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ES4B6-15 Global Water and Sanitation Technologies

Department
School of Engineering
Level
Undergraduate Level 4
Module leader
Modupe Jimoh
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
30% coursework, 70% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

ES4B6-15 Global Water and Sanitation Technologies

Module web page

Module aims

Engineers are sometimes required to carry out public health services related to the water and environmental engineering subsector. This module introduces the concepts of water supply in rural and urban areas, the design of components of the technologies required, and how the choice of technology interacts with economics and social impacts. The module also focuses on the design of technologies required for sustainable sanitation processes; incorporating wastewater, fecal and solid waste management principles.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

  1. Introduction
    I. Water supply
    II. Sanitation

  2. Water Supply
    I. Source
    II. Quality
    III. Treatment
    IV. Storage- Dams and Reservoirs
    V. Distribution

  3. Wastewater Handling
    I. Generation
    II. Collection
    III. Treatment and Disposal

  4. Design of unit operations and processes in water and wastewater treatment
    I. Sedimentation
    II. Chemical coagulation
    III. Ion-exchange
    IV. Filtration
    V. Dis-infection

  5. Sanitation and Feacal Management
    I. Sanitation principles
    II. Sanitation technologies

  6. Solid Waste Management
    I. Solid waste classification and surveys
    II. Design and operation of solid waste collection and disposal systems
    III. System approach design of land disposal operations

  7. Sustainability in Water Resources
    I. Conservation and usage- Water wastage, leakage & inefficiency
    II. Flood control
    III. Hydropower
    IV. Irrigation
    V. Navigation- Ports and Harbours
    VI. River Basin Planning

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Critically analyse common water supply and sanitation technologies and the biological and physical processes underlying them.
  • Design the components of water and sanitation technologies with a focus on sustainability.
  • Comprehend the significance of sustainable water resources management.
  • Evaluate the economics, engineering, social organisation, and environmental impact analysis of the best choice between competing technologies for any specific site.
  • Review a technical case study and present it effectively to a technical and non-technical audience.
Indicative reading list

“Water Resources Management: Innovative and Green Solutions”, Robert C. Brears, 2021. De Gruyter Online E-book Collection (EBS). ISBN 9783110685640.
“Controlling the Water: Matching Technology and Institutions in Irrigation Management in India and Nepal”, Oxford University Press, 2013, ISBN 0198082924.
“Advanced water supply and wastewater treatment: a road to safer society and environment”, Springer,2011, ISBN 9789400703094 9400703090.
“Alternative Water Supply System”, IWA Publishing, 2015, ISBN 9781780405513. http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/25918.
“The Management of Water Quality and Irrigation Technologies”, Taylor & Francis, 2012, ISBN 1136553223.
“Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Humanitarian Contexts: Reflections on Current Practice”, Practical Action Publishing, 2015, ISBN 1853398845.
“Advances in Water Supply, Sanitation and Environmental Management: A Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) Perspective for Developing Countries”, 2014, ISBN-13 9789966720511.

Subject specific skills
  1. Ability to conceive, make and realise a component, product, system, or process
  2. Ability to develop economically viable and ethically sound sustainable solutions
  3. Ability to be pragmatic, taking a systematic approach and the logical and practical steps necessary for, often complex, concepts to become reality
  4. Ability to seek to achieve sustainable solutions to problems and have strategies for being creative and innovative
  5. Ability to be risk, cost and value-conscious, and aware of their ethical, social, cultural, environmental, health and safety, and wider professional engineering responsibilities
Transferable skills
  1. Numeracy: apply mathematical and computational methods to communicate parameters, model and optimize solutions
  2. Apply problem solving skills, information retrieval, and the effective use of general IT facilities
  3. Communicate (written and oral; to technical and non-technical audiences) and work with others
  4. Awareness of the nature of business and enterprise in the creation of economic and social value
  5. Overcome difficulties by employing skills, knowledge, and understanding in a flexible manner
  6. Ability to formulate and operate within appropriate codes of conduct, when faced with an ethical issue
  7. Appreciation of the global dimensions of engineering, commerce, and communication
  8. Be professional in their outlook, be capable of team working, be effective communicators, and be able to exercise responsibility and sound management approaches.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 28 sessions of 1 hour (19%)
Other activity 2 hours (1%)
Private study 120 hours (80%)
Total 150 hours
Private study description

120 hours of guided independent learning

Other activity description

2x1 hours revision classes

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group D5
Weighting Study time
Individual Oral Presentation 30%

Students would give a 7-minute oral presentation on a topic of choice (from a given list) relevant to the syllabus and learning objectives. Depending on the number of students registered for the module, the presentations might be spread across several days towards the end of the module delivery.

Online Examination 70%

~Platforms - QMP


  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
  • Students may use a calculator
  • Engineering Data Book 8th Edition
Feedback on assessment

Written individual feedback on essay submissions and cohort level feedback on the oral presentation and written exam.

Past exam papers for ES4B6

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H217 MEng Civil Engineering
  • Year 5 of UESA-H218 MEng Civil Engineering with Intercalated Year

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H116 MEng Engineering with Exchange Year
  • Year 5 of UESA-H115 MEng Engineering with Intercalated Year

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H114 MEng Engineering
  • Year 4 of UESA-H311 MEng Mechanical Engineering

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H311 MEng Mechanical Engineering

This module is Option list C for:

  • UESA-H311 MEng Mechanical Engineering
    • Year 4 of H30L Mechanical Engineering with Automotive Engineering
    • Year 4 of H30M Mechanical Engineering with Robotics
    • Year 4 of H30N Mechanical Engineering with Systems Engineering