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Water Conservation and Auditing Exam

preparation
Multiple choice questions
In the Aquatic center in the water treatment circuit in the pump room:

Energy consumption is one of the significant problems faced in the aquatic center,
which parts consume the highest energy?
a) UV unit
b) The pump: The second highest is the pump that used to treat the water. Review Lecture
c) The filter
d) Heating system: Uses the most energy.

The correct answer is D; the heating system

Energy consumption of the aquatic center is nearly 2x or 3x higher to the office building

What is the balance tank used for?


• Used to capture the water that is returned from the swimming pool for treatment
• it is a holding tank where some chemicals are added to cause the settlement of the
contaminants and the adjustment of the PH in the water.
• 3 pumps, two operating and one stand buy to several filters.
• Normally minimal of three filters remove particles and contaminants from the water.
• Effluent is collected, chlorinated (legal) and UV disinfection is utilized before returned.
• During the cycle chemicals are added to improve efficiency and chlorination effect.
• During the filtration, back wash is conducted regularly to remove contamination which has
been trapped inside filters. Maintains efficiency of the filters.
• Back wash is introduced from the bottom of the filters to release the contaminants which
are trapped inside the filter.

What are the most prominent water losses and how are they minimized?
Evaporation is the most significant loss thus we can cover the pool. Back wash in the water
treatment circuit is the second most prominent water loss.

Spa processes as a higher amount of filtering is needed

For a client to minimize water loss:

• Optimize backwash time and volume of water.


• During night when no one is using the water you can cover the pool reducing water loss,
heat loss and maintain water quality protecting from surrounding environment.

What are the differences between Diffused source vs Point Source?


Diffused sources are:
• hydrocarbons from storage.
• oil from the washing.
• detergent from workshops
• Stone water from parking site which has lower concentration
• Stone water is difficult to predict
• Example: Stone water from parking site

Point sources are:


• Concentrated
• constant flow
• Direct depository of high concentrations

How can we minimize the amount of water which is required to treat stone water?
The best practice to separate contaminated stone water and un-contaminated water is a bounded
area, separating the two.

Water hierarchy for a boiler:


• Biological treated sewerage?
• Desalination of seawater?
• Flow down water which is correlated to make up water when the operation is continued a
part of low-quality water is discharged “bleed water”.

Firstly, what kind of water is suitable, high, low or bottom or middle. High quality is used otherwise
causes scaling, fouling where the water evaporates and leaves it contaminates.

Essay Questions
*Explain the differences between ‘water conservation’, ‘water use efficiency’ and
‘water management’.
Water conservation:

• Water Usage Characteristics


• Reduces the quantity used for single purpose or complex systems.
• Reduces quality of inputs.
• Increases the quality of discharge.
• Promoted from within the arena.
• Changes over the whole water circuit: Pressure reducing valves or flow reduction devices for
specific appliances.

Water use efficiency


• Aims to maximise social, economic, environmental and ecological benefits.
• Can follow improved process efficiency.
• Needs understanding of whole operation (Engineer).
• From behavioural or Structural Changes

Water management
• Requirements of DEP licensing System.
• Water source investigation, allocation, pricing and protection/remedial action.
• Includes water management diagram: Simple Systemisation
• Solutions to aid a system where protection has not succeeded.
• Includes Audits
Combined Example
• Limited groundwater yet water usage is rising
• Environmental and ecological legislation protects additional water sources.
• Regulation for withdrawal volume limiting ingress of seawater.
• Water providers increase price of water limiting demand and providing capital expenditure
needing to dam.
• From this human behaviour is changed

Discussion
• By using water management and water use efficiency we interact with water conservation.
• Water source allocation is a complex interaction between government, water providers, the
community, the environment and ecosystems.
• Can use economical instruments to maximise benefits from a given water source

Define water auditing and explain the process involved in conducting a water audit.
Having the basic structure of that of ISO 14010:1996, Water auditing:

• Is Repetitive, systematic and a documented process.


