This module is aimed at looking to develop your understanding of water management issues, implications and potential interventions meeting developing countries’ complex needs and resources constraints and therefore support an inclusive socioeconomic progress for diverse communities through an improved provision of water related services. The module aims to cover a range of engineering, design and sustainability aspects associated with the three urban water flows (i.e. water supply, storm water and wastewater) management. Current situation analysis and the effectiveness of interventions is explored using a range of resources including computational tools and numerous case studies from developing countries. The module also includes external guest speakers providing insights into current issues and evolving approaches keeping in view communities needs. By the end of the module, you should be able to understand the water management challenges in developing countries and propose approaches to overcome them.
 

This module aims to provide an understanding of water management in developing countries and equip you with skills to analyse and design low cost and resource efficient alternatives for improved urban water management in developing countries contexts reflecting a range socio economic and environmental constraints. Topics covered include water management challenges, institutional and governance aspects, groundwater management, health implications, water treatment, intermittent supply systems, leakage management, flood risk assessment and management, urban drainage, low cost wastewater treatment and onsite/off site sanitation meeting cultural needs and contextual constraints.

Prior knowledge of engineering processes is desired, but the module is designed as a standalone course and the background theory required is provided in the class textbooks. The module is suitable for participants with in a civil and/or environmental engineering degree. Non-specialist candidates with an interest in water management can benefit from the course, provided they have a scientific background and can understand basic engineering and chemistry concepts.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

1. critical awareness of current water management problems developing countries are facing.

2. understanding of traditional/local approaches and less conventional water management techniques and the ability to evaluate them critically and to apply them effectively.

3. exploring modelling techniques for solving complex problems (such as sea intrusion, flood risk assessment, intermittent supply ) and to assess their limitations.

4. use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies/approaches for low cost water management.

5.  apply engineering techniques taking account of a range of commercial and industrial constraints.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

6. critical awareness of current problems and new insights most of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the specialisation.

7. Understand linkages between urban water flows, socio-economic interactions and health implications, and the ability to evaluate them critically and to apply them effectively, including in engineering projects.

8. show knowledge and comprehensive understanding of design processes (for intermittent supply systems, waste stabilisation ponds) and methodologies and the ability to apply and adapt them in unfamiliar situations.

9. generate an innovative design for urban water systems to fulfil new needs.

10. awareness that engineers need to take account of the commercial and social contexts in which they operate.

11. develop knowledge and understanding of management and business practices, their limitations, and how these may be applied in the context of water management in developing countries.

12. awareness that engineering activities should promote sustainable development and ability to apply quantitative techniques where appropriate.

13. knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements governing engineering (water management) activities in the context of developing countries.

14. ability to make general evaluations of risk issues (e.g. health risk, flood risk) in the context of developing countries.

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge: 

15. apply skills in problem solving, communication, information retrieval, working with others, and the effective use of general IT facilities.

16. plan self-learning and improve performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

17. monitor and adjust a personal programme of work on an on-going basis.

18. prove independence and self-direction in problem solving and decision making.

19. exercise initiative and personal responsibility in professional practice;

20. illustrate effective communication skills using a variety of commonly available media and techniques.
 

Water Resources in Developing Countries (Hydrology, watershed and water resources management, Major basins and economic situation and water resources development)

Threats to Water Resources in Developing Countries Policy and legislation, corruption and law evasion, anthropological impacts to water resources, climate change: resilience and adaptation.

Groundwater resources management (modelling of flow and solute transport in soils, seawater intrusion modelling and control (including effect of sea level rise and over-abstraction).

Small community water supply systems (sustainability, health protection, cost-recovery, basic demand calculations, financial sustainability, etc and decision making for design and O&M for these systems)

Intermittent water supply systems (causes/effects, advantages and disadvantages, design and operation coping costs, conversion from IWS to continuous system, leakage management)

Urban drainage in developing countries

Flood risk/storm water management under fast growth scenarios

Water related disease / health implication

Low cost wastewater treatment, design and operation considerations for waste stabilisation ponds (e.g. anaerobic, facultative and maturation ponds)

On and off site sanitation including dry sanitation

Case studies

Coursework will be set on three of the following themes: Waste Water Treatment, Intermittent Water Supply, Urban Flooding and Water Resources/Quality. The topics will be set by the module leader and will be non-negotiable. 

Basic reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: