event
Tuesday 30 Apr 2013: Dealing with variable water resource security and water quality for the supply of safe drinking water, an Australian perspective
John van Leeuwen - University of South Australia
Harrison 102 14:00-15:00
Australia is known for being a predominantly dry continent where water resources can be viewed as being generally limited, especially in extended drought periods. These resources need to be carefully managed to meet human needs, for environmental wellbeing, their sustainability and for future water security. The continent, as many others, has great diversity in vegetation types and loadings, geomorphology, soils, seasonality and climate conditions, which impact significantly on water resources and quality. In recent years, large areas of Australia have experienced extensive and repeated floods, the cause of which has been attributed to climate cycling and possibly long-term climate change. These climate condition changes have dramatically impacted on water resource availability and water quality. This seminar will describe some of the recent changes that have occurred in water resources and quality, and challenges that have arisen in meeting drinking water supplies, especially in the state of South Australia. Some research conducted through the SA Water Centre for Water Management and Reuse to address issues of drinking water supply will be detailed in this seminar.
Bio: John van Leeuwen is an associate professor at the University of South Australia where leads a research unit of the SA Water Centre for Water Management and Reuse, Water and Wastewater Quality and Treatment. Research conducted in this unit includes drinking water quality and treatment, water treatment modelling, wastewater treatment, fate of pollutants in the environment and drinking water catchment management. Funding sources include the Australian Research Council, water corporations and private industries. Currently this group has 9 PhD and 1 Masters (Phil) students. John has co-authored over 110 referred journal and conference papers in the above research areas. He holds an Adjunct Professor position with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (State Key Laboratory for Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Beijing). He is co-ordinator of two water related courses for undergraduate and post graduate civil engineering and environmental science students.
