Tag Archive - Water Resources

Haiti Water: 6 Months Later…

August 6, 2010 in Geology with 0 Comments

When I first started I’m Just Thinkin’ I wrote about the water crisis in Haiti in a 3-part series. I thought I would re-visit this 6 months after the devastating earthquake that shook their world…

Prior to the earthquake Haiti had water supply problems. And the earthquake only added to the issue. I hope that you’ll read “’till their cup overflows,” the series that further explains the background.

As expected, the situation has only deteriorated in Haiti since the earthquake. The people of Port-Au-Prince are experiencing typhoid outbreaks, and the United Nations Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Cluster Coordinator has warned of the likelihood of the biggest diarrhea outbreak the world has seen in 20 years. The immediate needs are enormous, and the long-term objective of creating a public water supply system is slow to move forward as the neighborhoods there are still displaced with make-shift shelters and camps. The Linked Map displays some of the ongoing efforts.

Living Water International is one of many organizations involved with helping the people of Haiti. International Action is also very active in helping. Please consider helping the people of Haiti in any way you can.

Water Use Changes in Northeast Florida

July 30, 2010 in Geology with 1 Comment

The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) is proposing regulatory changes to the current Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) and Consumptive Use Permitting (CUP) programs that could have significant impact on businesses in Northeast Florida.

The changes are being implemented to assist in water conservation, and due to a concern that continued development will put our area into the category as a Priority Water Resource Caution Area.

You see, our primary source of drinking water in Northeast Florida is the Floridan Aquifer. This “underground river” of water is being used at a rate greater than the natural ecosystem can replenish it, and creating unacceptable impacts.

As the availability of fresh water from the Floridan Aquifer becomes a concern, we have to look at:

  • Additional water conservation measures, and
  • Alternative Water Supply (AWS) sources to meet our water needs, including desalinization of ocean water, surface water body withdrawls and reuse of reclaimed water.

Both of these efforts are ongoing.

The currently proposed regulatory changes include amending the SJRWMD rules to include water conservation requirements in the ERP program and to require consolidated processing of ERP and CUP applications for specified activities. The specified activities include all ERP applications that will involve irrigation of landscape, golf courses or recreational areas. These applicants will have to develop and implement a water conservation plan to obtain a permit.

If these changes are of an interest to you, please feel free to contact me here or at my company website, Isotropy, Inc. for further information and to see how it may affect your business.

Preservation of The Freshwater Lens on New Providence Island, The Bahamas

April 16, 2010 in Geology with 0 Comments

The Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) is located in the central part of New Providence Island and provides local and international air travel connections. LPIA is the busiest airport in The Bahamas and is undergoing an expansion. The airport expansion includes the addition of a new building that will handle passenger traffic traveling to and from destinations within The United States of America.

The most cost-effective way to cool the large buildings like those at LPIA in The Bahamas is through heat-exchange. This process basically takes large quantities of groundwater, which is at a constant temperature of 70-72 degrees Farenheit, and a heat exchanger is used to transfer the cooling capacity of the groundwater to the air that is then circulated through the building.

Isotropy, Inc. was subcontracted through Sentinel Drilling of The Bahamas, Ltd. to assist with the hydrogeological services for the LPIA project. Our services included assisting with the design and testing of groundwater wells for the heat exchange system. The wells include two production wells and two return wells. The groundwater production wells remove groundwater at a depth of 320 to 400 feet below land surface, and are each 12” in diameter.

Our services included determining if the groundwater withdrawals would have an adverse affect on the surficial freshwater lens, a valuable resource that the local government would like to preserve. The freshwater lens present in the subsurface on New Providence Island is aerially extensive and used locally as a water source tapped by private wells. The freshwater lens is recharged by the infiltration of rainwater, as rainfall at this location exceeds the local evapotranspiration. Generally, the geometry of the lens is such that it is thickest in the central part of the island, and thins toward the coast. The freshwater lens is between 20 and 50 feet thick in the area of the airport.

A large-scale pump test was performed to assist in determining if the new groundwater withdrawals at the airport would affect the freshwater lens. Water levels were monitored in the shallow and deep aquifers during the pump test. The information collected in the field was complied and analyzed, and it has been determined that there does not appear that an impact to the freshwater lens will occur through the use of the groundwater wells at the airport. The deep aquifer is very porous, and the groundwater wells installed at the site have a large capacity to produce groundwater. Additionally, the groundwater return wells installed at the property are designed to assist in eliminating impacts to the shallow freshwater lens. The return wells are open from 200 to 300 feet below land surface, and are located northeast of the production wells. The return wells provide discharge of the heat-exchange discharge water to the aquifer at a shallower depth than the production wells, helping to block affects to the shallow freshwater lens.

This project has been very exciting to work on. I’m very grateful to Sentinel Drilling and the Swaby’s for the opportunity to assist with this high-profile project. It is always a pleasure to work with the people of The Bahamas.

