scholarly journals A Simple Method to Map Groundwater Depth and Water Quality for Leogane, Haiti and Elsewhere

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Michael Edward Kalinski ◽  
Nicholas Duda ◽  
Herby Lissade ◽  
Harry Donaghy
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Groundwater Depth ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Deep Aquifers ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
System 2 ◽  
The Impact

In the aftermath of the January 2010 Haiti Earthquake, the streets of downtown Leogane were paved to mitigate waterborne disease using humanitarian relief funds. After paving, many of the shallow water wells in Leogane dried up. It was believed that the new pavement disrupted groundwater recharge and negatively impacted the wells. Therefore, a project was performed to assess groundwater conditions in a cost-effective manner using a rapid, inexpensive, non-intrusive geophysical approach. The scope of the project included 1) surveying the new pavement system, 2) surveying water wells in Leogane, 3) testing the well water for coliforms, 4) performing geophysical DC resistivity testing to map groundwater depth and 5) developing a groundwater map to assess the impact of the pavement on the water table. As a result of this project, it could not be concluded that the new pavement was a factor in the groundwater fluctuations observed in the water wells in Leogane. It is more likely that some of the drop in the water table was due to the earthquake itself and some of it was caused by seasonal fluctuations in the water table. It was also observed that all the water wells that extract water from shallow (less than 6 m deep) aquifers in Leogane contain coliforms due to their proximity to household latrines, although a second deeper aquifer was identified and found to be coliform-free. With respect to broader impact, this methodology represents a relatively simple approach to mapping groundwater and assessing water quality that can be easily applied to other communities in the developing world to guide their efforts to develop and manage groundwater.

THE CREATION OF NOVEL AND MARKETABLE SERVICE IDEAS

2011 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. 113-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. CHANG
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Time Zone ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Parallel Teams ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Impact

Novel and marketable service ideas are useful to most service enterprises. However, the literature has identified several reasons for innovations in services as lagging behind those in manufacturing. Some service enterprises believe that service ideas and innovations are readily imitated by competitors. Others view the impact of service innovations on profitability difficult to assess because specific innovative service elements are typically bundled with many other service elements when delivered to or used by customers. Some service enterprises do not have in-house groups specifically dedicated to innovative pursuits, making it difficult for them to systematically produce new service ideas. Furthermore, because services are usually produced and consumed concurrently, any failure tends to expose the service enterprise immediately, unlike the manufacturing companies which can minimize such risks of exposure by conducting pilot testing away from the marketplace. As a result, many service enterprises are said to shy away from aggressively pursuing new service development projects. It does not have to be this way. This paper describes the combinatorial, heuristic, and normatively guided method, which when correctly applied to a service enterprise enhances the generation of new service ideas in a systematic, speedy, and cost-effective manner, and without requiring the creation of a dedicated and rigid organizational structure. Virtual teams of the "stealth" type are set up to address innovation needs related to marketability and cost competitiveness. These teams may include frontline customer-facing employees as well as customers, suppliers, and other external experts, who can work together despite geographical and time-zone constraints. The application of this method toward developing a specific new service idea is discussed in greater detail. The integration of a "stealth" team can also be readily applied to the front end of a typical stage-gate service development process, whereby parallel teams are engaged to address critical issues and steps needed to successfully market a service idea before initiating costly development, thereby raising the service enterprises' overall probability of developing commercially successful new services over time.

scholarly journals Impact of network sectorisation on water quality management

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 424-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hooman Armand ◽  
Ivan Stoianov ◽  
Nigel Graham
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pressure Control ◽  
Supply Networks ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hydraulic Variables

Abstract The sectorisation of water supply networks (WSNs) includes the permanent closure of valves in order to achieve a cost-effective leakage management and simplify pressure control. The impact of networks sectorisation, also known as district metered areas (DMAs), on water quality and discolouration has not been extensively studied and it remains unknown. In addition, hydraulic variables used in the literature for assessing the likelihood of potential discolouration are limited and inconclusive. This paper investigates a methodology to evaluate the impact of networks sectorisation (DMAs) on water quality and the likelihood of discolouration incidents. The methodology utilises a set of surrogate hydraulic variables and an analysis of the hydraulic condition in pipes with historic discolouration complaints. The proposed methodology has been applied to a large-scale WSN, with and without sectors, in order to assess the potential impact of DMAs on water quality. The results demonstrate that the sectorisation of WSN (DMAs) could compromise the overall water quality and increase the likelihood of discolouration incidents. The results of this study and the proposed surrogate hydraulic variables facilitate the formulation of optimisation problems for the re-design and control of WSNs with sectorised topologies.

