Author: pehilton

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Singapore’s NEWater a vision of the future of Recycled Water

Since the turn of the century, the country of Singapore has been living off of a virtually self- sustaining water system. Being an island, historically Singapore has struggled with its water supply as the nation developed, from lack thereof to contamination and flooding. As a modern response to this modern day problem the government responded with an overhaul of the entire system, and in the process freed Singapore from many of the pitfalls of a conventional municipal water supply. This huge system is carried out and maintained by the PUB, Singapore’s national water agency. Being a government agency has allowed for PUB to develop its encompassing system with speed and force, clearing the way in many situations for sustainable change. Arguably the biggest and most groundbreaking element of the switch was the development of advanced wastewater treatment systems. Singapore’s treatment plants treat and conduct more than 150,000 scientific tests on wastewater before it is pumped back into the system as recycled water, renamed “NEWater” by the agency. Currently NEWater accounts for almost 50% of water needs on the island, and the rest of it comes from a combination of rainwater collection, imported water, and desalination.

 
Even in light of its water challenges as an island nation, Singapore’s overhaul of its water system is an unquestionable success story in sustainable development, public relations, and water management. In terms of being prepared for the future of water management Singapore is leaps and bounds ahead of pretty much the entire world, even in comparison to our home state of California. The key to their success lies in closing the loop of wastewater, and feeding the treated water back into the system. Eliminating their one-track system of rain to ocean like we have in California allows for much greater longevity of use as well as security in times of change. Still there are things that they can do to to improve their system to make it 100% self-sustaining. Even though it accounts for a small percent of their water needs, importing water and desalination are ultimately inefficient methods that consume natural resources and can harm the environment.

PUB (2017, January 19). PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency. Retrieved March 9, 2017, from https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/newater

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JNF picks up the bill for Recycled Water Development in Israel

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) has taken a large role in the development of sustainable water systems in Israel, bankrolling projects that can cost up to 30 million dollars in order to “retain, enhance, and purify” the drinking water system of Israel. As a nation located in the desert that also has thriving agriculture, Israel’s water needs are key to its economic success. As a result of the government’s collaboration with the JNF in the past, Israel currently uses 85% of its recycled water for agriculture and wetlands irrigation in the place of drinking water. Even with a reuse rates so high, with the help of the JNF Israel hopes to increase its recycled water use up to 95% in the future. Current projects include expanding water treatment to communities who currently are not on the established grid, as well as multi-use reservoirs that can provide recreation in wet years and water security in times of drought.

 

In my opinion it is a positive sign that independent organizations with enough monetary power and good intentions can fund necessary development – without the complications of government. Arguably the greatest pitfall for sustainable programs around the world and here in the United States is a lack of government support. Because government needs approval from the people and politicians before money is allocated, a cooperative strategy like the JNF and Israeli Government have may be the future of sustainable infrastructure development. when the red tape and bureaucracy of government fail to bring about necessary change to systems such as water, privately or publicly funded organizations can work to bring about the change that the people want and need for their societies. Organizations like the JNF receive donations from all around the world, which can bring the necessary development to locations that need it the most.

 
Levy , A. (2017 , March 7). A multi-pronged approach to water economy innovation. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Environment/A-multi-pronged-approach-towater-economy-innovation-484467

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Cyprus pressed to make Recycled Water Compromises

The country of Cyprus, an island nation located in the eastern Mediterranean, has made a pledge to reuse the majority of their municipal wastewater for agricultural purposes in the near future. Headed by the Cyprus’ Department of Agriculture, the push is in direct response to changing environmental factors that threaten the island’s water security such as drought and groundwater depletion. Cyprus is committed to “maximum use” of recycled wastewater to quench the thirst of a variety of crops grown on the island that are key to the agricultural economy. The hope is that by reusing their wastewater Cyprus can eliminate the problem of having to balance fresh water between municipal and agricultural uses, instead one simply feeds into the other. By 2023 they plan to be pumping out some 47 million cubic meters of recycled water from the treatment plants in urban areas to the fields of wheat, vegetables, and fruit that line the island countryside.

 

As an Island nation that is completely independent of the mainland (unlike Singapore), Cyprus faces a unique challenge with the future of their water system – especially because the are such an agricultural economy. With the inability to import water in large quantities, excess dependence is put on rainfall collection and groundwater to sustain the population. Innovative means of keeping that water from slipping away are as a result necessary to the survival of the society and economy of Cyprus. However I think what many of these new recycled water programs around the world are dodging the clear solution of toilet to tap, which holds the key to sustainability. With a truly enclosed and circulatory system, Cyprus could meet at least its municipal water needs with the same quantity of water year round. It is my hope that the future of human water use is not one of inflexibility, and having recycled water play a part in our pursuit of necessary sustainability could be a very positive thing.

