Water Resource Management Commons^™

Environmental Impacts Of Seawater Desalination On The Marine Environment In The Kingdom Of Bahrain, Waleed Al-Zubari, Alaa Elsadek, Mohamed Khadim

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

The main water planning and management challenge facing Bahrain is in how to balance water availability and water use on a long-term basis in the face of increasing demands under the least economic and environmental costs and without endangering socio-economic development. To meet escalating municipal water demands desalination is becoming inevitable, which is associated with substantial financial, economic, and environmental costs. In this research, the environmental impact of seawater desalination on the surrounding marine environment is assessed at a government-owned MSF desalination plant (Sitra Power and Water Station (SPWS)). The assessment used a number of environmental indicators, namely temperature and …

Biological Treatment Of Produced Water Using Algae: A Proof Of Concept, Shibin Hashem Mohammed Nadersha

Theses

Produced water (PW) is the effluent generated during oil mining and extraction. On average, for every barrel of oil, 4 - 5 barrels of PW are generated worldwide. In UAE, 1.22 billion cubic meters of PW were generated in the year 2017. Proper management of PW is thus very important taking into account the large volumes of it being generated. In addition, PW is considered toxic as it contains various contaminants such as aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, inorganic salts, metals, phenols, radioactive materials, and chemical additives. Disposal of untreated PW into oceans and water bodies can cause adverse effects on …

Environmental Assessment Of The Impact Of Land-Based Discharges On Marine Water And Sediment Quality In Dubai, Uae, Ayman Fathy Halawa

Theses

The current seawater and Creek – Canal waterway in the Emirate of Dubai, UAE, is under tremendous pressure because of continuous urban water discharges from land-based sources. Therefore, the impact of urban water discharges on marine water and sediment quality in the Emirate requires a thorough assessment. The main objective of this study is to assess the impacts of effluent discharges on the quality of water and sediment in the open sea and Dubai Creek. The land-based sources include the power and desalination plants, industrial sector, sewage treatment plant, and stormwater runoff. To achieve the stated objective, relevant data on …

Development Of A Decision Support System For Sustainable Water Planning In Abu Dhabi, Uae, Mohamed Ibrahim Kizhisseri

Dissertations

One of the main challenges for water managers is to foresee the future accurately; then, design appropriate policies and infrastructure plans accordingly. The use of decision support systems in the field of water resource management and planning is now widely implemented, but its use in sustainable water planning of a nation or state in arid and semi-arid areas, such as Middle East countries, remains limited. The main objective of this dissertation is to present a graphical software tool that can assist water planners and decision-makers in long-term water management and planning. Sustainable planning for Abu Dhabi’s future water supply is …

Sustainability Of Modern Groundwater Pumping Technologies, Life Cycle Assessment, Hesham Mahmood Alshehabi

Theses

The sustainability of groundwater equipment systems is not well addressed in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC). The typical technology practiced in the GCC is the borehole pumps coupled with asynchronous motors. This thesis is evaluating the sustainability of various alternatives for groundwater equipment through the three pillars of sustainability. Economic assessment seeking the Levelized cost of water given typically in $/m³ and main factors affecting the energy intensity through a statistical comparative analysis approach. Environmental evaluation through performing a life cycle assessment model for four pumping alternatives, and finally, societal impact assessment aiming to identify the best practices and …

Price Elasticity And Determinants Of Residential Water Consumption In Al Ain Region, Bara Mohamad Mohammed Alrefai

Civil and Environmental Theses

This thesis is concerned with the effect of water price on residential water consumption in the Al Ain region. Water demand worldwide significantly increased due to high population growth, climate change, and lifestyle changes. Fulfilling the growing water demand by constantly increasing supply has several environmental and economic implications. Water management strategies assist in driving the water industry to develop better solutions to address the increase in water demand. The UAE recently shifted its water management strategies towards demand management to reduce the growing demand in the country. Water pricing is considered one of the important tools to reduce residential …

Assessment Of Conventional Wastewater Treatment Plants In Removing Pharmaceutical Compounds: A Case Study Of Al Ain City, Uae, Ahmad Mohammad I Hassan Alhalab

Theses

This thesis is concerned with the assessment of conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in removing pharmaceutical compounds (PCs). PCs have classes like analgesics, antibiotics, antiseptics, hormones, cosmetic products, personal care products. They are used extensively by humans and they don’t have actual guidelines describing their concentration in domestic wastewater discharge. Thus, they may still be present in treated sewage effluent (TSE) or sludge and could consequently pose adverse environmental effects. Limited work has been done to assess the removal of PCs at WWTPs in arid and semi-arid countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As such, this study aimed at …

