to improve soil moisture retention as the first and second focus of future irrigation research, respectively. These results will aid in strengthening existing and developing new initiatives for water research and Extension in this region.

The analysis and simulation of water quality in distribution networks is a complex issue of great concern today. The analysis of the evolution of water age, as a simple indicator of water quality in the network, is of great interest in both design and operation phases. Understanding the factors that have the strongest influence on water quality is key to developing adequate strategies aimed at preserving it. This paper firstly analyses the factors with biggest influence in the tanks water age, to support the selection of the most appropriate configuration from the point of view of water quality during design phases. Then, the main considerations when modelling tanks following the different mixing models considered in Epanet have been presented. Also, a real tank behaviour has been characterised through field measurements and Epanet simulations in order to determine the best fitted mixing model.

The Roman villa of Pisões (Beja, Portugal), was part of the Lusitanian colony of Pax Iulia. This place stands out for the predominance of the water element in several structures of the villa, highlighting the balneum and the large natatio, one of the largest known in Roman Hispania. The records of the initial excavations that took place since 1967 do not allow the establishment of clear functionalities of the villa. The University of Évora, owner of the site, conceived an action plan for the requalification and enhancement of the archaeological site. One of the tasks aims to investigate using Applied Geophysics. This work analyses the landscape directly related to the villa, given that it is in the flooded area of a river, with a Roman containment dam. It is uncertain whether the water supply comes from this structure or other nearby springs. The use of ground-penetrating radar, combined with unnamed aerial vehicles, all integrated in a geographic information system, allows us to know the location of underground water connections and create a topographic model with high resolution. Considering all the information, we propose a model for the water transport inside the villa and estimate the location of the water supply.

In this research the efficiency of degradation of different organic contaminant classes, including pesticides (tembotrione, clomazone), pharmaceuticals (ciprofloxacin, 17α-ethinyl estradiol) and mycotoxins (zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1), by subcritical water treatment, was studied in model systems. All experiments were conducted in a house-made batch type pilot reactor. The research was focused on the optimization of the treatment parameters by using moderate treatment conditions. Optimization of the remediation processes of water contaminated with 17α-ethinyl estradiol, tembotrione, clomazone, ciprofloxacin, was conducted by testing different homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, as well as different gas atmospheres (nitrogen and carbon-dioxide) for pressurization of the process system. Mycotoxins in water were degraded without catalysts and all experiments were conducted in nitrogen atmosphere. Optimization was conducted by defining the optimal combination of the treatment temperature and time, oriented towards energy saving and minimization of the technical requirements. The degradation efficiency in all tested samples was determined by HPLC analysis.

With the aim of developing an innovative water treatment approach for developing countries in the Global South, we have applied the method of treating a cavitating water stream with a plasma discharge under real conditions. To this end, we have optimised the approach after investigating the effects that occur in the treated medium during such a treatment. Based on the obtained light absorption curves of treated model solutions of titanium oxysulphate and potassium bichromate, it was found that inside the reactor the main role in the destruction of chemical contaminants is played by hydroxide ions, while outside the reactor the main chemical interaction takes place with hydrogen peroxide. The plasma treatment unit was tested in the biological wastewater treatment plants of a health resort on the territory of the Russian Federation (Almetyevsk, Republic of Tatarstan). Water samples taken directly from the tertiary decantation tank were used as real wastewater samples instead of adding chemical reagents for disinfection. It was found that with different modes of operation of the plasma treatment plant, the concentration levels of coliform bacteria, coliphages and Escherichia coli decrease significantly and fall below the limit of permissible concentrations for wastewater discharge. At the same time, the possible effect of the plasma on persistent inorganic compounds was investigated. It was shown that the plasma discharge in the flow of the incoming liquid can almost completely destroy compounds that are difficult to remove, such as hydrogen sulphide and chlorides. In the course of the study, the optimum frequency of the electrical pulses of 68 kHz was selected, which ensures the lowest consumption of electrical energy while maintaining the required efficiency.

Packaged water consumption has grown rapidly in urban areas of many low and middle income countries, but particularly in Ghana. However, the sources of water used by this growing packaged water industry and its implications for water resource management and transport-related environmental impacts have not been described. This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution of regulated packaged water production in Ghana, both in relation to demand and for natural mineral water, to hydrogeological characteristics. 764 addresses for premises licenced to produce packaged water from 2009-2015 were mapped and compared to regional sachet water consumption and beverage import/export data examined. We find evidence to suggest packaged water is transported shorter distances in Ghana than in developed countries. For natural mineral waters, producers should be able to address the most widespread water quality hazards (including high salinity, iron and nitrates) in aquifers used for production through reverse osmosis treatment. The study suggests there is scope to integrate beverage product and groundwater regulatory databases to support groundwater management.

High Education Institutions (HEI) play a key role in fostering sustainability since students will be future active society members. By providing them with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to address environmental challenges, they can contribute to increase sustainability in a long-term approach. With the effects of climate change strongly affecting water availability across planet, it is increasingly relevant to understand if higher education students are aware of this situation, to develop adequate measures to promote sustainable behaviors regarding water uses. This study aimed to assess students’ perceptions regarding water efficiency through a questionnaire submitted in 7 HEI in Portugal. Students recognized the importance of water with older students, women and science students demonstrating a greater awareness. Inspite of this 27% students do not know what the average water consumption in Portugal is and only 18% accurately reported the consumption range in Portugal. There is also a lack of knowledge (&gt;50% students) if common water efficiency measures are applied in their HEI. The main information sources identified by the students were “social communication” and “internet/social media”, revealing that water efficiency knowledge transfer in high education can be improved.

The European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) aims to achieve a good ecological and chemical status of all bodies of surface water by 2027. The development of an integrated guidance on surface water chemical monitoring (e.g. WFD Guidance Document No. 7/19) has been transferred into national German law (Ordinance for the Protection of Surface Waters, OGewV). For the majority of compounds, this act requires a monthly sampling frequency to assess the chemical water quality status of a surface water body. To evaluate the representativeness of the sampling strategy under the OGewV, high-frequency online monitoring data is investigated under different sampling scenarios and compared with current, monthly grab sampling strategy. About 23 million data points were analyzed for this study, three chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, nitrate-nitrogen, chloride concentration) and discharge data were selected from four catchment of different sizes ranging from 51391 km² to 84 km² (Elbe, Vereinigte Mulde, Neiße and two stations at Lockwitzbach). In this paper we proposed short-term online-monitoring (STOM) as a sampling alternative. STOM considers the placement of online sensors over a limited duration and return interval. In general we: (I) compare the results of conventional grab sampling with STOM, (II) investigate the different performance of STOM and grab sampling using discharge data as proxy for analyzing event-mobilized pollutants and (III) investigate the related uncertainties and costs of both sampling methods. Results show, that STOM outperforms grab sampling for parameters where minimum/maximum concentrations are required by law as the probability to catch a single extreme value is higher with STOM. Furthermore, parameters showing a pronounced diurnal pattern, like dissolved oxygen, are also captured considerably better. The performance of STOM showed no substantial improvements for parameters with small concentration variability, as nitrogen-nitrate The analysis of discharge events as a proxy parameter for event-mobilized pollutants proved that the probability of capturing samples during events is significantly increased by STOM.

Water quality assessment in pastoral of Tibetan Plateau, which is water sources for about 40% of world's population and the runoff-yield area of Yellow rivers, is very important. In this paper, Xiahe county which belongs to Tibetan Plateau pastoral was investigated. Six parameters(via, chloride, COD, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate, fluoride, sulfate) were selected to assess the water quality and health degree by using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods. The hydrochemical type in surface water was of HCO3--Mg2+-Ca2+ type. The cations and anions in surface water were mainly from weathering and dissolution of carbonate rock. Results showed that the water quality in all 69 sampling sites was all of class Ⅰ. The integrated health degree reached more than 0.85 and the health rate were 100%. Although ammonia nitrogen was regarded as the main contamination factor, but it had a little effect on the entire body of water. Overall, the surface water qualities of most samples in Xiahe County was good condition.

Water is a fundamental resource for ecosystems, humans, and the development of all economic sectors; it is necessary to identify and evaluate its environmental pressures or impacts. The water footprint (WF) is an appropriate indicator for the consumption of water used to produce a product. The present study uses this tool to evaluate the green and blue water requirements and the sustainability of irrigation water use for agroindustrial avocado production in Ziracuaretiro, Michoacán (2012-2021). Our analysis was based on aggregating weather and soil data at the municipal level and official government databases of avocado cultivated surface, fruit production, and water rights concessions. The analysis considers the homogeneity of information throughout the study area. We estimated that rainfed plantations require 839.03 m³/ton and irrigated plantations require 2355.80 m³/ton, with an average of 1597.47 m³/ton. In addition, we determined that avocado cultivation can demand up to 124.3% of agricultural water concessions in this municipality. In addition to the WF estimates, the analysis indicates that such studies are fundamental for decision-makers to develop and implement water use-efficiency strategies and shows the need for further research related to water consumption of avocado as a crop at more detailed scales to reduce uncertainty.

In the context of global warming and increasing scarcity of fresh water resources, it becomes significant to evaluate the contribution and evolution of non-rainfall waters such as dew. This study therefore aims to evaluate the relative dew and rain contributions in three sites of south-western of Madagascar (Ifaty, Toliara and Andremba), a semi-arid region which suffers from a strong water deficit. The studied period is 1/1991 – 7/2023, with extrapolation to 8/2033. Dew is calculated from meteo data by using a well-established energy model. The extrapolation of dew and rain follows an artificial neural network approach. It is found that dew forms regularly (2-3 days in average between events), in contrast to rain (10-15 days). The evolutions of dew and rain are similar, with an increase from 1991 to 2000, a decrease up to 2020 and a further increase until 2033. These oscillations follow the Indian Ocean dipole variations and should be influenced by the climate change. Dew contribution to the water balance remains modest on a yearly basis (3-4%) but is important during the dry season (Apr.-Oct.), up to 30%. Dew therefore appears to be a reliable and sustainable resource for plants, small animals and population, especially during droughts.

Although the water absorption feature (WAF) at 970 nm is not very well-defined, it may be used alongside other indices to estimate the canopy water content. The individual performance of a number of existing vegetation water content (VWC) indices against the WAF is assessed using linear regression model. We developed a new Combined Vegetation Water Index (CVWI) by merging indices to boost the weak absorption feature. CVWI showed a promise in assessing the vegetation water status derived from the 970 nm absorption wavelength. CVWI was able to differentiate two groups of dataset when regressed against the absorption feature. CVWI could be seen as an easy and robust method for vegetation water content studies using hyperspectral field data.

A U.S. government health agency conducted epidemiological studies to evaluate whether exposures to drinking water contaminated with volatile organic compounds at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were associated with increased health risks to children and adults. These health studies required knowledge of contaminant concentrations in drinking water—at monthly intervals—delivered to family housing, barracks, and other facilities within the study area. Because concentration data were limited or unavailable during much of the period of contamination (1950s–1985), the historical reconstruction process was used to quantify estimates of monthly mean contaminant-specific concentrations. This paper integrates many efforts, reports, and papers into a synthesis of the overall approach to, and results from, a drinking-water historical reconstruction study. Results show that at the Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant (WTP) reconstructed (simulated) tetrachloroethylene (PCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 183 micrograms per liter (ug/L) compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 215 ug/L and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 ug/L during the period November 1957–February 1987. At the Hadnot Point WTP, reconstructed trichloroethylene (TCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 783 ug/L compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 1,400 ug/L during the period August 1953–December 1984. The Hadnot Point WTP also provided contaminated drinking water to the Holcomb Boulevard housing area continuously prior to June 1972, when the Holcomb Boulevard WTP came on line (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 32 ug/L) and intermittently during the period June 1972–February 1985 (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 66 ug/L). Applying the historical reconstruction process to quantify contaminant-specific monthly drinking-water concentrations is advantageous for epidemiological studies when compared to using the classical exposed versus unexposed approach.

Water footprint has been widely used to illustrate the consumption of water in many situations; for instance, in products, processes or regions of interest. In this work, we analyzed – using a sensitivity analysis approach – the effect of some variables in the calculation of the water footprint in the viticulture in Brazilian Serra Gaúcha (the major producing region of Brazilian Wine).The classical Penman-Monteith model for evapotransporation was considered, with uncertainties in some parameters (dead mulch covering fraction in the vineyard, maximum temperatures for some months, altitudes and latitudes of the site). The sensitivity analysis was conducted using the SAFE toolbox under Octave framework. The results indicated that the the portion of the water footprint corresponding to the evapotranspiration is more sensitive to the values of mulch covering fraction and the altitude of the site in comparison with the latitude and the maximum temperatures.

In the era of mounting water scarcity, particularly in arid regions, the agricultural sector is striving to optimize the water resource management practices. Treated wastewater (TWW) has emerged as a viable alternative to freshwater for irrigation, offering a sustainable solution to water conservation. However, ensuring the safety and quality of TWW is paramount to safeguard for both crop health and environmental integrity. Electrical conductivity (EC), a critical factor in assessing TWW suitability for irrigation, can significantly impact crop yields and soil health since it is directly linked to the concentration of dissolved salts and ions. Therefore, this study delves into the development of advanced predictive models for EC assessment by employing supervised machine learning (ML) techniques like the Support Vector Regression (SVR), Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR). The TWW samples collected from Al-Qatif area, Saudi Arabia were assessed in the lab through a sensor-based real-time monitoring system integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) network and a multiprobe device. The key water quality parameters assessed involved, temperature (T), pH, Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP), Resistivity (RES), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Salinity and Turbidity which served as the foundation for these models, given their profound influence on and their anticipated impact on EC levels. Following feature selection, two distinct model combinations were identified for the SVR, ANFIS and MLR models. Furthermore, to evaluate prediction performance, four statistical criteria, including coefficient of determination (R²), correlation coefficient (R), mean square error (MSE), and root mean square error (RMSE), were employed. Overall, the comparative performance results proved that ANFIS-M2 indicated the strongest predictive capability with the R² value of 0.99572 and 0.75145 and the RMSE values of 0.00965 and 0.01134, respectively in both calibration and verification stages.

Umbria is an Italian region with a highly fragmented water supply, with many small water distribution systems fed by local sources. The chlorination in these small water systems faces many difficulties related to the high demand variation, low economic relevance, and access to infrastructures. As a result, there are many noncompliances with the quality of the supplied water, which causes a decrease in the performance indicators and tariff. This research investigates the possibility of using a low-cost chlorination system to consider different environmental conditions (e.g., temperature variations of water and environment, pH, ...) and discontinuous consumption. A device for this specific use is developed and tested by laboratory tests and is ready for use in the field.

Abstract: Due to sever land degradation throughout Ethiopia, the government has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. However, most of the rivers in Ethiopia carry huge amount of sediment in rainy season and streams dried up in the dry period. Planned research was conducted on two paired micro-catchments Mt.Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were collected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on both micro-catchments at their outlets and center respectively. Base flow separation was done using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software was employed for data analysis. Flow duration curve (FDC) for both watersheds were developed. The FDC indicated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment ishigher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and un-sustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant difference in base flow enhancement between the treated and untreated micro-catchment (P<0.001). Hence, catchment treatment contributed to improve groundwater recharge and sustain base flow in the dry season by reduce surface runoff during rainy season.

Abstract: Severe land degradation is the principal environmental problem in Ethiopian highlands in the form of soil erosion, and soil fertility loss, which is caused by human intervention for food, shelter, and energy demands. Soil erosion contributes to the loss of precious soil and water resources which are the basis of agricultural production and provide numerous other eco-system services. The Ethiopian highlands are one of the most degraded regions in the world. To combat such problems, the government of Ethiopia has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. Mount Yewel is one of the highlands in Northeastern Ethiopia where intensive soil and water conserva-tion has been implemented. Despite the massive investment in soil and water conservation measures, most of the rivers in the highlands of Ethiopia carry huge amounts of sediment with high flood risks in the wet season and streams are dried up in the dry period. Nonetheless, the impact of soil and water conservation measures on flood reduction and dry season flow en-hancement has not yet been quantified and evaluated. This research was then conducted on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were col-lected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel at their outlets and centers respectively. Base flow separation was done from the stream hydrograph using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software were employed for data analysis. Flow duration curves (FDC) for both watersheds were developed to compare the stream flow patterns between treated and untreated micro-catchments of Mount Yewel. The FDC indi-cated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment is higher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and unsustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant (P

Transition-metal-free synthesis of 4-pyrones via TfOH-promoted nucleophilic addition/cyclization of diynones and water has been developed. This transformation is simple, atom economical and environmentally benign, providing rapid and efficient access to substituted 4-pyrones.

To clarify effects of weathered coal humic acid on water-stable aggregates and pore characteristics of reclaimed cambisol, this research analyzed the evolution characteristics of soil aggregates and pores. Effects of different humic acid dosages (0, 1%, 3%, and 5% by weight) and application period (1 year, 2 years, and 3 years) on soil aggregates and organic carbon components in soil water-stable aggregates were investigated. The results showed that water-stable macroaggregates (&gt;0.25 mm) had the highest content in the first year; but in the third year, water-stable microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) had the highest content, and silt and clay (&lt;0.053 mm) were at a maximum. In the third year of 5% treatment, mean weight and geometric mean diameters were the largest, soil structure was the most stable, and TOC and water-stable microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) in soil had the highest proportions. For 5% treatment, the majority of irregular pores were independent in the first year, and number of pores decreased in the second year, but average pore volume increased, forming robust connected pores. In the third year, the number of elongated and irregular pores increased. In the third year of 5% treatment, most pores were irregular and of size &gt;100 μm, and soil structure was the most stable.