• Objectively obtains a balance between water input and output.
• Water quality is measured as needed.
• Opportunities are sought for a reduction of water use, for water reuse, recycling and for
water resource substitution.
• Financial evaluations are made of all opportunities identified.
• A water management strategy is devised which is consistent with legal requirements, the
enterprise’s environmental policy and its movement towards sustainable development.
• The results of this process are communicated to the client and to the auditee where
different.
• Measure mass or volumetric flows of water flow diagram
• Water quality is measured
• Closure %: inputs – outputs/ sum of inputs. (Accepted less than 10%).
• If over 10% further flow measurements, identification of pipelines, searching for leaks, an
Water Audit Process explained
Phase 1: Audit preparation
Part 1 Scope and Objectives consists of:
• commitment to water conservation
• to reduce costs and gain savings.
• imposed from a regulator or government department for compliance.
• Improve public image
• Attend to community pressure
• Decrease chances of drought

Selection of Audit team


Initiator of Audit Client Auditee Responsible for
compiling Audit Brief

Enterprise Enterprise Enterprise Enterprise

Government agency Government agency Enterprise Government agency

Water service Government agency Enterprise Government agency


provider and Enterprise and Enterprise

Brief
The brief must identify water usage from the sources used at the domain to

• To identify options for improving water use efficiency,


• to estimate the costs of these options,
• to categorise the options into categories of payback period,
• to reduce water consumption individually or from all sources.
• to determine whether the enterprise is complying with legislative, regulatory or license
conditions for usage or discharge of water,
• to evaluate whether water management strategies from earlier audits have been applied
and what the outcomes have been
• to consider growth of water usage in the future, say over 10 years,
• to discuss all the above with the client, before preparing the final audit report
• attain a required accuracy for closure.

Part 1 of phase 1 consists of the audit schedule, Resources and selection of the audit
team
The Audit Schedule
• Time-line mutually agreeable to the auditor, client and auditee.
• Fees charged to the client are agreed.

Resources
• Money where fees, budgets and contracts are needed
• People: team and role designation
• Site visit and client to auditee discussion
• Instrumentation and data processing equipment

Phase one Part 3 consists of unit operations, the flow diagram and development plans.
Water Flow diagram or water Management diagram is
• Consistent with scope.
• Systematises tool for the water auditor.
• Enables comprehension of the system/simplification.
• Arrows depict water flow (Kl/yr).
• One line can represent several pipes of the same function.
• It will need a site visit where the identification of:
1. Sources: reuse, recycled, seawater, surface water, ground water, storm water or
scheme water.
2. Unit operations: Process water usage, general water usage, personal water usage,
reticulation and water treatment.
3. Sinks: weather removed as product, water disposal, discharged to ocean, sewer,
ground water recharge, watercourse or evaporated.

Development Plans
Are Plans for future development of processes

Phase 2: Conducting the Audit


• Measure the mass (or volumetric flows) for flow lines in water flow diagram.
• Water quality measured: sampling and monitoring
• Closure is attempted aiming for below 10%
• Amendments are made to flow diagram.

Phase 2 Part 1 consists Material balance or flow measurement, Input and out-put water
quantity.
Flow measurement and accuracy
• What proportion the flow represents of the total flow through audited domain,
• An issue of water quality might need greater accuracy.
• Consider cost to benefit ratio of devices and techniques.
• Review past audits.

Quantity is assessed by questionnaires


• At least Unit operators or general units with flow diagram.
• Initial flow estimates to determine specialised equipment.
• Pipe location and significance
• Old flow records
• Inter-connections
• Water quality issues.

Quantity is assessed by Log sheets


• Flow recording at predetermined times
• Careful and thoughtful preparation and explanation
• Considerable cost savings to water auditor and enterprise
Water quality Considerations
• Can be compelled by legal and financial force
• Legislative or regulatory limitations (oil and fat)
• Assessed by sampling and monitoring
• Can be over the whole domain, several unit operations or individually
• Quality needs can impact unit operations
• Higher quality can mean less volume.
• Heavy metals
• Temperature and pH
• Total Dissolved Solids
• Total suspended solids
• Nutrient concentrations related are measured through Biochemical Oxygen Demand.
• Chloride can case pressure problems especially at high temperatures

Part 3 of Phase 2 consists of closure


Closure
• Asses audit evidence, data and findings
• Leaks: overlooked water streams, unknown pipelines extending beyond domain.
• Comparison between water input to output to alert us of leaks.
• For both domain and points of water usage, and points of water usage and domain.
• Assures accuracy in water usages and stream flows.

Phase 3: The water management strategy ISO14004:1996


• Describes general aspirations for water conservation are addressed in the local domain of
the water audit.
• Identifies conceptual tools to reduce water use.
• Identifies reuse and recycling options
• Attains waste discharge reductions

Part 1 of phase 3 : Lists water waste reduction, reuse and recycling options.
• Internal processes
• Deployment of discharges internal to the domain
• External discharged canvassed
• Geographical Proximity.
• Zero discharge: Attains ‘cleaner production’
• Hierarchy of water streams: asses discharge quality for input for other processes.
1. High stream quality: at least potable used for boilers
2. Middle: still adequate for plant operations but mainly for Cooling systems
3. Low: dust control, mine de-watering, undercover vehicle washdown.
4. Bottom: Derived from contamination from materials transport.
Unit operation Uses Typical source of Typical Unit Process Typical Quality of
water discharge
High quality water Scheme water Steam generation High or middle
(treated) Food preparation
Fresh lake water Process Water
(treated)
Distilled or ion
exchange resin
discharge water.
Rain water from a
clean roof and gutter
system (with filtering)
Bottom blowdown
water
Middle quality water Storm water from Cooling water systems Low or bottom
‘clean’ areas Wash-down
Treated mine de-
watering water
Contaminated water
system discharge
Low quality water Mine de-watering Material transport Bottom
water dust control
Uncovered
contaminated water
system
Bottom quality water First ‘flush storm Once through cooling Bottom
water sewage. systems (clean but
Concentrate from saline)
distillation water Material transport
treatment Landscaping
Sea water or hyper
saline water

Part 3 of phase three: Evaluate options and conduct financial assessment of each option
• Evaluates water issues: Reality testing for external sources including; internal recycling,
reuse options and discharge proposals.
• Environmental issues: Lower quality for cooling could lower efficiency and raise emissions
• human: Automation can affect families and local economies.
• Plant operations: Plant may need to run at a lower level while modification is being installed
and Loss and benefits analysis must be applied during shut down.
• financial issues: Pay back periods considering training, employees, new systems or
technology, operating costs. Water savings per annum/capital cost = capital payback period.

Design a water management strategy.


• Present with most attractive options
• Identify less attractive options with reasons why.
Phase four – Audit report
• Convey to the client the essential issues, processes and water management strategy
proposals that have arisen from the audit process.
• Doesn’t include actual implementation and implementation of water management strategy
(client and/or auditee).
• ISO1010:1996 (general list) and ISO 14011:1996 (additional reference to management
system audits) contents for environmental reports.

Part 1 of Phase four: Audit report writing, and liaison contains participants
Participants
• client, auditee, audit team members, auditees representatives, operation managers, union
representatives.
• Acknowledgments
• Confidentiality issues

Part 2 of phase 4 Audit report: Summary and recommendations


• Capital requirements of implementation
• Financial savings
• Water use savings
• Payback period
• Implications
• Comparison with pertinent audits.

Part 2a of phase 4 Audit report: The brief. The brief consists of:
• Starting point conditions
• Scope and objectives

An Introduction
• Previous water audits
• Evaluation of past water management strategy
• Economical and financial background.
• Reasons for current audit
• Water resource availability and publications associated
• Changes in water use on site – historical and projected.

Description of site
• Complex site description
• Site Principal usage
• Interaction with location
• Water availability
• Environmental sensitivity
• Arrangement of buildings
• Operations on site

Plans for further development


• Complex development plans
Description of Water sources and sinks.
• Modest complexity
• Available water sources and sinks
• Sources assed by their: Quality, quantity, sustainability, regulatory and legislative controls,
general potential and costs
• Sinks are assessed by their quality, quantity, sustainability, legislative and regulatory
constraints and costs of discharge.

Presentation of the water uses and flow diagram


• Identifies: Unit operations, water flow streams, flow measurements.
• Flow measurement
• Accuracy
• Quality measurement
• Instrumentation.

