Category:

Water Management

8 Sensible ways to save water at home !

by Editor October 9, 2021

written by Editor

At these turbulent times when our climate is on thin ice and water shortage plague the entire world, we need to do our best to conserve our most precious natural resource. One of the foremost important resources for the survival of not only humans but all beings and plants on our planet is water. Sadly, typical homeowners use more water than required and waste such a lot of it every single day.

If you’re trying to save lots of money on water bills, it makes much sense to seem at the ways to save water at home. Amazingly, there are some super easy ways to scale back water consumption; keep reading!

Sensible Ways To Save Water At Home

1. Be Mindful While Washing, Brushing And Showering

An average faucet lets out about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. This water oftentimes gets totally wasted, especially while you soap and scrub your hands and brush your teeth. So, make sure to turn your faucet off while you soap your hands and brush and leave it off until you’re ready to rinse. This will definitely save a few gallons of water. The same goes for showering. If you turn off the water while you soap your body and hair or shave, you can save as much as 10 gallons of water. You can also turn on a timer and cut your showers short—5 or 6 minutes are all you need for a refreshing morning shower.

2. Fix Your Leaks

Fixing leaky faucets and toilets is one of the first things you need to do to save some water. IT doesn’t matter how you do it – take a DIY route or hire a plumber either ways you can manage to fix these (usually) simple malfunctions. If your leaks aren’t noticeable, you might want to carry out a good inspection. Call a professional to check your lines and you’ll save both money and resources.

3. Upgrade Your Fixtures

One great way to save some water at home is to upgrade the fixtures you use every day. Some old faucets tend to use much more water than newer models, so you might want to ditch them for something newer. Plus, if your old hardware is damaged, you’re risking leaks and huge water waste and even damage, so grabbing something new might be your best bet.

4. Run Only Full Loads

This might be a tricky thing to pull off, but make your best to always run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full. Half-loads tend to waste gallons of water! Some new models of appliances have a half-load cycle, but you’ll still get to waste some precious resources.

5. Grab A Double Sink

If you don’t own a dishwasher, you can do what our grandmas used to do when washing dishes. Make smart use of your dual sink and instead of letting all the water run down the drain while you wash dishes, fill one side with hot water and soap and keep the other one filled with cool, clear water for rinsing. This way, you’ll get to reduce your water waste in half! If you don’t have a double sink, two large bowls, one for washing and one for rinsing, will suffice.

6. Reuse Gray Water

If you don’t want to send all that water down the drain after washing your clothes, you can re-route it and reuse this grey water for flushing the toilet or washing your car.

7. Turn To Xeriscaping Gardening

Let’s face it, lush green gardens demand a lot of irrigation, but these are important to eradicate pollution and clean the air. You can turn to a gorgeous xeriscaping garden that uses plants that are immune to droughts. If you wish to retain some part of your lawn, make sure to water it in the morning or evening to reduce water evaporation.

8. Collect Rainwater

If you install a rainwater harvesting barrel in your garden, you’ll get to catch plenty of reusable water. This rainwater can be stored until you need it for watering plants, washing your car or even bathing your pooch (if the water is fresh).

Over To You!

In most homes, the bathroom is where the vast majority of water is consumed. The kitchen generally follows quite closely, with the laundry room a distant third. In each of these rooms, there are several ways to save water at home, and many devices and appliances which can support your mission to curb your water usage. For now, you can begin with these tips.

Source – www.gosmartbricks.com

October 9, 2021 0 comment

Waste Management Water Management

Require Planning for Strong Storm water Management in India

by Editor October 7, 2021

written by Editor

Stormwater is the water draining off a site from the rain that falls on the roof and land, and everything it carries with it. The soil, organic matter, litter, fertilizers from gardens and oil residues from driveways it carries can pollute downstream waterways.

Rainwater refers only to the rain that falls on the roof, which is usually cleaner. However, stormwater can be a valuable resource. Reusing stormwater can save potable water and reduce downstream environmental impacts.

In urban areas stormwater is generated by rain runoff from roofs, roads, driveways, footpaths and other impervious or hard surfaces. In Australia the stormwater system is separate from the sewer system. Unlike sewage, stormwater is generally not treated before being discharged to waterways and the sea.

Poorly managed stormwater can cause problems on and off site through erosion and the transportation of nutrients, chemical pollutants, litter and sediments to waterways. Well-managed stormwater can replace imported water for uses where high quality water is not required, such as garden watering.

A homeowner can take simple steps to manage stormwater and reduce its environmental impact.

Take some simple steps to better manage stormwater and reduce the environmental impact of your home.

Avoid cut and fill on your block when preparing the building foundations. Attempt to maintain the existing topography and drainage pattern.
Retain vegetation, particularly deep-rooted trees. They lower the watertable, bind the soil, filter nutrients, decrease runoff velocities, capture sediment and reduce the potential for dryland salinity.
Reduce erosion potential on site during building works by minimising the time that the land is left in an exposed, unstable condition. Employ sediment traps and divert ‘clean’ stormwater around the disturbed site (see Sediment control).
Minimise the area of impervious surfaces such as paved areas, roofs and concrete driveways.
Grade impervious surfaces, such as driveways, during construction to drain to vegetated areas.