Chrysostomou, A. (2017, March 02). Making maximum use of recycled water. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/03/02/making-maximum-use-recycled-water/

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Saudi Arabia dives deeper into Desalination dependency

 

In the past few years Saudi Arabia has constructed the largest desalination plant in the world, the Ras-Al Khair desalination and power plant. The plant is located on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and currently supplies drinking water to the Saudi capital of Riyadh as well as locations up to 300 miles away. At full capacity the plant can convert 1 billion cubic meters of saline seawater into filtered, drinkable water for the people of Saudi Arabia. On top of that, it uses the steam created during the desalination process to turn turbines that can generate up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity that power its operation and are put back onto the grid. The development of Ras Al-Khair is a result of the Saudi government’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) and their plan for greater dependence on desalination in the future. Under the direction of the SWCC, Saudi Arabia has become the world’s largest producer of desalinated water; a decision that they hope will encourage economic opportunity and water security.

 
As I have discussed in my earlier abstracts, desalination is not the panacea to our world’s water woes. The sheer energy that it takes to flash boil water in order to remove salt and other ocean water impurities is far more than it takes in a conventional treatment plant –  not to mention the environmental impacts of pumping high-salinity brine back into coastal ecosystems. However when it comes to politics and what any given country may want for themselves, the ability to bankroll huge projects can most likely decide what will actually be done. Saudi Arabia has adopted a somewhat brutish approach to their difficulties with water supply in a desert region. Their response to pour capital and oil resources into desalination is not the most efficient or economical solution, but it is a feasible solution for them. If it is any consolation for the environment at least they are using the steam to generate electricity when it would have been wasted otherwise

Al-Awsat, A. (2016, November 28). Saudi Arabia Inaugurates World’s Largest Desalination Plant. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from http://english.aawsat.com/theaawsat/business/saudi-arabia-inaugurates-worlds-largest-desalination-plant

 

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Annual Rain Dance makes a controversial splash in India

In the city of Pune in western India local governments are cracking down on organization of traditional “rain dance” celebrations that take place along with the annual Holi festival. The tradition requires the heavy use of water resources purely for entertainment, in a process where participants “dance” under huge open showers to wash off the excess colored die that is thrown during Holi. In a region crippled with shortages of clean drinking water, such events this time of year are being met with harsh backlash from the public and as a result the local government has stepped in to mediate. Rain dances this year may only take place if the water is 100% recycled and being used scarcely, seeing as perfectly good drinking water should not flow so plentifully down the drain in Pune.

In terms of normalization and conservation I believe that this step is a great sign for Pune and other regions with immediate water challenges in the world. It seems just that the people of the public should be the first to call out others who use precious resources irresponsibly, and that with the help of a local government that understands the needs of the people a compromise can be made. On top of that the fact that they could get people to shower in recycled water so freely is astounding to me, here in the United States we are leaps and bounds away from getting the public to even look at recycled water, let alone bathe in it. This type of conflict and mediation is very surely a precursor to major water conflicts in the future, in places very much like India the public will have to start making compromises about water use, recycled or not.

Service, E. N. (2017, March 12). At Holi parties: Confusion over ‘rain dance’ events. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/at-holi-parties-confusion-over-rain-dance-events-4566103/

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IEA: Pending Water crisis is tied to Energy, Desalination not a viable solution

            The International Energy Agency has published a paper titled World Energy Outlook 2016 that highlights the interdependence of energy and water and the foreseeable problems of the future for both industries. The publication finds that changes in water availability can have critical effects on the accessibility and security of energy. Furthermore it found that the amount of energy expended in the water industry will have to double by 2040 in order to keep up with water demand. Desalination will have a large role in this  augmentation. The Agency estimates that close to 20% of the electricity used on water will be for desalination purposes. This is a massive increase from current usage levels, and it is because the Agency predicts that arid, coastal regions like California and Texas in the United States will have to eventually rely on desalination for reliable source of water.

            These predictions by the International Energy Agency are very troubling. I knew that eventually both of these industries would have to dance with the devil that is climate change, but I had no idea it would be within the next 25 years. Even so, there is no one perfect solution to this complex problem. It will require us to rethink the dependencies we have allowed for between some of the most critical systems for our survival as a species. My hope is that politicians and energy lobbyists do not act as the Agency expects they will and simply push harder and harder on expanding desalination. The science shows that desalination is not an entirely simple process environmentally, and the energy it requires per gallon will put stress on the current systems we have in place if we were to rely on it heavily. Perhaps we can even avoid this conflict altogether by pushing harder on more sustainable projects like recycled water, which requires little energy to repurpose and virtually eliminates the problem of pollution.

Starling, R. (2016, November 15). IEA: A delicate balance between water demand and the low carbon energy transition. Retrieved November 20, 2016, from https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/clean-fuels/18112016/iea-a-delicate-balance-between-water-demand-and-the-low-carbon-energy-transition/

 

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More Recycled Brewski!?

