Tag: rivers

Update on Healthy Waters Research Projects at UWE 

Author rosieperrett | Posted on

By Rosie Perrett, Dr Connie Tulloch, and Matt Coombs 

The Healthy Waters blog is back! Our research group are currently working on three government funded research projects monitoring the health of rivers using sensors to measure various biological and physiochemical parameters. 

In 2022, no rivers in the UK were classified as having good overall health, which can be largely attributed to discharges of sewage effluent and agricultural runoff into rivers (The Rivers Trust, 2024). Collecting water quality data allows us to detect and monitor the impacts of pollution events in rivers and can inform evidence driven decision-making to improve river health and water safety.  

All three projects are using in-situ sensing technologies and spot sampling (paired with laboratory analysis) to assess UK river quality. However, each project is measuring slightly different water quality parameters according to the project aims and deliverables. 

Collecting water quality data with Chelsea fluorescence-based sensors and Xylem sondes

Development of an Innovative Intelligent Multiparameter Fluorometer to Sense the Impact of Organic Pollution on River Health 

Project partners: University of the West of England (UK academics), Chelsea Technologies (UK sensor manufacturers), The Rivers Trust (river conservation experts) 

This project is funded by Innovate UK and aims to develop and deploy a new multiparameter fluorescence-based sensor measuring organic pollution, algae (phytoplankton), and bacterial contamination. The new sensor technology will provide data on river health, for which there is currently a lack of data on since commercially available sensors predominantly measure physiochemical parameters.  

Following sensor development, prototypes will be deployed at three locations in the River Dart, collecting water quality and river health data in real time. River water samples will be collected for laboratory analysis involving: measurements of BOD5, microbial enumeration (heterotrophic bacteria and fecal indicator organisms), as well as carbon and nutrient concentrations.  

Another field trip with the Chelsea and Xylem sensors

The sensor will be low cost, making it accessible for community groups. AI and machine learning will be used to create a Water Quality Index by combining the measurement of the new parameters with additional real-time data, enabling interpretation of sensor data regarding river health. 

This new sensing technology will enable accurate, high-resolution monitoring of the impact of pollution discharges on bacterial contamination and organic pollution in rivers, improving the way we monitor and determine river health. 

MaD-OPS project – Monitoring and Detection of Organic Pollution from Sewage in rivers. 

Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the MaD-OPS project aims to investigate the impact of pollution from both point sources (like sewage discharges) and diffuse sources (like agricultural run-off) on river health.  

Using fluorescence-based sensors supplied by our industry partner Chelsea Technologies and multiparameter Xylem EXO sondes, we will monitor a range of physical, chemical and biological water quality parameters.  

Our sensors will be connected to custom WATR tech environmental monitoring platforms, and data will be continuously uploaded and accessed through a cloud-based system. 

This forms the basis of our sensor network to monitor river health in our demonstrator catchment – The Bidwell Brook. 

Bidwell Brook, Devon

Alongside continuous sensor data provided to us via our sensor network; we’ll also be taking regular spot samples for ground truthing. Looking into nutrient concentrations, total carbon, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), faecal indicators, as well as DNA extraction for microbial communities. 

By linking our data with hydrological data – provided by the Environment Agency and event duration monitoring data (EDM) – provided by South West Water, we will create a Water Quality Index using AI and machine learning. This will provide a platform for communities to assess the health of their local rivers and see the impact of pollution events in real time, empowering them to take action when necessary. 

TWIN–Waters: Management of water resources: resilience, adaptation and mitigation to hydroclimatic extreme events and management tools. 

This project is funded by the European Commision and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with support and collaboration from the University of Lund (Sweden), The University of The West of England (UK) and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland). 

The Project aims to integrate AI and Machine Learning with GIS and large data sets to create a digital platform for water quality monitoring. This digital platform will act as the “Digital Twin” of the water source which will be a valuable management tool. 

There are three phases to the project with UWE primarily involved in providing data from a range of novel sensors being used across other similar projects (MaD-OPS & Multiparameter Fluorometer).  

The project is currently in Phase One which aims to identify monitoring sites in each of the three countries.  At these sites, water quality sensors will be deployed to collect data which will be used in the GIS modelling alongside satellite data. 

In addition to this, each university partner will print and build 8 3D-Printable open-source microscopes designed by OpenFlexture. These microscopes will be used identification of Algae species, citizen science and public engagement events.  

3D microscopes at the Festival of Nature

UWE have seven monitoring sites across the River Dart and Bidwell Brook, from which data from sensors and traditional water quality parameters from laboratory analysis are being collected. The same sample sites are being used as the other projects within our research group as this will allow cross project data sharing, ultimately leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the catchment.  

The next stage of the project is to develop a functional model for each of the three catchments using the sensor data coupled with satellite data. This will require regularly uploading data to the digital platform for the AI and Machine Learning aspect of the model. The model will then begin to make assumptions and eventually make predictions to allow accurate water quality management. 

We’ll be posting on the Healthy Waters blog every month, with our next post being an introduction to the team.