A stormwater site plan can help reduce stormwater runoff from the site.

Detain stormwater on your block where practicable through use of permeable paving, pebble paths, infiltration trenches, soakwells, lawns, garden areas and swales.
Harvest and store roof water for use (see Rainwater).
Take care with the substances used on your land as they can end up in the stormwater. Don’t overuse fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides; follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the amount and frequency of application. Look for organic alternatives.

Water sensitive urban design slows stormwater runoff and improves filtration and infiltration.

Avoid using solvent-based paints. After using water-based paints, clean brushes and equipment on a lawn area to trap contaminants before they reach waterways. Plant-based paints are the most environmentally benign.
Visit a car wash that recycles wash water. If this is not an option wash your car on the lawn or on an area that drains to lawn. The nutrients (mostly phosphates and nitrates) in the detergent fertilise the lawn instead of degrading waterways. Note that many native plants do not tolerate detergents.
Do not build on floodplains as the land may be periodically subject to inundation and may have a high watertable. Councils can advise on the 1 in 100 year flood level.

The traditional approach

The traditional stormwater management response relied on conveyancing. Water was conveyed by a pipe or channel from a collection area (e.g. house and street) to a discharge point (e.g. the nearest ocean, creek, river or lake). The conveyancing system sought to remove the most water (high quantity) from a site in the shortest time possible (high velocity). Large, impervious paved areas and big pipes are typical of conveyancing.

The traditional system of conveyancing is highly effective in reducing stormwater nuisance and flooding on site, unless the pipes get blocked. But it merely transfers the problem to the other end of the pipe and ultimately upsets local water balance. Stormwater is carried rapidly with its suspended litter, oil, sediment and nutrients, and dumped into a receiving waterbody that then becomes flooded and temporarily polluted because all the stormwater arrives at one time.

Water sensitive urban design

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) seeks to imitate the natural water balance on site before the land is built on. It slows stormwater runoff to gain natural filtration, on-site detention and infiltration. The water eventually reaches the river, lake or ocean but has been cleaned and filtered by the soil and used by plants before it gets there.

Water sensitive urban design slows stormwater runoff to gain natural filtration, on-site detention and infiltration.

The objective is to minimise impervious surfaces so that the least water flows off-site into the stormwater system. At the scale of the individual household, options such as permeable paving on driveways and footpaths, garden beds designed for infiltration (raingardens), lawns and vegetation, swales and soakwells can detain stormwater and increase percolation into the soil.

In some cases it may be advisable to place perforated pipes beneath infiltration areas to direct excess stormwater to the stormwater system. See ‘References and additional reading’ for publications on options and possible designs.

The improved aesthetics and comfort associated with more vegetation also improve habitat for native wildlife and make the area cooler in summer. It reduces the need for garden watering and decreases water bills. Also reduced are erosion and the downstream effects of stormwater pollution on nearby rivers, lakes or the ocean.

Stormwater Management in the Indian Context

Every year during the monsoons, developed cities like Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai are crippled by continuous floods. While changing the city infrastructure as a whole would be a complicated and expensive concept, stormwater management practices can reduce the burden to a great extent. This is the only sustainable way to take care of the flooding, along with the pollution.

Conclusion

India faces a long list of problems as a result of uncontrolled urbanization but stormwater and the associated pollution is one of the first steps towards a truly developed nation.

Tags: Econaur, Econaur India, flush-fixtures., Green Building Materials, Green Buildings India, Require Planning for Strong Stormwater Management in India, Sustainable development

October 7, 2021 0 comment

Waste Management Water Management

Understanding the working & the need for Waste Water Management in India

by Editor October 7, 2021

written by Editor

Indian Cities do have Sewage Treatment Plants in India. In fact, After China, India is the only country which is working on the water treatment activities very efficiently and effectively. We all know, sewage water is the result of domestic activities, natural activities like rain and industrial activities. Regular flow of infected water may increase the flow of sewage which needs to clean. As if the water flows up on the roads, it haphazard the regular commutation.

Usually waste water is thrown over the roads or may be stored in big tanks which may recycled for further construction and agriculture work.

What is Waste Water? How is it generated?

Waste water is the water that emerges after fresh water is used by human beings for domestic, commercial and industrial use. This document will restrict itself only to the waste water generated due to domestic use.

By and large,it is fresh water that is used for a variety of domestic uses such as washing, bathing & flushing toilets. Washing involves the washing of utensils used in cooking, washing vegetables and other food items, bathing, washing hands, washing clothes.

The water that emerges after these uses contains, vegetable matter, oils used in cooking, oil in hair, detergents, dirt from floors that have been washed, soap used in bathing along with oils/greases washed from the human body. This water is referred to as “ Grey Water” or sullage.

Water used to flush toilets to evacuate human excreta is called “ Black Water” or Sewage.

Grey water is easier to purify as compared to black water, i.e sewage. However, the practice predominantly followed in India is to combine these two wastes to discharge into a public sewer or into a sewage treatment plant in a residential community/ building that has no access to a public sewer.

What are the constituents of waste water (sewage) ?

Waste water contains all the dissolved minerals present in the fresh water that was used and which became waste water as well as all the other contaminants mentioned above. These are proteins, carbohydrates, oils & fats. These contaminants are degradable and use up oxygen in the degradation process.