'til their cup overflows (Part 3 of 3)

March 3, 2010 in Geology with 0 Comments

The first two parts of this article have focused on the pre-earthquake conditions in Haiti. How many of us really knew what the situation was like there related to their living conditions prior to the earthquake?

Enter the earthquake into the situation: now their stressed environment is broken. And one might ask… why in the world would the good Lord allow something like this to happen?

I really don’t proclaim to know what the message is but I’m just thinkin’… maybe we should stop for a minute to reflect on our situation. If you consider the economic crisis that we’re going through, and how so many of us have had to adjust and learn to live a different lifestyle, maybe the message has something to do with this…

“… we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” – Romans 5:3-4

Being grateful in tough times is one of the hardest things to do, we tend to think “why in the world is this happening?” and perhaps we should be praying “thank you Lord for this opportunity to grow!”

Finally, I wanted to ask that you continue to do what you can to help the people of Haiti. Remember, their fragile world is still broken, and it will be quite some time before they can even get back to the life they knew before the earthquake. Living Water is one of the many great causes that is helping out there. Please consider helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti in whatever way you can.

Thanks, and Be Great!!

Chris

'til their cup overflows (Part 2 of 3)

March 1, 2010 in Geology with 0 Comments

(Part 2 in a series about the water crisis in Haiti)

… the water that goes into the cup…

It’s helpful to understand a little more about the country of Haiti to put the water situation into perspective… According to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (US ACOE), Haiti has an average annual rainfall of 55 inches. That amount is substantial, but it is also highly variable depending on where you are in the country. Variations in the geology and precipitation affect the availability of water in Haiti.

If we think of the water resources in Haiti in terms of Surface Water and Ground Water, and at the same time focus our discussion on the geographical area of Port-au-Prince (the largest population center in the country, and the area receiving the most damage from the earthquake), we find can define some specific water supply challenges in Haiti.

Surface water is perennially available in this geographical area from two major streams that originate in the mountains to the east of Port-au-Prince. The municipal water system in the city does not use any of the surface water for its supply as the water is heavily polluted near the city from human sewage, solid wastes and industrial chemical contamination. However, for much of the city’s population, the municipal system does not provide water (the municipal system only provides water for approximately 1/3 of the population). The only source of water for the remainder of the population is from the contaminated sources, including the two major streams, along with smaller streams, irrigation ditches, and the city’s storm water drains. This usage leads to increased risk for the people of developing malaria and Dengue fever, which are endemic to the area, and gastrointestinal diseases and food poisoning, with children and seniors being at the highest risk.

The subsurface geology in the area of Port-au-Prince is highly variable and, consequently, so is the availability of ground water as a resource. The surficial and near-surface soils and rock in the area consist of alluvial and carbonate deposits as well as sandstones and conglomerates. Some of the alluvial deposits also lie within an area affected by saltwater intrusion and are, therefore, not desirable for use as a water resource. Springs are also prevalent in the area south of the city. The main sources of water for the municipal system are from two well fields to the east of the city, and from a series of springs to the south. These sources are all facing major problems that are decreasing the quantity and quality of water entering the municipal system.

Water is obviously a precious resource that we can’t live without, imagine living in Haiti where clean drinking water is not a given like it is for most of us… what else is there in your life that you feel is absolutely necessary to live? Do you think the people of Haiti would answer this question in the same way?

'til their cup overflows…

February 27, 2010 in Geology with 0 Comments

(Part 1 in a series about the water crisis in Haiti)

Living Water

First the background, and the issue…

Haiti is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and one of the poorest in the western hemisphere. Increased urbanization in recent years, shifting populations from more rural areas to major cities, like Port-au-Prince, has strained the natural resources essential for sustained life. An inadequate and unsafe potable water supply, in part due to the lack of public wastewater treatment and sanitation systems, is a key issue for the people of Haiti.

In Port-au-Prince, the domestic water supply system is capable of serving less than half of the population. The system’s water sources include mountain springs and water wells, and this system doesn’t utilize the more-heavily contaminated surface water sources.

There is currently no public collection and treatment system for wastewater in the country, leading to widespread pollution of the water resources. The primary contributors to the pollution include domestic wastes along with agricultural runoff.

Haiti has drawn recent attention due to the unfortunate, catastrophic earthquake that centered near Port-au-Prince. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says the aftershock sequence of the magnitude-7 earthquake that struck Haiti, on Jan. 12, 2010, will continue for months, if not years. The frequency of the aftershock events will diminish with time, but damaging earthquakes will remain a threat.

In the wake of the recent earthquake in Haiti, the most critical resources for the survival of these people include safe drinking water, along with food and medical treatment.

Have you identified any good causes to help the people of Haiti address their needs since the earthquake?