The influence of short term water absorption on the mechanical properties of halloysite nanotubes-multi layer graphene reinforced polyester hybrid nanocomposites has been investigated. The addition of nano-fillers significantly increased the flexural strength; tensile strength and impact strength in dry and wet conditions. After short term water exposure; the maximum microhardness; tensile; flexural and impact toughness values were observed at 0.1 wt% MLG. The microhardness increased up to 50.3%; tensile strength increased up to 40% and flexural strength increased up to 44%. Compared to dry samples; the fracture toughness and surface roughness of all types of produced nanocomposites were increased that may be attributed to plasticization effect. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the main failure mechanism is caused by the weakening of nano-filler-matrix interface induced by water absorption. It was further observed that synergistic effects were not effective at concentration of 0.1 wt% to produce considerable improvement in mechanical properties of produced hybrid nanocomposites.

The present study investigates the impact of electrode surface roughness on the electrofreezing of water. This research focuses on how the electrode roughness induced by a laser treatment affects the nucleation and growth of ice crystals under controlled electric fields. To achieve this, a series of experiments were conducted using deionized water samples placed between electrodes with varying surface roughness. The electrodes, fabricated with the Al6061 T6 alloy were structured via the Laser Shock Processing (LSP) method. For this purpose, the pulsed densities during the LSP process were varied from 900 to 2500 pulses/cm2. The increase of the pulse density was correlated to the surface structuring and to the microstructural features and average roughness of the LSP-treated Al6061 alloy. A wavy-like microstructure was induced upon the LSP treatment with average roughnesses between ~ 3.5 and 6 µm at the selected pulse densities. The results indicate that electrode roughness significantly influences the electrofreezing process. Rougher electrodes were found to lower the nucleation temperature compared to smoother ones, suggesting enhanced ice nucleation activity. The findings are attributed to the increased electric field concentration at the asperities of the rough surfaces, which may facilitate the alignment of water molecules and the formation of critical ice nuclei.

Iron tailings are solid waste generated after the mining of iron mines, which have caused serious damage to the surrounding ecology and environment and have attracted widespread attention. By analyzing the formation causes, main components, and environmental effect mechanisms of iron tailings, the article systematically elaborates on the degree and mechanism of the harm of iron tailings to water bodies, atmosphere, soil, and ecosystems, and evaluates its impact on human health and sustainable development of society. On this basis, specific prevention and control measures have been proposed to reduce iron tailings emissions, realize resource recycling, and restore ecosystems. Research shows that iron tailings containing heavy metals can widely pollute the environment through dissolution and migration, and have significant biological toxicity effects. The research results can provide a theoretical reference for decision-making departments to formulate scientific and reasonable iron tailings disposal and ecological protection policies. It is recommended to strengthen specific research on the infiltration of toxic and harmful components in tailings in the future, and develop efficient and stable solidification technology, and vegetation-microbial joint restoration models to further reduce the ecological and environmental risks of iron tailings.

An adequate representation of the water infiltration process in the soil allows improving the efficiency in application and the uniformity in surface irrigation. The Green and Ampt model has shown a good representation of the process, and researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined the values of their parameters for soils of that country, which are shown in tables or through functional relationships and this information is used as reference in several parts of the world, although there is no certainty that they are representative of the soils in Mexico. In this study, the parameters of the Green & Ampt equation were determined and evaluated in some soils of agricultural importance in Mexico. The parameters were obtained in four ways: one of them applied a methodology adapted from Brooks and Corey to quantify the wetting front capillary pressure head and used an permeameter under constant hydraulic head to determine the saturated hydraulic conductivity, and the other three consisted in taking them from three studies reported by the USDA. The values of the parameters suggested in Mexico drastically underestimated the results with relative errors (RE) in a range of -49.0 to -94.0% and the most representative were those obtained with the methodology proposed in this research with RE of -15.0 to 6.0%.

This article examines the impact of climate change on the hydrometeorological state of some lakes and reservoirs in the Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions. Time series with values of various climate parameters for the period 1986-2023 are used for the climate analysis; the reliability of the results was assessed using the Fisher criteria. Hydrometric indicators were studied using the ArcGIG program. Using GIS to spatially analyze water climate data, 8-channel satellite images from 1995 to 2023 were used. During the study, it was found that the area of the main lakes has undergone changes.

The movement of liquid droplets on the energy gradient surface has attracted extensive attention. Inspired by biological features in nature, such as the periodic spindle-shaped nodes in spider silks and conical-like barbs of cacti, the structure-property-function relationship of multifunctional gradient surfaces. In this study, a series of specific patterns are fabricated by 3D printing technology, followed by modification via the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment and liquid phase chemical deposition, resulting in enhancing the ability of water droplets of 5μL to travel 18.47mm on a horizontal plane and 22.75mm against gravity up to 20° tilting angle. Additionally, analysis techniques have been employed including contact angle analyzer, ESCA and laser confocal microscope to evaluate the sample performance. This work could further be applied to many applications related to microfluidic devices, drug delivery and water/fog collection.

Revealing the spatial distribution mechanism of the coupling effect between soil water and salt is essential for managing saline-alkali farmland. This study utilized the multifractal method to analyze soil water and salt under varying water content levels in arid saline-alkali farmland. Soil samples were collected on the second (S1), fifth (S2), eighth (S3), eleventh (S4), and fourteenth (S5) days after a rainfall event. The findings showed that a significant decrease in soil water content, contrasting with an increase in soil salt content throughout the soil layers post-rainfall. As water content decreased, the spatial variability of soil water initially increased from S1-3 and then decreased, while the spatial variability of soil salt decreased. The spatial distribution between soil water and salt exhibited a high correlation at S3-4 (with relative water content of soil ranging from 0.52 to 0.75) due to their coupling effect. However, soil salt was unevenly leached by rainfall at high water content levels (S1-2) and precipitated at low water content levels (S5), resulting in low spatial variability correlations between soil water and salt. This study elucidated the coupling process of soil water and salt, identifying their spatiotemporal distribution mechanism in dryland agricultural areas.

Nowadays, the identification and characterization of grapevine cultivars resilient to climate and water stress while preserving quality traits is crucial for the wine industry. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize according to their aromatic potential 9 white and 6 red minority cultivars recently recovered from Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain), subjected at two different water deficit regimes: rainfed, with subsistence irrigation, and irrigated. For this, the varietal aromatic potential index (IPAv) and the detailed aromatic composition were analyzed by HS-SBSE-GC/MS, in extracts of two different ph. For IPAv values, red varieties did not show a clear trend with respect to irrigation. However, in white minority varieties, higher values were obtained under irrigation conditions. Thus, a clear differentiation of the minority varieties in comparison to the references was observed, primarily attributed to the content of esters and acids, in both white and red varieties. A notable contrast was observed at different pH, indicating a greater extractability of certain compounds like linalool, under more acidic conditions. This suggests that some recovered minority cultivars could be promising for cultivation in semi-arid regions with limited water, contributing to the wine sector sustainability in the future.

Histones are keys to many epigenetic events and their complexes have therapeutic and diagnostic importance. The determination of the structures of histone complexes is fundamental in the design of new drugs. Computational molecular docking is widely used for the prediction of target-ligand complexes. Large, linear peptides like the tail regions of histones are challenging ligands for docking due to their large conformational flexibility, extensive hydration, and weak interactions with the shallow binding pockets of their reader proteins. Thus, fast docking methods often fail to produce complex structures of such peptide ligands at a level appropriate for drug design. To answer this challenge, and improve the structural quality of the docked complexes, post-docking refinement has been applied using various molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. However, a final consensus has not been reached on the desired MD refinement protocol. In the present study, MD refinement strategies were systematically explored on a set of problematic complexes of histone peptide ligands with relatively large errors in their docked geometries. Six protocols were compared that differ in their MD simulation parameters. In all cases, pre-MD hydration of the complex interface regions was applied to avoid the unwanted presence of empty cavities. The best-performing protocol achieved a median of 32 % improvement over the docked structures in terms of the change of root mean squared deviations from the experimental references. The influence of structural factors and explicit hydration on the performance of post-docking MD refinements was also discussed to help their implementation in future methods and applications.

