Eyes in the Sky - Drones for Post Fire Hydrologic Assessment

A very topical article appeared in the recent edition of Stormwater Magazine based on US usage but would seem highly relevant for use in Australia right now.

A post grad student used drone flights and various software programs to assess the landscape following fire, in California but this seems highly useful for eastern and south eastern Australia right now in early 2020 to assess our burnt landscapes.

The emphasis was on how the landscape patterns have been changed and how this has influenced how the hydrology of the area has been impacted. 

The link is below and should be readily available.

Seems a very timely application, now that some rain seems to be arriving which may quench a number of the fires.

Link is:

https://www.stormh2o.com/erosion-control/article/21117902/eyes-in-the-sky?utm_source=EC+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200114039&o_eid=0996E9426678A4U&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C0996E9426678A4U&oly_enc_id=0996E9426678A4U    

Smart Water Management Matters

'Nature-based solutions' key to water management: UN report - World Water Day 22 March.

Wednesday, 21 March, 2018

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Nature-based solutions can play an important role in improving the supply and quality of water and reducing the impact of natural disasters, according to the 2018 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report.

Presented at the 8th World Water Forum this week by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UN-Water Chair Gilbert Houngbo, the study argues that reservoirs, irrigation canals and water treatment plants are not the only water management instruments at our disposal.

In 1986, the State of Rajasthan (India) experienced one of the worst droughts in its history. Over the following years, an NGO worked alongside local communities to set up water harvesting structures and regenerate soils and forests in the region. This led to a 30% increase in forest cover, groundwater levels rose by several metres and cropland productivity improved.

These measures are examples of the nature-based solutions (NBS) advocated by the latest edition of the report, ‘Nature-based Solutions for Water’. It recognises water not as an isolated element, but as an integral part of a complex natural process that involves evaporation, precipitation and the absorption of water through the soil. The presence and extent of vegetation cover across grasslands, wetlands and forests influences the water cycle and can be the focus for actions to improve the quantity and quality of available water.

“We need new solutions in managing water resources so as to meet emerging challenges to water security caused by population growth and climate change,” said Azoulay. “If we do nothing, some 5 billion people will be living in areas with poor access to water by 2050. This report proposes solutions that are based on nature to manage water better. This is a major task all of us need to accomplish together responsibly so as to avoid water-related conflicts.”

“For too long, the world has turned first to human-built, or ‘grey’, infrastructure to improve water management,” Houngbo said in the foreword of the report. “In so doing, it has often brushed aside traditional and Indigenous knowledge that embraces greener approaches. Three years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is time for us to re-examine nature-based solutions (NBS) to help achieve water management objectives.”

Focusing on ‘environmental engineering’

So-called ‘green’ infrastructure, as opposed to traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure, focuses on preserving the functions of ecosystems, both natural and built, and environmental engineering rather than civil engineering to improve the management of water resources. This has multiple applications in agriculture, the greatest consumer of water by far. Green infrastructure can help reduce pressures on land use while limiting pollution, soil erosion and water requirements by contributing to the development of more effective and economic irrigation systems, for example.

Thus, the System of Rice Intensification, originally introduced in Madagascar, helps restore the hydrological and ecological functioning of soils rather than using new crop varieties or chemical products. It enables savings of 25 to 50% in water requirements and 80 to 90% in seeds while raising paddy output by 25 to 50%, depending on the region in which it is implemented.

It is estimated that agricultural production could be increased by about 20% worldwide if greener water management practices were used. One study cited by the report reviewed agricultural development projects in 57 low-income countries and found that using water more efficiently, combined with reductions in the use of pesticides and improvements in soil cover, increased average crop yields by 79%.

Green solutions have also shown great potential in urban areas. While vegetated walls and roof gardens are perhaps the most recognisable examples, others include measures to recycle and harvest water, water retention hollows to recharge groundwater and the protection of watersheds that supply urban areas. New York City has been protecting its three largest watersheds since the late 1990s. Disposing of the largest unfiltered water supply in the USA, the city now saves more than US$300 million yearly on water treatment and maintenance costs.

