Water Management

Delft University of Technology via edX XSeries

Overview

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Safe water supply and hygienic water treatment are prerequisites for the well-being of communities all over the world. This Water XSeries, offered by the water management experts of TU Delft, will give you a unique opportunity to gain access to world-class knowledge and expertise in this field.

This 3-course series will cover questions such as: How does climate change affect water cycle and public safety? How to use existing technologies to treat groundwater and surface water so we have safe drinking water? How do we take care of sewage produced in the cities on a daily basis? You will learn what are the physical, chemical and biological processes involved; carry out simple experiments at home; and have the chance to make a basic design of a drinking water treatment plant

Syllabus

Courses under this program:
Course 1: Introduction to Water and Climate

Water is a crucial element in climate and for society. Find out about the latest engineering interventions for water management in rivers, coasts and the urban environment.

Course 2: Drinking Water Treatment

Learn about urban water services, focusing on conventional technologies for drinking water treatment.

Course 3: Urban Sewage Treatment

Learn about urban water services, focusing on basic sewage treatment technologies.

Courses

2 reviews
7 weeks, 6-8 hours a week, 6-8 hours a week
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This course will focus on basic technologies for the treatment of urban sewage. Unit processes involved in the treatment chain will be described as well as the physical, chemical and biological processes involved. There will be an emphasis on water quality and the functionality of each unit process within the treatment chain. After the course one should be able to recognise the process units, describe their function and make simple design calculations on urban sewage treatment plants.

The course consists of 6 modules:
1. Sewage treatment plant overview. In this module you will learn what major pollutants are present in the sewage and why we need to treat sewage prior to discharge to surface waters. The functional units will be briefly discussed.
2. Primary treatment. In this module you learn how coarse material, sand & grit are removed from the sewage and how to design primary clarification tanks.
3. Biological treatment. In this module you learn the basics of the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous cycle and how biological processes are used to treat the main pollutants of concern.
4. Activated sludge process. In this module you learn the design principles of conventional activated sludge processes including the secondary clarifiers and aeration demand of aeration tanks.
5. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal. In this module you learn the principles of biological nitrogen removal as well as phosphorus removal by biological and/or chemical means.
6. Sludge treatment. In this module you will the design principles of sludge thickeners, digesters and dewatering facilities for the concentration and stabilisation of excess sewage sludge. Potentials for energy recovery via the produced biogas will be discussed as well as the direct anaerobic treatment of urban sewage in UASB reactors when climate conditions allow.
This course in combination with the courses "Introduction to Water and Climate" and "Introduction to Drinking Water Treatment" forms the Water XSeries, by DelftX.
1 review
10 weeks, 6-8 hours a week, 6-8 hours a week
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Water is essential for life on Earth and of crucial importance for society. Water also plays a major role in affecting climate. Its natural cycle, from ocean to atmosphere by evaporation, then by precipitation back to land returning via rivers and aquifers to the oceans, has a decisive impact on regional and global climate patterns.

For those interested in engineering, climate science and environmental studies, this course offers a first introduction to the physics of water systems and their role in climate. In addition, we show you the state-of-the-art engineering interventions that can be applied to water systems. These can improve coastal safety and increase the availability of water supplies worldwide.

The course welcomes students from all over the globe, so we actively encourage discussion of water and climate issues you may experience in your location, now and in the coming decades.

After taking this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the different processes at play in the global water cycle.
- Identify and describe the flows of water and sand in different riverine, coastal and ocean systems.
- Identify mechanisms of climate change and explain the interplay between climate change, sea level, clouds, rainfall and future weather.
- Explain why, when and which engineering interventions are needed in rivers, coastal and urban environments.
- Explain why water for food and water for cities are the main challenges in water management and propose solutions.
- Explain and confront the challenges in better understanding and adapting to the impact of climate change on water over the coming 50 years.
The course consists of knowledge clips, movies, exercises, and exam assignments. There are opportunities to discuss course materials with your fellow students and the Course Team through our online forum. We also provide interactive feedback video sessions in which the lecturers discuss issues raised by students.

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) has a unique reputation when it comes to water and climate, with faculty experts in the fields of climate research, water management and hydraulic engineering. The course introduces you to many aspects of water and climate: from the micro scale of raindrops to the macro scale of oceans, and from understanding the physics of the different water systems to practical engineering solutions that may help societies adapt to the present and future impacts of climate change on water.

Together with the courses "Drinking water treatment" and "Urban Sewage Treatment" this course forms the Water XSeries, from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at TU Delft.

Taught by

Caroline Katsman, Nick van de Giesen, Herman Russchenberg, Hubert Savenije, Marcel Stive, Luuk Rietveld, Doris van Halem, Anke Grefte, Jules van Lier and Merle de Kreuk

Reviews

4.5 rating, based on 2 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Water Management

Sara J. Carvajal @sarajoha

Challenging courses
I completed two of the three courses, the one I didn't do is Introduction to Drinking Water Treatment.
They are really condensed and the material it's not easy but if you have the time and you are willing to study hard you'll learn a lot.

If you are serious about learning this topics, then do these courses, but trust me the material is really challenging.
Girma Moges

Am interested to learn or to apply water management online free course that is interesting in my life also am working on tap water distribution and treatment