Potential of drinking water alliances to address nitrate pollution – Experiences from Germany

Potential of drinking water alliances to address nitrate pollution – Experiences from Germany
Author: Scheumann, W., Richerzhagen, C.
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 41
Release: 2022-08-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9251366357

This paper provides background to the State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture Report, Edition 2021 (SOLAW 21) with an innovative governance approach to addressing non-point pollution sources originating from agricultural activities: alliances between water utilities and farmers in designated water protection areas and drinking water extraction areas. The alliances revolve around the idea of balancing diverging targets such as maintaining drinking water standards and the viability and profitability of agricultural businesses. While farmers can achieve high food production levels by using mineral and organic fertilizers and pesticides, these may have enormous side effects: nitrate and phosphate are transferred into surface and groundwater, impairing water quality and aquatic life. It may also result in the water no longer being usable as drinking water without special, costly treatment. These negative effects led to the establishment of voluntary alliances between water utilities and farmers (hereafter called ‘drinking water alliances’ or ‘alliances’) in the 1980s when the German government strengthened the threshold values for nitrate in drinking water from 90 mg/l to 50 mg/l. Water utilities, together with the regional (Laender) governments, initiated alliances with farmers to adopt fertilization and land management practices in order to protect drinking water resources from nitrate pollution.

Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture

Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture
Author: Hiroshan Hettiarachchi
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2018-03-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 331974268X

This book offers a broad and global level description of the current status of wastewater use in agriculture and then brings the readers to various places in the MENA Region and Europe to explain how some countries and regions have addressed the challenges during implementation. On a global scale, over 20 million hectares of agricultural land are irrigated using wastewater. This is one good, and perhaps the most prominent, example of the safe use potential of wastewater. Water scarcity and the cost of energy and fertilisers are among the main factors driving millions of farmers and other entrepreneurs to make use of wastewater. In order to address the technical, institutional, and policy challenges of safe water reuse, developing countries and countries in transition need clear institutional arrangements and more skilled human resources, with a sound understanding of the opportunities and potential risks of wastewater use. Stakeholders in wastewater irrigation who need to implement from scratch or improve current conditions, find it difficult to gather the necessary information on practical implementation aspects. The main objective of this book is to bridge that gap.

Water Quality for Ecosystem and Human Health

Water Quality for Ecosystem and Human Health
Author: Geneviève M. Carr
Publisher: UNEP/Earthprint
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789295039513

This document is intended to provide an overview of the major components of surface and ground water quality and how these relate to ecosystem and human health. Local, regional and global assessments of water quality monitoring data are used to illustrate key features of aquatic environments, and to demonstrate how human activities on the landscape can influence water quality in both positive and negative ways. Clear and concise background knowledge on water quality can serve to support other water assessments.

Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual

Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 378
Release: 2002
Genre: Sewage
ISBN:

"This manual contains overview information on treatment technologies, installation practices, and past performance."--Introduction.

Protecting Groundwater for Health

Protecting Groundwater for Health
Author: World Health Organization
Publisher: World Health Organization
Total Pages: 697
Release: 2006
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9241546689

This publication provides a structured approach to analyzing hazards to groundwater quality, assessing the risk they may cause for a specific supply, setting priorities in addressing these, and developing management strategies for their control. This book summarizes which pathogens and chemicals are relevant to human health, how they are transported, reduced, removed or retarded; provides practical guidance on characterizing the drinking-water catchment area and assessing potential health hazards; provides guidance on prioritising both hazards and management responses; presents key information on potential management actions and explains their integration into a comprehensive Water Safety Plan from catchment to consumer; and describes policy, land-use planning and implementation of pollution prevention, groundwater, with overviews of specific management approaches applicable to agriculture, sanitation, industry, mining, military sites, waste disposal and traffic.--Publisher's description.

Soil pollution: a hidden reality

Soil pollution: a hidden reality
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2018-04-30
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9251305056

This document presents key messages and the state-of-the-art of soil pollution, its implications on food safety and human health. It aims to set the basis for further discussion during the forthcoming Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18), to be held at FAO HQ from May 2nd to 4th 2018. The publication has been reviewed by the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soil (ITPS) and contributing authors. It addresses scientific evidences on soil pollution and highlights the need to assess the extent of soil pollution globally in order to achieve food safety and sustainable development. This is linked to FAO’s strategic objectives, especially SO1, SO2, SO4 and SO5 because of the crucial role of soils to ensure effective nutrient cycling to produce nutritious and safe food, reduce atmospheric CO2 and N2O concentrations and thus mitigate climate change, develop sustainable soil management practices that enhance agricultural resilience to extreme climate events by reducing soil degradation processes. This document will be a reference material for those interested in learning more about sources and effects of soil pollution.

The United Nations world water development report, 2017

The United Nations world water development report, 2017
Author: WWAP
Publisher: UNESCO Publishing
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2017-03-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9231002015

The United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) is hosted and led by UNESCO. WWAP brings together the work of 31 UN-Water Members and 38 Partners to publish The United Nations World Water Development Report, (WWDR) series. The annual World Water Development Reports focus on strategic water issues. UN-Water Members and Partners, all experts in their respective fields, contribute the latest findings on a specific theme. The 2017 edition of the World Water Development Report focuses on 'Wastewater' and seeks to inform decision-makers, inside and outside the water community, about the importance of managing wastewater as an undervalued and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable by-products, rather than something to be disposed of or a nuisance to be ignored. The report's title - Wastewater: The Untapped Resource - reflects the critical role that wastewater is poised to play in the context of a circular economy, whereby economic development is balanced with the protection of natural resources and environmental sustainability, and where a cleaner and more sustainable economy has a positive effect on the water quality. Improved wastewater management is not only critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), but also to other goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Environmental Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident and Their Remediation

Environmental Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident and Their Remediation
Author: International Atomic Energy Agency
Publisher: IAEA
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2006
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9789201147059

The explosion on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the consequent reactor fire resulted in an unprecedented release of radioactive material from a nuclear reactor and adverse consequences for the public and the environment. Although the accident occurred nearly two decades ago, controversy still surrounds the real impact of the disaster. Therefore the IAEA, in cooperation with other UN bodies, the World Bank, as well as the competent authorities of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, established the Chernobyl Forum in 2003. The mission of the Forum was to generate 'authoritative consensual statements' on the environmental consequences and health effects attributable to radiation exposure arising from the accident as well as to provide advice on environmental remediation and special health care programmes, and to suggest areas in which further research is required. This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Chernobyl Forum concerning the environmental effects of the Chernobyl accident.