Preface

Sustainability of ecosystem needs water which is a finite and vulnerable resource. Fortunately, water is a renewable resource. But management of water resources is always a challenge for sustainability development.

Rapid urbanization and industrialization has put more stress on water resources from increased water needs for agriculture, municipal water supply, navigation, recreation, industrial processes and ecosystem maintenance. Agriculture consumes about 70 % of world's freshwater. Industrial activities need 20 % and remaining 10 % is to be managed for water supply. Studies on human population warn that current population growth rate will lead to a demand of 6% more food and it is predicted to reach 9% in 30 years from now. In order to meet this food demand, agricultural and industrial activities will require more freshwater for agricultural production and food processes.

In the year 2007, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Sri Lanka conducted an assessment of agricultural water management to relate availability of freshwater, demand for food and growing population. The current availability of water for agriculture use around the world had been assessed and the assessment identified water scares sites. It found that one fifth (more than 1.2 billion) of the world's population live in very severe water shortage areas. These areas do not have adequate water to meet even all basic demands. Nearly about one and half billion people are living in areas with severe water scarcity. These areas have insufficient water resources to satisfy all demands. Although water scarcity has become an important issue in many parts of the world, studies say water scarcity may not be an urgent issue in rest of the world, but many countries realized that there are growing pressures on water availability and supplies and become conscious about water security which will be critical in future. Half of the world's population now lives in cities and towns. This number will probably increase which is expected nearly one sixth more by the year 2050. As a result there will be a huge demand for freshwater supply.

Multidirectional developmental activities, for improved quality of life, have increased the quantity of wastes. Thus there are threats due to huge amount of pollutants reaching fresh water sources and make them unfit for human consumption and ecosystem processes. Wastewater discharged from industrial and urban areas can contain a wide variety of pollutants. This means that there will be high pollution level due to huge amounts of heavy metals, salts, nutrients and pathogens. Unwisely, the

#### X Preface

fresh water resources are being exploited for assimilation of wastes beyond their selfcleaning capacities. Due to the least developments, many world countries have the lowest levels of wastewater treatment options; sometimes untreated wastes are being discharged. The farmers in those countries often use polluted water with pathogens for irrigating crops. The pathogens such as bacteria, viruses affect farmers and consumers in direct or indirect ways and kill more than a million people annually due to common illnesses, include diarrhea, cholera etc.

Preface XI

a social and cultural perspective; (vi) make sure water is accessible to everyone; (vii) use appropriate technology; (viii) act before the water related issues become severe; (ix) consider ecosystem sustainability; and (x) involve multidisciplinary teams for

Water management project expert group may include civil engineers, water resources engineers, meteorologist, sanitation engineers, ecologists & environmentalists, biological scientists and policy/decision makers. Many studies are being carried out by researchers worldwide to gain knowledge and to develop technologies to manage water resources for sustainability. Thus, the scope of this book was influenced by the experience and knowledge gained by various experts who contributed to its

The subject of water management is too broad and has too many sub-themes to be covered to address water availability, water treatment, water distribution, waste water treatment & disposal, flood management and water quality and ecosystem protection. The objective of this book is therefore to present water management approaches under three different subsections, namely surface water & groundwater management, water quality management and water resources planning & management. The surface water & groundwater section aims to cover research on extreme rainfall, flood hazards, flow calculation, groundwater level dynamics & flow etc. The water quality section aims to cover research on water quality assessment, ecological tools & remediation and waste water treatment options. Finally, the water resources planning & management section aims to cover research works on planning and management of water resources, to protect water pollution, for sustainable drinking water and climate change impacts. It is believed that this interdisciplinary book on water management will benefit professionals involved in the field by exposing them to new methodologies & case

I am grateful to Dr. Barik D K, Catholic University of Daegu, Rep. of Korea, Dr. Saravanan R, Anna University, India, Dr. Suresh Babu, DHI, Singapore, Dr. Purushothaman, NIH, India, Dr. Loganathan G, Environmental Consultant, Oman, Dr. Samal K P, India for their help and support during review process of chapters. I also express my thanks to Prof. D stretch, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa for his encouragement and support during the editorial process of this book. Finally, helps rendered by Ms. Gorana Scerbe, Publishing process manager, InTech Open

Assess publisher and all other direct or indirect supports are much appreciated.

**Muthukrishnavellaisamy Kumarasamy** 

University of KwaZulu-Natal,

Durban, South Africa

School of Civil Engineering, Surveying & Construction,

studies and enable them to develop new approaches.

water related projects.

preparation.

Too much water at the wrong time is as bad as too little water when it is required. Water availability is highly uneven in its spatial and temporal distributions both in quantity and quality. Thus, management of water resources must be viewed from local, regional and global perspectives to solve problems associated with storm water & flood management, water storage & distribution, surface water & groundwater quality, erosion & sedimentation, ecosystem protection & other natural resources etc.

People in the interdisciplinary water management field are concerned with supply of clean potable water to be available to people who need it. They also focus on water availability, supply and demand of industrial and the environmental water needs. Water management studies include a number of different topics such as sewage treatment, wetlands, soil erosion etc. Many countries have water resources departments. These departments are in charge for management of water resources and also control and direct regional offices of their own focus area of water management. One water management research group involves in researching and managing the water for the natural environment and ecosystem. This includes monitoring and analyzing the water availability for the environment, its spatial and temporal variations. Water management can also include studies on water pollution, navigation, environmental protection and flood control measures. This may include design, build and maintenance of flood control structures, restoring natural wetlands, constructing artificial wetlands and minimizing runoff from the developmental areas.

