Economic and Technical Considerations of Regional Water Supply

Economic and Technical Considerations of Regional Water Supply
Author: Gert Aron
Publisher:
Total Pages: 210
Release: 1977
Genre: Regional planning
ISBN:

Download Economic and Technical Considerations of Regional Water Supply Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

The report seeks to evaluate the belief that regionalization of water supply holds the key to the water supply problems in the United States. To do this, the report examines the theory and practices of regionalized small water supply systems. It then investigates the case for regionalization on account of the fear for water supply shortages. This is followed by a critical look at interbasin water transfer and its problem. The report introduces an econometric model as a tool for evaluating the land value changes from regionalization of water supply. The report finds that in addition to political and institutional constraints, most regionalization plans failed because the problems of efficiency and equity were not resolved. (Author).

Managing Urban Water Supply

Managing Urban Water Supply
Author: D.E. Agthe
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401702373

Download Managing Urban Water Supply Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

We, the editors, have long believed that a strong knowledge of relatively simple economic and engineering concepts is valuable in solving water management problems. The lack of such knowledge has been apparent to us in some of the journal articles, research proposals and books we have reviewed. The articles which have been written concerning specific local water economies and management issues are scattered over a wide variety of journals, making them hard to access. Most of the extensive water resources literature is concerned with large regional water projects or with narrow technical and regional issues. This book was written to make practical economic and engineering concepts readily available to urban water supply managers, thereby filling a gap in the available literature. It is concerned with decisions made daily, monthly, or annually by managers of urban water supply systems. The book includes basic chapters presenting supply and cost concepts, calculation of demand elasticities, use of marketing concepts, public goods analysis, water markets, industrial water demand and the use of price in water conservation. The authors have included multiple examples of how these concepts can aid in managing urban water supply. The water provider is generally a governmental entity or regulated private utility. Most books on public utilities and their management emphasize gas, electricity, or telephone rather than water. Water is different because of m~or variations in quality by source and the necessity for proper disposal of waste water.

Economics of Water Resources: From Regulation to Privatization

Economics of Water Resources: From Regulation to Privatization
Author: Nicolas Spulber
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2013-03-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9401583218

Download Economics of Water Resources: From Regulation to Privatization Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

The purpose of this book is to develop a general economic model which integrates the quantity and quality issues of water resource management and to provide, along with a detailed criticism of the policy instruments now in use, alternative proposals concerning the efficient allocation and distribution of water. In particular we treat water as a multi-product commodity where the market plays a major role in determining water quality-discriminant pricing and its value to the user. We examine the process of moving from administrative allocation and regulation to privatization of the water industry as the key element in promoting effective competition and in providing economic incentives for greater efficiency. Water quantity and quality, considered independently of each other, have been the subject of numerous studies during the last twenty years. Let us recall briefly the most outstanding among them. A variety of models have been constructed concerning the optimal scheduling and sequence of water-supply projects: dynamic programming for solving multi-bjective functions in water resource development; planning models for coordinating regional water-resource supply and demand, etc. Other studies have devised water-quality management models, including multi-period design of regional or municipal wastewater systems; cost-allocation methods to induce effluent dischargers to participate in regional water systems; models to predict the quality of effluent (in particular, whether it meets certain established standards); models for finding optimal waste-removal policies at each of the polluting sources, and so on.

Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies

Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2016-06-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309388384

Download Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Chronic and episodic water shortages are becoming common in many regions of the United States, and population growth in water-scarce regions further compounds the challenges. Increasingly, alternative water sources such as graywater-untreated wastewater that does not include water from the toilet but generally includes water from bathroom sinks, showers, bathtubs, clothes washers, and laundry sinks- and stormwater-water from rainfall or snow that can be measured downstream in a pipe, culvert, or stream shortly after the precipitation event-are being viewed as resources to supplement scarce water supplies rather than as waste to be discharged as rapidly as possible. Graywater and stormwater can serve a range of non-potable uses, including irrigation, toilet flushing, washing, and cooling, although treatment may be needed. Stormwater may also be used to recharge groundwater, which may ultimately be tapped for potable use. In addition to providing additional sources of local water supply, harvesting stormwater has many potential benefits, including energy savings, pollution prevention, and reducing the impacts of urban development on urban streams. Similarly, the reuse of graywater can enhance water supply reliability and extend the capacity of existing wastewater systems in growing cities. Despite the benefits of using local alternative water sources to address water demands, many questions remain that have limited the broader application of graywater and stormwater capture and use. In particular, limited information is available on the costs, benefits, and risks of these projects, and beyond the simplest applications many state and local public health agencies have not developed regulatory frameworks for full use of these local water resources. To address these issues, Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies analyzes the risks, costs, and benefits on various uses of graywater and stormwater. This report examines technical, economic, regulatory, and social issues associated with graywater and stormwater capture for a range of uses, including non-potable urban uses, irrigation, and groundwater recharge. Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies considers the quality and suitability of water for reuse, treatment and storage technologies, and human health and environmental risks of water reuse. The findings and recommendations of this report will be valuable for water managers, citizens of states under a current drought, and local and state health and environmental agencies.