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Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 41198

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Prof. Dr. José-Luis Molina

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Hydraulic Engineering Area, IGA Research Group, Higher Polytechnic School of Ávila, University of Salamanca, Avda. Hornos Caleros 50, 05003 Ávila, Spain
Interests: sustainability; water resources management; rivers; civil engineering; environmental science; hydrology; environmental engineering; hydraulics; groundwater; surface hydrology; water resources; climatology; hydrogeology; drought; water science; bayesian analysis; uncertainty; decision support systems
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Dear Colleagues,

The concept of sustainability has been intensively used in the last few decades since Brundtland´s report was published in 1987. This concept, due to its transversal, horizontal, and interdisciplinary nature, can be used in many disciplines, scenarios, spatiotemporal dimensions, and different circumstances. The intensive development of analytical techniques and tools of the last years based on disciplines such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, information theory, internet of things, among others, means that we are in a very good condition to analyze the sustainability of water systems from a multiperspective way. Water systems management requires the most advanced approaches and tools for rigorously addressing all the dimensions involved in the sustainability of its development. Consequently, the aspects for addressing the sustainability of water systems management may comprise physical (natural), chemical, socioeconomic, legal, institutional, infrastructure (engineering), political, and cultural processes, among others. This Special Issue welcomes general and specific contributions that address the sustainability of water systems management considering its development. Special attention will be given to those contributions that consider trade-offs and/or integration between some of the aspects/disciplines that drive the sustainability of water systems in the context of their development and management.

Dr. José-Luis Molina
Guest Editor

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Keywords

sustainability
integration
water systems
trade-off
analytical tools
development
water management

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 7458 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Intelligent System for the Predictive Analysis of an Industrial Wastewater Treatment Process

by Luis Arismendy, Carlos Cárdenas, Diego Gómez, Aymer Maturana, Ricardo Mejía and Christian G. Quintero M.

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6348; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166348 - 7 Aug 2020

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5332

Abstract

Considering the exponential growth of today’s industry and the wastewater results of its processes, it needs to have an optimal treatment system for such effluent waters to mitigate the environmental impact generated by its discharges and comply with the environmental regulatory standards that are progressively increasing their demand. This leads to the need to innovate in the control and management information systems of the systems responsible to treat these residual waters in search of improvement. This paper proposes the development of an intelligent system that uses the data from the process and makes a prediction of its behavior to provide support in decision making related to the operation of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To carry out the development of this system, a multilayer perceptron neural network with 2 hidden layers and 22 neurons each is implemented, together with process variable analysis, time-series decomposition, correlation and autocorrelation techniques; it is possible to predict the chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the input of the bioreactor with a one-day window and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 10.8%, which places this work between the adequate ranges proposed in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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28 pages, 11396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards a Sustainable and Adaptive Groundwater Management: Lessons from the Benalup Aquifer (Southern Spain)

by Mercedes Vélez-Nicolás, Santiago García-López, Verónica Ruiz-Ortiz and Ángel Sánchez-Bellón

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5215; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125215 - 26 Jun 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3114

Abstract

Reversing the chemical and quantitative impacts derived from human activity on aquifers demands a multidisciplinary approach. This requires, firstly, to update the hydrogeological knowledge of the groundwater systems, which is pivotal for the sustainable use of this resource, and secondly, to integrate the social, economic and administrative reality of the region. The present work focuses on the Benalup aquifer, whose exploitation plays a major role in the economy of the area, based mainly on irrigated agriculture. This activity has had negative consequences for the aquifer in quantitative and chemical terms, leading to its declaration as in poor condition. The study presented here shows the results obtained from the application of hydrogeological techniques, remote sensing and citizen participation tools, which have allowed us to deepen and improve the current knowledge of the system’s hydrogeological, geometric, administrative and social aspects. Additionally, the lessons learned from this case study are analyzed. The deficiencies detected are discussed, and alternatives aimed at the sustainable use of groundwater are proposed, such as the possibility of a joint use of surface and groundwater resources, the creation of a Water User Association responsible for the management of groundwater and the need for greater efforts aimed at educating and raising awareness of water conservation among citizens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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13 pages, 2304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recognizing Crucial Aquatic Factors Influencing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Eutrophication Zone of Taihu Lake, China

by Yulin Wang, Liang Wang, Jilin Cheng, Chengda He and Haomiao Cheng

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5160; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195160 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2916

