IWA Brisbane 2016: Arcadis and KWR agree on development new groundwater resource concepts
Arcadis and KWR Watercycle Research Institute have signed a cooperation agreement in the area of Subsurface Water Solutions (SWS). Ensuring a long term commitment to provide sustainable freshwater management in coastal areas.
Dutch consultancy firm Arcadis and Dutch research institute KWR already participate in the Allied Waters foundation that aims to open the world market for subsurface water solutions as robust, effective, sustainable and cost-efficient answers to the freshwater challenges in coastal areas worldwide.
The agreement was signed by John Batten (left) of Arcadis and Jos Boere (right) of KWR at the IWA world congress 2016 in Brisbane, Australia on 12 October.
Freshkeeper concept offered by KWR and Arcadis to the Southwest Florida Water Management District: brackish water is abstracted in such a way that it does not flow to the freshwater well (1) and can be desalinated using membranes (2). The saline residual stream is pumped back into a deeper aquifer (3).
Smart use of fresh groundwater
The agreement is a result of a 4-year cooperation in Allied Waters, including feasibility studies for drinking water utilities in Florida (US) and project initiation for water reuse and agriculture in Mexico.
The cooperation focuses on novel concepts for groundwater resource management in coastal zones, based on the smart combined use of natural resources and advanced techniques.
Combat salt intrusion
Examples of such concepts include:
● temporary storage of freshwater in saline groundwater and its subsequent unmixed recovery for crop irrigation (the ASR-Coastal concept)
● prevention of water-well salinization through the simultaneous abstraction of fresh and intruding saline groundwater (the Freshkeeper concept).
Installation of Freshkeeper for Duch water supply company Vitens consisting of screens to stop salt intrusion of its fresh groundwater wells.
About Subsurface water solutions
Subsurface Water Solutions (SWS) provide innovative, practical concepts for advanced freshwater management, with the common objective of protecting, enlarging and sustainably utilizing fresh groundwater resources in coastal areas.
SWS introduces a new way of thinking in terms of water resource management, far beyond the current state-of-the-art and common practice.
New concepts have been developed and field-tested by public-private partnerships such as Allied Waters, and are now being taken up by the market’s early adopters.
This news item was originally published on the website of Allied Waters.
Read also on this website
● Arcadis and KWR develop investment decision tool for six fresh groundwater pilots worldwide, 8 January 2016
● EU approves Dutch-led research programme Subsol on protection of fresh water resources in coastal areas, 18 February 2015
More information
Allied Waters
Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
+31 6 5374 5375
www.alliedwaters.com