sustainable development in the water industry - … weeks_seminars pdf... · sustainable...

Sustainability Weeks – Polytechnic University 03 May 2013 CIWEM HK – Norman Cheng

Sustainable Development in the Water Industry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=PaQCilnAINA

What is Sustainable Development?

“A development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs”

Gro Harlem Brundtland, Our Common Future, 1987

Environment protection Social

Progress

Economic Development

Sustainable

Development

HARMONY

Consider global performance:

- regarding social, environmental and economic criteria

- on the long, middle and short term

- considering internal performance and external impacts

Dialogue & Cooperation with our partners = stakeholders

Water Cycle

Sustainable Development in Water Industry

ECONOMIC / LOCAL INVOLVMENT

• Responsible purchasing

• Contribution to local economy & development

• Awareness raising on environmental & health issues

• Solidarity

ENVIRONMENT

• Water resource

• Energy & Greenhouse gas emissions

• Ecosystems & Biodiversity

• Management of waste & hazardous substances

SOCIAL (for employees)

• Health & Safety

• Social benefits

• Development of competences

• Social initiatives

ENVIRONMENT

• Water resource




Environment: Protection of the Water Resource

Introduction

Water Scarcity

• 52 countries will suffer from water shortages in 2025 (66% of the world’s population)

• Irrigated land accounts for 40% of the world’s food production

Non-sustainable practices

• 60% of towns and cities abstract water at a faster rate than their resources’ capacity to regenerate

• 10% of water use is from over-abstracted groundwater

• The level of aquifers is being lowered by as much as 3 meters a year

• Few wastewater reuse programs are in place

Prevent and manage pollution

Manage ground water withdrawal

Develop new resources

1 – Protect water catchments: Implement protection areas around catchments

2 - Prevention and fight against accidental pollutions: Crisis Management plan

3 – Chronically pollutions: recover or maintain raw water quality

4 – Ground water : Sustainable management of the withdrawals

5 – Research and Development of new resources: Standard or alternative water (reuse , desalinisation)



• Control the raw water quality – To identify sources of pollution

(chronic or accidental)

– To prevent and detect possible pollutions

• Improve wastewater services – efficiently treat wastewater before

discharging effluent in natural areas

• Define crisis management plan and emergency solution in case of heavy pollution

– Alternative water supply,

– Back-up reservoir,

– Additional treatments, etc.

Protect the water resource quality

Security of the water supply

Better control of the treatment

- Investigate upstream rivers and identify sources of pollution

- Raise awareness of local actors to reduce the water resource pollution


Protect the water resource quality


Protect Water Resources

• Protect and manage the resource in order to preserve the RW quality – Implement protection areas around catchment to protect the resource against pollution (urbanization,

industries…)

• Boundaries of the protected areas are defined by impact studies

• Control whether the regulations are complied with

Environment: Alternative Water Resources

• Reuse treated water

– On site

– Multiple external uses: cooling towers, irrigation, urban watering, etc.

– Aquifer recharge to maintain or restore aquifers

• Desalination of seawater

Develop alternative water resources

Solutions to tackle water scarcity in Queensland Australia

• Construction of seawater Desalination Plant

• Recycling Scheme

Wastewater recycling unit at an Industrial Estate in Thailand

• to minimize risks of water restriction & reduce pressure on local water resources

• 25% of the industrial estate daily water demand

• Latest reverse osmosis membrane technology


Aquifer Recharge

• Efficiently manage ground water abstraction – Do not withdraw more water volumes than the replenishment capacity of the

water table

– Monitor the level of the water table and inspect boreholes (CCTV)

• Alternative solution: artificial aquifer recharge

Example: The municipality of Berlin use treated waste water to recharge the water table (15% of the replenishment)


Reuse Treated Water

Treated wastewater has value!

