Management of Water Cycle: An Approach to Urban Ecology

1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Ripl

Abstract Densely populated urban areas, which have developed over the last century, depend heavily on centralized water supply, sewage treatment plants, and hydroelectric or thermal power generation with vast demand of cooling water. Considerable areas have been drained or sealed, and the short-circuited water cycle has been distorted. Large rivers have been converted to shipping canals with the permanent risk of accidental pollution. Technical means such as sewage treatment, air filters, emission control and lake and soil restoration measures have contributed to correct the environmental damage. However, a balance sheet for irreversible matter losses (mainly base cation charges) from the urbanized areas and the surrounding landscape into the sea shows ever-increasing trends. These losses are destabilizing the ecosystems. In this paper, management of the water cycle in urban areas, together with the coupled matter cycles, is discussed. Particular reference is given to Metropolitan Berlin, with a network of shipping canals, which move biologically treated waste, containing base cations and nutrients to the surrounding rural areas. This could create manageable productive wetlands and re-establish soil fertility. At the same time, the natural cooling system close to the urban areas will be improved by providing more areas with permanent vegetation. In addition, reduction of the present large oscillations of the groundwater table, resulting from groundwater pumping and its recharge with less polluted surface water, is contemplated. The widely used shoreline infiltration of the Havel River should then be eliminated and the severe damage of the littoral vegetation in large sections of the Havel River system be avoided.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7620
Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Han Zhao ◽  
Yibin Ao ◽  
Linchuan Yang

Urbanization promotes the development of human civilization but brings great challenges, such as air pollution, lack of water resources, and environmental damage, to the natural environment. Water conservation effectively alleviates the lack of water resources. Existing studies mostly focus on water conservation behavior in urban areas and overlook rural areas. This study takes rural residents in Chengdu as the research object and selects four villages to conduct empirical research and fill this research gap. A total of 165 valid questionnaires are collected after face-to-face interviews. First, descriptive analysis is used to analyze the current situation of rural residents’ water conservation behavior. Second, exploratory factor analysis and the binary logistic regression model are used to explore the relationship between building characteristics, water conservation attitudes, and water conservation behavior. The results show that (1) the rural residents’ water conservation attitude plays an important role in water conservation behavior; “environmental values” is the most significant factor, followed by “saving money and joint participation;” (2) rural building characteristics such as layout of the kitchen and shower facilities significantly affect the water conservation behavior of rural residents. Based on the analysis, several suggestions are made for building a new water-saving rural area in Chengdu, such as strengthening the publicity and education of water-saving behavior and subsidizing water-saving facilities. This research provides a theoretical basis for local government departments to formulate relevant policies and serves as a valuable reference for the protection of water resources in other rural areas.


Author(s):  
Sławomir Juszczyk ◽  
Marta Idasz-Balina

The main objective of the study was to determine whether the fact that the chairpersons of the boards of cooperative banks in Poland are women, it affects the financial performance of these banks. The study used data for the years 2010-2014 from 40 cooperative banks in Poland. In the course of the study, it was found that the banks managed by women are significantly smaller than men’s managed banks, and hence the financial result is generally lower. However, the financial performance ratios in these banks were generally higher. Smaller banks are generally in rural areas, and banks with a larger total balance sheet are usually located in urban areas.


2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 83-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Asano

Increasing urbanization has resulted in an uneven distribution of population, industries, and water in urban areas; thus, imposing unprecedented pressures on water supplies and water pollution control. These pressures are exacerbated during the periods of drought and climatic uncertainties. The purpose of this paper is to summarize emergence of water reclamation, recycling and reuse as a vital component of sustainable water resources in the context of integrated water resources management in urban and rural areas. Water quality requirements and health and public acceptance issues related to water reuse are also discussed. Reclaimed water is a locally controllable water resource that exists right at the doorstep of the urban environment, where water is needed the most and priced the highest. Closing the water cycle loop not only is technically feasible in agriculture, industries, and municipalities but also makes economic sense. Society no longer has the luxury of using water only once.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1197 (1) ◽  
pp. 012032
Author(s):  
Arunkumar Yadav ◽  
H C Hema ◽  
Pramodkumar Kappadi ◽  
Chandrashekharappa Agasnalli

