Keywords: participatory planning; resource recovery; solid waste; wastewater; water supply; decentralized technologies

 

• ADVANCED MATERIALS RESEARCH : Technology of architecture and structure; Sustainable development of urban environment and building materials VOL 374; PART 2 (2012) pp.754-758
Research on the Water and Energy Consumption of Vacuflush Sanitation System in Building
Xiong, J.Q.; Fang, L.L.; Guo, P.; Wang, X.C.C.

• REVISTA ESPANOLA DE ESTUDIOS AGROSOCIALES Y PESQUEROS 230 (2011) pp.39-60
Water supply and sanitation in rural areas of developing countries. Current situation and future challenges
Jimenez, A.; Marin, G.; Perez-Foguet, A.

• AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE VOL 87; NUMB 3 (2012) pp.385-393
Impact of a school-based hygiene promotion and sanitation intervention on pupil hand contamination in western Kenya: A cluster randomized trial
Greene, L.E.; Freeman, M.C.; Akoko, D.; Saboori, S.; Moe, C.; Rheingans, R.

• FILTRATION AND SEPARATION VOL 49; NUMB 5 (2012) pp.14-14
Winners deliver safe water and sanitation solutions in the developing world

Environment and Behavior published online 10 July 2012
DOI: 10.1177/0013916512447799
Housing Arrays Following Disasters: Social Vulnerability Considerations in Designing Transitional Communities
Arnold R. Spokane, Yoko Mori & Frank Martinez
Abstract
Displacement and dislocation from homes disrupt fundamental social processes necessary for optimal community functioning. Neighborhood and community social capital, collective efficacy and place attachment are social processes that may be compromised following disaster, conflict, and upheaval. A collaborative approach to the preplanning, design, and creation of temporary and transitional communities following large-scale events is discussed. When architects, planners, and behavioral and health scientists collaborate, preexisting neighborhood social processes can be preserved or even strengthened and can facilitate resilient recovery among vulnerable groups (e.g., elders, children and their care providers, the poor, and underserved minorities). Such a cross-disciplinary, eco-developmental approach should result in more healthful, sustainable, and culturally appropriate individual and community level outcomes for vulnerable subgroups. Observations from housing accommodations following Hurricane Katrina are used to inform future efforts to rebuild neighborhoods following disasters.

WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
VOL 66; NUMB 7 (2012)
ISSN 0273-1223

• pp.1527-1533
Impact of roof surface runoff on urban water quality
Egodawatta, P.; Miguntanna, N.S.; Goonetilleke, A.
Abstract
The pollutant impacts of urban stormwater runoff on receiving waters are well documented in research literature. However, it is road surfaces that are commonly identified as the significant pollutant source. This paper presents the outcomes of an extensive program of research into the role of roof surfaces in urban water quality with particular focus on solids, nutrients and organic carbon. The outcomes confirmed that roof surfaces play an important role in influencing the pollutant characteristics of urban stormwater runoff. Pollutant build-up and wash-off characteristics for roads and roof surfaces were found to be appreciably different. The pollutant wash-off characteristics exhibited by roof surfaces show that it influences the first flush phenomenon more significantly than road surfaces. In most urban catchments, as roof surfaces constitute a higher fraction of impervious area compared with road surfaces, it is important that the pollutant generation role of roof surfaces is specifically taken into consideration in stormwater quality mitigation strategies.

PROCEEDINGS- INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS WATER MANAGEMENT
VOL 165; ISSU 9 (2012)
ISSN 1741-7589

• pp.461-472
Stormwater detention basin for improving road-runoff quality
Pezzaniti, D.; Beecham, S.; Kandasamy, J.
Abstract
Both wet and dry detention basins are commonly used for the treatment of road runoff. The basin investigated in this study was located on the eastern side of the southern expressway in Adelaide, Australia. Event mean pollutant concentrations (EMCs) and total pollutant loads were determined for the basin inflows and outflows. The water quality parameters tested included pH, conductivity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids (TDS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorous, total hydrocarbons, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, zinc and nickel. Six critical events were sampled in this manner during the course of the investigation. Total pollutant loads passing through as basin inflow were determined over the six monitored events. Comparison of basin inflow and outflow quality demonstrated that the average load reductions varied from as little as 18% for TDS up to 77% for total phosphorous and lead. While copper concentrations at the basin inflow were detected in four out of the six events, no detectable concentrations were found in the outflows. The average reductions for lead and zinc were more than 50% on more than 80% of occasions.

WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY -WATER SUPPLY-
VOL 12; NUMB 5 (2012)
ISSN 1606-9749

• pp.556-562
Mineral water: a microbiological approach
Falcone-Dias, M.F.; Emerick, G.L.; Farache-Filho, A.
Abstract
The microbiological quality of bottled mineral water of various domestic brands sold in Brazil was investigated, with particular focus on the heterotrophic plate count (HPC). Neither total coliforms nor Escherichia coli were found in any 1.5 L bottle samples. Total coliforms were found in 2.9 of the small bottles, while in 20 L bottles the presence of total coliforms and E. coli was demonstrated in 15.5 and 2.4 of samples, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in 4.3, 4.5 and 9.5 of small, 1.5 and 20 L bottles, respectively. In 36.4 of the samples of 1.5 L bottles, the HPC was above 500 cfu/mL. This percentage of samples with an HPC above 500 cfu/mL increased to 52.0 and 61.9 in small and 20 L bottles, respectively. Higher contamination by total coliforms, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and HPCs occurred in 20 L bottles. In conclusion, several samples in this study were outside the international quality standard for mineral water and the large number of samples with high HPCs shows that more work must be done on the use of HPC in mineral water and the damaging effects that these microorganisms may cause to humans. The bottled mineral water was confirmed as a particularly important public health problem, due to the poor microbiological quality of the products that are marketed.
 
• pp.658-665
Application of a simple arsenic removal filter in a rural area of Bangladesh
Hasan, M.M.; Shafiquzzaman, M.; Nakajima, J.; Bari, Q.H.
Abstract
A simple and low-cost household-based arsenic (As) removal filter (ARF) was tested under actual field conditions in a rural area of Bangladesh. The ARF consisted of a ceramic filter made of clay soil and rice bran collected on-site, iron netting and iron bacterial sludge liquor. Fifteen ARFs (14 shallow and one deep tubewells) were installed in three villages (five in each area) in the Khulna region (southwestern region of Bangladesh), and their performance was evaluated. More than 60 of ARFs produced effluent with As 50 g/L (Bangladesh standard level). The effects of Fe and P on As removal were the same as in laboratory experiments. X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) analysis showed the adsorption of primarily As(V), with lesser amounts of As(III). Continuous As removal performance was observed over 1 year of ARF use. By introducing a double ARF system, the As removal was significantly enhanced for the region with high As contamination levels. The ARF manufacturing cost was estimated to be US45, which is low and affordable to the rural households of Bangladesh. The ARF, made of locally available materials, had a low cost and minimal maintenance and showed high user acceptance, satisfaction and sustained use. 
 
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
VOL 66; NUMB 8 (2012)
ISSN 0273-1223

• pp.1812-1820
Economic assessment of climate adaptation options for urban drainage design in Odense, Denmark
Zhou, Q.; Halsnaes, K.; Arnbjerg-Nielsen, K.
Abstract
Climate change is likely to influence the water cycle by changing the precipitation patterns, in some cases leading to increased occurrences of precipitation extremes. Urban landscapes are vulnerable to such changes due to the concentrated population and socio-economic values in cities. Feasible adaptation requires better flood risk quantification and assessment of appropriate adaptation actions in term of costs and benefits. This paper presents an economic assessment of three prevailing climate adaptation options for urban drainage design in a Danish case study, Odense. A risk-based evaluation framework is used to give detailed insights of the physical and economic feasibilities of each option. Estimation of marginal benefits of adaptation options are carried out through a step-by-step cost-benefit analysis. The results are aimed at providing important information for decision making on how best to adapt to urban pluvial flooding due to climate impacts in cities.