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Research, undertaken at the University of Sheffield since 2001, into the discolouration of drinking water occurring within distribution systems has had economic, policy and professional practice impacts on the water supply sector since 2008. This has resulted in improved levels of service, has safeguarded water quality delivered to the public and has delivered substantial economic savings. For example, in one of the few cases where monetary value is available, Wessex Water made 63% savings on two trunk main schemes with an initial estimated cost in excess of £1M. The 4 and 7 km lengths of these trunk mains represent less than 1% of the trunk mains being impacted by our research. Our research has resulted in a step change in the concept and approach to the management of discolouration in water distribution systems.
Research by Professor Maltby's group quantified the ecological impacts of contaminants draining off road surfaces into surface waters, revealing the importance of particulate-bound toxicants. We identified the key toxicants involved, the concentration thresholds at which they pose significant risks, and established the extent and the conditions under which they are harmful. These advances provided the scientific underpinning for the Highways Agency's revised (2009) guidance on environmental impact and assessment of road drainage, and it's Water Risk Assessment Tool. Our research has led to significant cost savings, and much improved targetting for monitoring and protecting the environment. The Highways Agency guidance and risk assessment tool has been adopted by the Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland and other EU and non-EU countries, and has been applied to projects worth over £65m in the UK since 2010.
The water industry sources significant drinking waters from peatland catchments and faces major water discolouration problems due to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) caused by peat degradation. DOC has to be removed to meet strictly regulated drinking water standards and to eliminate disinfection by-products. One proven, but expensive industry solution uses Magnetic Ion Exchange (MIEX) at treatment works. Research at the School of Geography (SoG) investigated catchment management as a potentially longer term, more sustainable treatment solution that addresses the problem at source. Yorkshire Water (YW) has subsequently adopted recommended practices, and has invested [text removed for publication] in catchment solutions yielding wider environmental benefits.
Rapid runoff from rural parts of river catchments can pollute downstream water bodies by transmitting sediment, agricultural fertiliser, or other pollutants from extensive diffuse sources, and can also lead to downstream flooding. Environmental managers often try to mitigate these problems by encouraging interventions, such as changes in farming practice or the construction of physical obstacles, which delay runoff from rural catchments. DU geographers have worked with stakeholders to develop a family of flexible user-friendly computer modelling tools which predict and map the likely critical sources of pollution or flooding and the downstream locations that are most at risk. This helps environmental managers target the best locations for intervention and compare the effects of alternative interventions. The software tools have been used by regulatory bodies (e.g. the Environment Agency) and NGOs (e.g. Rivers Trusts) to plan mitigation works and benefit local communities and the environment in many parts of England.
The contamination of water sources is a serious threat to the environment and to human health. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) cause sexual dysfunction in fish, potentially affecting the health of fish populations in the UK and abroad. Prof. Hill's research has used bioassays combined with chemical fractionation and mass-spectrometry profiling techniques to identify endocrine-disrupting chemicals present in wastewater effluents that are discharged into the environment and that can bio-accumulate in fish. This has enabled international and governmental organisations to assess the risk of chemical discharges to the environment, to develop tests to monitor the toxicity of these newly-discovered EDCs, and to inform policy decisions on environmental protection and conservation.
Groundwater directly supplies around 30% of the UK's water demand, and significantly more through discharges to rivers. Much effort is expended by regulators and water companies in protecting this essential resource from over-exploitation and pollution, thus protecting both water resources and ecosystem services. Our research has directly contributed to the knowledge, understanding and data that underpin the Environment Agency's management strategies for two aquifers in particular — the Birmingham and Liverpool/Manchester aquifers. Research on these aquifers alone has had a significant and verifiable social and economic impact on protecting and preserving water supplies serving 1.5m people. These water resources are valued in terms of replacement at between £0.4 and £1.1 billion, and are annually worth about £140M. Our research findings have also been directly used by water companies in their utilisation of these aquifers, as is evident in the recent development of major public supply-well schemes under Severn Trent Water's Birmingham Resilience Strategy.
Air pollution is a major health concern and government policy driver. Leeds researchers and colleagues have developed a detailed chemical mechanism which describes reactions in the lower atmosphere leading to the formation of ozone and secondary particulate matter, key air pollutants. The so-called `master chemical mechanism' (MCM) is considered the `gold standard' and has been used by the UK government and industry groups to inform their position on EU legislation and by the US EPA to validate and extend their regulatory models. The Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department has used the MCM to identify key ozone precursors and provide evidence for abatement strategies.
Analytical methods and nanotechnology developed and patented since 1994 by the University of Sunderland, for healthcare, forensic and environmental monitoring applications have been exploited for their commercial and healthcare benefits. The patents were out-licensed to a University spin-out company for the production of a `sniffer' device to detect raw material air contamination in a manufacturing environment. The proof of concept project resulted in significant commercial benefits, such as inward investment, new industry, specialist training, and >20 new jobs for a range of skilled workers, both in the UK and overseas, development of health and welfare protection, exploitation of technology to meet new industry regulations, and improved efficiency in the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients and products for household goods.
This case study describes the creation and use of advanced simulation technology by international mining corporations to optimise high value metal recovery. The technology involved the development of advanced novel computational methods and software tools to model industrial scale heap leach processes for large scale industrial application at major mining operations. This focus on the development of optimised operational strategies has produced considerable economic benefits measured in the $multi-millions to industrial sponsors, including $58 million dollars in additional revenue for one multi-national corporation over one year following the adoption of engineered heaps based upon the advanced simulation tools from Swansea.
The Hydro-environmental Research Centre (HRC) at Cardiff University has developed a widely used hydro-environmental numerical model, called DIVAST (Depth Integrated Velocities And Solute Transport). DIVAST addresses the need for more accurate models to predict flood risk and water quality levels for a range of extreme events. The model has been implemented in commercial codes, marketed by CH2M HILL (previously Halcrow), and used in design studies, for example, undertaken by Buro Happold. The impacts of the research are marked environmental, health, economic and industrial benefits. It is used by major organisations around the world on large-scale projects and, in particular, for mitigation planning against national and international risks associated with floods and water quality.