Therefore, these are measured in terms of their demand for oxygen which can be established by certain tests in a laboratory. This is called Bio Degradable Oxygen demand(BOD). Some chemicals which also contaminate the water during the process of domestic use also degrade and use oxygen and the test done to establish this demand which is called Chemical Oxgen demand (COD).

Typically a domestic sewage would contain approximately 300 to 450 mg/litre of BOD and COD on an average. Sewage also contains coliform bacteria (e coli) which is harmful to human beings if water containing such bacteria is consumed(drunk). E coli is bacteria that thrives in the intestines of warm blooded creatures such as humans, animals and birds.

Another feature of sewage is the high level of Total Suspended Solids (TSS). This is what gives the sewage a black colour ,hence the name “ black water”. If sewage is allowed to turn septic, it then also has a strong, unpleasant odour.

what is the need for treating waste water ?

Much of the water used for domestic purposes does not require potable ( suitable for drinking) water quality. For instance, water used for flushing toilets or for washing floors, yards or roads & gardening does not require to be potable. In a scenario where fresh water is getting increasingly scarce and when enormous volumes of sewage generated in the country are not being treated ,but goes unchecked to pollute fresh water from lakes, rivers and the ground water table, it must be treated.

Discharging untreated sewage into any drains other than an underground sewerage system, or into open land , is an offence and invites prosecution under the laws of all Pollution Control Boards in the country.

Sewage must necessarily be treated correctly and then re-used/re-cycled for various uses that do not need potable water quality. Recycling/re-using treated sewage can reduce fresh water requirements very substantially, by almost 50-60%.

In a scenario where fresh water availability itself is increasingly in doubt this is critical.

How can treated sewage be re-used/re-cycled ?

This requires plumbing to be laid so as to serve two sets of storage tanks on the roofs of any residential/commercial building. One set of storage tanks will be used to receive and store fresh water which will flow through plumbing laid to take it to bathrooms and kitchens where it can be used for drinking, cooking, washing & bathing.

The second set of tanks will receive treated sewage which will be connected by plumbing to all the flush tanks in toilets and to other points where the water can be used for washing yards, floors and also for gardening.

How is waste water treated ?

Sullage (grey water) which is mentioned above, if collected in a storage tank separately can be treated by aerating it to prevent it from turning septic, and then dosed with a coagulant, chlorinated and then subjected to filtration by pressure sand filtration followed by activated carbon filtration and stored in a separate overhead tank or tanks from which it can be used for flushing toilets and other uses where fresh or potable water is not required.

However, the current practice is to combine sullage and sewage (black water) and treat the mixture in an STP (Sewage treatment plant). This practice has come in predominantly to reduce the cost of construction of two separate plants and because space is now at a premium in any building.

why not consider grey water treatment seriously in spite of the extra space it requires ?

From the point of view of a resident it is worth considering as it enhances the water security of the resident. A builder’s priority is totally different, since the space taken up by the treatment system can not be ‘sold’ to a buyer, he will just not consider it, instead the builder will combine greywater with sewage in an STP. This enables the builder to save costs.

However if looked at from the residents’ view point, a separate grey water treatment system being easier to operate provides a facility to ‘fall back on’ when the STP fails.

How can common problems in Water water treatment plant can be avoided and/or resolved?

Modern designs for STPs which are modular are available from reputed companies which are in the field of water and waste water treatment. Such companies have standardized designs where,for instance an STP to handle 150 KLD ( 150,000 Litres per day) of sewage can be made up of 3 modular STPs each of 50KLD capacity. Such an installation would be able to handle the initial lower load of sewage with one module in operation with remaining modules being commissioned/started up as the sewage volume increases. Such a modular approach also makes it possible to handle sewage in the case of a break-down of the STP as it is extremely rare for all modules to break-down together. In short, there is a stand-by always available. For several years now a few companies have been offering microbial agents which can help overcome these problems if these microbial agents are added to the incoming sewage. Go in for Modular STPs & use microbial agents regularly.

It is equally important to know and be able to control the volume of fresh water used in a community so that it does not exceed the design capacity of an STP. This involves installing water meters at all crucial points to measure water flow (consumption) & thereafter taking action to curb excess consumption of fresh water to prevent overloading the STP. Control excess consumption of fresh water and thereby prevent overloading of the STP

Builders are not expected to be experts in water or sewage treatment plant design, manufacture etc. They can however have tie-ups with reputed environmental engineering companies with sound technical experience and a proven track record, to make up for their lack of knowledge. This seldom happens since a builder’s interest ends with selling a completed project and then handing over the project to the Resident’s Association as soon as possible, often without even demonstrating actual, successful operation of the water infrastructure. Most builders link up with small, obscure local companies with inadequate knowledge and expertise in waste and water treatment, but will put up something for an extremely low price. The result is poor/ wrong operation of an STP leading to untreated sewage and unpleasant odors from it. Ensure supply of an STP from a reputed supplier and entrust operation & maintenance to a well trained professional team.