• Reclaimed water is cost effective for most industries

• Low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) recycled water is more valuable than tap water

• A sustainable source to produce process or ultra-pure water

Wastewater reuse has to be expanded worldwide


Treatment Preliminary Primary Secondary Tertiary and

Advanced

Purpose Removal of

large solids and

grit particles

Removal of

suspended

solids

Biological treatment

and removal of

common

biodegradable

organic pollutants

Removal of specific

pollutants, eg. nitrogen

or phosphorous, colour

etc.

Example of

Technologies Screening,

Degritting

Screening

Sedimentation

Biofilter, activated

sludge, anaerobic

treatment etc

Membrane bioreactor

Filtration

Reverse osmosis

Chemical coagulation

Activated carbon

Water reclamation and reuse can take place from any of the treatment steps

+ Disinfection


Filtration Pore Size Operating Pressure Typical Target Pollutant

Microfiltration 0.1-1 μm 0.3 - 1 bar TSS, turbidity, pathogens,

bacteria

Ultrafiltration 0.01-0.1 μm 0.5-5 bar As above plus some viruses,

humic substances

Nanofiltration <0.01 μm 7-15 bar Small molecules, viruses

Reverse Osmosis <0.002 μm 10 – 100 bar

Nearly all inorganic

contaminants organic

substances

Membrane Filtration Technologies


Reuse Treated Water – Combined Solutions

Disinfection

Membrane MF/UF

Filtration Physical – Chem. Treatment

Microfiltration

Membrane bioreactor

Membrane RO


Desalination

1. Pre-treatment : Settling + Dual Media Filtration

2. Desalination : Reverse Osmosis

3. Post treatment : Remineralization + Final Disinfection

DESALINATION

Reverse Osmosis Pre-treatment

Post treatment

100 Raw

water 60 Brine

to

discharge

40

Potable

water

Example of a typical membrane plant


• Improve water efficiency

– Of treatment processes

– Of the network

Minimize the need of fresh water

Water Dispatch Management Center

- SCADA: In real-time data acquisition and monitoring system

- GIS: Geographic Information System > precise mapping of the network

- Hydraulic modeling

Water Treatment Plant - reuse process water


Network Efficiency

Metered Consumption

Unmetered Consumption

Metered Consumption

Unmetered Consumption

Unauthorized Consumption

Metering Issues

Leakage on Transmission and

Distribution Mains

Leakage and Overflows at Storage Tanks

Leakage on Service Connections up

to point of Customer Meter

Revenue Water

Apparent Losses

Water Losses

System

Input

Volume

Real Losses

Non Revenue Water

Billed

Consumption

Unbilled

Consumption

Authorized

Consumption

Environment: Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2 axes for action:

– Improve energy efficiency

E.g.: energy optimization of pumps or aeration tanks

– Recover & produce renewable energy

• Bio-digestion of sludge + cogeneration

• Hydraulic turbines

Reduce the use of fossil energies Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions Lower our impact on Climate Change

Replace Pumps, Save Energy Results of a study for pump renewal: Replace 14 boosting pumps + 15 deep-well pumps

Energy savings equivalent to

3,700 tones coal /year

21

Self-Sufficient Electricity Recovery

CHP Generator producing : 30 – 70% Plant Requirement

Environment: Energy Recovery

Environment: Conserving Eco-systems & Biodiversity

• Our impacts on local eco-systems & biodiversity: – Physical presence (treatment plant, buildings, catchment area…)

– Discharges (effluent, sludge, etc.)