The South-to-North Water Transfer Jiangsu Water Supply Area (JWSA) is a mega inter-basin water transfer area (water source) that provides water resources from JiangHuai, combines drainage and flooding management, and regulates nearby rivers and lakes. Analyzing the spatiotemporal soil moisture dynamics in the area will inform agricultural drought and flood disaster assessment and early warning studies. Therefore, we evaluated the quality of European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative Soil moisture (ESA CCI_SM) data in the South-North Water Transfer JWSA. Then, we used ensemble empirical modal decomposition, Mann-Kendall tests, and regression analysis to study the spatiotemporal variation in soil moisture for the past 29 years. The CCI _SM data showed a high correlation with local soil measurements at nine sites. We then analyzed the CCI_SM data from three pumping stations (the Gaogang, Hongze, and Liushan stations) in the South-North Water Transfer JWSA. These stations had similar periodic characteristics of soil moisture, with significant periodic fluctuations around 3.1 d. The overall soil moisture at the three typical pumping stations showed an increasing trend. We then investigated whether there were abrupt soil moisture changes at each station. The spatial distribution of soil moisture in the South-North Water Transfer JWSA was characterized by “dry north and wet south”, with higher soil moisture in winter, followed by autumn, and low soil moisture in spring and summer. Although the linear trend of soil moisture in the South-North Water Transfer JWSA varied in significance, the overall soil moisture in the JWSA has increased over the past 29 years. The areas with significantly enhanced soil moisture are mainly distributed in the Yangzhou and Huai'an areas in the southeastern part of the study area. The areas with significantly decreased soil moisture are small in size and mainly located in northern Xuzhou.

The spread of micro- (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment has become a significant environmental concern, necessitating effective removal strategies. In this comprehensive scientific review, we examine the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as a promising technology for the removal of MPs and NPs from water. We first describe the issue of MPs and NPs and their impact on the environment and human health. Then the fundamental principles of using MNPs for the removal of these pollutants will be presented, emphasizing that MNPs enable selective binding and separation of MPs and NPs from water sources. Furthermore, we provide a short summary of various types of MNPs that have proven effective in the removal of MPs and NPs. These include ferromagnetic nanoparticles, MNPs coated with organic polymers, as well as nanocomposites and magnetic nanostructures. We also review their properties, such as magnetic saturation, size, shape, surface functionalization and stability, and their influence on removal efficiency. Next, we describe different methods of utilizing MNPs for the removal of MPs and NPs. We discuss their advantages, limitations, and potential for further development in detail. In the final part of the review, we provide an overview of existing studies and results demonstrating the effectiveness of using MNPs for the removal of MPs and NPs from water. We also address challenges that need to be overcome, such as nanoparticle optimization, process scalability, and the removal and recycling of nanoparticles after the completion of the process. This comprehensive scientific review offers an extensive insight into the use of MNPs for the removal of MPs and NPs from water. With improved understanding and the development of advanced materials and methods, this technology can play a crucial role in addressing the issue of MPs and NPs and preserving a clean and healthy environment.

Accurate assessment of shale gas reserves hinges on a detailed characterization of gas and water distribution within shale reservoirs. Despite its importance, the nanoscale behavior of water and methane in deep shale formations, especially under elevated temperatures and pressures, remains poorly understood. This study proposes a novel molecular modeling approach to represent the complex nanocomposite porous media found in deep shale matrices. Leveraging quantitative data from experimental analyses of shale pore composition, we developed a molecular model that accurately reflects the intricate pore-slit structure within a composite of kerogen and illite, common constituents of shale. Employing a hybrid grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation technique, we investigated the micro-scale distribution and preferential adsorption sites of water and methane within the shale matrix. Our research further elucidates the impact of water on the pore structure of shale and delineates the co-occurrence patterns of water and methane. The simulations reveal that water and methane share similar adsorption preferences on kerogen surfaces, while methane does not exhibit specific adsorption preferences on water-bearing illite. We also find that the presence of water significantly alters the illite pore space, leading to a reduction in larger pore volumes and a concomitant increase in smaller pores. The decrease in methane content with increasing water content is more pronounced in the shrinkage cracks compared to the kerogen matrix pores and is particularly notable in the macropores of illite. The findings underscore the differential sensitivity of methane content to water levels across various shale pore types. These insights contribute to a deeper theoretical understanding of gas and water distribution mechanisms in deep shale reservoirs, offering valuable support for the evaluation of deep shale gas resource potential.

This study investigates cloud cavitation suppression around a model scale NACA66 hydrofoil using active water injection and explores the effect of multiple injection parameters. Numerical simulations and a mixed-level orthogonal test method are employed to systematically analyze the impact of jet angle αjet, jet location Ljet, and jet velocity Ujet on cavitation suppression efficiency and hydrofoil energy performance. The study reveals that jet location has the greatest influence on cavitation suppression, while jet angle has the greatest influence on hydrofoil energy performance. The optimal parameter combination (Ljet = 0.30C, αjet = +60 degrees, Ujet = 3.25 m/s) effectively balances energy performance and cavitation suppression, reducing cavitation volume by 49.34% and improving lift-drag ratio by 8.55%. The study found that the jet's introduction not only enhances vapor condensation and reduces the intensity of the vapor-liquid exchange process but also disrupts the internal structure of cavitation clouds and elevates pressure on the hydrofoil suction surface, thereby effectively suppressing cavitation. Further analysis shows that positive-going horizontal jet components enhance the lift-drag ratio, while negative-going components have a detrimental effect. Jet arrangements near the trailing edge negatively impact both cavitation suppression and energy performance. These findings provide valuable reference for selecting optimal injection parameters to achieve a balance between cavitation suppression and energy performance in hydrodynamic systems.

Energy generation now heavily relies on the field of photocatalysis. Many conventional research topics have been superseded by the conversion of solar energy into chemical or thermal energy for a variety of energy-related applications. The urgent necessity of moving away from non-renewable energy sources is a result of the problem of global warming. In an effort to create the best photocatalysts for effective solar conversion, scientists are investigating a variety of material systems and material combinations. By examining the influence of morphology changes on the photoelectrochemical activity of zinc oxide nanostructures, here electrodeposition was used to create the nanostructures. By using the proper capping agents, it is possible to control the growth rates of different ZnO facets and get well-defined nanostructures and orientation. In order to generate distinct ZnO morphologies, we report here the electrodeposition of ZnO nanostructured thin films in the presence of different capping agents. A zinc nitrate (Zn (NO₃)₂) bath was used to electrodeposit ZnO nanostructures on indium tin oxide glass (ITO) substrate at 70 °C with an applied potential of -1.0 V. Capping agents such as ethylenediamine (EDA) or ammonium fluoride (NH₄F) were added to this zinc nitrate bath. The photoelectrochemical capabilities of the morphology-controlled zinc oxide nanostructures were extensively evaluated and characterised. Thus various ZnO morphologies had an impact on the PEC properties.

Microplastics, which are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size, are a growing environmental concern since they have been found in oceans, rivers, lakes, and even on land. These tiny particles can escape water filtration systems and end up in water bodies as well as through the degradation of the larger plastic products causing serious environmental and food safety concerns. This research represents the magnitude of this pollution, characterization of microplastic contamination, its type of polymer, and possible sources of this pollution in the rivers around Dhaka, Bangladesh. Quantitative analyses were done following the method suggested by the NOAA and other conventional methods. Among the rivers, Buriganga has the highest microplastic pollution with 3.654 items/L in surface water and 43.125 items/kg in sediment. The concentration in Shitalakshya and Turag rivers are 3.011 items/L and 2.051 items/L in surface water and 34.875 and 17.875 items/kg in sediment respectively. ANOVA test revealed a significant difference between the concentration level of microplastic in the surface water of the Burigana and Turag rivers. A positive correlation between the concentration level of microplastic in the surface water and the sediment was also found. On average 58% of the microplastics were found to be fibrous in surface water. Qualitative analyses were done to find the characteristics and chemical composition of the microplastics. Through the use of FTIR spectroscopy, the study identified different kinds of synthetic polymers in the sample including polyamide (Nylon), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethersulfone (PES), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene were the most abundant polymer in the samples. This study involved the investigation of three distinct rivers located in the vicinity of Dhaka city

Water scarcity is a significant challenge facing Jordan today. It is a challenge in all areas that use water, and it has become certain that water is the critical factor in the population/resources equation. The water resources in Jordan have become limited with the noticeable increase in the population, mostly resulting from forced migrations in neighboring countries because of the wars and until our time. The rising natural population growth rate, along with the massive influx of refugees, has turned into a state of disproportion between the daily consumption of the population and the amount of water available. That Jordan shares most of its surface water resources with neighboring countries has exacerbated the situation. The current use of water already exceeds its renewable supply. Excessive withdrawal from aquifers, which leads to a lowering of the water table and deterioration in water quality, covered the deficit. This paper focuses on assessing the water situation in Jordan, mainly evaluating this problem and the solution being considered, the true basis for a sustainable water solution requires awareness by the population, and several governmental and non-governmental organizations are actively involved in educating residents about water shortages. The most important and 'actionable' elements of comprehensive water solutions are discussed in this paper, and these elements exist, develop extra water supplies, water harvesting, water desalination, proper wastewater reuse in the agricultural sector, and reduce the demand for drinking water. This research provides specific recommendations to address the shortage of water resources in the Kingdom and highlights the importance of water conservation and optimal use.