Selection Of Best Sites For Aquifer Storage And Recovery In The Eastern District Of Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, Karim Ali Mahfouz Abdou Khalil

Theses

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi relied on groundwater as the main source of fresh water for several decades in the past. This resulted in the deterioration of the non-renewable groundwater aquifers; and thus, desalination plants have become the major source of freshwater supply in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Diminishing natural groundwater is a serious threat to freshwater security in arid regions. Because UAE has the world’s highest per capita water consumption rate, more than 70 desalination plants have been built in the last two decades. A major concern, therefore, is the vulnerability of these desalination plants to pollution and …

Microgravity, Hydrological And Meteorological Monitoring Of Shallow Groundwater Aquifer In Alain (Uae), Serin Mosleh Darwish

Civil and Environmental Theses

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is situated within an arid zone where the climate is arid, and the recharge of the groundwater is very low. However, rapid expansion, population growth and agriculture activities have negatively affected these limited water resources. The shortage of water resources has become a serious concern due to the over-pumping of groundwater to meet demand. In this study, a combination of time-lapse measurements of microgravity and depth to groundwater level in selected wells in Al-Ain city was used to estimate the variations in groundwater storage. Relative gravity measurements were acquired using the Scintrex CG-6 Autograv from …

Modeling The Mitigation Of Seawater Intrusion By Pumping Brackish Water From The Coastal Aquifer Of Wadi Ham, Uae, Modou A Sowe

Theses

The control and management of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers is a major challenge in the field of water resources management. Seawater intrusion is a major problem in the coastal aquifer of Wadi Ham, United Arab Emirates caused by intensive groundwater abstraction from increased agricultural activities. This has caused the abonnement of salinized wells and ultimately affected farming activities and domestic water supply in the area. In this study, the 3D finite element groundwater flow and solute transport model, FEFLOW was used to simulate pumping of brackish water from the intrusion zone to control seawater intrusion in the aquifer. The …

Investigation Of Groundwater Quality Of Al Hayer Area, (North Of Al Ain City) Using Hydro Geochemical Approach, Mohammed Hosny Ibrahim Gadalla

Theses

Al Hayer is located in the northeast of Al Ain area, Eastern region of the United Arab Emirates. Groundwater abstraction for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses has led to major depletion in the aquifer resulting in groundwater quality deterioration. This study aims to identify the factors affecting the groundwater quality in this area, and to determine the recharge mechanism for the study area to understand the behaviour of major ions in regional groundwater by using hydrogeochemical and isotopic approaches. The hydrochemical analysis of 37 collected samples of groundwater revealed that the groundwater is characterized by moderate salinity and high concentrations …

Hydrogeologic Setting And Characterization Of The Aquifer System In Al Wagan Area, South Al Ain, Uae, Mohamed Ali Khalifa

Theses

AI Wagan area lies to the south of AI Ain City of the eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate

along the Sultanate of Oman-United Arab Emirates borders. AI Wagan area is important

for agriculture in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi. Ground water is the primary source of

irTigation in the area. The main source of recharge to the ground-water-flow system of the

entire eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate is rainfall on the Oman Mountains. Ground

water flows in an east-west direction because most of the recharge at higher elevations is or

near the Oman Mountains.

The ground-water-flow system …

Assessment Of Groundwater Recharge From The Dam Of Wadi Al-Jizzi, Sultanate Of Oman, Rashid Said Al-Kindi

Theses

Water is the most precious resource in arid and semi-arid countries including the Sultanate of Oman. In such countries, groundwater is regarded a major source of water. However, the long-term yield of aquifers should be evaluated. Annual recharge of groundwater resources, in such areas, is generally small but groundwater levels may also recover dramatically during wet years.

Due to the increase in population and the associated increase in agricultural and industrial activities groundwater abstraction from the different aquifers in Oman has increased tremendously since the mid-1970s. This over exploitation of the groundwater resources has led to a considerable decline in …

Use Of Nanoparticles In Disinfection Of Desalinated Water In United Arab Emirates, Laila Masoud Rashid Al-Issai

Theses

United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as most Gulf Countries depends mostly on desalinated sea water as the main source of drinking water. The drinking water disinfection process has been routinely carried out since the turn of the century to destroy pathogenic organisms and prevent waterborne diseases. When chemical disinfection is applied before or after desalination, a number of harmful compounds are formed posing potential risks to the health of human or aesthetic quality of drinking water. As such, a tremendous number of studies have been conducted to identify new alternative methods of disinfecting water without formation of harmful Disinfection …