Recycled and re-used water are presented by their


• Opportunities identified
• Evaluated: Quality and Quantity.
• Water treatment needed

Part 3 of phase four of the audit report: Communication and presentation of results to
client, auditee.
Raw options for improved water use efficiency
• Management strategy outcomes
• Brainstorming
• Raw material for future evaluation.
• Constantly revisited.
• No quantitively analysis

Evaluation of raw options


• Record the process used
• Outcomes from evaluation of options
• Weighting identified for issues and why.

Water management strategy


• Proposed water flow diagram
• Summarises evaluation of options.
• Financial evaluations: Payback period.
• Capital needed.

Water audit process review


• Unexpected events: Negative and Positive
• Identify personal changes, process changes.
• Recommendations to the client or the auditee
• Acknowledgments

Conclusions
• Water management strategy
• Summary

Process issues
• Challenges to notional linear process
• Challenges from all fields.
• Suggestions from stakeholders
• Counter suggestions

*Write a brief for a water auditor to audit your residence.


The residence of Blake Marxsen will be subject to a water audit to evaluate opportunities for
efficient water use. It has been determined that a closure accuracy of 10% will be suitable for the
water audit requirements.
The domain for the water audit is to include all the processes operating inside the walls of the
property. The unit processes that this will include are; 1 shower, 1 toilet, 1 laundry sink, 1 kitchen
sink, 1 bathroom sink and 1 washing machine.
Possible options to increase the water use efficiency by more than 10% would be to address any
required behavioural changes (shorter showers ect.) and implement new technologies such as
efficient shower heads. The estimated cost of this processes is under $100.

*Explain four of the conceptual tools available for developing a water management
strategy.
To develop a water management strategy Four conceptual tools must be considered. These
conceptual tools are; cleaner production, zero discharge legalities, hierarchy of water streams and
geographical proximity.

Cleaner Production: the continuous application of an integrated preventative environmental


strategy to processes end products to reduce the risks to humans and the environment

• Resource substation
• Measurement
• Recycling
• Reuse
• Reduction of water
• Separation of waste streams

Zero Discharge:
European Community:

• no continuous discharges during dry weather


• allows intermittent discharges
• Rain run-off can occur

United States of America and Australia

• No contaminated discharge at all during dry weather either continuous or intermittent until
after a storm of prescribed intensity and duration.
• storm is usually expressed in mm of rain per hour and the duration in minutes or hours.
• Evaporation and evapo-transpiration still occur.
• Clean water can leave boundaries of licenced site.

Hierarchy of water streams: Assess whether the discharge from processes where high-quality
water is used is suitable input to processes where lower quality water supply is needed.

We are looking for suitable water quality for the purpose. If we use this for washing, we should avoid
the use of high quality. These conceptual tool gives us the information to intelligently determine the
minimum quality of water that is needed for the process.

Four levels of hierarchy are used:

• high stream quality


• middle stream quality
• low stream quality
• bottom stream quality.

Geographical Proximity:
• Enterprises within reasonably close geographical proximity might have water resources that
can be shared.
• Output from one can be used as input for the other
• When such shared arrangements are possible they can be very significant savers of water
from primary water sources.

Learning activities and tasks 2

5. How should the raw options for improved water use efficiency be dealt with in the
water audit report?
Raw options for improved water use efficiency
• Management strategy outcomes
• Brainstorming
• Raw material for future evaluation.
• Constantly revisited.
• No quantitively analysis

Evaluation of raw options


• Record the process used
• Outcomes from evaluation of options
• Weighting identified for issues and why.
• Clear identification

Part 3 of phase three: Evaluate options and conduct financial assessment of each option
• Evaluates water issues: Reality testing for external sources including; internal recycling,
reuse options and discharge proposals.
• Environmental issues: Lower quality for cooling could lower efficiency and raise emissions
• human: Automation can affect families and local economies.
• Plant operations: Plant may need to run at a lower level while modification is being installed
and Loss and benefits analysis must be applied during shut down.
• financial issues: Pay back periods considering training, employees, new systems or
technology, operating costs. Water savings per annum/capital cost = capital payback period.