Abstract

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are closely related to climate change and serious ecological instability, have attracted global attention. The estimation of crucial aquatic factors for the flux of GHGs in lakes is a key step in controlling and reducing GHG emissions. The importance of 14 aquatic factors for GHG emissions was estimated in Meiliang Bay, which is an eutrophication shallow bay in Taihu Lake in eastern China. The random forest (RF) method, which is an improved version of the classified and regression tree (CART) model, was employed. No distribution assumption on variables was required in this method and it could include nonlinear actions and interactions among factors. The results show significant positive correlations among the fluxes of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. The most crucial factor influencing CO₂ emissions is the water temperature (WT) followed by sulfate (SO₄²⁻), alkalinity (Alk), dissolved oxygen (DO), and nitrate (NO₃⁻–N). The important factors for CH₄ emissions are WT, SO₄²⁻, DO, Alk, and NO₂⁻–N. The outcome for N₂O, in which the key factor is NO₂⁻–N, was slightly different from those of CO₂ and CH₄. A comprehensive ranking index (CRI) for the fluxes of all three GHGs was also calculated and showed that WT, NO₂⁻–N, SO₄²⁻, DO, and Alk are the most crucial aquatic factors. These results indicate that increasing DO might be the most effective means of controlling GHG emissions in eutrophication lake bays. The role of SO₄²⁻ in GHG emissions, which has previously been ignored, is also worth paying attention to. This study provides a useful basis for controlling GHG emissions in eutrophication shallow lake bays. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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21 pages, 2444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multivariate Geomorphometric Approach to Prioritize Erosion-Prone Watersheds

by Jesús A. Prieto-Amparán, Alfredo Pinedo-Alvarez, Griselda Vázquez-Quintero, María C. Valles-Aragón, Argelia E. Rascón-Ramos, Martin Martinez-Salvador and Federico Villarreal-Guerrero

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5140; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185140 - 19 Sep 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3787

Abstract

Soil erosion is considered one of the main degradation processes in ecosystems located in developing countries. In northern Mexico, one of the most important hydrological regions is the Conchos River Basin (CRB) due to its utilization as a runoff source. However, the CRB is subjected to significant erosion processes due to natural and anthropogenic causes. Thus, classifying the CRB’s watersheds based on their erosion susceptibility is of great importance. This study classified and then prioritized the 31 watersheds composing the CRB. For that, multivariate techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), group analysis (GA), and the ranking methodology known as compound parameter (Cp) were used. After a correlation analysis, the values of 26 from 33 geomorphometric parameters estimated from each watershed served for the evaluation. The PCA defined linear-type parameters as the main source of variability among the watersheds. The GA and the Cp were effective for grouping the watersheds in five groups, and provided the information for the spatial analysis. The GA methodology best classified the watersheds based on the variance of their parameters. The group with the highest prioritization and erosion susceptibility included watersheds RH24Lf, RH24Lb, RH24Nc, and RH24Jb. These watersheds are potential candidates for the implementation of soil conservation practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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34 pages, 8751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Quality Sustainability Evaluation under Uncertainty: A Multi-Scenario Analysis Based on Bayesian Networks

by Anna Sperotto, Josè Luis Molina, Silvia Torresan, Andrea Critto, Manuel Pulido-Velazquez and Antonio Marcomini

Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4764; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174764 - 31 Aug 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4415