Some people in water management focus on human tendency in water use. They also focus on use of water in industry and agriculture. Many water management specialists say that it is very important to preserve water for conservation of ecosystem in many regions of the world; they also suggest recycling and reuse of treated effluent in agricultural and industrial sectors may reduce environmental impact. Thus water management is all about optimal use of water and recycle, reuse and minimal discharge of waste water which must have lowest environmental impact on the natural environment. Successful management of any resources needs accurate information of the resource available, demands for the resource, evaluation of significance and worth of the demands and good managerial policies to make decisions.

A study of water management lists out the principles of water management for people and the environment which include (i) value water; (ii) use water sustainably; (iii) develop water management institutions; (iv) maintain database on water; (v) maintain a social and cultural perspective; (vi) make sure water is accessible to everyone; (vii) use appropriate technology; (viii) act before the water related issues become severe; (ix) consider ecosystem sustainability; and (x) involve multidisciplinary teams for water related projects.

X Preface

decisions.

fresh water resources are being exploited for assimilation of wastes beyond their selfcleaning capacities. Due to the least developments, many world countries have the lowest levels of wastewater treatment options; sometimes untreated wastes are being discharged. The farmers in those countries often use polluted water with pathogens for irrigating crops. The pathogens such as bacteria, viruses affect farmers and consumers in direct or indirect ways and kill more than a million people annually due

Too much water at the wrong time is as bad as too little water when it is required. Water availability is highly uneven in its spatial and temporal distributions both in quantity and quality. Thus, management of water resources must be viewed from local, regional and global perspectives to solve problems associated with storm water & flood management, water storage & distribution, surface water & groundwater quality, erosion & sedimentation, ecosystem protection & other natural resources etc.

People in the interdisciplinary water management field are concerned with supply of clean potable water to be available to people who need it. They also focus on water availability, supply and demand of industrial and the environmental water needs. Water management studies include a number of different topics such as sewage treatment, wetlands, soil erosion etc. Many countries have water resources departments. These departments are in charge for management of water resources and also control and direct regional offices of their own focus area of water management. One water management research group involves in researching and managing the water for the natural environment and ecosystem. This includes monitoring and analyzing the water availability for the environment, its spatial and temporal variations. Water management can also include studies on water pollution, navigation, environmental protection and flood control measures. This may include design, build and maintenance of flood control structures, restoring natural wetlands, constructing

artificial wetlands and minimizing runoff from the developmental areas.

Some people in water management focus on human tendency in water use. They also focus on use of water in industry and agriculture. Many water management specialists say that it is very important to preserve water for conservation of ecosystem in many regions of the world; they also suggest recycling and reuse of treated effluent in agricultural and industrial sectors may reduce environmental impact. Thus water management is all about optimal use of water and recycle, reuse and minimal discharge of waste water which must have lowest environmental impact on the natural environment. Successful management of any resources needs accurate information of the resource available, demands for the resource, evaluation of significance and worth of the demands and good managerial policies to make

A study of water management lists out the principles of water management for people and the environment which include (i) value water; (ii) use water sustainably; (iii) develop water management institutions; (iv) maintain database on water; (v) maintain

to common illnesses, include diarrhea, cholera etc.

Water management project expert group may include civil engineers, water resources engineers, meteorologist, sanitation engineers, ecologists & environmentalists, biological scientists and policy/decision makers. Many studies are being carried out by researchers worldwide to gain knowledge and to develop technologies to manage water resources for sustainability. Thus, the scope of this book was influenced by the experience and knowledge gained by various experts who contributed to its preparation.

The subject of water management is too broad and has too many sub-themes to be covered to address water availability, water treatment, water distribution, waste water treatment & disposal, flood management and water quality and ecosystem protection. The objective of this book is therefore to present water management approaches under three different subsections, namely surface water & groundwater management, water quality management and water resources planning & management. The surface water & groundwater section aims to cover research on extreme rainfall, flood hazards, flow calculation, groundwater level dynamics & flow etc. The water quality section aims to cover research on water quality assessment, ecological tools & remediation and waste water treatment options. Finally, the water resources planning & management section aims to cover research works on planning and management of water resources, to protect water pollution, for sustainable drinking water and climate change impacts. It is believed that this interdisciplinary book on water management will benefit professionals involved in the field by exposing them to new methodologies & case studies and enable them to develop new approaches.

I am grateful to Dr. Barik D K, Catholic University of Daegu, Rep. of Korea, Dr. Saravanan R, Anna University, India, Dr. Suresh Babu, DHI, Singapore, Dr. Purushothaman, NIH, India, Dr. Loganathan G, Environmental Consultant, Oman, Dr. Samal K P, India for their help and support during review process of chapters. I also express my thanks to Prof. D stretch, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa for his encouragement and support during the editorial process of this book. Finally, helps rendered by Ms. Gorana Scerbe, Publishing process manager, InTech Open Assess publisher and all other direct or indirect supports are much appreciated.

> **Muthukrishnavellaisamy Kumarasamy**  School of Civil Engineering, Surveying & Construction, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

**Part 1** 

**Surface Water and Groundwater Management** 