Utilizing Available Residual Pressure In Fujairah Lines In Bypassing Al Ain Reception Station Considering Transients And Water Hammer Conditions, Hazem Bakri Al Naser

Theses

The objective of this study is to utilize the available residual pressure at Fujairah Transmission lines in order to save energy, operation and maintenance costs, and still deliver the required water to the end users of the distribution network. This has been achieved by bypassing the existing pumping stations (i.e. AARS Reservoir and pumping stations in addition to the local reservoirs and pumping stations of each area). The possibility of transients, surge, and cavitation occurrence was studied via a comprehensive transient simulation to make sure that the proposed bypassing will not have any impact on the upstream transmission system by …

Development Of A Gis Database For Water Resources Management In Ajman Emirate, Uae., Mohammad Rehan Yusuf

Theses

The lack of freshwater resources represents a major constraint against the sustainable development in arid and semi-arid regions. Because of the scarcity and randomness nature of rainfall in arid regions, surface water resources are almost absent. Groundwater resources are always under stress and in many cases do not suffice the water demands for different sectors. Desalination plants are widely constructed to substitute for the water shortage. The UAE, including Ajman emirate, is witnessing a rapid development in the industrial, commercial, construction and agricultural fields which has led to a tremendous increase in water demands.

Proper management of the limited water …

Modelling Hydrocarbons Transport In The Aquifer Of Bu Hasa Field And Evaluation Of Remediation Alternatives, Nawal Eisa Saleh Al Junaibi

Theses

The release of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) to groundwater reservoirs is a serious and widespread environmental problem. In 2000, free phase hydrocarbon was discovered in Liwa aquifer under Bu Hasa Liquid Recovery Plant (LRP). Liwa aquifer is a shallow unconfined aquifer and represents the main water supply in the camp area of Bu Hasa field. Dissolved benzene is observed in at least one observation well in the site. This research is conducted to simulate the fate and transport of the dissolved benzene plume in the groundwater of Liwa aquifer using the finite element model (METABIOTRANS).

The mam objective of this …

Electrical Imaging Hydro Chemical And Isotope Investigation Of Mubazarah Area In Uae (Al-Ain), Faris Mirghani Mahgoub

Theses

No abstract provided.

Pressure Utilization In Water Transmission Pipelines In Alain Region Considering Transient Conditions, Mohamed Sultan Al Maamari

Theses

The residual pressure energy available in water transmission pipelines can be easily utilized via direct connection to the distribution system and bypassing the storage reservoirs and booster pumping stations. This thesis investigates the feasibility of bypassing a number of reservoirs and pumping stations in a small transmission system in AlAin City of United Arab Emirates. The system has a major transmission pumping station (AlAin Reception Pumping Station, or 'AARS') that hosts four fixed-speed pumps, a main 1200mm line, storage reservoirs and boosting pumps at three zones (Dahma, Markhania and Maqam), besides few other connection pipes. The system also has three …

Geophysical And Hydrogeological Studies Of Al-Foah Area, North Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (Uae), Sameh Yahyia Ali Suleiman

Theses

No abstract provided.

Modeling And Optimization Of Biological Nutrients Removal In Wastewater Treatment Processes Considering Advanced Kinetic Modeling Techniques, Nawras Nabil Ai Ghazaly

Theses

In the field of wastewater treatment, there is an increasing demand to improve the effluent

quality especially if it is going to be discharged to surface water. Effluent discharged

to surface water should have minimum nutrients level (nitrogen and phosphorus) in order

to avoid eutrophication and the resulting algal blooms which deplete the water from the oxygen

needed by other plant and animal species. Moreover, there is a demand to reduce the chemical

consumption in the treatment processes and to depend as much as we can on the biological

Treatment methods in achieving the required effluent quality in terms of …

Biosorption Of Priority Pollutants Of Petroleum Refinery Wastewater, Deen Adnan Sheikha

Theses

Heavy metals and organic materials pollution in the aquatic system have become a serious threat today. Zinc, phenol and naphthalene are common environmental contaminants. The fate and transport of these chemicals must be sufficiently understood to predict detrimental environmental impacts and to develop technically and economically appropriate remedial action to minimize environmental degradation. In this study, microbial biomass has emerged as an option for developing economic wastewater treatment. Dead algal biomass may passively sequester metals and organic materials by the process of biosorption from dilute solutions, where biomass functions as an ion exchanger by virtue of various reactive groups available …

Removal Of Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solutions Using Local Adsorbents, Moza S. Al-Sharyani

Theses

The recent rapid increase in industrialization activities contributed to most of aquatic pollution problems. Among aquatic pollutants, heavy metals, such as zinc, lead, cadmium, and copper have gained relatively more significance in view of their persistence and toxicity. Due to their health and toxicological effects, environmental agencies and authorities have set strict regulations to maintain the limit of heavy metals in wastewater below the maximum acceptable concentration levels.