One of the major reasons for STPs not working properly is the fluctuations in input loads. Flow of sewage in a residential community is never uniform. It varies with peak flows in the morning (residents getting ready to go to work), very low or almost no flows later in the day with another peak in the evening. Raw sewage is collected in a sewage balancing tank(mentioned above) which should be sized to hold at least 6 to 8 hours flow of sewage. This ensures that the sewage collected in the balancing tank is homogenized, thereby avoiding input fluctuations in input load on the STP. Do not compromise on the size of a raw sewage balancing tank.

High noise levels from an STP are due to the operation of electric motor driven equipment such as pumps, air blowers, air compressors, etc. Old designs/makes of pumps, blowers , compressors , etc are still available at very low prices in the market and these are used in most of the STPs that have been put up. The noise levels of such equipment is very high as compared to modern, world class pumps and rotary motor driven equipment now available in India. These modern makes are almost noiseless and extremely efficient. The old designs are also the cause of high energy consumption in addition to very high noise levels. As per the laws in force in India, the noise level permitted in a residential area is 55 dB (dB= decibels of sound) during day time,i.e from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and 45 dB during night time(10:00pm to 6:00 am).As compared to these limits, the actual noise levels are likely to be as high as 75 dB or higher. To reduce noise levels and high energy consumption, it will be necessary to replace most of the critical rotary motor driven equipment with the latest noiseless high efficiency equipment. Here it is advisable to choose a reputed company with an established reputation in sewage/waste water treatment to buy an STP. Such companies have constantly improved their designs to reduce the foot prints (space occupied) of their equipment and reduction in the power consumption of power by a very appreciable amount. Unfortunately, residents have no say in this as they face up to this crucial fact when it is too late as the STP has been ordered probably even before the residents bought a home in the property.

Population growth and particularly the development of megacities are making SWM in India a major problem. The current situation is that India relies on inadequate waste infrastructure, the informal sector and waste dumping. There are major issues associated with public participation in waste management and there is generally a lack of responsibility towards waste in the community. There is a need to cultivate community awareness and change the attitude of people towards waste, as this is fundamental to developing proper and sustainable waste management systems. Sustainable and economically viable waste management must ensure maximum resource extraction from waste, combined with safe disposal of residual waste through the development of engineered landfill and waste-to-energy facilities. India faces challenges related to waste policy, waste technology selection and the availability of appropriately trained people in the waste management sector. Until these fundamental requirements are met, India will continue to suffer from poor waste management and the associated impacts on public health and the environment.

Tags: #greenbuilding, #Sustainability, Green Building Materials, Green Buildings Solutions, Sustainable development, Understanding the working & the need for Waste Water Management in India, waste water management at home, waste water management for smart cities, waste water management model, waste water management techniques

October 7, 2021 0 comment

Water Management

Water Harvesting & Conservation techniques need to apply in buildings to make them more sustainable

by Editor October 7, 2021

written by Editor

Fresh, clean water is a limited resource. While most of the planet is covered in water, it is salt water that can only be consumed by humans and other species after undergoing desalination, which is an expensive process. Occurrences such as droughts further limit access to clean and fresh water, meaning people need to take steps to reduce water use and save as much water as possible. In some areas of the world, access to water is limited due to contamination. People who have access to fresh water can take steps to limit their use of water to avoid waste.

The Why and How of Water Conservation

People should do their best to conserve water for three reasons. The less water used or wasted by people, the less clean water will become contaminated. In some cases, using excess amounts of water puts strain on septic and sewage systems, leading to contamination of groundwater, as untreated, dirty water seeps from the sewage system into the ground.

Water conservation reduces energy use and can even save households money. Most families pay to use water in their cities or regions. The less water a household uses, the less they have to pay each period. Appliances that use water, such as washing machines and dishwashers, also use a considerable amount of energy.

Conserving water now allows cities and regions to plan for more efficient use of the water resources in the future. If most of an area’s clean water is wasted, there will not be water for future generations to use, meaning the city will need to come up with new ways to produce clean, fresh water, which will ultimately be at the taxpayers’ expense.

What’s Water Harvesting?

Watering harvesting means capturing rain water, where it falls and capture the runoff from, catchment and streams etc. Generally, water harvesting is direct rainwater collection. This collected water could be stored for later use and recharged into the ground water again. Rain is primary water source lakes, ground water and rivers are the secondary water source.

Nowadays we totally depend on secondary water sources, we just forget that rains are the source, which feeds all other secondary sources. So, water harvesting means we recognize the rain’ value and try to use the rain water, where it falls.

How can You Harvest Water

You can harvest rainwater at your home by the below mentioned method:

1. Capture runoff from rooftop

Do you have any idea? that about 60,000 gallons water runoff from your roofs and goes into street, streams and then in sea water. This water is getting cleaned, filtered and provided you on payment. Why don’t you eliminate this process? You just install water harvesting system in your home and use this runoff water.

Before you capture rainwater at your home successfully, keeping the following things in your mind:

2. How Much & Which Quality Water You Need

You need only a few litter water drink , drinking and cooking water must be potable, whereas, laundry water should be impurities less and gray water for growing vegetables and fruits.

3. How to Harvest Rain Water

Rainwater could be easily collected in plastic tanks. They are easy to install and handle. They are comparatively cheap from underground tanks, but definitely take up space. For harvesting rain water you first calculate the possible rain, you can do this by getting information from Meteorological Bureau of your area. They would give you information about the average rainfall during whole month.

