Owing to climate change related uncertainties and anticipated population growth, different parts of the world (particularly urban areas) are experiencing water shortages or flooding and security of fit-for-purpose supplies is becoming a major issue. The emphasis on decentralized alternative water supply systems has increased considerably. Most of the information on such systems is either scattered or focuses on large scale reuse with little consideration given to decentralized small to medium scale systems. Alternative Water Supply Systems brings together recent research into the available and innovative options and additionally shares experiences from a wide range of contexts from both developed and developing countries. Also covered are the technical, social, financial and institutional aspects associated with decentralized alternative water supply systems. These include systems for greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, recovery of water through condensation and sewer mining
The supply of water to rural areas has historically provided the Mexican government with a significant challenge. Years of uncertainty in relation to responsibility for water supply, as well as geographical differences across the country and a division between rural and urban areas, explain this phenomenon. I have reviewed in this paper a substantial proportion of the literature on this topic, the reasons behind its nature, and the solutions to the problem in Mexico, as my main aim. The key conclusion is that while improvements in rural water supply in Mexico have been made, further work is required for equality in its supply.
This dissertation examines the development of Cape Town's water supply between 1840 and 1920. The thesis examines the effect that the augmentation water supply had on municipal politics and the development of the municipality of Cape Town. It is argued that the high cost of water supply, arising out of Cape Town's geographic situation, had a major impact on its municipal government. In the nineteenth century the dominant class was divided between merchants who wanted water and the rentier classes who had to pay for it. In the subsequent political struggle for control of the municipality, the working class, which supported the rentier class were alienated. As a result, they resisted municipal improvement, delaying a solution to the water problem until the twentieth century. Chapter One examines the period from 1840 to 1900 where water supply was related to attempts to bring about municipal and sanitation reform. While this succeeded, by the late 1890's ratepayers reacted against excessive municipal spending, ultimately to the detriment of planned water schemes in the hinterland. Chapter Two argues that in the period between 1900 and 1910 businessmen attempted to link water supply to the unification of the municipalities of the Cape Peninsula. This resulted in a struggle between the city and the suburbs for over the control of the water resources of the hinterland. Chapter Three examines municipal unification in 1913 and the repercussions it had for water supply. The focus falls on a municipal referendum in 1917 in which the class divisions of half a century were a factor in the choice of a hinterland water scheme. The dissertation concludes that water is important for explaining class divisions in municipal politics. It is suggested that the impact of water on municipal history is not unique, but in Cape Town's experience it was prolonged and intense. A further conclusion is that it affected the process of municipal unification between 1902 and 1913, shaping the form of the modern city. A wide range of sources were used including municipal archive material and government reports and commissions. Newspapers and cartoons have been used extensively as they were instruments in the struggle for reform. Comparisons are drawn with the experience of overseas cities in an attempt to provide a coherent model for understanding the place of water supply in urban history. The dissertation represents an attempt to provide a better understanding of Cape Town's history during this period and therefore relates municipal history to wider political, economic and social changes taking place. It also complements recent histories on sanitation, race and municipal politics which fall in this period.
In response to increasing information arising from the scientific community, the news media reported that pharmaceuticals have been detected in the drinking water of 24 major metropolitan areas across the United States. These reports raised concerns about the potential impact of these pharmaceuticals on human health and the environment. Pharmaceuticals are a particular concern because they are designed to interact with human or animal physiology. Much is known about the therapeutic uses of pharmaceuticals, but little is known about their potential risk to human health from long-term exposure through drinking water. This book examines the research reported in the detection of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. water supply
Overview of the water supply and sanitation sector in South Korea, as well as of water demand in the metropolitan region of Seoul. The proposed project would provide 1.3 mtpd of water to 25 municipalities around Seoul City and within the metropolitan region. The project would extract water from the Han river to be treated in three treatment plants before distribution to the municipalities. It includes two water intakes, three booster pumping stations, two treatment plants, some 175 km of pipes, 14 km of tunnels, and construction supervision. ICB procurement: civil works, materials and equipment. Project cost and financing plan. (Economische Voorlichtingsdienst)