Faced with an ever-increasing demand for water, countries and municipalities are showing a growing interest in green solutions. China, for example, recently initiated a project called ‘Sponge City’ to improve water availability in urban settlements. By 2020, it will build 16 pilot Sponge Cities across the country. The goal is to recycle 70% of rainwater through greater soil permeation, retention and storage, water purification and the restoration of adjacent wetlands.

The importance of wetlands

Wetlands only cover about 2.6% of the planet but play a disproportionately large role in hydrology. They directly impact water quality by filtering toxic substances from pesticides, industrial and mining discharges.

There is evidence that wetlands alone can remove 20 to 60% of metals in water and trap 80 to 90% of sediment from runoff. Some countries have even created wetlands to treat industrial wastewater, at least partially. Over recent years, Ukraine, for example, has been experimenting with artificial wetlands to filter some pharmaceutical products from wastewater.

However, ecosystems alone cannot perform to totality of water treatment functions. They cannot filter out all types toxic substances discharged into the water and their capacity has limits. There are tipping points beyond which the negative impacts of contaminant loading on an ecosystem become irreversible, hence the need to recognise thresholds and manage ecosystems accordingly.

Mitigating risks from natural disasters

Wetlands also act as natural barriers that soak up and capture rainwater, limiting soil erosion and the impacts of certain natural disasters such as floods. With climate change, experts predict that there will be an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters.

Some countries have already started taking precautions. For example, Chile announced measures to protect its coastal wetlands after the tsunami of 2010. The State of Louisiana (USA) created the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority following Hurricane Katrina (2005), whose devastating impact was magnified by the degradation of wetlands in the Mississippi Delta.

Nevertheless, the use of nature-based solutions remains marginal and almost all investments are still channelled to grey infrastructure projects. Yet, to satisfy the ever-growing demand for water, green infrastructure appears to be a promising solution complementing traditional approaches. The authors of the report therefore call for greater balance between the two, especially given that nature-based solutions are best aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015.

Coordinated by the World Water Assessment Programme of UNESCO, the United Nations World Water Development Report is the fruit of collaboration between the 31 United Nations entities and 39 international partners that comprise UN-Water. Its publication coincides with World Water Day, celebrated every year on 22 March.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Zffoto

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Some thoughtful ideas that should be considered more often, even in Australia.  Unfortunately it often cuts across the old engineering concepts and old ideas are hard to change.  It also tends to have longer time frames to see change and involves more community groups to develop meaningful ideas.

Solar Pumping for Farm Irrigation

Solar pumping: the economic & enviro rewards

Energy is one of the fastest growing on-farm costs. The CRDC-funded Improving energy efficiency on irrigated cotton farms project found in 2015 that the average direct energy cost was $298 per hectare, with diesel counting for at least 85 percent. But not for cotton grower Andrew Gill of Narromine. The installation of a solar diesel hybrid irrigation bore pump on his Central West NSW farm has led to big cuts in fuel costs, greater irrigation efficiencies and a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Attracted by the drop in the price of solar panels in recent years and the prospect of the system paying for itself in less than four years, Andrew decided to install a solar diesel hybrid system at one of the pump sites on their Narromine farm at the end of last year. The move has led to a cut in pumping costs from $76/megalitre to $41/ML and slashed diesel use by between 45,000 and 55,000 litres a year. Over 25 years, that equates to a saving of more than 1 million litres of fuel and a reduction of over 3000 tonnes in carbon emissions.

Learn more about Andrew's system in this CottonInfo case study and in this video. And find out more about how you can improve your on-farm energy efficiency here.

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While using solar energy for farm water pumping is not new, nor is this the first ever story on the subject it does highlight that this approach is now effectively MAINSTREAM.

And it can work in many many locations around Australia and the world.

Sure capital cost is an issue so a planned approach to financing is important........but it has a big payoff in cost savings and a feel good outcome too.  And it works........that has to be a critical issue as well in the present time of 2016!

World Water Day - March 22 2016

March 22 is World Water Day in 2016.  Also being celebrated concurrently is World Wetlands Day.

In developed economies we do okay with water - even in dry regionssuch as Namibia and in dry times eg California at present.

But not everyone has equitable access to water.

Use water wisely, and avoid wastage.