Thinking about Sewage Releases into the River Where I Live

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Guest blog post by Professor Chad Staddon, Professor of Resource Economics and Policy

Sewage releases into rivers are a significant problem in Stroud District where I have lived for more than twenty years. They cause significant damage to the environment and pose a threat to public health. These releases occur mainly due to the fact that our sewage system combines surface water drainage and domestic sewage into a single underground network conveying all wastewaters to sewage treatment facilities and this system is increasingly frequently overwhelmed during periods of high rainfall.  Over-development means that ever more housing is connected to an underground sewerage system of fixed capacity (unless major sewerage upgrades that typically take years are implemented). Climate change is increasing the frequency of high rainfall events and therefore of sewage releases.

According to data collated by The Rivers Trust, in 2022 there were over 300 raw sewage discharges reported by Severn Trent Water into watercourses within the Stroud District.  Most sewage releases were caused by “insufficient hydraulic capacity”, meaning that the pipe network could not accommodate both domestic sewage and heavy rainfall.  For example, a combined sewer overflow (CSO) in about 2 km from where I live spilled a mixture of rainwater and sewage into the River Cam on 47 separate occasions and for a total of 223 hours.

One of the primary concerns associated with sewage releases into rivers is the impact on public health. When untreated sewage enters rivers, it can contain harmful pathogens and bacteria, such as E.coli and salmonella. These micro-organisms can pose a significant risk to human health, causing a range of severe illnesses, including gastroenteritis, hepatitis A, and cholera.  Sewage can also damage aquatic ecosystems, killing fish and other aquatic organisms, and lead to contamination of water sources that can affect drinking water quality.

A canal in Stroud

Severn Trent, the water company responsible for sewage treatment in most of Stroud District, has acknowledged the challenges posed by sewage releases and in 2022-23 invested over £25 million in drainage system and the wastewater treatment plant improvements in Stroud. This investment is intended to improve the capacity of the existing sewage treatment infrastructure thereby reducing the frequency of sewage releases.

In addition to upgrading wastewater treatment infrastructure, there are other measures that could be implemented to reduce sewage discharges into rivers.  District Councils, who have lead responsibilities for development permitting and control need to strengthen requirements around sustainable drainage.  In fact, they already have the tools to do so, with a requirement that new developments apply the “drainage hierarchy”, prioritising on-site water management solutions before connecting to sewers or releasing to the natural environment.  Solutions include the installation of green roofs and rain gardens in urban areas, and reinstating wetlands or ponds on larger development sites, all of which can help to reduce surface water runoff and therefore the volume of wastewater entering the sewer network.  If we can reduce the amount of rainwater draining into the wastewater network then over-capacity situations will become less frequent. 

The water sector regulator, Ofwat, also needs to do more to require water companies to invest more in the wastewater network.  Through its role approving company business plans, including capital investment, Ofwat has a strong influence over how much water companies invest in the drainage and wastewater system.  In fact Ofwat is partly to blame for the current high level of sewerage releases to the natural environment because it has not insisted on higher levels of water company investment, even when companies have proposed to do so.  The water quality crisis is very much a regulatory crisis.

Sewage going directly into a river

Public awareness campaigns can also help to raise awareness of the dangers associated with sewage releases into rivers and promote better environmental practices.  These campaigns can encourage people to avoid flushing inappropriate items, such as baby wipes and cooking fat, down the toilet and to be more mindful of how we dispose of waste.  Education programmes in schools could also help to promote better environmental practices and create a culture of sustainability among future generations.  It is also great to see citizens’ groups getting involved in monitoring river and lake water quality.

Sewage releases into rivers are a significant problem where I live and up and down the country posing threats to both public health and the environment. To address this issue, stakeholders must work together to implement measures that reduce the frequency of these discharges and limit the environmental damage caused by them. By upgrading the sewage treatment infrastructure, encouraging responsible environmental practices, strengthening regulatory powers, and raising public awareness of the dangers associated with these releases we can protect the natural beauty of our waterways and create a healthier environment for all.

References:

1. The Rivers Trust (2023). Sewage in our Rivers, Available at: https://theriverstrust.org/sewage-map

2. Staddon, C. (2010) Managing Europe’s Water: 21st century challenges, Ashgate Press.

3. UK Parliament Environmental Audit Committee (2022) Water quality in rivers Fourth Report of Session 2021–22, https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmenvaud/74/report.html#

Rivers are Drying Up All Over the World: what can we do about it?

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Image caption: Map 1:  Water level situation of rivers and streams in part of southwestern England (riverlevels.uk)

By Chad Staddon, Sun Shun and Stevie Miller

As of mid-2022, water levels across the world are lowering due to a long-term drying/heating trend.  Rivers in parts of the UK are rapidly approaching low levels not seen since the historic 1976 drought, when the country saw temperatures exceeding 32°C for fifteen days with the nation’s highest ever recorded temperature reaching 35.9°C in Cheltenham. But now, the Met Office has issued its first Red Warning for heat, indicating a danger to life – but it’s not just the intensity of this heatwave that’s raising alarms. The frequency of heatwaves like this across the world speaks to the influence of human activity on global climates; record after record is being broken as years go by and climate change’s results become more apparent.

