Category: Urban water

This is the Urban Water category

How to conduct fire flow assessments for your water distribution system

Avoid the mistake of having a poorly thought-out fire protection plan

‘For centuries, water has been used to extinguish fires. The inexpensiveness and availability of water are the primary factors leading to its widespread use. But, not only must water be available for fire protection, it must be available in adequate supply. As a result, the question must be asked, how much water is necessary to be considered an adequate supply for fire protection?’

 (Milke, J.A. 1980. How Much Water Is Enough? The International Fire Chief (March), pp. 21–24.)

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How to understand water age within your water distribution network

Safeguarding the quality of your treated water

Water age is an important performance indicator to many utilities because excessive age can cause problems with disinfection by-products (DBPs).

The water age refers to the time it takes for water to travel from a water source to consumers and is influenced by water distribution system flow velocities and pipe lengths. Continue reading “How to understand water age within your water distribution network”

Flooding: the damage, the danger, and the disruptions

And the four best ways to address it

Picture this: the skies darken and the air starts to tingle. A storm arrives and with it a deluge of rain, eager to fill up the dams and ready to tumble fast into the riverbeds. We stay inside our homes and watch the downpour, warm and cosy.

Then the rivers burst, splashing into the streets, seeping through the cities and flooding muddy waters into our once cosy homes. The world can change on the whim of nature and it can happen in a matter of hours, or even minutes. Continue reading “Flooding: the damage, the danger, and the disruptions”

Infographic: Why you should care about non-revenue water

Did you know that a high non-revenue water (NRW) rate could affect your quality of life in more ways than you think? Or has it occurred to you that USD 9 million worth of water is being lost annually in Asia, for example? Learn more about NRW in this infographic:
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How to break down barriers with social learning

The role of serious gaming in tackling water governance challenges

Transitions towards sustainable water governance will likely require innovative learning partnerships between a variety of stakeholders. It is essential that such partnerships involve novel methods for communicating ideas and knowledge while offering an enabling environment to connect various stakeholder groups informally. Continue reading “How to break down barriers with social learning”