Even monsoonal Australia where there is seasonal abundance followed by drought, has this year had a very poor monsoon, and ground water is likely to be poorly recharged, which will mean less water for horticulture and agriculture - the warnings are clear already.

Most take adequate water as a given...........that is NOT the case really, and there are serious warnings already about the supply of water around the world in future years.  For some, that is already the norm.

Could Milk Proteins Clean up Heavy Metals in Water?

Modified milk proteins hold some promise to remove heavy metals from water according to recent studies.  If confirmed it is a big breakthrough that a common product might hold a key to cleaning up contaminated water - with heavy metals such as lead and arsenic as well as radionucleide  metals eg radium often seen as ground water contaminats in many countries including much of Asia.

Reports from Washington recently noted that scientists had found that proteins similar to those implicated in Alzheimer’s disease could help purify polluted water, according to Science News.

A new membrane uses thin amyloid protein fibers to pull heavy metals and radioactive wastes out of water. The membranes can capture more than their own weight in some contaminants, said scientists in the Jan. 25 report in Nature Nanotechnology.

“I think what’s really interesting in this study is that it actually used a protein material, which is novel,” said Qilin Li, an environmental engineer at Rice University in Houston who was not involved in the study. Specifically, the team converted milk proteins into fibers of durable amyloid protein. Other amyloids are infamous for building up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, but the team put their amyloids’ sticky tendrils to different use.

When paired with strong, porous carbon in a membrane, the lab-made amyloids successfully filtered over 99 percent of toxic materials out of solutions that mimicked severely polluted waters, the scientists report. The amyloids trapped particles of lead and mercury at a molecular site that is involved in turning the original milk protein into its pasty form. Radioactive waste particles also got tangled in the membranes. And the membranes snagged gold contaminants, which the team found could later be recovered and purified. A membrane with less than 6 milligrams of amyloids could trap 100 milligrams of gold, the scientists report.

It’s exciting to see that the amyloids can hold more than their own mass in heavy metal particles, said Li. More typical membrane materials, she says, would grab only a fraction of their weight in pollutants.

The membranes could be developed for small- or large-scale water purification units, said study co-author Raffaele Mezzenga, a physicist at ETH Zurich. Mezzenga estimated the technology would cost roughly one dollar per every thousand liters of water filtered. And a membrane can recover hundreds of times its own value in precious metals, Mezzenga says. The membrane design is simple and flexible, and could be adjusted to optimize cleanup or metal recovery, he says.

Li said the membranes will need to be tested and optimized in real polluted waters, which may have chemical complications such as high or low acidities. But the amyloids’ performance is encouraging, she said, and the proteins’ contaminant-trapping capabilities could inspire other researchers developing contaminant filters.

Partially sourced from Water Technology

It is Hot - BUT ......Reduce Your Water Footprint

How to Reduce Your Water Footprint (Infographic)

It’s no secret that we use a lot of water in our day-to-day lives. However, eating locally and choosing to drink the local water rather than bottle water can help reduce your water usage and footprint. While there are some places where bottled water is certainly the safer option eg Bali, in most developed countries [ Europe, USA, NZ, Australia]  the tap water must pass rigorous testing. This infographic from Wheels for Wishes  details some ways to reduce your water footprint as well as some details on how much water we actually use.

Infographic via Wheels for Wishes

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-reduce-your-water-footprint-infographic.html#ixzz3qwzBJuXk

The past few days in Darwin have been VERY UNCOMFORTABLY HOT HOT HOT. 

Near record maximum temperatures and high humidity plus near record high minimums as well.  And likely to continue for some time.

Water drinking weather, as well as the time to cool off in the air conditioning when you can [ even the pool might be too warm].

While the inforgraphic is based around US data, it would be similar here in Australia.

Simple changes will reduce your water footprint.........with the fundemental one - BYOW, yes, Bring Your Own Water - it comes from the tap at home or at work, and if preferred cold, store a bottle in the fridge for regular use!  And use a reusable container.  

There are plenty of options.  None include buying water except in dire need, and even then most places will allow use of a tap to refill a container.

Remember that purchased water in a bottle is one of the the MOST expensive liquids........even more expansive in many places than exclusive champagne or even petrol!