The impact of new peak temperatures is not just a family trip to the beach or day without rail travel. The worldwide repercussions of rising temperatures can be seen in examples such as Lake Mead, the almost-dry reservoir behind the iconic Hoover Dam in the US southwest, which is perhaps 100 days from being too low to produce hydroelectricity. Historic low flows in many parts of Australia are contributing to ever worsening fire seasons, a troubling pattern also seen as wildfires rage in parts of France, Spain and Portugal.

Here in the southwest of England we are experiencing an intensifying drought trend. The recent heat – as lovely as some summer warmth has been – has been problematic beyond just an uncomfortable lack of air-conditioning. Map 1 seems to show that whilst many stream flows are significantly below baseline averages (red or yellow dots), many seem to be doing okay (green symbols). But a closer look reveals a more complex picture.

Covering only the area around Bristol and Bath, Map 2 shows that even “green” stream flows tend to be only at or near normal levels for this time of year.  Few streams are experiencing rising flows over any time horizon.  Rather than being truly “healthy waters”, our rivers and streams are under a variety of threats that are combining to reduce average flows, impacting flora and fauna and human communities.  

That’s not all: surface stream flows are only part of the story of our drying environment. During June groundwater levels receded in all aquifers – generally either just reaching normal levels or sinking below (with some notably low levels) – reflecting the prolonged period of below average rainfall and increasing soil moisture deficits.  Similarly, reservoir levels fell, and although some increased relative to average (e.g., in western Scotland and Northern Ireland), others in the midlands (Derwent Valley), southwest (Colliford and Wimbleball), and Wales (Brianne and Elan Valley) were significantly lower than average.  Our reservoirs are not yet as dangerously low as Lake Mead, but they are low enough that we may soon have mandatory water restrictions in some areas.

So, what can we do about the parlous state of our water resources? Certainly we must not give in to the temptation to believe that somehow the winter rains will save us, or that if recent years have been drier than average then surely coming years will be wetter and it will all come good. This is “magical thinking” and divorced from what the science of climate change is telling us. The longer-term climate trends suggest that our rains will be ever more unpredictable across the year and because surface and groundwater storage is limited, even periods of heavier than average rain may not help improve our water balance. We must also not sell ourselves the notion that new technologies, such as desalination or wastewater recycling, will save the day.  Both are wonderful technologies, but they require considerable energy and capital inputs as well as producing waste outputs (e.g., brine) that are difficult to sustainably manage.

Really, it is to ourselves that we need to look for solutions to a deteriorating water supply-demand balance. It is said that the “average” water user in the UK uses 140-160 litres per person per day, though our research suggests that the actual range of water use is from approximately 100 to 250 litres per day. By better understanding who is using what volumes of water, for what reasons and under what conditions, it is possible to design demand-reduction policies that are effective and fit for purpose. This is where the future of water management needs to be. This is how we will save our dwindling water sources.

Source: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (2022) Hydrological Summary for the United Kingdom, June 2022

World Water Day 2022

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

To celebrate World Water Day 2022, we are highlighting some of our research on river abuse:

Slow Violence and River Abuse: The Hidden Effect of Land Use on Water Quality

Associated staff, researchers and companies:

In England, no river achieves good chemical status, only 14% achieve good ecological status and none achieve both good chemical and ecological status according to the European Water Framework Directive. The deteriorating quality of our river systems is a result of pollution runoff events from storm water discharge, sewage discharge and land mismanagement. Pollution from sewage discharge and land misuse (e.g. agricultural chemical runoff) can result in diminishing water quality through increased nutrient availability in rivers. The increased availability of nutrients in rivers can lead to algal blooms and eutrophication events. Eutrophication events negatively impact the quality of freshwater systems as light penetration becomes limited as sheets of algae cover surfaces. This then leads to reduced oxygen availability, which greatly impacts the microbial and aquatic life beneath the surface. The addition of excess nutrients or contaminants into our river systems can be describes as “slow violence”. Slow violence in the environment is the mid- to long-term damage or mismanagement that results in adverse effects may not always obvious: out of sight, out of mind.

An ongoing collaborative project between the Centre for Research in Biosciences, the Centre for Fine Print Research and Somerset Wildlife Trust is seeking to address slow violence in the form of how land-use can affect freshwater quality. This project intends to identify the effect of key nutrients and contaminants that are associated with excessive algal growth. This data will be integrated and interpreted in the form of traditional printmaking and experimental photographic processes. The printed outputs will investigate and respond to the relationship between land use and aquatic health. Produced artwork will be exhibited to allow for engagement with audiences and seeks to start conversations around the issue of declining water quality of our rivers and the effect of slow violence.

This multidisciplinary project is an example of interdisciplinary collaborations that are being created and nurtured as part of a new UWE Bristol-wide Healthy Waters Initiative Research Cluster. The Healthy Waters Initiative seeks to restore and enhance the health of freshwaters for people, businesses, and nature. This will be addressed through developing projects that cut across three interdisciplinary core themes: science, design and technology, and society.

Back to top