Streambed Sediment as a Barrier to Groundwater Pollution: Insights from Fieldwork and Modelling in the River Thames Basin

Integrated fieldwork and modelling has been undertaken to assess the vulnerability of riverside wells to pollution when river water is contaminated. Results highlight the importance of streambed sediments as a barrier to groundwater pollution by river water. The bed of the River Thames is lined with brown and grey organic-rich silts of low hydraulic conductivity (about 0.002 m/d). A 3-D model for solute transport in stream-aquifer systems was developed and applied to two riverside sites in the middle Thames valley. Model results indicate that well-water quality would only breach EC limits if the river was heavily polluted for a week or even a month (clearly an unlikely scenario). Sensitivity analyses showed the models to be far more sensitive to streambed parameters than to aquifer parameters. Thus it would be more sensible to focus fieldwork on the measurement of streambed properties than on the more usually measured aquifer parameters.     

DERIVING UNIT HYDROGRAPHS FOR SMALL CATCHMENTS

An examination of 190 storm events in seventeen small Northern Ireland catchments, along lines developed by the UK Institute of Hydrology, shows that the time-to-peak of the instantaneous unit hydrograph can be estimated from catchment characteristics and from the time between the centroid of mass of a flood-producing rainfall event and of the resulting peak flow, but that equations calibrated on British data overestimate the time-to-peak. This might be due to the distinctive hydrology of Northern Ireland.     

Water and Wastewater Minimization: the Aire and Calder Project

The reduction of the waste of raw materials at source using clean technologies, recycling, and good housekeeping has considerable benefits for both the environment and industry. A demonstration project on wastewater minimization was completed in 1995 in the Aire and Calder catchments of West Yorkshire. The findings indicated cost savings for eleven firms of over $3 million/annum and further opportunities which, when implemented, could realize another $1 million/annum. The reduction in the amount of wastewater discharged either to sewer or river was 27%, with a potential to increase to over 40%. The payback period for 63% of the waste minimization opportunities is less than one year and many involve only a small initial investment. Waste minimization when widely adopted has prospects for cutting industry's costs, reducing demand for water and reducing the volume of effluent produced.     

Controlling Diffuse Pollution of Groundwater from Agriculture and Industry

The greatest threat of contamination to groundwater resources is posed by pollutants from diffuse sources, yet legislation in the UK has until recently been focused on point sources. The problem of widespread pollution from industrial sources is described and compared with that from agriculture. The legislative controls available under the Water Resources Act 1991 are outlined, and the approach adopted by the National Rivers Authority in its Groundwater Protection Policy is discussed with respect to the concept of groundwater vulnerability.     

Automatic Coagulation Control at Water-Treatment Plants in the North-West Region of England

North West Water has evaluated several automatic coagulation control systems covering a range of raw waters and treatment facilities.
The experiences have shown that streaming-current type systems are effective in controlling coagulant dose automatically, provided that appropriate plant conditions exist. In particular, rapid fluctuations in flow or poor mixing of chemicals can lead to unstable signals. Recent investigations indicate that for some waters streaming-current voltage is sensitive to small changes in pH, and precise control of pH is therefore necessary.
The main observed benefits have been treated water of a more consistent high quality, together with improved security of service, as the systems will respond reliably and effectively over long periods. Significant savings in coagulant usage can be obtained in certain cases.     

THE INCREASING EFFECTS OF ZEBRA MUSSELS ON WATER INSTALLATIONS IN ENGLAND

The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a major biofouling pest of water treatment works, irrigation systems and power stations in Europe and North America. This paper documents current problems associated with zebra mussels in English waterworks. Questionnaires and manual surveys conducted between 2001 and 2003 have revealed that over 30 water treatment works in England suffer problems associated with zebra mussels. Hundreds of tonnes of mussels are being removed each year from raw water intakes, pipelines and reservoirs. Problems have increased in. the last five years, due to a spread in the range of zebra mussels around England and the cessation of chemical treatment at the intakes of many treatment facilities during the 1990s. The importance of taking control of zebra mussels into account in planning new water supply schemes is highlighted.     

Groundwater Rebound in the Leicestershire Coalfield

The Leicestershire coalfield has been mined for at least eight hundred years, the last deep mine closing in 1991. The earliest shallow mines on the exposed coalfield are not recorded on plan, but were later connected to the deeper workings in many seams. In order to protect the last deep mines, pumping was maintained from the abandoned mines to the north.
Water-table rebound was observed prior to closure, and is now affecting the surface. Increased emissions of poor-quality water into low-discharge surface water-courses are predicted. Renewed subsidence has implications for roads, services and property. Rising water levels will affect old opencast excavations and waste disposal sites.
Fieldwork and abandoned mine plan inspections have demonstrated renewed subsidence and evidence of increased emissions in those low-lying areas of the exposed coalfield which are believed to be most at risk.     

AERATED ROCK FILTERS FOR ENHANCED AMMONIA AND FAECAL COLIFORM REMOVAL FROM FACULTATIVE POND EFFLUENTS

Nitrogen removal from wastewater is rapidly becoming an essential but expensive upgrade for many small wastewater treatment works in the UK. Using a pilot-scale waste stabilization pond effluent, this paper highlights a low-cost upgrading unit, capable of removing BOD, SS, ammonia and faecal colliforms. Results are given for 12 months of operation and it is suggested that these units could be used by the water companies when ammonia removal is necessary to meet with current legislative demands and prevent eutrophication of receiving watercourses.     

SOLVING AN URBAN RIVER EROSION PROBLEM ON THE TILMORE BROOK, HAMPSHIRE (UK)

The Tlimore Brook, In Hampshire, typifies the Impact of new housing development that has taken place In phases over the past 20 years or so, on a river corridor. However, the issue is not one of flooding, because the channel itself had been straightened and deepened in historical times and had been adjusted further by down-cutting; thereby forming an over-large channel sufficient to contain flood flows. Perhaps rarely for lowland Britain, the key problem was that of erosion, threatening adjacent properties. This paper describes the nature of the erosion problem and the subsequent geomorphological design to mitigate it. A key unique feature of this project was the extent of backfilling required, over the entire length, to raise the over-deep channel bed. The project was constructed in 2003.     

Intensification of the Activated-Sludge Process (Abridged)

During the last thirty years, attempts have been made to increase the rate of treatment of wastewater in compact activated-sludge systems whilst ensuring (a) an adequate supply of dissolved oxygen, (b) good settleability of activated sludge, and (c) consistently high-quality effluents.
This paper describes two successful systems, i.e. oxygenated activated sludge and the deep-shaft process, which are used to intensify the rate of treatment in relatively compact aeration tanks. Data are presented of full-scale oxygen activated-sludge systems, including Vitox and Unox, together with information on the operation and performance of the deep-shaft process.