Integrated Risk Framework for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are becoming increasingly important for the treatment and dispersal of effluent in new urbanised developments that are not serviced by centralised wastewater collection and treatment systems. However, the current standards and guidelines adopted by many local authorities for assessing suitable site and soil conditions for OWTS are increasingly coming under scrutiny due to the public health and environmental impacts caused by poorly performing systems, in particular septic tank-soil adsorption systems. In order to achieve sustainable onsite wastewater treatment with minimal impacts on the environment and public health, more appropriate means of assessment are required. This paper highlights an integrated risk based approach for assessing the inherent hazards associated with OWTS in order to manage and mitigate the environmental and public health risks inherent with onsite wastewater treatment. In developing a sound and cohesive integrated risk framework for OWTS, several key issues must be recognised. These include the inclusion of relevant stakeholders throughout framework development, the integration of scientific knowledge, data and analysis with risk assessment and management ideals, and identification of the appropriate performance goals for successful management and mitigation of associated risks. These issues were addressed in the development of the risk framework to provide a generic approach to assessing risk from OWTS. The utilisation of the developed risk framework for achieving more appropriate assessment and management techniques for OWTS is presented in a case study for the Gold Coast region, Queensland State, Australia.     

Applying Integrated Urban Water Management Concepts: A Review of Australian Experience

This article explores recent Australian experiences in the application of the concept of integrated urban water management (IUWM) to land development sites through the review of 15 case studies. It discusses lUWM’s emergence and comments on the success or otherwise of Australian experience in its application. The understanding of IUWM is maturing within the Australian water industry, an occurrence that has been facilitated by demonstration sites such as those reviewed. Successes include the translation of IUWM concepts into well-functioning operational urban developments, significant reductions in the impact of the urban developments on the total water cycle, and the increasing acceptance of the concept within the water and land development industries. However, there is still room for greater integration of the water supply, stormwater, and wastewater components of the urban water cycle, improved dissemination of knowledge, enhancement of skills in both public and private organisations, and monitoring the performance of systems and technologies.     

The influence of metal source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of mine water pollution abatement in catchments

In mine water pollution abatement, it is commonly assumed that known mine waste sites are the major pollution sources, thus neglecting the possibility of significant contribution from other old and diffuse sources within a catchment. We investigate the influence of different types of pollution source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of abatement measures for mine water pollution. A catchment-scale cost-minimization model is developed and applied to the catchment of the river Dalälven, Sweden, in order to exemplify important effects of such source uncertainty. Results indicate that, if the pollution distribution between point and diffuse sources is partly unknown, downstream abatement measures, such as constructed wetlands, at given compliance boundaries are often cost-effective. If downstream abatement measures are not practically feasible, the pollution source distribution between point and diffuse mine water sources is critical for cost-effective solutions to abatement measure allocation in catchments. In contrast, cost-effective solutions are relatively insensitive to uncertainty in total pollutant discharge from mine water sources.     

鄱阳湖湿地现状问题与未来趋势

近年来鄱阳湖秋冬季水文呈干枯态势,湿地生态系统及其关键因子也发生了变化。如何合理保护和利用鄱阳湖湿地引起各方关注。系统综述了鄱阳湖湿地生态系统在水文、江湖关系、水质、水鸟栖息地、渔业资源等方面存在的问题,梳理了引起这些问题的外部和内部因素。针对"一切照常"和"水位调控"两种情景,预测了湿地未来的变化趋势,并指出了当前研究中的不确定性问题。研究认为:鄱阳湖秋冬季的低枯水位,对水质、湿地植被、水鸟栖息地以及鱼类食物资源和"三场"(即:产卵场、洄游通道、索饵场)产生了一定不利影响。建议通过模型模拟和情景预测来分析不同调控方案的影响效果,优化调控方案、将生态系统的负面影响降到最低。     

仙女湖富营养化特征与水环境容量核算

以典型的亚热带大型水库——江西省仙女湖为例,于2011~2013年季节性监测了仙女湖水体理化指标。采用综合营养状态指数法对其富营养化状态进行了评价,并采用沃伦威德尔模型(Vollenweider)和狄龙模型(Dillon)计算了COD、NH₃-N、TN和TP的水环境容量。结果表明:仙女湖水质总体处于地表水Ⅱ类~Ⅲ类标准,TN 0.32~0.91 mg/L、平均0.59 mg/L,NH₃-N 0.012~0.59 mg/L、平均0.31 mg/L,TP 0.017~0.080 mg/L、平均0.028 mg/L,COD_Mn 1.61~5.59 mg/L、平均2.85 mg/L,Chl-a 0.37~0.95 μg/L、平均0.56 μg/L。从湖区上游到下游,各指标尤其是总氮、总磷、透明度和氨氮呈现明显的趋优变化特征,除TP出现Ⅲ类水质外,其余指标多年持续处于Ⅱ类水质状态;从单因子状态指数来看,采用透明度评价的营养状态最高,大部分湖区持续处于轻度富营养状态;TN和TP评价的营养状态次之,处于中营养水平。仙女湖COD、NH₃-N、TN和TP水环境容量分别为21 208.0、3 528.8、4 991.2和248.1 t/a,分别剩余容量比率56.88%、68.25%、62.89%和13.67%,影响仙女湖水环境容量最突出的环境因子为TP。同时,基于对水环境容量影响因素的分析,最后提出了提高仙女湖区水环境容量的建设性方案。     