– Water intake

• What can be done: – Identification of local biodiversity and of the impacts of our activity

– Site management & support to the development of local biodiversity

– Monitor the evolution of local biodiversity to possibly prove the positive impact of our activities

Restoring local ecosystems in Australia Program to restore original natural environments and habitats for local fauna in a wastewater treatment plant

Return of native animal population recording over 100 species of birds

Environment: Management of Waste & Hazardous Substances

• Waste management

– Laboratory waste: management of hazardous waste

– Sludge treatment

– IT waste

– Green waste

• Management of chemicals

– Precise procedures

– Adapted equipment

– Staff training

Reduce volumes – Further reuse

Avoid risks of accidental pollution & potential impacts on human health

Recycling printer cartridge , in partnership with a cartridge

company and a local NGO

Environment: Implement an Environmental Management System

• A documentation system with a well defined procedures on environmental protection in all the steps of operation (e.g. ISO14001)

Internal Benefits

– Structure internal procedures and control on operations

– Define a clear environmental policy and action plan

– Minimize risks of non-conformities

– Increase employees’ awareness on environmental protection • Promote environmental friendly practices at the office

• Involve all employees

• Offer employees the opportunity to learn more about the environment

• Organize social events linked to environmental issues

External Benefits

– Reduce environmental impacts of water and wastewater services

– Raise local environmental standards

Ensure a Well Defined Environmental Management System is in Place


ECONOMIC / LOCAL INVOLVEMENT




• Solidarity

ENVIRONMENT

• Water resource





• Health & Safety

• Social benefits




• Health & Safety

• Social benefits



Social: Improve Working Conditions

– Safe infrastructures and adequate equipment (PPEs)

– Definition of H&S procedures & specific working instructions

– H&S training and awareness raising for all employees

Ensure Health & Safety of all employees

Create social welfare for employees

Diversity

Equal opportunities

Dialogue

Electric bikes for meter readers Electric bikes to replace own personal vehicles

Improve working conditions Boost staff motivation and efficiency

Family-friendly work practices Flexibility to adapt the needs of private life: part times, job share, work from home, etc.

Drill during a health & safety training session in a water treatment plant

Social: Training & Career Development

• Training : Develop local competences and know-how

– Strong regional training policy for all employees

– Local modern training centers linked to a worldwide training network

• Mobility & Career Development

– According to employee’s wishes & competences identified during annual reviews

Social: Furthering Staff Initiatives

Cleaning & Tree planting events for the World Environment Day

Action for the protection of Qingjiang River, China

Internal Sport Festival, Japan

Monthly Cleaning Campaign in Korea

Work-Life balance week, Australia






• Solidarity

ENVIRONMENT

• Water resource





• Health & Safety

• Social benefits







• Solidarity

Economic: Purchasing & Sustainable Development

• Integrating environmental and social criteria in purchasing procedures:

– Buying environmental friendly products

– Selecting responsible suppliers & subcontractors

– Building fair & long term relationship with partners

• Tools:

– Purchasing & Sustainable Development Charter to be included in the contracts

– Sustainable Development Audits of suppliers to assess the supplier’s performance and progress together

• to improve our own performance • to reduce risks related purchasing / subcontracting • to improve cooperation & long term relationships with our partners

Economic: Strengthen Local Economy & Support Local SD Policies

• Providing safe water & reliable services to customers

• Supporting local economy

• Contributing to the development of local policies

• Become part of a water management association providing independent and sound advices to the authority

Improving touristy attractiveness, China

Improve wastewater treatment & restore seashore water quality of this costal city hosting 2008 Olympic Games

Supporting local water industry in Australia

- Sharing market information - Assisting the development of strategic alliances - Sharing training and educational programs

Economic: Awareness Raising on Health & Environmental Issues

• Communicating our actions and commitments to our employees and share best practices.

– Sustainable Development Newsletter

• Informing consumers & customers on water and the environment to encourage them to have responsible consumption

– Ex: leaflets, adverts, technical support, etc.

• Raising awareness of children & local population

Drawing competitions around the world

Beach cleaning in China Explaining water treatment processes to children

Economic: Solidarity

• Furthering access to water and wastewater services for all:

– Solidarity mechanism: between subscribers, big cities/ small villages, different services…

– Fair pricing policy

– Supporting people in need

• Local solidarity initiatives:

Promoting Biogas in China to raise farmers’ living standards and fight against deforestation

Donating educational material and offering founding to schools in poor areas

THANK YOU!

Questions and Answers?

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