[ partially purloined from Wheels for Wishes........but a necessary reminder for hot weather]

Improve Your Irrigation Efficiency AND Save Water and $$

It is a broad generality that most home owners and commercial property managers over water both gardens and specially turf areas.  We are not speaking about the events around establishing the area where extra water may be needed, but once the area is established.

Ideally, water needs to be available at 100 - 150mm below the surface, and there are irrigation systems that deliver water to that specification eg KISSS systems  see www.kisss.com.au.

But there is usually a lot that can be done with existing overhead sprinkler systems before committing to a major retrofit.

Less frequent but longer irrigation periods are a first option, but often the period itself can be reduced.  And it is not set and forget either - adjust both of these as seasons change, with naturally more water required in hot dry periods than cooler and damp seasons.  And remember to irrigate early morning or early evening, when winds are lower as are temperatures.  Adjusting droplet size and pressure may also be possible and that will improve efficiency too.

And do not forget to adjust the watering systems to avoid watering the hard surfaces where possible.  Grass will not grow in concrete...........except weeds in cracks!

Even raising mowing height will help save water. 

Using a rainstop or similar device to override the irrigation turning on is a very sensible option, as this prevents scheduled irrigation occurring if there has been rain.  Surely it is sensible to not irrigate if it is not needed.  Rainstop is a commercial Australian product used in commercial systems, but there are proprietary systems from major commercial brands.

While these save money, there is a cost to fit them.

But the bigger advantage is the health improvements to your turf or garden areas - with the first and most notable change likely to be reduced sedges in turf areas, an outcome driven by the drier surface conditions that help reduce these problem weeds.  While sedges can be controlled with appropriate herbicides, they are not an instant fix [ maybe 12 -18 months to clean up an area] and really need to be used once irrigation regimes are adjusted, not before.

All of the above changes do not necessarily reduce the aesthetics of your lawn.  Even a small amount of slow release fertiliser can help by improving the root systemof the turf species and thus extracting more water from depth

http://digital.waterefficiency.net/publication/?i=271411&pn=34#{"page":38,"issue_id":271411}

California is experiencing severe drought - somewhat similar to the experience in temperate Australia a few years ago, and this article [ link shown above] gives an overview of experiences there with improved irrigation management.

In north Australia with somewhere around 70% of water used outdoors, it is a very practical and relatively east option to save water used outdoors.  Give it a go!  Your garden and lawn area will benefit! 

Water - for all. An Infographic

Sanitation Pays Off - BIG TIME for Development in Asia

Globally, the sanitation Millennium Development Goal target is well off track. 

However, many countries in Southeast Asia have made substantial progress, although a number of them will not reach the sanitation MDG target by 2015.

 Many countries have recently revised their sanitation strategies in order to rapidly scale up sanitation and aim for universal access by 2030.

According to a new study from the Water Global Practices Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), sanitation has been shown to have significant economic and social returns in the six countries studied (Cambodia, Yunnan province of China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Vietnam) and benefits in both urban and rural settings exceed costs in almost all cases. 

The Economic Assessment of Sanitation Interventions in Southeast Asia found that all sanitation interventions examined have benefits that exceed costs, when compared with “no sanitation facility.” Economic benefits of sanitation are at least five times higher than economic costs in rural areas and at least three times higher for urban areas. 

Other key findings include:

- In rural areas, the most basic sanitation type, the pit latrine, had returns of at least five times its costs in all but one country, Cambodia. Across both wet and dry pit latrines, the returns are highest in Lao PDR at over eight times.

- In urban areas, pit latrines remain a feasible, affordable, and efficient sanitation option in some settings where density is low. Septic tanks were also found to be economically viable in all countries, with economic returns of around two or more per unit spent.

In all countries and for most sanitation technologies, health benefits and time savings accounted for the majority of the overall benefits. 

Some intangible benefits not quantifiable  from the above estimates were also shown to be important to households, including dignity, comfort, prestige, security, gender equality, household cleanliness, and aesthetics of the community environment. Because of inter-personal variation in responses, it was difficult to present population level averages for these intangible benefits. 

The benefits of reduced water pollution from improved fecal sludge or sewage management were not fully counted for those interventions that reduced release of fecal matter into the environment because of the methodological difficulties and data constraints involved in such valuations.