For instance, if you have 600mm rains every year and the area of your roof is 200 square meters, and you are interested to catch the whole area for one month storage. Your tank volume must be 10,000 liters. This quantity of water will give 10,000/30 about 33 liters water per day.

4. How Much Experience You Need

You all can do this work easily, without any kind of experience. You would be needed only a qualified electrician to fix the electrics and a plumber for sewage purpose. Of course, for working at heights and making connections one needs good safety practices.

Be Careful about the following things:

Your water should not seep on the public roadway, or on the property of your neighbor.
Water gets wasted by evaporation, so proper arrangement should be done.
Regular maintenance is must.
Never let the gutters block, leaf-guard is best, but it is expensive.
In-line-leaf is good, but they need proper and regular cleaning.
Your tank must be mosquito free.
If you want to drink rain water, then, keep in mind that your roof should not be zinc-alum, because aluminum is dangerous for you.
You should be aware of birds and animal droppings.
It must be pollution free.

Benefits of Water Harvesting:

It can be used for drinking.
It could be utilized for irrigation purposes.
This water increases the underwater level.
It keeps you urban flood.
Reduce sea water entrance in coastal areas.

Reference conserves energy !

Tags: Energy Efficiency, Green Building Materials, Sustainable development, Sustainable products., Water Efficiency, Water Harvesting & Conservation techniques need to apply in buildings to make them more sustainable

October 7, 2021 0 comment

Energy Efficiency Water Management

Role Of Energy Efficient Pumps in making Sustainable Economy

by Editor October 7, 2021

written by Editor

Water pumps are responsible for heating and cooling in buildings, treating and distributing water, and generating power, that are often overlooked in conversations around smart or sustainable cities.

The network of water supply pipelines is one of the critical infrastructure needs for any city. Taking water to every corner of the city is one of the important roles for any municipal authority. Unfortunately the cities are losing up to 60% of pumped water due to poorly managed water networks. A total of 80% of all wastewater returns to nature without being properly treated. This has further led to modern challenges in the form of huge capital requirements, providing adequate inter-state transmission system (ISTS), distribution infrastructure and developing suitable land resources. But if we begin to use the same water multiple times, with appropriate treatment processes and the implementation of intelligent water solutions, we can transform and evolve at a faster pace where resources can be managed efficiently.

Water and Energy are Corelated Recourses

Water and energy are fundamental components for all human needs and they are co-related. Just how producing energy consumes water, treating and distributing water also requires energy. Water is used in all phases of energy production and electricity generation for various purposes at different stages. Energy is required to extract, convey, and deliver water for diverse human uses, and then again to treat wastewater prior to their return to the environment. Several current trends are further increasing the urgency to address the water-energy nexus in an integrated and proactive way. First, climate change has already begun to affect precipitation and temperature patterns across the world. Second, world’s population is rapidly increasing and so is the urbanization which creates differentiated and heavy loads at different usage points. Third, the introduction of new technologies in the energy and the water domains could shift water and energy demands. Finally, developments in policies addressing water rights and water impacts of energy production are introducing additional incentives and challenges for decision making.

Integral part of Pumps in Water-Energy nexus

Water pumps are responsible for heating and cooling in buildings, treating and distributing water, and generating power, that is often overlooked in conversations around smart or sustainable cities. Intelligent water solutions can help reduce losses. Governments, development agencies and the private sectors are exploring and implementing solutions to improve access to, and sustainability of water. While other renewable energy options are being adopted, the private sector is showing a keen interest in developing efficient solar pumping solutions.

About 10% of the world’s electricity is consumed by pumps for various applications. It is vital to save energy with intelligent and smart water solutions and bring down the consumption of electricity to 5%. The agricultural sector alone consumes approximately 80 percent of total supply. The decentralized solar water networks could be the answer to both water and energy issues in rural communities.

Pumps running on Renewable-energy

As the world envisions to move towards a greener economy, it is critical that we all start working towards a sustainable plan that would jumpstart the future. To address the growing energy needs and to reduce carbon emission, the Indian government has reimagined the national energy supply and demand management with a higher focus on solar. This was evident in the recent Union budget; several incentives and schemes were introduced for farmers. The government has set a goal to reduce its current dependency on fossil fuel by 40%, which highlights the commitments made in solar energy as a source for the long-term.

With a rejuvenated outlook on renewable energy from the government and private stakeholders in terms of investment and initiatives, the solar pump industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 27% during the period 2018-2024. Technological innovation and product democratization will determine the future of this industry. The Solar pump schemes via the flagship Government program PM KUSUM in the Agri sector and the Jal Jeevan mission for the piped water supply in rural communities is bound to drive the demand for solar pumps over the next four years.

Considering India’s tropical nature, solar pumps can be employed to provide a reliable water supply for irrigation, drinking water and ancillary activities in such remote locations. Dependence on grid-based electricity consumption can be brought down with the intervention of solar pumps, inadvertently leading to a sustainable option for the farmers and rural communities across the country. This shift ensures in an increase in sustainability while improving cost and operational efficiency. Technology driven solar solutions ensure that farmers can operate these pumps without frequent downtime or maintenance requirements. With the right backup systems the farmer can use the energy for other purposes like lighting, cold storage etc., when the field doesn’t require water and hence the pumps need not run.