Abstract Flooding in urban and rural areas is one of the utmost challenges to human safety. Destruction of the properties is the main issue in urban areas and damage to the agriculture practices in the rural area. Flood risk is rising significantly all over the globe. The regional water cycle and water resource availability are governed by the rainfall event, which is a fundamental meteorological parameter. The objective of the study is to examine the rainfall variability for 25 years from the period from 1995 to 2020 for monthly and annual rainfalls in the part of Nanjangud taluk, Mysore district, Karnataka. During the last three years that is 2017 to 2019 during the southwest monsoon, it is noted that the severity of flood increased in the surrounding of Nanjangud town, due to the heavy rainfall and excess amount of water released has augmented the inflow source of flooding. The assimilation of Remotely Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) is capable to generate a sequence of thematic maps that were helpful to create geospatial data for demarcating flood hazard areas. This study discusses the probable flood risk-prone regions of the Kabini river basin near Nanjangud town based on the multi-ring buffered layer analysis. The buffered layers created for the radius of 250m, 500m 750m, and 1000m were overlaid on the Sentinel-2 satellite image and topographic map to delineate the flood-affected region. To calculate the slope and drainage density, the SRTM DEM data was used. Structural and nonstructural practices are proposed in this study can be implemented to reduce the probability of the effect of floods.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2393
Author(s):  
Luming Zhou ◽  
Xinghua Xie ◽  
Shiqiang Wu

Water resources and energy constitute two broad categories of resources required for social and economic development. The water-energy nexus has become a focus of research in recent years. Although water resources are closely related to energy systems, the processes involved remain incompletely understood due to the diversity and complexity of energy types, processes, and consumption sectors. This study aimed to accurately calculate the energy demand of water resources and to identify an effective method of improving the energy utilization efficiency of water. The life cycle of water resources was divided into five stages based on the life cycle methodology: (1) extraction, (2) purification, (3) transportation, (4) utilization, (5) sewage treatment. The quantity and characteristics of energy consumed in each stage were studied, and an equation to calculate energy consumption for each stage was proposed. Using the city of Ordos in Northwest China as an example, energy consumption of water resources from 2013 to 2017 was analyzed. The results showed that from 2013 to 2017, energy consumption and per unit energy consumption of water resources in Ordos decreased by 33.3% and 30.6% from 1.62 × 108 kWh to 1.08 × 108 kWh and from 10.11 kWh·m−3 to 7.02 kWh·m−3, respectively. The majority of energy consumption over the entire life cycle of water resources occurred during the utilization stage at a proportion of total energy consumed of ~95%. Use of water for thermal power generation was identified as the single largest consumer of energy and, therefore, has the greatest potential for energy saving.


2020 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 01012
Author(s):  
Ali Akbar Anggara ◽  
Bambang Agus Pramuka

The environmental damage is one of the essential factors that determine of disasters. Industrial activities that are mostly in urban areas are contributors to this problem. These activities often exploit resources from rural to an urban area. So that industry is required to be actively involved in maintaining the rural area alike implementing a green industry thatcan be represent through the application of green accounting which is disclose environmental information. The purpose of this paper is to explain the involved an industry in rural areas. Especially, to explain benefit and industry motive. This study uses legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory as a theoretical framework to explain the role of industry. The research method used a quantitative approach and seconder data from Indonesia stock exchange with the LQ45 index as a sample. The data analyzed using multiple regression and path analysis to examine environmental factors that influence the economic performance. The result of this study shows that environmental performance and environmental cost has an influence on environmental disclosure then influence economic performance. Furthermore, it can be identified that the company get the benefit from environmental performance and environmental cost. Also, Economic performance is a reason why an industry involved in maintaining the rural area.