The report, which is part of the second phase of the Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI) launched initially in East Asia in 2007, provides sanitation decision makers with compelling evidence that directly compares the costs and benefits of alternative sanitation options across multiple contexts and countries.

Read the blog from Guy Hutton: "Why choosing the preferred sanitation solution should be more like grocery shopping."

For more information, please visit www.wsp.org

Water Use Drops in USA to Level of 45 Years Ago

The latest figures on water use in the United States show that conservation efforts are having an impact.

A new report published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reveals that the volume of water used across the country has reached its lowest recorded level in nearly 45 years.

About 355 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/d) were withdrawn for use in the entire United States during 2010. That's a decrease of 13 percent from 2005 when about 410 Bgal/d were withdrawn.

The news was welcomed by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

"Reaching this 45-year low shows the positive trends in conservation that stem from improvements in water-use technologies and management," commented Mike Connor, deputy secretary of the Interior.
Connor pointed out the reduction comes at a time when the U.S. population is continuing to grow, and demonstrates that people are learning to be more water conscious and helping to sustain the limited freshwater resources in the country.

Water withdrawn for thermoelectric power represented the largest use nationally in 2010. The other leading uses were irrigation, public supply and self-supplied industrial water. Withdrawals declined in each of these categories, USGS said.

Thermoelectric power recorded a 20 percent decrease from five years earlier as a result of more efficient cooling-system technologies, declines in withdrawals to protect aquatic habitat and environments, power plant closures and a reduction in the use of coal to fuel power plants.

Looking at industrial withdrawals, the 12 percent decrease since 2005 was put down to factors such as greater efficiencies in industrial processes, more emphasis on water reuse and recycling, and the 2008 U.S. recession, which resulted in lower industrial production in major water-using industries.

Overall, more than half of the total water withdrawals in the United States were accounted for by 12 states: California, Texas, Idaho, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Michigan, New York, Alabama and Ohio.

Some great developments in water management - but a long way to go still.

Recycling Water Crucial To NT Water Supplies

In the face of global water supply shortages, recycled water has the potential to help us be more climate-independent. And even though it seems novel, reused water is already cycled back into the supply. If you live in a community downstream of another one, chances are, you are reusing its water.

Australians and Americans have embraced “sustainability” in so many aspects of modern life, but not when it comes to water resources.

Recycled or reclaimed water is water that is used more than one time before it passes back into the natural water cycle. Treated wastewater, including sewage and water used for industrial processing, can be cleanly recycled for agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, replenishing a groundwater basin and even for drinking water.

Scientifically proven advances in water technology — including reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection, and oxidation — applied to wastewater allow communities to reuse water for many different purposes, treating the water differently depending on the intended use.

And the best part is: there is huge potential for growth in using recycled water. Thirty-two billion gallons of municipal wastewater are produced everyday in the United States but less than 10 percent of that is intentionally reused and the equation is quite similar in the Northern Territory, particularly in the northern areas, as Alice Springs now does have an aquifer recharge program using treated wastewater from the effluent ponds.  

Also, it is known that the NT uses up to four times water per person more than temperate Australia, and much of that extra water is used outside, where non potable water would do.  It is certainly wasteful to treat all water to drinking standards and then use 70% outside as is common in Darwin.

One key reason that water reuse is not a bigger part of the nation’s water supply is that it is still characterized as a waste product in most places. 

In a progressive move, California in the US recently enacted legislation that reclassifies recycled water as a water resource. The state government also recently streamlined the permitting process for using recycled water for irrigation and allocated $200 million in grants to encourage related projects.  While California uses different legislative systems to Australia, the truth is, Australia could do a lot ore with use of appropriately treated wastewater.  AND......such programs would be sensible infrastructure development in a continent as dry as ours.

In other parts of the USA,communities in dry west Texas have used state-of-the-art technology to augment their drinking water supply with reused water; Phoenix in Arizona has had an aquifer recharge program using treated effluent which is subsequently redrawn for use, for about 50 years; the governor of Oklahoma just signed a law to encourage water reuse; and Florida’s most recent water reuse report indicated that 719 million gallons of water is beneficially reused each day in 2013 — the largest amount in the country.  Yet here in north Australia as we discuss developing the north, there is little discussion about reuse of water, in an environment which is totally dry for 6-8 months each year, while in the other few months water flows away freely [ admittedly it is used by the environment!].