Digital transformation to drive smart pump industry

Innovative technologies have been making positive strides in the water industry – augmenting the existing water infrastructure as well as contributing in improving the water accessibility and recycling while simultaneously reducing consumption and wastage.

Increasing urbanization is contributing to significant amounts in terms of energy consumed — the global cooling demand alone has doubled in less than 20 years. This growth in energy consumption is a major driver of climate change. There are plenty of intelligent solutions available; with more energy efficient pump solutions, we can reduce CO2 emissions while optimizing energy consumption of the pumps used in the process of cooling in the buildings.

By deploying smart pumps, it becomes easier to understand the specific water requirement and thus save this critical resource water. In the agricultural sector, an IoT enabled pump can give farmers full control to operate the entire system from his mobile phone – set the quantity of water to be pumped and time of watering his field and also get a real-time report of the critical health parameters of the pump system.

For example, KSB Pumps with intelligent and smart technology has acted as a change agent. The solution enables real-time monitoring, remote control, system optimization, fault prediction and preventive maintenance to achieve highest level of performance and savings both in cost and energy. These smart pumps automate, understand the specific water requirement, optimize the entire system and thus save this critical resource.

Creating a circular economy

In order to utilize water efficiently, there need to be shift from a linear ‘use and dispose’ approach to a circular ‘use, treat and reuse’ approach. Water can be reused several times before it reaches its destination. For example, water used in showers and kitchens can be reused to water plants or wash cars thereby reducing freshwater usage.

Adoption of intelligent water solutions is leading us to use water efficiently, with a greater focus to avoid overusing water and energy.

October 7, 2021 0 comment

Water Management

Poor Storm Water Management & the Clogged Drainage responsible for Recent Flood in Kerala

by Editor October 7, 2021

written by Editor

Heavy rains have battered God’s own country since August 8, more than four hundred deaths were reported across rain-devastated Kerala on with uncountable bodies of the victims seen floating on floodwaters even as rescue and relief operations continued across the state.

Rapid urbanization, industrialization and population growth have also contributed to drainage systems getting congested. These drains are not able to take the pressure of huge water accumulated due to heavy rain, leading to waterlogging. Heavy downpours have been disrupting normal life in almost all urban cities in India. Power supply and communication links snapped, shortage of food, potable water and medicines and scores of people awaiting evacuation from affected areas.

The urban floods are entirely manmade with poorly maintained drains, plastic bags, shrinking open spaces and climate change contributing to the accumulation of water on roads after a heavy downpour. Items such as fat and cooking oil, sanitary products, nappies, cotton buds and wipes must always be disposed of in your rubbish bin. The sewer system is only designed to take away water used for washing human waste. Even the sewer pipe is not totally blocked, its ability to drain away is severely affected. During heavy rain, this often leads to water backing up and forcing its way out of the sewer pipe.

You can help to keep your home and the environment safe by not disposing of unsuitable materials down your toilet or sink.

At Econaur we provide sustainable products that are required in construction. The Products/Materials that Econaur Showcase are made from recyclable or non-recyclable processes but their overall contribution is in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing energy & water consumption.

For any support on sustainable solutions or methods do write us at connect@econaur.com

October 7, 2021 0 comment

Editor's Pick Waste Management Water Management

Types of Sustainable Sanitation Systems

by Editor October 6, 2021

written by Editor

In developing countries, sanitation is a growing problem. Lack of basic necessities, poverty, and the growing scarcity of resources, especially water, are concerns that need immediate attention.

With India and its program, Swachh Bharat, to build toilets all across the country, we ought to educate ourselves about Sustainable Sanitation programs that might also benefit our ever-growing population.

What exactly is Sustainable Sanitation?

As defined by Sustainable Sanitation Alliance, SuSanA 2008,

The main objective of any sanitation system is to protect and promote human health by providing a clean environment and breaking the cycle of disease. In order to be sustainable, a sanitation system has to do this, and additionally be economically viable, socially acceptable, and technically and institutionally appropriate, and it should also protect the environment and the natural resource.

Technologies that would challenge the conventional toilet systems around the world which is actually responsible for many waterborne diseases. Understanding that excreta are not a waste, but actually valuable resource is the first step in understanding sustainable sanitation. Significant of amount of energy, and plant nutrients can be obtained if this “waste” is processed right. In fact, the water can be recycled and reused too, which would help in sustaining natural resources.

What are some of the technologies that have helped keep Sanitation Sustainable?

1. Water-less toilets

A poverty struck continent that is struggling to keep hold of resources for the coming generation, the idea of water-less loo works fabulously. It is the perfect cost-effective solution considering the local circumstances.

The technology is used in East-Africa’s urban slums, with an incentive that invites more and more civilians to use it. The toilet collects the waste, which is converted into nutrient rich organic fertilizer, which is then sold to the local farmers. Completing the loop of sustainable activity.

2. Energy Generating Toilets

The waste is collected in a biodegradable film by a simple and efficient sealing technology. Exploiting the simple biological process of Anaerobic Digestion, which is basically the process of organic waste consumed by microorganisms in an oxygen-free environment, the toilet ends producing energy in the form of biogas.