Estimation of the fate of microbial water quality contaminants in a South African river

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 271-274
Author(s):  
D. Hohls ◽  
G. du Plessis ◽  
S. N. Venter ◽  
M. C. Steynberg ◽  
C. M. E. De Wet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
South African ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
Microbial Water Quality ◽  
First Order ◽  
Effective Manner

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of assumptions, regarding assimilative capacity for microbial contaminants, implicit in microbial water quality management in South Africa. A one dimensional steady state stream water quality model, assuming first order decay of microbial water quality variables, was employed in an attempt to describe and predict microbial water quality in the chosen catchment. Based on the faecal coliform counts the results indicated that the processes of decay and dilution were inadequate to yield water quality which complied with South African and international guidelines for the domestic and recreational use of water. It was also found that a first order decay model can, with fairly limited data, allow a manager to investigate different microbial water quality scenarios in a cost-effective manner.

Study on Ecological Water Table in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Area in the North China Plain

2012 ◽  
Vol 518-523 ◽  
pp. 4088-4092
Author(s):  
Chang Shui Yu ◽  
Ji Lai Liu ◽  
Yu Long Liu ◽  
Su Fen Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Unsaturated Zone ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Groundwater Depth ◽  
Irrigation Area ◽  
Groundwater Environment ◽  
Reclaimed Water Irrigation

The paper sets the definition of ecological water table in reclaimed water irrigation area, on which reclaimed water would not make the pollutants infiltrate into groundwater and not deteriorate groundwater environment. Case study from a soil profile in Daxing, Beijing shows that the ecological water table is changing due to the pollutants down movement in the unsaturated zone. Results show that the critical ecological groundwater depth is about 19.45 m in 2050 while the current is 8.25 m. The current water table depth of 18 m is within the ecological groundwater depth. The time lag between the human activities and water quality due to the relatively thick unsaturated zone should be paid attention to for sustainable water quality management.

Impact of artificial monolayer application on stored water quality at the air–water interface

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 1250-1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Pittaway ◽  
V. Martínez-Alvarez ◽  
N. Hancock ◽  
B. Gallego-Elvira
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Subsurface Water ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Water Interface ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Air Water Interface ◽  
Large Water ◽  
The Impact

Evaporation mitigation has the potential to significantly improve water use efficiency, with repeat applications of artificial monolayer formulations the most cost-effective strategy for large water storages. Field investigations of the impact of artificial monolayers on water quality have been limited by wind and wave turbulence, and beaching. Two suspended covers differing in permeability to wind and light were used to attenuate wind turbulence, to favour the maintenance of a condensed monolayer at the air/water interface of a 10 m diameter tank. An octadecanol formulation was applied twice-weekly to one of two covered tanks, while a third clean water tank remained uncovered for the 14-week duration of the trial. Microlayer and subsurface water samples were extracted once a week to distinguish impacts associated with the installation of covers, from the impact of prolonged monolayer application. The monolayer was selectively toxic to some phytoplankton, but the toxicity of hydrocarbons leaching from a replacement liner had a greater impact. Monolayer application did not increase water temperature, humified dissolved organic matter, or the biochemical oxygen demand, and did not reduce dissolved oxygen. The impact of an octadecanol monolayer on water quality and the microlayer may not be as detrimental as previously considered.

Results of a pilot study to examine the effective integration of apprentices into the industrial construction sector

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 391-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aminah Robinson Fayek ◽  
Ahmed Shaheen ◽  
Ayo Oduba
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Industrial Construction ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
The Impact

The industrial construction sector in Alberta has recently undergone a period of rapid growth, resulting in a shortage of skilled workers in almost all of the major industrial sector trades. To meet these shortages, a need has arisen to increase the utilization of apprentices on industrial construction projects. In an effort to address this issue, the Construction Owners Association of Alberta has established a goal of developing an industry Best Practice on how to improve the on-the-job portion of apprenticeship training and identify means by which the industry can more effectively use apprentices. The challenge is to increase their usage in a cost-effective manner that also provides apprentices with adequate training opportunities. Before this can be done, the impacts and benefits to the various parties involved in industrial construction must be quantified and assessed. This paper describes the findings of a pilot study that was conducted on a major industrial project to help in quantifying the impact of the use of apprentices in the industrial construction sector and to identify methods of effectively increasing their use while simultaneously enhancing their on-the-job learning experience. The main conclusion of this paper is that apprentices can be effectively incorporated in industrial construction, and they can be both productive and cost-effective, provided they are given adequate instruction and supervision. The lessons learned from the study are discussed to provide insight into conducting future studies. Recommendations for an industry Best Practice on the effective utilization of apprentices are presented.Key words: apprentice, electrician, industrial construction, journeyman, labour force, pipefitter, productivity, training, work sampling.

