Introduction to Water

Question 1

Water is the ? biggest problem facing humanity over the next 50 years?

Answer 1

Second

Question 2

Define liquid effluent

Answer 2

Wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters.

Question 3

Give 5 disposal options for liquid effluent

Answer 3

1. Main sewers
2. Surface waters (rivers, lakes, lagoons etc.)
3. Ground water
4. On-site treatment
5. Off-site treatment

Question 4

List the environmental management hierarchy from most favoured to least favoured option

Answer 4

1. Prevention
2. Minimisation
3. Re-use
4. Recycling
5. Energy recovery
6. Disposal

Question 5

Give 6 impacts we can make by implementing the environmental management hierarchy

Answer 5

1. Reduce pollutants (inc. GHG emissions)
2. Public health
3. Environmental conservation (protect ecosystem services)
4. Save energy
5. Conserve resources (water)
6. Create jobs

Question 6

What does ecosystem services mean?

Answer 6

An environmental feature has value beyond what it looks like and the water provides you with a service - it is only there because the natural environment is maintaining it as being clean and useful.

Question 7

In what condition must waster be returned to its natural source?

Answer 7

In the same state as the rest of the water in that system

Question 8

How much of the water on Earth is usable?

Answer 8

97% is in the ocean. 2.5% is freshwater but 2% in locked in glaciers, icecaps and groundwater. Therefore 1% of the water on Earth is accessible to humans.
A tiny pool (0.3%) of this is then accessible in rivers and lakes.

Question 9

How much of the Earth is covered by water?

Answer 9

71%

Question 10

How much water does one person use each day and how does this break down?

Answer 10

7.5-15 L/day direct use
2.5-3 on survival (drinking and food) (depends on climate and individual physiology)
2-6 on basic hygiene (depends on social and cultural norms)
3-6 on basic cooking needs (depends on food type, social and cultural norms)

Question 11

Define water scarcity

Answer 11

Water scarcity is both a natural and a human-made phenomenon. There is enough freshwater on the planet for seven billion people but it is distributed unevenly and too much of it is wassted, polluted and unsustainably managed.

Question 12

Define apparent scarcity

Answer 12

Plenty of water, but is inefficiently and wastefully used

Question 13

Define real scarcity

Answer 13

Insufficient rain-fall or large populations reliant on an unsustainable resource

Question 14

How many people lack access to a safe water source?

Answer 14

1 in 9 people (780 million, 2.5x the population of the US)

Question 15

What has been identified as the major cause of sewer blockages in the UK?

Answer 15

Wet wipes (93%)
Fatbergs are also a problem

Question 16

What is Ofwat?

Answer 16

Office of Water Services - economic regulator of water services in England and Wales

Question 17

How many water suppliers are there in the UK?

Answer 17

20-25

Question 18

What is the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and when was it first published?

Answer 18

It is an operational tool for setting the objectives for water protection for the future of the EU set in October 2000

Question 19

Give 3 reasons why Veolia use AD during water treatment?

Answer 19

1. Minimal sludge production (a real issue with wastewater treatment)
2. Limited energy consumption
3. Low nutrient needs

Question 20

Which three national issues in the UK are likely to contribute to water demand in coming decades?

Answer 20

1. Population increase
2. Temperature increase
3. Summer rainfall increase

Question 21

How much could water demand increase by in England and Wales by 2050?

Answer 21

by 35%

Question 22

Name 3 freshwater sources

Answer 22

1. Rain
2. Surface water
3. Groundwater

Question 23

What is the split between surface and ground water in the UK?

Answer 23

2/3 surface, 1/3 ground

Question 24

How much water is abstracted/year from tidal and non-tidal sources?

Answer 24

Tidal 8.5 billion m3

Non-tidal 13.7 billion m3

Question 25

Name 3 tidal abstraction sources

Answer 25

Sea, oceans and rivers

Question 26

Name 2 non-tidal abstraction sources

Answer 26

Surface water, ground water

Question 27

Who licenses abstraction in the UK?

Answer 27

The Environment Agency

Question 28

What are relying on with a hosepipe ban?

Answer 28

Good will

Question 29

How do abstractors who require a constant supply of water deal with droughts?

Answer 29

Storing water in advance

Question 30

What are the 3 exceptions to abstraction licensing?

Answer 30

1. Small rates of daily abstraction for domestic and agricultural purposes
2. The removal of water in relation to land drainage, mining, quarrying and related activities
3. In an emergency (fire-fighting)

Question 31

What trends can we see in general, and in tidal and non-tidal abstractions in recent years?

Answer 31

In general public water usage is staying constant despite increase in population
Non-tidal is increasing
Tidal is staying pretty level

Question 32

List 7 reasons abstraction levels vary

Answer 32

1. Weather
2. Climate change
3. Economics (inflation affects usage and treatment - leaving the EU could have a huge affect if industries leave)
4. Level of activity in different sectors
5. Population (size, distribution, composition, social & cultural norms)
6. Improved efficiency of water usage
7. Changes to abstraction licenses (new, modification, revocation)

Question 33

Give 11 different solutions to water scarcity

Answer 33

1. Increase storage - new reservoirs (build time, planning, cost - billions)
2. Desalination (expensive, power hungry)
3. Water meters and raise price (metered homes use 10-15% less)
4. Advanced technology (GM crops, reduce water losses and improve draught tolerance)
5. Fix leaks (England and Wales water industry leaks 3.28 billion L/day)
6. Cross country pipeline (transport water over long distance, from water abundant regions to water stressed regions)
7. Virtual water trade (import food and industrial goods from water abundant regions, however economy of water stress may be too weak to afford the trades)
8. Control immigration/direct placement (direct housing from parts of the UK like the SE who suffer shortages to the NW or Scotland who are less susceptible)
9. Educate (on scarcity, technology (using more water efficient washing machines etc.), purity)
10. Reduce consumption
11. Drink wastewater (public perception problems, origin)