The growing need for water has pressured society and governments to focus more on preservation, planning and management of this natural resource, in which is fundamental to ecosystems and especially to humans. In this sense, the goal of this study was to analyze the national policy of water resources in Brazil and Italy, figuring out aspects that could promote its improvement, aiming at the preservation of water sources, guaranteeing satisfactory quantity and quality. They were carried out in 2019 by the environmental agencies of both countries, listing the main disciplinary regulations. The results show that although they are countries with different realities, they resemble similarities in managerial aspects of water resources, with legislation addressing qualitative and quantitative aspects of water, with guiding principles, instruments and actions aimed at the defence of this natural resource.

Over the coming decades, global freshwater withdrawals are expected to grow, especially in low and middle-income countries. Unless there are significant improvements in the efficiency of water use by economies, freshwater stress, crises and scarcity will worsen. This paper explores further the economic relationship between water use efficiency and scarcity. Because growing scarcity of freshwater in many regions and countries is not adequately reflected in markets, there is often insufficient incentives for investment and innovation to improve the efficiency of water use. To explore further changes in water use efficiency across countries, we conduct a panel analysis of water productivity changes for 130 countries over 1995 to 2020. Countries with lower initial levels of water use efficiency tended to have higher water productivity growth, whereas more agriculturally dependent economies displayed lower improvements in water use efficiency. Better institutional quality and capacity for innovation may also increase water use efficiency. We discuss the implications of these results for improving water use productivity in economies, and in particular, the opportunities and challenges for improving water markets and trades to alleviate water scarcity. We conclude by identifying further areas of research.

Fabrication of durable materials with excellent oil adsorption capacity and separation performance for the treatment of oily wastewater is meaningful based on smart responsiveness. Herein, a solvent-responsive melamine sponge (MS) was developed via silanization followed by the in-situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). Detailed characterization of the resultant composite MS was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The multiscale hierarchical MS substrate exhibited highly hydrophobic property in the pH range of 1-11, along with a satisfactory adsorption capacity in the range of 65.4-134.2 g/g for different oils. The modified surface transformed from superhydrophobicity/superlipophilicity to superhydrophilicity/underwater superoleophobicity upon ethanol wetting, reverting to its original superhydrophobic state upon drying. The separation flux of the MS substrate was above 1.5×104L/m2h for both oil and water removal, along with the separation efficiency more than 98.7%. No obvious changes of the separation performance after 50 successive immiscible oil/water separation indicated the excellent durability and robustness of the anchored ZIF-8 nanoparticles on the surface of modified MS substrate. More importantly, oil-in-water emulsion separation was successfully carried out via the ZIF-8 MS composite with a high separation efficiency over 99.1%. The developed smart sponge with high oil absorption capacity, excellent chemical stability and fire resistance exhibited a wide range of potential practical applications in the convenient treatment of oily wastewater.

The hospital indoor environment plays a significant role in shaping the microbial exposures that humans encounter. Resistance to antibiotics is one of the mechanisms employed by bacteria to develop resilience against stress in indoor environments. The extensive usage of antibiotics has been a key factor in driving changes in the ecological function of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their acquisition by pathogenic bacteria. By integrating the 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and high throughput-qPCR approaches with water and air dust samples across seven departments at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, China, this study yielded intriguing findings regarding the department-specific variation, transmission, and correlation of bacteria, ARGs and MGEs within the hospital indoor environment. One notable observation was that the seasonal variation played a vital role in shaping the bacterial composition in the overall hospital indoor environment across seven studied departments. Nevertheless, a similar significant seasonal impact was only observed in the blood test room and emergency departments, rather than in the other five departments. Another intriguing finding was the correlation between ARGs and MGEs abundance. This correlation was evident in the overall hospital indoor environment, which was conversely not found in the emergency, pneumology and gynecology departments. Additionally, while there was no significant relationship that occurred between bacterial communities and ARGs/MGEs within the hospital, the gynecology department demonstrated a close link between bacterial communities and the presence of ARGs/MGEs. Notably, the gynecology department also stood out as an important source of bacteria and ARGs/MGEs for other departments. This study underscores the need for careful surveillance and monitoring of antibiotic resistance, particularly in Legionella spp. in man-made water systems. The findings also show the importance of monitoring and understanding the genetic elements such as Tp614 involved in gene transfer and recombination, as well as their impact on antimicrobial treatment efficacy.

The River Habitat Survey (RHS) is a method for assessing the conditions of a river channel and valley, taking into account hydromorphological factors, and assessing the degree of naturalness or the degree of anthropogenic alteration within the channel and valley based on physical and landscape data. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the quality of river habitats demonstrated using the RHS should translate into the composition of their fauna. We investigated aquatic bugs (Heteroptera Aquatica), which are a group with considerable dispersal abilities and, at the same time, composed of stenotopic species associated with a particular environment as well as of eurytopic elements inhabiting a wide range of environments (REF). The research was carried out in a small lowland river, the River Krąpiel (north-western Poland) at 6 sites with 43 sub-sites included. Our analyses suggest the RHS method can predict the composition and quality of the aquatic bug fauna inhabiting a given river. Indicators of river habitat quality (HQA and RHQ) will be associated with different habitat types depending on the geographic location and type of river, once indicating habitats associated with the mainstream river and mineral substrate (mountain and small lowland rivers) and at other times habitats covered by vegetation with relatively slow water flow (large and medium lowland rivers). Therefore, RHS may be a good method for estimating the water bug fauna, linking it to the size and character of the river.

Safe water is a global public health concern amid increasing scarcity and pollution. Bottled water production and consumption contribute to these problems. This study examines tap water consumption in Italy, assessing associated sociodemographic factors and related health outcomes such as obesity and self-perceived health status. Data from the Italian National Statistics Institute's "Aspects of daily life" survey (N=45,597) were analyzed. Covariates included education, age, gender, economic status, region, concerns about waste and climate change, consumption of carbonated drinks excluding water, alcohol consumption, consumption of vegetables, consumption of snacks, body mass index, and self-perceived health status. Bivariate analyses and mixed-effect logistic regression models explored the associations. People who drink tap water were 19,674 with a higher prevalence in people aged 45 to 59 old, people with a graduate/post-graduate degree diploma, with optimal economic resources, and concerned about waste production and climate change, coming from the North-East regions of Italy. Underweight people showed a higher prevalence of TW assumption as well as those who drink less than occasionally carbonated drinks, drink alcohol, consume vegetables more than once a day, and snacks less than once a week with a satisfying level perceived health status. Regressions showed that all age classes are less likely to drink tap water than people younger than 20 years old. The category with “inadequate” economic resources is more likely to consume tap water. Low educational classes show a low likelihood of consuming tap water as well as Islands. A concern about waste production and climate change is associated with an increased likelihood of assuming tap water. Tap water consumption was negatively associate with obesity but not with a satisfactory Self-perceived health status. Insights from this study can inform public health strategies.

Ca2+ can boost protein-protein interactions and, if present at an appropriate level, can potentially improve the physicochemical properties of protein gels and films. This study aimed to determine the effect of CaCl2 (0, 0.01 0.025 0.05% w/w) on the optical, water affinity, and mechanical char-acteristics of glycerol (Gly)- and sorbitol (Sor)-plasticized pea protein isolate (PPI) films. The CaCl2 caused darkening and a color shift of the films from yellow to yellow-green. Additionally, de-creased light transmission, particularly in the UV range, and reduced moisture content were observed. The CaCl2 decreased the water vapor permeability (WVP) of the Gly-plasticized film by an average of 20%, with no effect on the Sor-plasticized film. All films were completely soluble in water. The CaCl2 negatively impacted the mechanical integrity of the films, reducing the tensile strength of the Gly- and Sor-plasticized films by ~16% and 14-37%, respectively. Further increases in CaCl2 content (0.1% and 0.2% w/w) led to concentration-dependent cracks, suggesting protein over-crosslinking. In summary, the incorporation of CaCl2 into PPI films did not provide signif-icant benefits and actually worsened key properties such as transparency and mechanical strength. The type of plasticizer influenced how CaCl2 affected some properties of the PPI film.