The waste is also used to produce fertilizer for plants. The Anaerobic Digestion leaves the waste in a semi-liquid form, which is then used as manure for planted crops.

This was a technology that was experimented with in Madagascar. It turned out to be efficient, convenient, odorless, clean, and produced by-products that would give the locals an opportunity to earn profits.

A Similar Nano Membrane Toilet Designed in UK, backed by Gates Foundation (Read More)

3. Dehydrating Toilets

Dehydrating toilets are those that separate the liquid and solid waste. How it works?

The container is primed with coconut husk which absorbs any liquid that falls in it. This allows the solid matter to remain dry and odorless. To help the decomposition process, the matter is stirred briskly. To keep the smell out, the unit has an integral fan that pulls the moisture out of the space, keeping it dry and odor-free. Such systems are mainly suitable for regions with higher average temperatures, long dry and short rainy seasons or arid climatic conditions with high evaporation rates.

When human waste is dehydrated, the mass and volume are greatly reduced and the pathogens are starved of moisture. Urine source separation combined with dehydration of the solids can reduce the amount of waste by 90%.

4. The Humanure

Inspired by Joseph Jenkins book, The Humanure Handbook, this toilet isn’t technologically advanced, but instead depends on individual effort.

It is essentially a wooden box, with a plastic bucket within, and a toilet seat on top. There is also a bag of sawdust that is kept next to the unit. After you do your business, scoop the sawdust and cover the matter completely with it to avoid the foul smell.

The plastic bucket is replaced every few days, whenever required and the matter is taken to the on-site composting station where it is dumped in composting bins covered with more sawdust. The decomposition process takes its time to form the manure that can now be used in agricultural fields.

While this process is not technologically modern, it educates the people about the step-by-step process of re-use and recycle that would be beneficial to them and the environment.

Sustainable sanitation is an approach that will keep the environment clean, leading to hygienic living conditions in the community. With every region, the challenges would be different, and therefore various technologies help in curbing those hurdles and offering incentives to the local population to use these toilets instead of defecating openly.Tags: Sustainable Sanitation System

October 6, 2021 0 comment

Water Management

How aerators can help in saving the water ?

by Editor October 6, 2021

written by Editor

Water Aerators | Conserve water in a smoky way

Water aeration – brings water and air in close contact in order to remove dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide and oxidizes dissolved metals such as iron, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic chemicals (VOC’s).

Aeration brings water and air in close contact by exposing drops or thin sheets of water to the air or by introducing small bubbles of air (the smaller the bubble the better), and letting them rise through the water.

Faucet Aerator –

A Faucet Aerator or Tap Aerator is often found at the tip of modern indoor water faucets. Aerators reduce the water coming through the faucets by mixing it with water. The aerator acts as a sieve, sending a separating a single flow of water into many tiny streams.

There is less space for the water to flow through, the water flow is reduced. However, the water pressure is maintained.

Check Faucet Aerator by ECO 365

Function of Faucet Aerator –

An aerator can –

Prevent splashing
Shape the water stream coming out of the faucet spout, to produce a straight and evenly pressured stream
Conserve water and reduce energy costs
Reduce faucet noise
Increase perceived water pressure
Provides slight filtration of debris due to a small sieve plate

Pond Aerator –

Pond aeration is key for creating and maintaining the perfect pond.

Adding an aerator system to the pond or lake can provide many key benefits including increased fish activity and populations, clearer water conditions, reduced algae and muck, as well as preventing icing over of the pond during winter.

Pond Aeration is supplied by a pump that moves water throughout the pond and provides circulation. Aeration is improved even more when the water surface is broken by means of a waterfall or fountain.

Chemicals removed by Aeration –

Constituents commonly affected by aeration are:

Volatile organic chemicals, such as benzene (found in gasoline), or trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, and perchloroethylene (used in dry-cleaning or industrial processes)
Ammonia
Chlorine
Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen sulfide
Methane
Iron and Manganese

Advantages of using Aerators –

Aerators are inexpensive and easy to use.
They come in varying abilities to control the flow.
Aerators can save you up to half of your water usage through faucets with aerators on them.
When you are using aerated water, you won’t notice a difference.
Estimates are that aerators can save you 280 gallons a month.
If you use less water, you will use less gas or oil to heat it. This means you will also see a savings on your heating bill.

Conclusion – So this is one of the most cost effective and energy effective manner in which we can conserve water. Also it’s quick and easy installation make this new tech product a must buy.

Join The Social Network

Tags: Eco365, Eco365 Store, Water aerators, water conservation tips, Water Saving Aerators, water saving products

October 6, 2021 0 comment

Water Conservation Technique – Products that Reduce Water Use In Buildings

by Editor October 6, 2021

written by Editor

Water is an indispensable resource but pressures on freshwater resources across the world are growing rapidly due to population growth, increased industrial activities, urbanization, and of course changing lifestyles. India like the other countries is severely in-immune with these water pressures, in fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say – Water pressures in our country is being felt much more rapidly than expected.