The amount of water intentionally reused in both Australia and the USA still quite low and it will stay that way as long as the public regards reuse as an emergency measure. Citizens have embraced “sustainability” in so many aspects of modern life, but not when it comes to water resources.

Conservation cannot meet future water demands alone and other measures that create new sources of water, like desalination, are still more expensive, with some people believing that it is too expensive although newer technologies are encouraging in possibly lower costs.  Desalination has its advocates though, with WA a champion of the technology, with development being driven by the woman who is the Chair of the WA Water Corporation.

In the Top End of the NT the only avenue seemingly being explored for more water is to develop more dams or other above ground storage systems, such as the pumped off river system discussed for an area in hills north of Adelaide River, and the dam above Adelaide River.  Desalination of seawater is also a possible option around Darwin. 

Water reuse is the easiest and most economical fix. It should be included in the water supply portfolio of the Darwin region, and in fact for all  communities.  It at least should be given equal weight in assessing future water resources for the region.

[ partially adapted from an article by Melissa Melker of the US Water Reuse Association in the NY Times 30 June 2014]

UPDATE - http://ecowatch.com/2014/03/20/solar-technology-californias-water/
This is a solar technology to distill irrigation tailwater from agriculture fields using solar technology to heat a oil filled tube and then use the heat to distill the tailwater.  It works and can be scaled up, with a projected cost of about one quarter the cost of desalination of sea water [ many places say a cost for this of $2 per kilolitre].  Search for Water FX online for more details.

Join Room for Debate on Facebook and follow updates on twitter.com/roomfordebate. 

Arsenic in Water - NO Safe Level for Drinking?

The issues of arsenic in groundwater, especially used for drinking, is well known for areas of Asia.  This is particularly serious in Bangladesh, and also of concern in some areas of India and Thailand.  It is also known to occur in many other areas including Indonesia, Australia and ....... the USA.

Up to at least around the year 2000, arsenic levels in drinking water considered safe, especially from groundwater sources were highly variable.  Again Bangladesh was among the most problematic, as some whole regional areas mostly seemed to show groundwater wells were commonly unsafe - even with nominally quite high "safe" levels of arsenic - 100 ppb or more. [ should be much lower]  

In early 2000 the US reduced the safe level from 50 ppb to 5 ppb, which was subsequently raised to 10ppb [0.010 mg/L] which became the new standard in 2001, allowing a few years for compliance, and which could be enforced by 2006.
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/arsenic/regulations.cfm 

It did not apply to smaller individual wells or bores however, only public utilities.  

In Australia the level was set at 7 ppb [0.007 mg/L] in the 2004 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, and with which public authorities must comply .

Mostly, bores and wells did not get tested unless arsenic was suspected.

Recent evidence seems to indicate that possibly there is no allowable level for arsenic in drinking water.  It should be zero.......not present in drinking water.

More information is here in this recent report.  
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/politics-derail-science-on-arsenic-endangering-public-health/?&WT.mc_id=SA_SP_20140630

It seems it could be a bigger and more important issue than the presence of lead, an issue of some considerable concern in those areas where lead is mined or refined, and was previously of more widespread concern over lead in both paint and fuel.  Lead poisoning is potentially life threatening for young children......as may arsenic.

Take care if you are using well or groundwater from a bore as many rural properties do - it should be very low in arsenic, preferably free of the metal.  If any hint of a problem, or in a region with known problems - get it tested.  

Avoid arsenic in drinking water. 

Water Demand To Soon Exceed Supply in Many Areas

Analysts with Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research have released a report that predicts global demand for fresh water will soon outstrip supply, according to an article on CBS MoneyWatch.

Stylised water supply system

"Water scarcity is a pressing people and planet issue," the report stated.  This is hardly new to many working in the sector, or those in aid / development areas.

According to the article, 768 million people around the world have no access to clean drinking water and 2.5 billion are without proper sanitation, noted the article, while about 2.5 percent of all water on earth is fresh water.

Addressing these issues is a priority for the Water and Sanitation Program [ see more at www.wsp.org] and many simple measures can be effective, especially on the sanitation side.  But fresh water supply is more difficult, with wasteful water use a big issue itself, especially in developed countries.

