Water Efficiency andsustainable development

1. Water Efficiency Techniques, Rainwater
Harvesting Design & Waste
Water Treatment

2. Why Water or Water Efficiency is
given such an importance??

3. 1. Water is the essential component of all life.
2. It covers most of the Earth's surface
3. 75% of the human body, 90% of blood is water.
4. Water's is a powerful solvent because of its ability to breakdown
substances into their constituent parts.
5. It acts like a magnetic tape, absorbing both harmful or beneficial
energies; and like a tape, this energy can be erased/released
and new energy absorbed.
6. Naturally flowing water creates complex structures constantly
receiving and transmuting energy from every contact it makes.
7. 97% of Earth's water saline, Fresh water only 3%.
8. Of all fresh water use 98% is for industrial/agriculture/domestic
purposes, only 2% for nutrition/health of living organism is used
Few key facts about Water

4. EARTH’s Fresh Water Distribution
Water source
Volume, in
km3
% of fresh
water
% of total
water
Ice caps, Glaciers, & Snow 24,064,000 68.7 1.74
Fresh Groundwater 10,530,000
30.1
0.76
Saline Groundwater 12,870,000 0.94
Soil Moisture 16,500 0.05 0.001
Fresh Lakes 91,000
0.26
0.007
Saline Lakes 85,400 0.006
Atmosphere 12,900 0.04 0.001
Swamp Water 11,470 0.03 0.0008
Rivers 2,120 0.006 0.0002
Biological Water 1,120 0.003 0.0001
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5. However water availability and its
Sustainable is at Stake!
Why?
Because of Anthropogenic Influence;
• Resource Degradation
• Resource Depletion and
• Resource Efficiency is in a downward trend
Sustainability; “The ability to provide for the needs of the present without compromising
the ability to serve the needs of the future”

6. Global water use trends
Source: Climate Institute, 2005

7. 13
In most these instances used water become wastewater
Water Use
• Domestic purposes
• Institutional Purposes –
– Schools, Offices, Hospitals etc.
• Commercial Purposes –
– Shops, Restaurants etc.
• Industrial Purposes –
– Factories, Hotels etc.
• Transportation
• Hydropower

8. 14
Causes from Waste Discharges
• Water Pollution
• Land Pollution
• Air Pollution etc.
Environmental
Pollution

9. Hydrological/Water Cycle
• Evaporation (water vapor)
• Condensation
• Precipitation
• Interception
• Transpiration (loss of water from plants)
• Infiltration (absorption of water into the ground)
• Seepage (collection of water in porous substrata)
• Storage
• Runoff

10. WATER CYCLE
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11. 21
Green Building Workshop; Gemunu Herath, Department of Civil Engineering, UoP10-06-12
Key Options
1. Better Water Management
2. Efficient Water Use

12. 22
Green Building Workshop; Gemunu Herath, Department of Civil Engineering, UoP
Management
Effective waste management
Minimize/Avoid adverse impacts on environment
Allow economic development
Improve quality of life
Aims of waste management
Efficient use of resources
Conserve resources
Control pollution
Social responsibility
Occupational health and safety

13. Shifting emphasis to towards sustainability
Pollution control to Cleaner Production
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Treatment
Disposal
Pollution control Waste management
Energy
recovery
Use/reuse
Off-site
recycling
Reclamation
Cleaner production
On-site
recycling
Source
reduction
Energy & raw
material
conservation
Resource
recovery

14. New Concepts are continue to being
Developed and Introduced
In this regard
Water Efficiency in
Green Building is a significant step
In Green Building Ratings Water Efficiency
is given a top priority
As a Result to Conserve
Resources

15. Green Building
Incorporation of Water Efficiency through
• Minimizing Resource Degradation
• Minimizing Resource Depletion
• Maximizing Resource Efficiency

16. Water Efficiency in Green Buildings
Important definitions
• Water Use
– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (alternate water)
– Rainwater Harvesting
– Grey-water systems
– Black-water systems
– Reclaimed water
• Wastewater
– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Storm water
– Maintain natural hydrologic period of site
– Use natural systems to buffer flows

17. DEFINITIONS
• Wastewater
– domestic wastewater =sewage =all wastewater
– industrial wastewater = process wastewater
• Greywater
– domestic wastewater except toilet & kitchen wastewater
• Blackwater
– domestic wastewater from toilets and kitchens
• Reclaimed Water
– derived from sewage
– treated to a standard satisfactory for intended reuse
• Biosolids
– sludge
– not “solid waste”

18. Alternate Waters
• Gray Water
• Reclaim Water
• Rainwater
• Condensate recovery
• Discharge water re-use

19. Where alternate waters can be used
• irrigation,
• green roofs,
• cooling tower makeup water,
• toilet and urinal flushing,
• makeup for an ornamental pond/fountain
• swimming pools,
• laundry,
• process use, and
• Aquifer recharge and wetlands maintenance.

