Economic-Ecological Principles and the Question of Mineral Waters in Brazil

The present study addresses the issue of mineral waters in Brazil, its institutional problem, and the consequences and conflicts arising from its irrational exploitation. As a solution to these problems and conflicts, it is proposed to integrate these mineral waters and their different types in the management of water resources and the application of guiding economic and ecological principles as in the case of the conception of post-normal science and the precautionary principle. To meet the objective, the authors opted for an exploratory and bibliographical research regarding the adopted procedure. It is concluded that the implementation of an institutional change will allow a participative and polycentric management, mainly at the level of the hydrographic basin committees, which will contribute to the application of the two mentioned principles and a sustainable management of this resource. However, there is a need for improvements in the national water resources policy to more effectively cover groundwater in which mineral waters are embedded.

Download Full-text

Wastewater Reuse Criteria In Greece

Global NEST Journal ◽

10.30955/gnj.000291 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 9-14

Keyword(s):

Water Resources ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Wastewater Reuse ◽

Quality Criteria ◽

Environmental Policies ◽

Socioeconomic Conditions ◽

Recommended Treatment ◽

Different Types ◽

Effluent Characteristics ◽

Rigid Set

The sustainable management of water resources often requires the identification of wastewater as a valued source of water. Although the benefits of wastewater reuse and reclamation have increased significantly in Europe because of the advances in effectiveness of wastewater treatment and disinfection technologies there is currently no legislation nor guidelines regarding reuse. It is well known that there is a great variation of wastewater reuse quality criteria applied, mainly related to significant differences in socioeconomic conditions, environmental policies, available water resources. In this work the parameters that affect the wastewater reuse criteria in Greece are evaluated, concerning among others reuse priorities, available treatment plants and effluent characteristics and recommendations are made for developing future guidelines or regulations for Greece in relation to reuse practices (agricultural, urban, etc). The intention is not to propose an unquestionable and rigid set of standards, but to present them on the basis of the rationale developed, in order to form a basis for further consultation, involving all the interested parties. The recommendations are presented in relation to the different types of reuse, with appropriate specific standards and recommended treatment systems wherever applicable.

Download Full-text