Abstract

With increasing evidence of climate change affecting the quality of water resources, there is the need to assess the potential impacts of future climate change scenarios on water systems to ensure their long-term sustainability. The study assesses the uncertainty in the hydrological responses of the Zero river basin (northern Italy) generated by the adoption of an ensemble of climate projections from 10 different combinations of a global climate model (GCM)–regional climate model (RCM) under two emission scenarios (representative concentration pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5). Bayesian networks (BNs) are used to analyze the projected changes in nutrient loadings (NO₃, NH₄, PO₄) in mid- (2041–2070) and long-term (2071–2100) periods with respect to the baseline (1983–2012). BN outputs show good confidence that, across considered scenarios and periods, nutrient loadings will increase, especially during autumn and winter seasons. Most models agree in projecting a high probability of an increase in nutrient loadings with respect to current conditions. In summer and spring, instead, the large variability between different GCM–RCM results makes it impossible to identify a univocal direction of change. Results suggest that adaptive water resource planning should be based on multi-model ensemble approaches as they are particularly useful for narrowing the spectrum of plausible impacts and uncertainties on water resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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15 pages, 1359 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges for Sustainable Water Use in the Urban Industry of Korea Based on the Global Non-Radial Directional Distance Function Model

by Na Wang and Yongrok Choi

Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3895; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143895 - 17 Jul 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3540

Abstract

Since water stress and industrial water pollution pose a huge threat to South Korea’s sustainable water use, it is an urgent task to assess industrial water green use efficiency (GUEIW). Based on the global non-radial directional distance function (GNDDF) model, this paper calculated GUEIW in 16 Korean local governments from 2006 to 2015 using two decomposition indicators: Economic efficiency of industrial water use (ECEIW) and environmental efficiency of industrial water use (ENEIW). The growth of GUEIW is mainly driven by ECEIW, and subsequent environmental problems are obstacles to achieving green use of Korean industrial water. The regional heterogeneity of GUEIW is so important that the downstream region outperformed the upstream region in all three indicators. The government’s efforts to ensure water quality inhibits industrial development in upstream areas, where incomes are much lower than in downstream areas, and downstream industrial areas have to pay upstream industrial areas extra for water. However, regarding upstream industrial areas, low prices easily promote water waste. Because of relatively high water use costs, downstream producers are encouraged to save water. To improve the economic efficiency of industrial water use in upstream areas, advanced water technology should be developed or introduced to make full use of water resources in industrial production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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13 pages, 2692 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Regression Analysis and Neural Networks to Predict Total Suspended Solids in Water Bodies from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Images

by Tainá T. Guimarães, Maurício R. Veronez, Emilie C. Koste, Eniuce M. Souza, Diego Brum, Luiz Gonzaga, Jr. and Frederico F. Mauad

Sustainability 2019, 11(9), 2580; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092580 - 5 May 2019

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5148

Abstract

The concentration of suspended solids in water is one of the quality parameters that can be recovered using remote sensing data. This paper investigates the data obtained using a sensor coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in order to estimate the concentration of suspended solids in a lake in southern Brazil based on the relation of spectral images and limnological data. The water samples underwent laboratory analysis to determine the concentration of total suspended solids (TSS). The images obtained using the UAV were orthorectified and georeferenced so that the values referring to the near, green, and blue infrared channels were collected at each sampling point to relate with the laboratory data. The prediction of the TSS concentration was performed using regression analysis and artificial neural networks. The obtained results were important for two main reasons. First, although regression methods have been used in remote sensing applications, they may not be adequate to capture the linear and/or non-linear relationships of interest. Second, results show that the integration of UAV in the mapping of water bodies together with the application of neural networks in the data analysis is a promising approach to predict TSS as well as their temporal and spatial variations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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Review

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21 pages, 1067 KiB

Open AccessReview

Reducing Groundwater Contamination from On-Site Sanitation in Peri-Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: Reviewing Transition Management Attributes towards Implementation of Water Safety Plans

by Felix R. B. Twinomucunguzi, Philip M. Nyenje, Robinah N. Kulabako, Swaib Semiyaga, Jan Willem Foppen and Frank Kansiime

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4210; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104210 - 21 May 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5342