The technical feasibility of using raw date pits and different activated carbons prepared from date pits by air and acid activation as low cost local adsorbents for the removal of different heavy …

Techno-Economic Evaluation Of Conventional And Membrane-Based Pretreatment Before Reverse Osmosis, Shamma Ahmed Rashid Al-Malek

Theses

In this thesis, a technological and economical comparison was conducted on both conventional and membrane based pre-treatment before reverse osmosis desalination. In order to produce high quality water at the design recovery ratio, reverse osmosis membranes should receive high quality feed water in terms of turbidity, suspended solids, and biological matters. Conventional pre-treatment schemes of media and cartridge filters after coagulation chambers have been used for years. Due to the poor performance and decline in reverse osmosis recovery, membrane based pre-treatment has emerged and has been under research and study in the recent years. Few conventional pre-treatment reverse osmosis plants …

Quantitative And Qualitative Assessment Of Groundwater Resources In Al-Khatim Area, Uae, Ahmed Khaled Othman

Accounting Dissertations

The UAE has achieved remarkable progress in transformation from separated small emirates to a modem union country with a high standard of living. The country is however, considered an extreme arid region. In spite of these harsh conditions, The UAE government has encouraged plantation in towns, villages and country side. This has led to sharp increase in the agricultural sector particularly during the last three decades. As the irrigated land kept increasing, there was a deep concern about the water demand and the impact of agriculture activities on groundwater systems. Al-Khatim area is considered one of the most

important agricultural …

Optimal Selection Of The Desalination Intakes And Outlets Considering The Environmental And Hydrodynamic Conditions Prevailing In The Uae Western Coastal Water, Ahmed Ali Basioni

Theses

No abstract provided.

Quantitative And Qualitative Assessment Of Groundwater Resources In Al-Khatim Area, Uae, Ahmed Khaled Othman

Theses

The UAE has achieved remarkable progress in transformation from separated small emirates to a modern union country with a high standard of living. The country is however, considered an extreme arid region.

In spite of these harsh conditions, The UAE government has encouraged plantation in towns, villages and country side. This has led to sharp increase in the agricultural sector particularly during the last three decades. As the irrigated land kept increasing, there was a deep concern about the water demand and the impact of agriculture activities on groundwater systems. Al-Khatim area is considered one of the most important agricultural …

Assessment Of Surface Water Runoff And Groundwater Recharge Using Mathematical Models, Khaled Omer Mohamed Haroon

Theses

In arid and semi-arid regions, surface water resources are scarce and, in most cases, groundwater is the only natural resource of freshwater. Pumping of groundwater often exceeds natural recharge. Therefore, groundwater levels are declining and its quality is deteriorating. Sustainable management of groundwater is thus a key issue and requires implementation of appropriate technologies to augment groundwater resources. Artificial recharge augments the natural movement of surface water into the underground formations using some means of construction whereby surface water from streams or lakes is made to infiltrate into the ground.

The UAE is known by its arid conditions and limited …

Laboratory Investigation Of Transport And Treatment Of Chromium In Groundwater At Liwa District, Abu Dhabi, Wali-Ur-Rahman Din Badshah

Theses

Groundwater quality is a critical aspect affecting utilization of this source for certain purposes. In the UAE, utilization of groundwater for domestic purposes is well practiced. While the quality of groundwater at some locations does not permit direct utilization of this source, groundwater, in many cases, is mixed with desalinated water at certain proportion before being disinfected and then distributed to customers.

Groundwater of Liwa aquifer contains high level of Cr(VI) which is believed to originate from natural sources. However, little has been done to investigate the fate of this contaminant. Spreading of chromium to nearby aquifers may render the …

Aquifer Characterization And Quantitative Assessment Of Over Exploitation Of The Shallow Aquifer In Ai Maqam Ai Saad Area The Eastern Region, Abu Dhabi Emirate, Ismail Mohammed Hamad Ai 8adi

Accounting Dissertations

Al Maqam-AI Saad area is located to the west of Al Ain city on Al Ain-Abu Dhabi

Highway. This area was chosen to be studied because of the rapid decline of the

water level in the shallow aquifer as a result of continuous heavy withdrawal of the

ground water. In 1990-1991, the area was recognized as one of the major ground

water depressions in the Eastern Region where more than 40 meters of draw down

were noted in the center of depression . The objective of this study is to determine the

hydraulic status of the aquifer by means of …