The influence of Chinese population policy change on resources and the environment

Universal two-child policy has been implemented since the end of 2015 in China. This policy is anticipated to bring a significant increase in the total population, with profound influences on the resources and environment in the future. This paper analyzes the changing dynamics of urban and rural population, and forecasts urban and rural population from 2016 to 2030 at national and provincial scale using a double log linear regression model. Drawing upon the results of these two predictions, the impact of the population policy change on Chinese resources consumption and environmental pollution are predicted quantitatively. Given the future total population maintains current levels on resources consumption and environmental emission, the additional demand of resources and environment demand for the new population is forecasted and compared against the capacity on supply side. The findings are as follows: after implementing the universal two-child policy, China’s grain, energy consumption, domestic water demand, and pollutant emissions are projected to increase at different rates across provinces. To meet the needs arising from future population growth, food and energy self-sufficiency rate will be significantly reduced in the future, while relying more on imports. Stability of the water supply needs to be improved, especially in Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, and Sichuan where the gap in future domestic water demand is comparatively larger. Environmental protection and associated governing capability are in urgent need of upgrade not least due to the increasing pressure of pollution.     

三峡蓄水前后宜昌–城陵矶水情多尺度变化特征分析

采用Morlet小波分解重构和频谱分析等方法,对宜昌、枝城、沙市、监利和城陵矶1997~2014年水位和流量及三峡水库2003~2014年入库、出库流量和库水位数据进行了统计分析,探究了各水文站在三峡建坝前后水情的变化特征及原因。结果表明:各观测站的水位和流量沿程递减,水位的年内波动处同一水平,研究河段内上游河段流量年内和年际变化比下游河段剧烈;各水文站水位和流量变化的显著周期为6.05、11.78、21.2、30.29和53个月,各水文站水位1 a周期变化幅度均在2 m以上,其他周期上的变化幅度为0.08~0.82 m;三峡水库蓄水活动对下游水文站水位和流量等水情的影响有限,主要反映在对水情趋势项的影响上,三峡大坝蓄水后,各水文站水位和流量受到一定程度影响,呈波动性递减变化。     

沸石联合微生物固定化去除微污染水体中氨氮的研究

将沸石联合经过驯化的活性污泥微生物固定化,通过静态实验.考察了不同粒径沸石及不同组分固定化方法对沸石联合微生物固定化去除氨氮的影响;通过动态实验,考察了沸石联合微生物固定化去除微污染水体中低浓度氨氮的机制.结果表明,活性污泥经过16 d的驯化,氨氮去除率为90%以上;沸石吸附氨氮为快速吸附,粒径<0.5 mm的沸石的吸附容量明显大于其他粒径的沸石;不同组分固定化小球对氨氮的去除效率不同,各组分均有贡献,吸附容量依次为:沸石固定化小球>沸石联合微生物固定化小球>微生物固定化小球;沸石联合微生物固定化去除微污染水体中低浓度氨氮可分为4个阶段,即沸石吸附阶段、吸附饱和及微生物适应阶段、硝化作用明显加强和沸石部分再生阶段、微生物作用良好和沸石进一步再生阶段,最终沸石吸附与生物再生处于良好的动态平衡中,氨氮去除率达到60%左右.     

降低循环冷却水水耗的生产措施

为了有效降低循环冷却水系统补充水量、排污量,节约水处理剂的消耗、降低冷却水处理成本,关键在于提高循环水的浓缩倍数。本文对影响循环水浓缩倍数的因素进行了分析,总结了哈尔滨石化公司循环水场存在的问题。同时本文给出了提高循环水浓缩倍数的方法,上述方法能取得显著的环境效益和经济效益。     

复合沸石滤床修复北方景观水体的实验研究

以天然矿物质沸石、细砂及煤渣取代传统滤料构建复合基质生态床,表面种植景观植物,采用下向流-上向流运行方式修复北方景观水体。分别进行静态实验及不同循环速率下的动态实验,考察对水体污染物去除过程。结果表明,2种运行方式下对水体NH⁺₄-N去除率都在85%以上,其中以1 h为循环周期的运行方式去除率达97%,较静态提高12.8%;TN去除率最高为84%;TP去除不稳定,过程缓慢。煤渣层对NH⁺₄-N的去除效果差,硝化作用不彻底与反硝化作用的加强使下层出水NH⁺₄-N 、NO^-₂-N及NO^-₃-N浓度均高于上层。提高循环速率有利于对氮的去除。