            The Southwest water campus, a coalition of water utility companies in Arizona, believes that beer is the way to push the domestic use of recycled water to the masses. They have entered the Arizona water foundation Contest with the simple idea that people will not turn down free beer. They hope to break the stigma around drinking recycled water and win the $250,000 prize. Local Arizona craft brewers will produce beer brewed with recycled water and distribute it for free to interested citizens. The goal is to initiate a cultural shift where recycled water is accepted in a place like Arizona where a severe drought is imminent.

             The psychological factor that turns reasonable people away from drinking recycled wastewater is certainly a force to be reckoned with. But as I have seen throughout my research on PR schemes it seems, beer has a way of breaking the spell. It may be the fact that the fermentation process is already odd to the average consumer, and people take the quality of water that goes into beer for granted. I can definitely see potential for this method in larger-scale brewing companies such as Budweiser, and an industry shift at the top like that could pave the way to more widespread acceptance. Regardless it is surely a gateway to tolerance for domestic consumption of recycled water.

Jerome, S. (2016, November 4). Beer Handout At Center Of New DPR Campaign. Retrieved November 15, 2016, from http://www.wateronline.com/doc/beer-handout-at-center-of-new-dpr-campaign-0001

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Island Time Running Out: Maui’s recycled water dilemma

Kihei county on the island of Maui, Hawaii is attempting to increase use of recycled water to alleviate stress on local injection wells. The Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility treats about 4 million gallons of wastewater a day, and only about half of this is used by people and businesses. The other half is pumped underground into wastewater injection wells that store the water and eventually let it replenish the subterranean aquifer. However now because so much greywater is pumped into the injection wells, they are exceeding pollution levels for Nitrogen and Phosphorus set by the Clean Water Act. Some say the Clean Water Act requirements are unfair and the water is fine while others advocate for 100% use of recycled water to alleviate stress on the injection wells.

This is an interesting problem taking place in Kihei county, and being on an island it foreshadows some of the difficulties with water that could arise elsewhere. The aquifers on the island of Maui are much smaller than those of say, central Texas. This means their health is much more affected by human activity, and we can see that even with the limited stress of injection wells they are changing their composition. It is unique even that 50% use of recycled water is not enough, while many regions on the mainland reuse less than 1% of their recycled water. Sooner or later we will all be forced to be more sustainable in our water usage not matter where we live, and like Kihei county we will be questioning, debating, and compromising until a reasonable solution is found.

Sugidono, C. (n.d.). Expert: Recycling more water could limit use of injection wells. Retrieved November 11, 2016, from http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2016/11/expert-recycling-more-water-could-limit-use-of-injection-wells/

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Cemex exhorberent water use takes a loop with recycling

The building materials company Cemex has completed the construction of a system that would recycle water used in the production of concrete in the Balcones quarry near New Braunfels, Texas. The system recycles the water discharged from the limestone washing process at a rate of 12,000 gallons per minute. Water that would typically be discharged after washing is instead filtered to separate fine sand and then used again. This change means that Cemex will use 90% less freshwater from local ground aquifers than it previously did.

I am going to be honest, this sounds like great news. It is upsetting to hear that the process requires that much water (12,000 gallons/min) conventionally, but this adjustment is encouraging. According to the article water is used in the washing process to separate sand from the limestone, and through the recycling process the separated sand can actually be made into a different product altogether. It is solutions like these that will initiate a shift in environmental impact of the manufacturing industry. When companies like Cemex put forth an “effort to promote a more sustainable future” it gives us all hope. However Cemex runs a total of 74 aggregate quarries and 13 cement plants across the United States, and I am doubtful that they all use this process to produce concrete. But baby steps first, eventually we will get there.

Cemex completes water recycling system at Texas quarry – Recycling Today. (2016, October 4). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/cemex-balcones-quarry-texas-water-recycling

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Recycled water in Aerospace?

The aerospace manufacturing corporation Spirit Aerosystems is partnering with the city of Wichita, Kansas in an effort to function more sustainably. The company has finished construction of a 3 mile long pipe that will be used to pump 500 million gallons of recycled water annually to it’s factory. Spirit decided to make this investment in recycled water on behalf of the community and the industry. They look forward supporting local taxpayers and promoting sustainability in aerospace manufacturing through this switch to recycled water.  

I believe that it is these kinds of adjustments to resource use that should be expected from advanced industry, especially aerospace. Whenever raw materials or natural resources are required to construct highly advanced products or machines, it would make sense that the efficiency of resource use is also at a very high standard. I was not even aware that the production of airframes required an extensive amount of water (then again they say everything does). It is of course great for Spirit that their water use will now be sustainable, but my next question is what is done about all the other environmental impacts of making an airplane such as natural resource use and air pollution? Aerospace is an essential industry to the 21st century, but it is of the utmost important that it finds a way to function sustainably.  

Spirit Aerosystems inc. (2016, November 18). Spirit AeroSystems launches water recycling project. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-launches-water-recycling-111816/