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Substance flow analysis as a tool for urban water management
- Source :
- Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Researc
- Publication Year :
- 2011
- Publisher :
- IWA Publishing, 2011.
-
Abstract
- Human activity results in the production of a wide range of pollutants that can enter the water cycle through stormwater or wastewater. Among others, heavy metals are still detected in high concentrations around urban areas and their impact on aquatic organisms is of major concern. In this study, we propose to use a substance flow analysis as a tool for heavy metals management in urban areas. We illustrate the approach with the case of copper in Lausanne, Switzerland. The results show that around 1,500 kg of copper enter the aquatic compartment yearly. This amount contributes to sediment enrichment, which may pose a long-term risk for benthic organisms. The major sources of copper in receiving surface water are roofs and catenaries of trolleybuses. They represent 75% of the total input of copper into the urban water system. Actions to reduce copper pollution should therefore focus on these sources. Substance flow analysis also highlights that copper enters surface water mainly during rain events, i.e., without passing through any treatment procedure. A reduction in pollution could also be achieved by improving stormwater management. In conclusion, the study showed that substance flow analysis is a very effective tool for sustainable urban water management.
- Subjects :
- Pollution
Environmental Engineering
020209 energy
media_common.quotation_subject
Stormwater
02 engineering and technology
010501 environmental sciences
Risk Assessment
Waste Disposal, Fluid
01 natural sciences
sustainable water management
Water Cycle
Water Pollution, Chemical
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
Water cycle
heavy metals
substance flow analysis
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Water Science and Technology
media_common
Pollutant
Material flow analysis
Environmental engineering
6. Clean water
Wastewater
13. Climate action
Benthic zone
Environmental science
Surface water
Algorithms
Copper
Switzerland
urban water cycle
Environmental Monitoring
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19969732 and 02731223
- Volume :
- 63
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Water Science and Technology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9a44b4913bb0fc06523ebbf644841a56