As Li-ion batteries use is spreading, incidents in large energy storage systems (stationary storage containers, …) or in large-scale cell and battery storages (warehouse, recyclers, …), often leading to fire, are occurring on regular basis. Water remains one of the most efficient fire extinguishing agents for tackling those battery incidents and large quantities are usually necessary. Since bat-teries contains various potentially harmful components (metals and their oxides or salts, sol-vents…) and that thermal runway induced battery incidents are accompanied with complex and potentially multistage fume emissions (containing both gas and particles) the potential impact of fire run-off water on the environment should be considered and assessed carefully. The tests presented in this paper focus on the analysis of the composition of run-off waters used to spray NMC Li-ion modules under thermal runaway. It highlights that waters used for fire-fighting are susceptible to contain many metals, including Ni, Mn, Co, Li and Al mixed with other carbonaceous species (soot, tarballs) and sometimes undecomposed solvents used in the elec-trolyte. Extra-polation of pollutant concentrations compared with PNEC values showed that, for large scale incidents, run-off water could be potentially hazardous to the environment.

Benveniste’s experiments – known in the lay press as the “water memory” phenomenon – are generally considered to be a closed case. However, the amount of data generated by twenty years of well-conducted experiments prevents closing the file so simply. An issue, which has been little highlighted so far, merits to be emphasized. Indeed, if Benveniste failed to persuade his peers of the value of his experiments, it was mainly because of a stumbling block, namely the difficulty of convincingly proving the causal relationship between the supposed cause (“informed water”) and the experimental outcomes in different biological models. To progress in the understanding of this phenomenon, we abandon the idea of any role of water in these experiments (“water memory” and its avatars). In other words, we assume that “control” and “test” conditions to be evaluated were physically identical and differed only by their respective designations. We show in this article how simple probabilistic considerations allow to build a model that accounts for all aspects of Benveniste’s experiments. In this model based on probability amplitudes, constructive and destructive interferences emerge – or not – according to the experimental context. The recording of a statistical regularity shapes the intertwined whole constituted by the probability amplitudes of the states of the experimenter’s cognitive structures and of the experimental system. This model provides an alternative explanation to Benveniste’s experiments where water plays no role and where the place of the experimenter is central.

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by the city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proved to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the rural-urban gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient are of a great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby, was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy.

Nanoporous membranes promise energy-efficient water desalination. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), like graphene, exhibits outstanding physical and chemical properties, making it a promising candidate for water treatment. We employed Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations to establish accurate modeling of Na+ and Cl- permeation through hydrogen passivated nanopores in graphene and h-BN membranes. In these complex systems the classical potentials cannot properly account for the physics at play. We demonstrate that ion separation works well for the h-BN by imposing a barrier of 0.13 eV and 0.24 eV for Na+ and Cl- permeation respectively, compared to the graphene where the Cl- ion faces a negative barrier of 0.68 eV and is prone toward blockade and Na+ permeation is associated with a slightly negative barrier of 0.03 eV. From the change in the solvation shell, we get the following trend: Na/h-BN > Na/G > Cl/G > Cl/h-BN. We argue that the trend in the permeation barrier changes to Cl-h-BN > Na-h-BN > Na-G > Cl-G due to a combination of several interactions, including the distortion of the water network induced by the ions, the ion-water interaction, and the ion-nanopore interaction. Overall, the desalination performance of h-BN surpasses that of their graphene counterparts.

Legionella bacteria can proliferate in poorly maintained water systems, posing risks to users. All Legionella species are potentially pathogenic but Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is usually the primary focus of testing. However, Legionella anisa (L. anisa) also colonises water distribution systems, is frequently found with L. pneumophila and could be a good indicator for increased risk of nosocomial infection. Anonymized data from three commercial Legionella testing laboratories afforded analysis of 565,750 water samples. Data covered July 2019 to August 2021, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Results confirmed L. anisa commonly colonises water distribution systems, being the most frequently identified non-L. pneumophila species. Proportions of L. anisa and L. pneumophila generally remained similar but increases in L. pneumophila during COVID-19 lockdown suggests static water supplies might favour its growth. Disinfection of hospital water systems was effective but re-colonization did occur, appearing to favour L. pneumophila, although L. anisa colony numbers also increased as a proportion of the total. While L. pneumophila remains the main species of concern as a risk to human health, L. anisa’s role should not be under-estimated, either as a potential infection risk or as an indicator of the need to intervene to control Legionella colonization of water supplies.

The prospect of drinking water serving as a conduit for gut bacteria, artificially selected by disinfection strategies and lack of monitoring at the point of use, is concerning. Certain opportunistic pathogens, notably some nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), often exceed coliform bacteria levels in drinking water, posing safety risks. NTM and other microbiota resist chlorination and thrive in plumbing systems. When inhaled, opportunistic NTM can infect the lungs of immunocompromised or chronically ill patients, and the elderly, primarily postmenopausal women. When ingested with drinking water, NTM often survive stomach acidity, reach the intestines, migrate to other organs using immune cells as vehicles, potentially colonizing tumor tissue, including in breast cancer. The link between the microbiome and cancer is not new, yet the recognition of intratumoral microbiomes is a recent development. Breast cancer risk rises with age, and NTM infections emerged as a concern among breast cancer patients. In addition to studies hinting at a potential association between chronic NTM infections and lung cancer, NTM have also been detected in breast tumors at levels higher than normal adjacent tissue. Evaluating the risks of continued ingestion of contaminated drinking water is paramount, especially given the ability of various bacteria to migrate from the gut to breast tissue via entero-mammary pathways. This underscores a pressing need to revise water safety monitoring guidelines and delve into hormonal factors, which includes addressing the disproportionate impact of NTM infections and breast cancer on women and examining the potential health risks posed by the cryptic and unchecked microbiota from drinking water.

Fluoride (iF) is important inorganic pollutant in groundwater in central México. The aim of this study was estimated environmental risk exposure of iF in residents of Jerez Zacatecas México. Fifty-five tap water samples were collected from households to determine iF concentrations using the ion-selective electrode method. Based on these environmental values, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) was estimated following the methodology of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Subsequently, risk maps were generated from these values to visualize the spatial distribution of high-risk areas within the city. iF in tap water ranger in concentration from 1.3 – 7.3 mg/L (ppm). We estimated HQ in a range of 0.63 to 3.73. iF ex-posure in tap water is a health problem that must be addressed, carrying out risk communication actions that allow the population to take care of their health through simple actions, avoiding future health costs.

Exposure to malachite green (MG) may pose great health risks to humans, thus it is of prime importance to develop fast and robust methods to quantitatively screen the presence malachite green in environment. Herein application of extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EESI-MS) has been extended to the trace detection of MG within lake water and aquiculture water, due to the intensive use of MG as biocide in fisheries. This method has the advantage of obviating offline liquid-liquid extraction or tedious matrix separation prior to the measurement of malachite green in native aqueous medium. The experimental results indicate that the extrapolated detection limit for MG was ~3.8 ug L-1 (S/N=3) in lake water samples and ~ 0.5 ug L-1 in ultrapure water under optimized experimental conditions. The signal intensity of MG showed good linearity over the concentration range of 10–5000 ug L-1. Measurement of practical water samples fortified with MG at 0.01 and 0.1 mg L-1 gave a good validation of the established calibration curve. The average recoveries of malachite green in lake water and Carassius carassius fish farm effluent water were 114.9% (6.6% RSD) and 85.4% (9.2% RSD), respectively. Overall, the established EESI-MS/MS method has been demonstrated suitable for sensitive and rapid (<2 min per sample) quantitative detection of malachite green in various aqueous media, indicating its potential for online real-time monitoring of real life samples.

Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up to industrial levels, operating at high current densities introduces unique challenges. It is necessary to design advanced electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under high current densities. This review will briefly introduce chal-lenges posed by high current densities on electrocatalyst, including catalystic activity, mass dif-fusion and catalyst stability. In an attempt to address these issues, various electrocatalyst design strategies are summarized in detail. In the end, our insights into future challenges for efficient large-scale industrial hydrogen production from water splitting are presented. This review is expected to guide the rational design of efficient high current density water electrolysis electro-catalysts and promote the research progress of sustainable energy.

This review paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on the contamination of water systems by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs, organic contaminants characterized by two or more fused aromatic rings, are notably problematic due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and significant health risks. The review commences with an examination of various sources of PAHs in aquatic environments, encompassing both anthropogenic activities, such as industrial discharges, urban runoff, and oil spills, and natural phenomena including volcanic eruptions and wildfires. Subsequently, the discussion shifts to the distribution patterns of PAHs within different aquatic ecosystems, with an analysis of factors that influence their transport. Considerable focus is placed on the entry mechanisms of PAHs into water systems and their interactions with diverse environmental matrices. Additionally, the ecotoxicological effects of PAHs on aquatic life are scrutinized, with particular emphasis on molecular, individual, and ecosystemic impacts. This includes an exploration of PAH bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms and their potential mutagenic and carcinogenic consequences. The review further addresses the challenges associated with detecting and quantifying PAHs in aquatic settings, reflecting on the advancements in analytical methodologies and the complexities introduced by their varied physicochemical properties. The paper concludes with a summary of existing regulatory frameworks and guidelines governing PAH contamination in water systems, underscoring the imperative for global collaboration in the monitoring and management of PAH pollution.