Bengaluru for example made to the news of turning the next Cape Town, to face the threat of running out of potable water by 2020. Developing parts of Bengaluru is now facing severe water pressure and receive less water per person. In fact, most of the new and upcoming apartments depend largely on tanker water for drinking and other use.

Water pressures and the dangers lack of adequate water of appropriate quality poses for people, industry, and ecosystems, have been time and again highlighted in several reports. However, the main aim behind highlighting the issues remain the same – Water conservation is the need of the hour.

Water Conservation Techniques – 10 Products That Help!

Today much innovation has gone into creating and developing products that improve water efficiency in buildings. With the adoption of water conservation techniques being the strain of this blog, here are 10 innovative products that can help reduce water use in buildings.

1. Greywater Recycling Systems

The water used in most building structures is thought of in terms of clear clean water coming in, and sewage or black water going out. However, greywater is something that is in between that. In the domestic setting, greywater systems collect water from sources like baths, hand basins, and showers. This collected water is reused for washing machines, toilet flushing, and other external usages. The main idea behind greywater recovery is simply getting the most out of the water through its efficient reuse.

2. Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting systems can vary from the basic small ones, like the attachment of a water butt to a rainwater down-pipe, to the complexly designed large ones like those which collect rainwater from large areas and serve momentous numbers of properties. When it comes to domestic purposes, these systems are relevant to both commercial and domestic properties. When collected, rainwater can be used for garden irrigation, toilet flushing, and even in washing machines.

3. Efficient Irrigation Technology

Beautiful lawns and gardens demand a significant amount of water for its maintenance. In addition to indoor fixtures, efficient outdoor irrigation technologies like smart irrigation controllers can help to save a lot of water. These controllers can effectively track factors like precipitation or temperature and avoid over-watering the properties landscaping or plantations. In addition to smart irrigation controllers, one can save even more by trading out spray sprinklers for drip irrigation. These sprinkles can deliver water to your plants directly as these can be buried under the lawn.

4. Water Meters

Water metering is a common term used by people when the discussion is around water conservation techniques. Water metering in simple terms is the process of measuring the water use in each residential apartment. Water meters are installed in each home of an apartment and these meters record the amount of water being used in a home for billing purposes or tracking consumption.

5. Pressure Reducing Valves

High water pressures waste a lot of water. Installing water pressure reducing valves turn out to be one great solution. These valves are can be used in residential, commercial, and institutional applications to lessen the incoming water pressure to a lower predetermined level. In this way, it protects the downstream plumbing system components as well as reduces water consumption.

6. Insulated Pipes

Insulating all piping and storage tanks are important for any domestic hot water system today. Sadly, in most of the buildings, hot water return pipes are uninsulated or not insulated correctly. As a result, when hot water is needed, the user needs to wait at faucets or showers for the hot water to flow. This can result in significant wastage of water. When pipes are properly insulated it ensures hot water is immediately available and when the tap is closed it is supplied back to the plant, consequently reducing the energy demand of the heating unit. With insulated pipes, the user is less likely to waste by waiting for it with the taps open.

7. Efficient Taps

Water-efficient taps work in two ways, they can either reduce the water flow rate through the tap or they can support the user to avoid wastage of water by automatically turning it off. These days sensor taps can be seen in almost every shopping mall or airport, these automatically sense the user’s activity based on which is supplies or turns off the water flow using infrared sensors.

8. Water-Saving Showers

Personal bathing accounts for a lot of water use within homes, hotels and other residential settings. Did you know, an average bath uses around 80 litres of water whereas a 5-minute shower at 10 litres per minute will use only 50 litres of water? Water-saving showerheads control the water flow rate and spray pattern of your shower. These are available in a good range of different shapes and sizes and their design can directly affect water consumption during bath.

9. Efficient Toilets

In 1995, The National Energy Policy Act mandated that all new toilets had to be low flow toilets using no more than 1.6 gallons per flush which were less than half the water used by toilets in the 1980s. Initial results were dissatisfactory but then came the pressure-assisted flushing. The principle of water-efficient toilet design and operation was the shift from removing waste by using flush water volume to increasing flush water velocity. With the limited supply and continuous waste of water resources, it is crucial that we wake up and use it wisely so that we can protect and preserve our environment, minimize the effects of drought and save energy and finally the water bills. Upgrading to low flow toilets can play a crucial role in reducing water footprint.

Water is a necessity; it is the fuel for life on earth. But, even when its supply may seem abundant, it’s not an infinite resource – Remember fresh potable water is scarce and that’s key to our very survival.

If we don’t acknowledge this fact and take it into consideration in designing and constructing; this vital supply of water can be in danger. We, as engineers, developers, and owners, play a crucial role in looking beyond our building budgets and codes to achieve higher levels of water efficiency. No doubt, new and innovative technologies which consume less water have become increasingly important. It’s our realization and common sense that can save our planet and ensure our future generations can enjoy the benefits of abundant fresh water.

Start using these water conservation techniques today! It’s over to the decision that we make now!

SAVE WATER WITH WATER-SAVING PRODUCTS OF ECO 365.

Join The Social Network

Tags: water, conservation of water, how to conserve water., how to save water, how to save water at home, save water, Water aerators, water conservation tips, water-saving, what is water conservation

October 6, 2021 0 comment