Design a water management strategy.


• Present with most attractive options
• Identify less attractive options with reasons why.

6. Illustrate and explain the relationships between water auditing, environmental


management systems and environmental auditing.

Figure 6.1 First glance interpretation of the qualitative relationship between environmental auditing
and water auditing

Figure 6.2 The qualitative relationship between


environmental management systems, environmental
audits and water auditing.

• EA and WA contribute to EMS


• WA provides measurements, evaluation, quantity
and quality.
• WA is concerned with conservation, water resource
substitution, reuse and recycling and viable outcomes
for the auditee.
• WA provides quality of water to EA
• EA involves pollution control

Table 6.1 The relationships between EMS and the


broader water auditing process

7. Describe three ways of measuring flow rates in filled pipes. What are their
advantages and disadvantages?
1. Pitot tube: Traverse taking several velocity readings, which are then integrated across the
pipe to give rise to a flow rate.

Advantages Disadvantages
Less difficult installation Shouldn’t be fitted to a single tube with one
stagnation point
Associated electronic provide instant flow value Requires traverse
(as an average) Fouling
Accurate to 0.5%

2. The Venturi flow meter: Measures the relationship between the head loss from the
upstream to the throat of the venturi tube.

Advantages Disadvantages
Accurate to 5% More expensive than orifices
Doesn’t reduce flow rate Requires physical intervention: Cutting pipes
Smaller obstruction compared to orifices Needs flanges fitted
Water flow process needs to stop for
installation
Fouling

3. Orifices: Inserting a restriction to the flow and measuring the pressure drop across the
restriction

Advantages Disadvantages
Cheap to install between flanges Water must occupy full cross-sectional area of
Accurate to 5% the pipeline
Restricts the flow
Large permanent pressure loss
Reduces flow rate
Fouling

8. Explain a classification of water into six grades.


Water Quality Grades Water treatment processes Water quality parameters
Used- water (Waste water) High values for BOD, SS, N, P,
pathogens and other
pollutants, especially if it
includes trade wastes
Grade 1 (Primary treated Primary wastewater Reduction in SS and BOD
wastewater) treatment: bar screen grit associated with the removal of
removal and sedimentation SS
Grade 2 (Secondary treated Activated sludge or biological Reduction of BOD and SS
wastewater) filtration
Grade 3 (Tertiary treated Tertiary treatment: nutrient Reduction in N and P
water) removal by:
Biological or chemical
processes
Nitrification
Denitrification
Grade 4 Polishing: achieve quality like Reduction in BOD, SS, N, P,
water in open environment Pathogens and other
done by wetlands pollutants
Grade 5 (drinking water) Conform to WHO guidelines Quality for intended drinking
for drinking purposes. purposes
Double or triple barrier
treatments
Grade 6 (Very high-quality Specific treatment for specific Depends on intended use
water) quality.
RO or ion exchange

* What are the various types of hot water systems used and what factors relating to
hot water systems will the water auditor consider?
Types of hot water systems:
1. Gas
2. Electric
3. Solid fuel systems (storage systems or instantaneous systems
4. Solar systems
5. Heat pump systems
Factors the auditor need to consider:
1. Location
2. Temperature setting
3. Energy efficiency
4. Reduced payback periods if new systems are considered

* Discuss the principles and the practice of amending the soil.


Principles: A soil with a high hydraulic conductivity or permeability will quickly transport water below
the root zone of plants, while one with low hydraulic conductivity will induce run-off of rain (for
sprinkler irrigated water) while the water has yet to penetrate to the limit of plant root depth. Loam
(a soil constituted by approximately 40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay, providing the maximum
moisture availability) balances these requirements, while providing maximum moisture storing
capacity. The purpose of soil amendment is to move an existing soil mix in the direction of the
optimum loam by mixing with it soil with characteristics which compensate for the existing soil's
deficiencies in balance of particle sizes.

Soil amendment offers direct savings in water use by reducing either run-off, or infiltration beyond
the plants' root zones.

Practice:

Physical amendment – applying loam to increase soil hydraulic conductivity (permeability) and
reduce run-off

Organic amendment – The addition of animal manures or organic fertilisers and mixing them with
the soil constitutes organic amendment, which is subsequently aided by organic mulch above the
soil.