scholarly journals Impact of the 1988 Forest Fires on the Chemistry of Ground Water in Yellowstone National Park

1991 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 249-255
Author(s):  
Donald Runnells ◽  
Mary Siders
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Ground Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Yellowstone National Park ◽  
National Park ◽  
Chemical Data ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
The Impact

In order to investigate the impact of the 1988 fires on the chemistry and water quality of shallow ground water in Yellowstone National Park, a two­year program of sampling and analysis was begun in August, 1989. Samples from ground-water wells for which pre-fire chemical data could be obtained were selected for this study. Although it may have been anticipated that the surface waters would show some effects of fire, in terms of increased sedimentation and the addition of ash-laden runoff, the effects of the fires on ground water are less predictable. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the character and extent of these effects.

A rapid and simple method for routine determination of antibiotic sensitivity to biofilm populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhammika Leshan Wannigama ◽  
Cameron Hurst ◽  
Parichart Hongsing ◽  
Lachlan Pearson ◽  
Thammakorn Saethang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Antibiotic Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Planktonic Bacteria ◽  
Antibiotic Response ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Treatment of infections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa forming biofilms after antimicrobial testing on planktonic bacteria can result in substantial failure. Therefore, we offer a robust and simple experimental platform to test the impact of antimicrobials on biofilms. Antibiotic response patterns varied uniquely within biofilm formation capacity and minimal biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) has a significantly better discriminatory power than minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to differentiate the overall efficiency of antibiotics to eradicate biofilm. Our resazurin-based 96-well-plate platform is able to emulate bacterial responses to antibiotics under biofilm conditions in a fast, simple, and cost-effective screening method adaptable to automation, and warrants trials in the clinic.

scholarly journals Improved APEX Model Simulation of Buffer Water Quality Benefits at Field Scale

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 603-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. M. M. Anomaa Senaviratne ◽  
Claire Baffaut ◽  
John A. Lory ◽  
Ranjith P. Udawatta ◽  
Nathan O. Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Field Scale ◽  
Quality Outcomes ◽  
Apex Model ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Watershed models offer cost-effective means to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices. This study evaluated the ability of the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model to simulate the effectiveness of upland buffers for reducing event runoff, sediment, and total phosphorus (TP) loadings. The study used 16 years of monitoring data (1993-2008) from three field-scale row crop watersheds. Two watersheds had buffers installed in the fall of 1997, one with upland agroforestry buffers (grass plus trees) and the second with upland grass buffers; the third watershed was maintained as a control. Objectives were to (1) determine the effect of upland buffers on APEX parameters, (2) evaluate the ability of APEX to estimate upland buffer effectiveness, and (3) evaluate the impact of alternative buffer placement options on water quality outcomes. After modification of the APEX code to improve simulation of infiltration in the buffers, we successfully calibrated APEX for no-buffer and upland buffer conditions for event runoff and TP. However, calibrated parameters from the no-buffer model simulated buffer conditions poorly and resulted in an overestimation of buffer effectiveness. Buffer effectiveness estimated with upland buffer parameters was similar to that obtained from measured data. Scenario analysis indicated that a combination of backslope and footslope agroforestry buffers was more effective than contour placement for reducing average annual edge-of-field runoff and total P losses. These results highlight the complexity of using APEX to assess upland buffers as well as potential problems when using APEX to quantify the benefits of conservation practices not included in the calibration dataset. Keywords: Agroforestry buffers, Buffer placement, Modeling, Phosphorus, Practice effectiveness, Watershed discretization.

scholarly journals The impact of psychosocial factors on claims outcomes in the group income protection market: findings from a prospective pilot study

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly Van Den Akker
Keyword(s):  
Return To Work ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Income Insurance ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Disability Income ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

Research suggests that psychosocial factors predict recovery better than biomedical factors alone in the normal population. However, no studies have been carried out in the disability income insurance setting, where the availability of financial cover is usually perceived as the main detractor of recovery and return to work.Swiss Re's clinical claims team in collaboration with the Research & Development team, conducted a 3 year prospective study to evaluate the role of psychosocial factors in recovery within a group income protection sample. Predictors of return to work were: beliefs about recovery and work, work ethic, coping, and self-efficacy. Interestingly, medical diagnosis alone and treatment did not predict recovery and return to work in this sample.Our objective was to conduct research to gain an understanding of psychosocial predictors in the insurance setting, and additionally to develop specific claims management strategies for our claims assessors to manage their claims more effectively through exploring the psychosocial barriers influencing on a claimant's absence, and providing adequate support at the right time, in a cost-effective manner.

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