The report states that humans have already reached "peak water," at or approaching the limit of renewable freshwater supply, the article reported, and half of the world's population will face "water stress" conditions by 2030.

According to the article, as many as 50 nations can be expected to be involved in conflicts over water by 2050.

You can read the full article here.

Aid Works - Ask Bill Gates!

Each year Bill Gates [ you know the guy - the Microsoft man!] writes a lengthy letter on work within the Foundation he and his wife now chair.

His predictions for 2035 are illuminating, and somewhat uplifting.  Read the full letter here - it is worthwhile - http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/#section=home .

Basically, he has strong hopes that aid is working and that more and more of the world's poor are moving out of abject poverty.  And that health, disease control, water and sanitation are improving and quite significantly.  It is these community efforts that are making a difference, and the plight of the less fortunate in the world IS improving.

The naysayers of the world are regularly opposed to aid and support, and even Australia is reducing the aid monies available.  While governments are not the only donors around the world, they do tend to be among the more significant, although some philanthropic and charitable organisations are now doing more, and contributing more money and support.

Money is not everything, but it sure helps.

The basics we take for granted are often optional extras for many in the world.  Clean water, sanitation and access to health resources are not available to all.............yet.  But it is getting better.

If you believe someone like Bill Gates who is close to the scene........ do not give up hope, nor abandon support.

Food Bowl in Australia?? Real or Media Hype.

Australia as a food bowl for Asia is a concept that just will not seem to go away.

Technically it is possible to increase food production here in Australia but it might need that magical mystery commodity that often is elusive - WATER.

The latest impressario advocating the food bowl concept is Anthony Pratt.  I think he has already proven to be a useful business person after shouldering the mantle of his father at Visy.  But they have interests in irrigation piping, and have been involved in the concept of piping rather than channels for irrigation water in Victoria.  Pragmatic views or vested business interests?

There is more here - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/in-depth/asia-food-bonanza-our-next-boom-says-anthony-pratt/story-fni2wt8c-1226623037094

[the Austalian is pay walled but think this should be available freely; it might be seen elsewhere]

The food processing side does need to do more but are getting screwed through the major supermarkets and imported manufactured product at low prices.  But......it is interesting to hear that many consumers want Australian grown and processed foods.  Are Chinese vegetables to be trusted, given the issues with food tainting and quality, contaminated land and corruption generally in China?  Many consumers distrust processed food from Asia due to poorer food regulation and safety quality issues. 

The "more agriculture / horticulture and food processing"concept is important, but we need to grow our strengths.

Broadacre crops, including ideas related to precision farming and controlled traffic and livestock production [beef and lamb notably, with chicken too] are two vital areas that can grow without a lot of angst.  With GM crops possibly in the mix as well, especially now that attitudes to this concept seem to be slowly moderating in Europe.  While dairy is getting trashed at the moment over local milk prices, the industry has been internationally focussed for some time and there are growth options in temperate areas - some are being exercised by progressive growers, with sales to Asia, seen as a growth market. 

Meat processing is a labour intensive process, although that is changing, and the new AACo site in Dariwn might showcase some of that and with lower process costs to come from it.  But prices for output is important and need to give a decent return to producers - a tricky business in a world market with options for multi location purchases by Asian countries.

 

AUSVEG the peak body for vegetable industries, is hopeful that growth is achievable, but where?  Water water water - a major need in temperate Australia.  Vegetable and fruit growers have had a tough time recently but they can grow, but not maybe rapidly, and overhanging debt might be a drag.  

Patch development is a concept that could offer some options in north Australia - with suitable areas of modest size being developed with appropriate soil and water resources [ see report of northern Australia land and water task force of 2010].  Some are under development already with a good example the work of Centre Farm in Alice Springs.  More have been identified in a general sense already, by other entities.  And land tenure issues need to be rectified and adjusted across the north.

Qualified scientists in agriculture have diminished and R and D in the sector is declining  - that would need reversing, and will take time.

Achieving the size advocated in today's newspaper article is many years off.  But playing to our strength is important and agriculture in the broad sense is one of Australia's strengths.  But surely we can do more in the value adding area.