20. Water Efficient Landscaping
Key points: Reduce Potable Water Consumption,
Eliminate Potable Water Consumption

21. Irrigation System and Landscaping
Provision of suitable systems that utilize rainwater or
recycled water and use of plants that require minimal
irrigation to reduce potable water consumption.
a. Use of non potable water including rainwater for
landscape irrigation.
b. Use of automatic water efficient irrigation system with
rain sensor.
c. Use of drought tolerant plants that require minimal
irrigation.

22. Water Efficiency in
Air-conditioning Systems

23. Water Consumption of Cooling Tower
Reduce potable water use for cooling purpose.
i. Use of cooling tower water treatment system which
can achieve better cycles of concentration at
acceptable water quality.
ii. Use recycled water from approved sources.

24. Innovative Wastewater Technologies
Key points: Reduce Potable Water Use or Treat Wastewater,
Harvested Rainwater

25. Wastewater Treatment
i. Use low resource consuming appropriate
technologies.
ii. Waste stream segregation,
iii. Treat wastewater up to recycle standards and,
iv. Harvest rainwater.

26. Rainwater Harvesting

28. Water Use Reduction

29. Easy in-house measures to
improve Water Efficiency
• Advanced water conserving fixtures
• using recycled water
• Re-circulating systems for centralized hot water
distribution
• Rainwater recovery system
• Stormwater Recovery/Mangement
Easily can reduce usage by 30%

30. Urban Water Recycling and Reuse Options
34% Toilets
23% Laundry
(Residential)
6% Irrigation
25% Lavs &
Shower
12% Cooling
& HVAC
10% Cooling &
HVAC
15% Lavs &
Irrigation
(Commercial)
75% Toilets &
Urinals
Note - In select commercial applications 75% or more of all
potable water used serves toiletry fixtures alone

31. Urban Water Conservation
Other options
• Water consumption in typical residential environments
can be reduced between 19% - 44% using low-flow
fixtures
l Water efficient fittings
l Low volume toilets reduce water use 50% or more per flush
l Aerated shower and lavatory fixtures reduce flow rates
9.4Lpm to 5.5Lpm or less
from
l Passive irrigation techniques reduce water use a further
40%
15%-
l Pressure reducing valves reduce water pressures from
80psi to 35-40psi

32. Water Efficient Fittings
Encourage the use of water efficient fittings;
a. Basin taps and mixers
b. Flushing cistern
c. Shower taps, mixers or showerheads
d. Sink/Bib taps and mixers
e. Urinals and urinal flush valve

33. Water Usage and Leak Detection
Promote the use of sub-metering and leak detection
system for better control and monitoring.
a. Provision of private meters to monitor the major water
usage such as irrigation, cooling tower and tenants’
usage.

34. High Efficiency Toilets (HETs)
Recommendations
Toilets must meet criteria in three areas:
• Effective flush volume shall not exceed 4.8 liters;
• Solid waste removal must be 350 grams2
or greater; and
• The toilet must conform to the adjustability and other
supplementary requirements such as effectively flush at lower
water volumes, operate at adverse climatic conditions, water
seal etc;
In terms of Water Efficiency
Single Flush Toilets - The effective flush volume shall not exceed
liters. This is the average flush volume when tested.
Dual Flush Toilets - The effective flush volume shall not exceed 4.8
liters. Here the effective flush volume is defined as the composite,
average flush volume of two reduced flushes and one full flush.

35. Composting Toilets
Phoenix, Inc.

36. Stormwater Management
i. Encourage treatment of stormwater run-off before
discharge to the public drains.
ii. Provision of infiltration features or design features as
recommended in PUB’s Waters Design Guidelines
Bio-retention swales systems
Rain gardens
Constructed wetlands
Cleansing biotopes/Retention ponds

37. 56
0.3% Surface
water
22%
Groundwater
0.7% Other
water
2.7%
Freshwater
77% Glacier
water
WATER ON EARTH
World’s Total Fresh Waters
World’s Total Water Resource
97.3%
Saltwater

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