Improvement of hydrophysical properties and corrosion resistance of self-compacting concrete to the effects of alternate freezing-thawing and aggressive soils of southern and central Kazakhstan is of interest to a wide range of researchers from the side of practical application of the obtained results in construction practice. It is proposed to form a spatially reinforced fine crystalline structure of cement matrix with maximum dense packing by using a complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fibro fibers) in the composition of self-compacting concretes (SCC). The introduction of the calculated amount of the above additives increases the operational reliability of the current SCC compositions, increasing the water resistance to W16, frost resistance to F=500, increasing the compressive strength by 20%, reducing the mass loss of samples during corrosion leaching to 50%. It has been experimentally established that the proposed addition of complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fiber fibers) to the SCC composition allows obtaining self-compacting concrete of high quality with improved performance characteristics (compressive strength, water resistance, frost resistance and corrosion resistance). Studies have shown that the complex modifier-modified SCC compositions have a high degree of resistance in aggressive environments and leaching corrosion. Based on the results of the conducted tests, it is possible to recommend the obtained SCC compositions for production of building products working in the zone of alternating freezing-thawing and aggressive soils.

While the beneficial effects of using magnetic and electromagnetic treatment (ET) of brackish and saline waters on soil salinity reduction in the root zone were widely reported more studies are needed to answer questions about the soil salt leaching efficiency and the effect of the duration of the exposure to ET. For this aim, pot experiments were conducted using an Aqua-4DR physical water treatment device. The first experiment included two trials. The first considered 5 concentrations: C0:1.0; C1:4.5; C2:9; C3:13.5; and C4:18 dSm-1. The results revealed that the volume and the salt concentrations of the drained waters were significantly higher under irrigation with ET saline waters than those provided by untreated waters. The drained fraction of water varied from 20 to 26% under irrigation with untreated water and increased from 33 to 56% under irrigation with electromagnetized water indicating an improvement of salt leaching. The second trial was carried out with different irrigation doses. The result showed that the higher the dose, the more obvious and significant ET effect. The different treatment durations of water exposure revealed that the volume and salinity of drained water significantly increase as the ET duration increases. An increase in ET duration induces also an increase in soil water content of around 2.5%. Based on the experimental findings, we may conclude that the ET of saline water can reduce the adverse effect of salinity on the top soil, but these leached salts are carried away in depth and there is no concentration limit of water to the effect of the ET.

Unevenly distributed rainfall leads to reduced potato water productivity (WP) under rainfed production. Understanding practices that can increase WP is vital. Objectives were to (i) understand seasonal variables that influence WP under rainfed conditions and (ii) the effect of the integration of cultivar, locality, mulch on potato WP. The study was under two agroecological zones Appelsbosch (Mbalenhle locality), and Swayimane (Stezi, and Mbhava locality), under smallholder. A split plot, in a randomized complete block design experiment, consists of mulching (mulch and not mulch), and selected cultivars. Soil water content (SWC), yield, and climatic conditions were collected, water use (ET) and WP were calculated. Rainfall, ET, and SWC had a significant influence on seasonal WP. Cultivar x mulch x locality had an insignificant effect on WP, however, locality x cultivars significantly altered potato WP. Localities that had lower vapor pressure deficit (VPD), low relative humidity, and sandy soil had higher potato WP of 14.53 kg m-3. The findings suggest that localities that have less atmospheric dryness and cultivars that show stability of yield across seasons can be an easy-to-apply practice for increasing potato WP under a resource-limited environment. Mulch is important when the distribution of intra-annual rainfall does not match crop water requirements.

The study investigates the economic feasibility and farmer acceptance of utilizing treated wastewater (TWW) for agricultural irrigation, particularly in the Northern Jordan Valley. Despite its potential to mitigate water scarcity, concerns persist regarding its impact on soil health, crop yield, and land utilization, hindering widespread adoption. The research aims to measure farm profitability and farmers' willingness to embrace TWW through various blending scenarios with traditional surface water sources. The yield response function to salinity was incorporated into profit function to simulate crop profitability and water values. Results indicate that the introduction of TWW negatively affects salt-sensitive crops like citrus but positively impacts others such as date palm, olives, tomatoes, and peppers due to increased fertilizer content in irrigation water. Economic performance indicators reveal a gradual decrease in water net productivity for citrus with increasing blending ratios of TWW, with the water value decreasing accordingly. Higher percentages of treated water do not consistently lead to increased productivity, profitability, or net value added, emphasizing the need for careful consideration and understanding of economic risks associated with specific crops and water quality. To mitigate the impact of water salinity on citrus production, growers are advised to improve soil quality, periodically flush the soil with low-salinity water, and use salt-tolerant rootstocks. Regular monitoring of soil and water salinity levels is crucial for informed decision-making. While using TWW, water may offer cost savings.

Organic electrophoretic coatings have gained significant attention due to their ability to provide a uniform and controlled coating thickness, high coating adhesion, and excellent corrosion protection properties. In this work, to investigate the aging behaviors of an organic electrophoretic coating for magnesium alloys, water absorption kinetics curves of the coatings after immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl at 20℃ and 40℃ were measured, and parameters such as the saturated water absorption and saturation time of the free film coatings were fitted to determine the densification evolution of the organic coatings. A tensile test was used to test the tensile strength of the organic coating during service to determine the evolution of the strength and toughness of the organic coating. The evolution of wet adhesion of organic coatings with service time was tested by ASTM D4541-02. The impedance spectra of the organic coatings under the above conditions were detected by EIS, and finally, the failure behavior of the organic coatings under immersion was analyzed.

The effect of wave forces on the structural safety of fixed oscillating water-column (OWC) devices is critical. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model of an oscillating water column (OWC) device is constructed using the computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. Subsequently, the hydrodynamic performance of the numerical model is comprehensively validated. Finally, the hydrodynamic performance data are analyzed in detail to obtain meaningful conclusions. The results indicate that the horizontal wave force on the OWC device is approximately 6.6 to 7.9 times greater than the vertical wave force, whereas the lateral wave force is relatively small. Both the horizontal and vertical wave forces decrease as the relative water depth increases under a constant wave period and height. The horizontal wave force increases linearly with the wave height, whereas the vertical wave force increases with the square of the wave height. In addition, the highest dynamic water pressure is observed at the interface between the water surface and device, both within and outside the front wall of the gas chamber. The dynamic water pressure at different locations on the front chamber increases and subsequently decreases as the wave frequency increases.

Background Legionella pneumophila is one of the causes of legionellosis. Water environments serve as the natural habitat and the main sources of Legionella pneumophila. Objectives The aims of this study was to understand the differences of Legionella pneumophila serogroups distribution in well water, tap water, ice cubes, hospital and hotel water in East Java-Indonesia. Methods a total of 60 water samples in east java-Indonesia; from well water (n=25), tap water (n=5), ice cubes (n=5), water from the hospital (n=16), and hotel water (n=9) were detected using polymerase chain reaction with mip gene spesific primers and then it was analyzed by phylogenetic tree. Results For the 60 water samples collected in East Java, 12% of the samples (7/60) were positively contaminated by L. pneumophila. In details, there was 8% of the well water samples (2/25), 2% of the tap water samples (1/5), 2% of the ice cubes samples (1/5), 0% of the hospital water samples (0/16) and 33.33% of the hotel water samples (3/9). The phylogenetic tree showed that Legionella pneumophila contaminating well water isolate 1 from Surabaya and tap water isolate from Sidoarjo was closer to L.pneumophila serogroup 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, isolates from Brazil, China, Spain and Australia. L.pneumophila contaminating the ice cubes from Sidoarjo was closer to serogroup 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, while the bacteria contaminating well water isolate 2 from Sidoarjo as well as water in hotel of Surabaya (hotel water isolate 1, 2 and 3) classified into their own group. Conclusion There is a difference in the distribution of L. pneumophila serogroups between well water, tap water, ice cubes, and hotels.

The recent increase in global consumption of rice has led to increased demand for sustainable water management in paddy cultivation. In this study, we propose an enhanced paddy simulation module to be introduced to Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to evaluate the sustainability of paddy cultivation. The enhancements added to SWAT include: (1) modification of water balance calculation for impounded fields, (2) addition of an irrigation management option for paddy fields that are characterized by flood irrigation with target water depth, and (3) addition of a puddling operation that influences the water quality and infiltration rate of the top soil layer. In a case study, the enhanced model, entitled SWAT-Paddy, was applied to an agricultural watershed in Japan. The results showed that the SWAT-Paddy successfully represented paddy cultivation, water management, and discharge processes. Simulated daily discharge rates with SWAT-Paddy (R² = 0.8) were superior to the SWAT result (R² = 0.002). SWAT-Paddy allows the simulation of paddy management processes realistically, and thus can enhance model accuracy in paddy-dominant agricultural watersheds.