Author(s):  
K. Dölle ◽  
S. Giarrusso

The application of decentralized wastewater treatment system, also known as septic system is very common in suburban and rural areas with no access to centralized sewage treatment plants. Minimizing water pollution and the effects on wildlife and humans is of specific concern in rural and urban areas. A packed bio-tower addition to a 1000 gallon septic tank was tested under pilot conditions using municipal residential sewage. The septic tank packed bio-tower pilot system is able to reduce the NH3-N influent level of 16.5 mg/l to 24.0 mg/l by 77.3% to 96.7% at influent flow levels between1060 l/d (280 gal/d) and 3997 l/d (1056 gal/d).  Biochemical oxygen demand levels reduction was 97.0% from 280 mg/l to 8.5 mg/l. for a flow rate of 1060 l/d (280 gal/d). Research showed that a bio-tower addition to a septic system has the potential to improve the systems overall performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (01) ◽  
pp. 39-45
Author(s):  
Suad Shallal Shahatha

This study was carried out to investigate the epidemiology of Giardia lamblia parasites in patients who visited some of the hospitals in Anbar province, which included (Fallujah Teaching Hospital, Ramadi Teaching Hospital, Ramadi Teaching Hospital for Women and Children and Hit Hospital) during by examining 864 stool samples in a direct examination method, The results revealed the infection rate was 41.7 % and the percentage of infection among males 47.8% is higher than that of females 35.4% with significant differences (p≤0.05). The age groups (1-9) years recorded the highest rates 55.4% and the lowest rate 13.6% in the age group (40-49) years. The highest rate of infection was 62.5% during the month of June, while the month of October was the lowest rate 5% and significant differences. The incidence rate in rural areas was 50.6% higher than in the urban areas 32.5%. The study also included the effect of Teucrium polium L. on the parasite in the culture media HSP-1, the concentrations of 0.5-3 mg / mL significantly affected Giardia, it was noted whenever the greater the concentration, the greater the effect during different treatment periods (1-4) days, as the highest concentration 3 mg/ml killed all Giardia parasites on the fourth day of treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (8) ◽  
pp. 142-151
Author(s):  
Dr. Udayagiri Raghunath ◽  
Dr. V.Venkateswara Rao

The corporate companies dealing with FMCG products have started focusing on rural markets as the urban markets have become saturated and highly competitive. Capturing the rural markets brings forth a whole new set of challenges as it is laborious to break in. This market presents the companies with gamut challenges on a new dimension which demand entirely different strategies as compared to the ones used in urban areas. Studying the rural markets for rural markets has become crucial more than ever. It is an objective learning, psychiatry of dispersion, impact of the FMCG in rural areas. This research uses diverse utensils, procedure toward analyze composed records. Several of the features used in analyzing the data are the consumer characteristics like educational qualifications, professions they are in, and the income levels. The role of TV media advertising is also analyzed. Many deals and promotions advertised on TV are investigated. The scope of authority wield by publicity happening customer choice production has looked into. The different levels of media exposure and preferable TV watching times and their favorite programs considered while analyzing the data. The spending prototype of rural clients on FMCG is examined and further categorized based on their income levels, educational qualifications, and legal awareness of consumer act. All the analyzed data, results, and suggestions presented in the visual formats.


Author(s):  
Remus Runcan

According to Romania’s National Rural Development Programme, the socio-economic situation of the rural environment has a large number of weaknesses – among which low access to financial resources for small entrepreneurs and new business initiatives in rural areas and poorly developed entrepreneurial culture, characterized by a lack of basic managerial knowledge – but also a large number of opportunities – among which access of the rural population to lifelong learning and entrepreneurial skills development programmes and entrepreneurs’ access to financial instruments. The population in rural areas depends mainly on agricultural activities which give them subsistence living conditions. The gap between rural and urban areas is due to low income levels and employment rates, hence the need to obtain additional income for the population employed in subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, especially in the context of the depopulation trend. At the same time, the need to stimulate entrepreneurship in rural areas is high and is at a resonance with the need to increase the potential of rural communities from the perspective of landscape, culture, traditional activities and local resources. A solution could be to turn vegetal and / or animal farms into social farms – farms on which people with disabilities (but also adolescents and young people with anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, and alexithymia issues) might find a “foster” family, bed and meals in a natural, healthy environment, and share the farm’s activities with the farmer and the farmer’s family: “committing to a regular day / days and times for a mutually agreed period involves complying with any required health and safety practices (including use of protective clothing and equipment), engaging socially with the farm family members and other people working on and around the farm, and taking on tasks which would include working on the land, taking care of animals, or helping out with maintenance and other physical work”


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