Not to mention the need for better market access for our agricultural products through some free trade agreements, currently stalled  - think Japan and China.

Urban Stormwater Management – Smarter Solutions and Better Stormwater Use

While almost no urban sewerage system in Australia is designed to also handle stormwater, as is the case in some older cities, particularly in the USA, the management of stormwater productively is quite a challenge.  With our increasingly hard surfaced cities, the stormwater system has grown, usually channelling away water that previously would have often dissipated within the landscape where it was generated, often even into the ground, or at least nearby.

While there are places around Australia where the stormwater is planned to move and actually recharge local aquifers, with Mawson Lakes near Adelaide a good example, as is some stormwater even around Palmerston, recharging the aquifer under the city in the wet season.  Normally, most stormwater runs off, and is lost to local use.

With about 80% of contaminants on hard surfaces, being moved with the first flush of rain [even more in the tropics with the first break storms of the wet season], colleting that and filtering through land and used by plants is a major and distinct improvement to the quality of stormwater discharged into nearby rivers, creeks and ultimately the harbours and oceans.  Most of the pollutants are remediated by soil borne organisms.

But driving that change is difficult as engineering has dominated how urban stormwater has been managed and the usual method has been pipe, or surface hard channel it, away.

More localities are reconsidering this however, through design modification to use plant based drains and detention areas before excess water flows elsewhere.  Volumes handled by expensive engineered solutions are often decreased as is cost, and water is used productively near where it is produced.

Better design can actually increase volumes handled by bioengineering approaches, so often even reducing overall costs.  This type of approach may even be retro fitted at modest cost or with little disruption to existing facilities.

It is more difficult in monsoonal areas with major differences in urban water between the wet and dry seasons, but it is possible to modify designs to at least allow a reduction in irrigation in the early and late wet seasons by better using locally generated surface waters locally with better design of roads and local parklands.

Some projects have been finished in Sydney as well as overseas. There are some smart designs on the web site of www.atlantiscorp.com.au  used in Sydney, an Australian company in this design space.  See more here -  http://www.atlantiscorp.com.au/solutions/civil-engineering/road-solution-drainage .

More are being planned, with some further details here –

http://e360.yale.edu/feature/to_tackle_runoff_cities_turn_to_green_initiatives/2613/

And then there are green roofs, aimed at collecting and using water that falls on buildings and preventing much of that getting to street level – it helps cool buildings too, reducing heat load on concrete roofs.  More of these options are developing.

 

We just do not do enough of these more appropriate solutions here in the NT. 

New Ideas - Where do Winds Come From?

Not only do trees fix carbon and produce oxygen; a new and controversial paper says they collectively unleash forces powerful enough to drive global wind patterns and are a core feature in the circulation of the climate system.

If the theory proves correct, the peer-reviewed international paper co-authored by Australian scientist Douglas Sheil will overturn two centuries of conventional wisdom about what makes wind. And it will undermine key principles of every model on which climate predictions are based.

The paper, Where do winds come from? A new theory on how water vapour condensation influences atmospheric pressure and dynamics, is not designed to challenge the orthodox view on climate science. But Sheil, a professor of forest ecology and conservation at Southern Cross University's School of Environment, Science and Engineering, says he is not surprised that is how the paper has been received internationally.

Boiled down, he says, bad science is protecting shoddy climate models.

The paper, lead authored by Anastasia Makarieva, sparked a long-running and furious debate about whether it should be published at all. At the end of a bruising assessment process the editorial panel of the prestigious journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics chose to publish and be damned.

This above is a brief extract from the Weekend Australian article on the subject.

It is controversial, but then so was Copernicus's assertion that the earth rotated about the sun, while Galileo also had a few controversial ideas and theories, since often proved true.  Science advances by new ideas being developed and then tested........let's wait and see what occurs as a result of this paper.

See more here - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/branching-out-on-climate/story-e6frg6xf-1226566999146

and the paper is here - http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/13/1039/2013/acp-13-1039-2013.pdf  including a brief abstract.

and more comment here - http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/makarieva-et-al-make-the-headlines-with-where-do-winds-come-from-paper/

Certainly generating a lively debate so far.  Data though, is plausible......will be more to come for sure.