This research contributes to the detailed discussion about the approach to secure, hygienic water and cleanliness in Uganda and its pastoral regions. The relationship between the sanitation and clean water access with destitution is also discussed. Although this document is not leading towards the policy recommendation but it is an overall idea of how Uganda progressed because of the provisions adopted by the government, local and international organizations, and NGOs, and how the country lacked before these steps taken. Most of the data mentioned is taken from the house surveys of a decade 2002-2013 alongside the qualitative data. Literature review is also considered and is divided in two sections: first included researches related to water accessibility and usage, while the second section included researches related to work done and progress for diarrheal diseases and sanitation. Afterwards, methodologies were discussed where, firstly, trends and then the limitations in access to the basic necessities of life that is clean water and hygiene are mentioned. At last, the implementations and how they affected the rural Ugandans was discussed.

In recent decades, as eutrophication in inland and coastal waters (ICWs) has increased due to anthropogenic activities and global warming, so has the need for timely monitoring. Compared with traditional sampling and laboratory analysis methods, satellite remote sensing technology can provide macro-scale, low-cost, and near real-time water quality monitoring services. The Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), integrated onboard the Communication Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) from the Republic of Korea, was the first geostationary ocean color observation satellite and was operational from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2021. Over ten years, GOCI has observed oceans, coastal waters, and inland waters within its 2,500 km×2,500 km target area centered on the Korean Peninsula. The most attractive feature of GOCI, compared with other commonly used watercolor sensors, was its high temporal resolution (1h, eight times daily from 0 UTC to 7 UTC), providing the opportunity to monitor the quality of ICWs, where optical properties can change rapidly throughout the day. This systematic review aims to comprehensively review GOCI features and applications in ICWs, analyzing progress in atmospheric correction algorithms and water quality monitoring. Analyzing 123 articles from the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) through a bibliometric quantitative approach, we examined GOCI’s strength and performance with different processing methods. These articles reveal that GOCI played an essential role in monitoring the ecological health of ICWs in its observation area in East Asia. GOCI has led the way to a new era of geostationary ocean satellites, providing new technical means for monitoring water quality in oceans, coastal zones, and inland lakes. We also discuss the challenges encountered by geostationary satellites in monitoring water quality and provide suggestions for improvements.

Groundwater represents a pivotal asset in conserving natural water reservoirs for potable consumption, irrigation, and diverse industrial uses. Nevertheless, human activities intertwined with industry and agriculture contribute significantly to groundwater contamination, highlighting the critical necessity to appraise water quality for safe drinking and effective irrigation. This research primarily focused on employing the Water Quality Index (WQI) to gauge water's appropriateness for these purposes. However, the generation of an accurate WQI can prove time-intensive owing to potential errors in sub-index calculations. In response to this challenge, an artificial intelligence (AI) forecasting model was devised, aiming to streamline the process while mitigating errors. The study collected 422 data samples from Mirpurkash, a city nestled in the province of Sindh, for a comprehensive exploration of the region's WQI attributes. Furthermore, the study probed into unraveling the interdependencies amidst variables in the physiochemical analysis of water. Diverse machine learning classifiers were employed for WQI prediction, with findings revealing that random forest and gradient boosting eclipsed other algorithms, achieving an accuracy rate of 99%. In close pursuit were SVM and XGBoost, registering accuracy scores of approximately 95% and 93%, respectively, while KNN and Decision Trees garnered accuracy rates of 88% and 87%, respectively. In addition to WQI prediction, the study conducted an uncertainty analysis of the models using the R-factor, providing insights into the reliability and consistency of predictions. This dual approach, combining accurate WQI prediction with uncertainty assessment, contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of water quality in Mirpurkash and enhances the reliability of decision-making processes related to groundwater utilization

In this work, we introduce the first pipeline that combines a refraction-aware Structure-from-Motion (SfM) method with a deep learning model specifically designed for airborne bathymetry. We accurately estimate the 3D positions of the submerged points by integrating refraction geometry within the SfM optimization problem. This way, no refraction correction as post-processing is required. Experiments with simulated data that approach the real-world capturing conditions demonstrate that SfM with refraction correction is extremely accurate, with submillimeter errors. We integrate our refraction-aware SfM within a deep learning framework that also takes into account radiometrical information, developing a combined spectral and geometry-based approach, with further improvements on accuracy and robustness to different seafloor types, both textured and textureless. We conducted experiments with real-world data at 2 locations in the southern Mediterranean Sea, with varying seafloor types which demonstrate the benefits of refraction correction for the deep learning framework. We open-source our refraction-aware SfM, providing researchers in airborne bathymetry with a practical tool to apply SfM in shallow water areas.

Environmental monitoring programs rely on periodic spot sampling at specific locations, followed by laboratory analysis, aiming at the evaluation of water quality at a catchment scale. For this purpose, automatic telemetric stations for specific parameters have been installed by the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters of Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (IMBRIW-HCMR) within several Greek rivers and lakes, providing continuous and temporal monitoring possibilities. Nevertheless, the employment of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) equipped with integrated sensors represents a tool valuable to several monitoring strategies, offering enhanced temporal and spatial coverage over specific timeframes, allowing for targeted examination of sites or events of interest. The USVs have been deployed by Athens Water and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) as a cost-effective tool for the environmental monitoring of surface water bodies of interest, with emphasis on the spatial fluctuations of chlorophyllα, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH, observed in Koumoundourou Lake and rivers Acheloos, Asopos and Kifissos. The effectiveness of an innovative heavy metal (HM) system installed in the USV for thein situ determination of copper and lead was also evaluated herewith. The results obtained demonstrate that both the timely detection of potential pollution from both anthropogenic activities and natural processes as well as the monitoring of inland waters are made feasible through the employment of USV.

For some persistent pollutants, such as recalcitrant pesticides, the polluted water (urban, agricultural and/or industrial) treated by conventional wastewater treatment plants is in some cases insufficient to achieve the legally required level of purity. This issue is of particular concern in areas where low rainfall does not provide sufficient water resources to meet the needs of agriculture, requiring increased reuse of water from wastewater treatment plants. In this context, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) hold great promise for the removal of organic pollutants. This study first evaluates the effectiveness of UV/S2O8= compared to heterogeneous photocatalysis using UV/TiO2 processes on the degradation of two commonly used herbicides (terbutylazine and isoproturon) in aqueous solutions using a photoreactor. In addition. the effect of UV wavelength on the degradation efficiency of both herbicides was investigated. Although degradation rate was higher under UV-254/S2O8= nm than under UV-365/S2O8= nm, complete degradation of the herbicides (0.2 mg L-1) was achieved within 30 min under UV-366 nm using a Na2S2O8 dosage of 250 mg L-1 in the absence of inorganic anions. To assess the impact of water matrix, the individual and combined effects of sulphate, bicarbonate and chloride were evaluated. They can react with hydroxyl and sulphate radicals formed during AOPs to form new radicals with a lower redox potential. The results showed negligible effects of sulphate, while the combination of bicarbonate and chloride seemed to be the key for the decrease in herbicide removal efficiency found when working with complex matrices. Finally, the main intermediates detected during the photodegradation process were identified and the likely pathways are proposed and discussed.

The permanent protection of groundwater and surface sources of drinking water in the required raw water quality from contamination is the primary foundation of preserving the life of society and the entire engineering infrastructure operability not only in the Czech Republic but also in other countries of the world. One of the basic ways of contamination prevention enhancement and risk mitigation of putting a water source out of operation is the identification of the given risk as well as soil contamination monitoring. The purpose of this study is to understand specific aspects of contamination threats to drinking water sources and determine possible solutions to eliminate the risk, shown in the example case study in the Czech Republic conditions. Based on the findings, a proposal to enhance the prevention of water source contamination has been elaborated in the form of recommendations regarding the ways and means used to monitor the risk areas and to implement technical measures so as to eliminate or terminate the specified risk. A complex approach based on the integration of interdisciplinary factors and methodology is required to minimize the threats of aquatic ecosystems contamination in the Czech Republic.

The occurrence of potential spikes in a cell is a sign of life, and it is called action potential. There is a common notion that neuron signal conduction is the conduction of action potential. Hence, action potential is a typical and essential life activity. However, such potential spikes occur even in simple nonliving systems. According to the experimental observations by Pollack, structured water molecules can generate a negative potential environment. From this observation, the potential spike generation process for both living and nonliving systems caused by ion and water molecule adsorption-desorption process could be explained in this paper. So, taking into consideration the electrically neutral water molecules,the action potential generation mechanism could be explained. It is a fully inanimate model. Hence, the action potential may not be a life activity. Here, the role of water molecules in life is investigated further. It was found that the phase transition of the membrane is involved in the neuron signal conduction, but the membrane phase transition could be due to the change of state of the water molecules, which forms a large-scale structure in the cavities created by a number of lipids.