Abstract

High urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has resulted in increased peri-urban groundwater contamination by on-site sanitation. The World Health Organization introduced Water Safety Plans (WSP) towards the elimination of contamination risks to water supply systems; however, their application to peri-urban groundwater sources has been limited. Focusing on Uganda, Ghana, and Tanzania, this paper reviews limitations of the existing water regime in addressing peri-urban groundwater contamination through WSPs and normative attributes of Transition Management (TM) towards a sustainable solution. Microbial and nutrient contamination remain prevalent hazards in peri-urban SSA, arising from on-site sanitation within a water regime following Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles. Limitations to implementation of WSPs for peri-urban groundwater protection include policy diversity, with low focus on groundwater; institutional incoherence; highly techno-centric management tools; and limited regard for socio-cultural and urban-poor aspects. In contrast, TM postulates a prescriptive approach promoted by community-led frontrunners, with flexible and multi-domain actors, experimenting through socio-technical tools towards a shared vision. Thus, a unified risk-based management framework, harnessing attributes of TM and IWRM, is proposed towards improved WSP implementation. The framework could assist peri-urban communities and policymakers in formulating sustainable strategies to reduce groundwater contamination, thereby contributing to improved access to safe water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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21 pages, 367 KiB

Open AccessReview

Rivers’ Temporal Sustainability through the Evaluation of Predictive Runoff Methods

by José-Luis Molina, Santiago Zazo, Ana-María Martín-Casado and María-Carmen Patino-Alonso

Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1720; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051720 - 25 Feb 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2555

Abstract

The concept of sustainability is assumed for this research from a temporal perspective. Rivers represent natural systems with an inherent internal memory on their runoff and, by extension, to their hydrological behavior, that should be identified, characterized and quantified. This memory is formally called temporal dependence and allows quantifying it for each river system. The ability to capture that temporal signature has been analyzed through different methods and techniques. However, there is a high heterogeneity on those methods’ analytical capacities. It is found in this research that the most advanced ones are those whose output provides a dynamic and quantitative assessment of the temporal dependence for each river system runoff. Since the runoff can be split into temporal conditioned runoff fractions, advanced methods provide an important improvement over classic or alternative ones. Being able to characterize the basin by calculating those fractions is a very important progress for water managers that need predictive tools for orienting their water policies to a certain manner. For instance, rivers with large temporal dependence will need to be controlled and gauged by larger hydraulic infrastructures. The application of this approach may produce huge investment savings on hydraulic infrastructures and an environmental impact minimization due to the achieved optimization of the binomial cost-benefit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

21 pages, 2273 KiB

Open AccessReview

Reviewing Arch-Dams’ Building Risk Reduction Through a Sustainability–Safety Management Approach

by Enrico Zacchei and José Luis Molina

Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010392 - 3 Jan 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4115

Abstract

The importance of dams is rapidly increasing due to the impact of climate change on increasing hydrological process variability and on water planning and management need. This study tackles a review for the concrete arch-dams’ design process, from a dual sustainability/safety management approach. Sustainability is evaluated through a design optimization for dams´ stability and deformation analysis; safety is directly related to the reduction and consequences of failure risk. For that, several scenarios about stability and deformation, identifying desirable and undesirable actions, were estimated. More than 100 specific parameters regarding dam-reservoir-foundation-sediments system and their interactions have been collected. Also, a summary of mathematical modelling was made, and more than 100 references were summarized. The following consecutive steps, required to design engineering (why act?), maintenance (when to act) and operations activities (how to act), were evaluated: individuation of hazards, definition of failure potential and estimation of consequences (harm to people, assets and environment). Results are shown in terms of calculated data and relations: the area to model the dam–foundation interaction is around 3.0 H_d², the system-damping ratio and vibration period is 8.5% and 0.39 s. Also, maximum elastic and elasto-plastic displacements are ~0.10–0.20 m. The failure probability for stability is 34%, whereas for deformation it is 29%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in the Development of Water Systems Management)

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