Soil amendment – Soil amendment takes place prior to planting not after planting, for after planting,
the mixing processes destroy plant micro-roots. The soil amendment is applied to the top zone of
the soil where plant feeder roots are most active. Typically, the top 200mm of soil would be
amended.
*Explain the operation of a Biomax with a sketch of system
The Biomax is an aerobic treatment unit that can be used for domestic wastewater reuse since it
uses a secondary level of treatment. The system consists of a circular tank which is divided into 4
compartments:
1. Primary settling & anaerobic tank
2. Aerobic chambers with fixed media & bubble aeration facility
3. Secondary sedimentation tank where the sludge is pumped back to the septic chamber
4. Chlorination & storage chambers
Chlorination is by tablet chlorinator and the final effluent is pumped for irrigation when the volume
reaches a particular level.
Cons: The system needs regular maintenance & power requirements for aeration & pumping.
(power requirement is 2.5 kWh/ day)

* Below ground drip irrigation is the answer to all the disadvantages of sprinkler
irrigation. Critically evaluate this assertion.
Disadvantages of sprinkler irrigation systems: (drip irrigation mitigate these)
− Prone to vandalism
− Uses more water inefficiently (evapotranspiration)
Disadvantages of drip irrigation: (drip irrigation has cons of its own)
− Costly and difficult compared to sprinkler irrigation systems.
− Prone to blockages if not maintained

* What are the major sources of water loss in the aquatic centre?
1. Evaporation
2. Filter backwash
3. Spa activities

* Outline a way of conserving water in a remote community that


illustrates implementation of efficiency improvement.
Through the process of trials:
− Behavioural change – provide a supply of tap washers to all households in one community
and evaluate after 12 months
− Efficiency improvements – install water efficient fitting and appliances in one house and
measure consumption before & after
− New technology – Establish & monitor a greywater treatment system on one house using
evapotranspiration.

* Outline factors necessary to consider when developing strategies for treating


wastewater of contaminated water systems.
Point sources – relatively constant flow & contamination (oil from washpads)
Diffuse sources – stormwater runoff from contaminated surfaces
Factors to consider for developing treatment strategies:
1. Water balance – establishes the specific requirements of the application
a. Volume of wastewater generated
b. Frequency & duration of process
c. Type & area of surface to be drained
2. Peak stormwater flows
3. Type of contaminants
4. Storage capacity of holding sump

* What constitutes lean, medium and dense phases of slurry?


The density of the slurry is important. Increasing the slurry density, that is reducing the liquid
portion, means less pumping energy is required as there is less mass to shift and less water to be
found for the process. The corollary is that less water needs to be treated at the collection point and
more transported material can be moved down the pipe per unit mass of slurry.
Lean Slurry: slurry densities tend to be low as control problems are minimised with more dilute
slurries. They have a lower effective viscosity and there is less wear on the pipeline. Sewerage is an
example of lean slurry, with the potential for reclamation and recycling of the water.
Medium Phase Slurry: The most common type of slurry density falls into the range 5 to 50% by
weight. The velocities are lower in the pipeline, typically about 2.5 m/sec. The pipe materials for this
type of slurry can be normal mild steel or cement lined pipe, fibreglass reinforced pipe, and in some
cases high-density polyethylene. Most fly ash and slurries from mining fall into this category.
Typically, the specific gravity of the mixture is 1.3 to 1.6.
Dense Phase Slurry: dense phase slurries are different to the above in that they are very much more
concentrated in the solid phase material. The range of solids can be as high as 90% and the material
can look like a solid, whereas it behaves as a plastic. The advantages of dense phase slurries are:
• the amount of water required is minimal;
• the material will stack and does not need a dam or any containment area,
• velocities of transport are lower typically 1.5 to 2.0 m/sec;
• pipes are smaller in diameter;
These are admirable advantages, yet there are practical difficulties. The material must be
thoroughly mixed to get a homogeneous mixture that has uniform rheology. To make the
material flow positive displacement pumps are required. These pumps are expensive and
require considerable maintenance. Its now cheaper.

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