The Power of Water

Peter Styles

Description

About this book
Written by a British Civil Engineer, this book deals, predominantly, with the UK water sector, however, principles and methods are largely international and therefore much, if not all of it will be of interest to all.
The Power of Water looks at virtually all aspects of in-land water management in some detail, including natural and man-made systems. Based on their history, it goes on to look at legislation, management structures, finance, quality control, and even recreation. It is a book that doesn’t have to be read cover-to-cover or page-by-page; you can select your own area of interest or just read it like a novel. Either way, you will hopefully gain some benefit and knowledge that could lead to a desire to enter the water industry. The world needs clean, piped water and sanitation – and it needs people like you, whatever your background, to make it happen.

Sujets

• Energie & environnement
• Water
• Engineering
• Technology
• United Kingdom
• Sciences et techniques
• Environmental
• Water Supply

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse UK
• Date de parution: 31 août 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781728374628
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 7 Mo

Extrait

The Power of Water


A Primer for Anyone Entering the Water Industry



PETER STYLES




© 2022 Peter Styles. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.



ISBN: 978-1-7283-7461-1 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-7283-7462-8 (e)



Published by AuthorHouse 08/31/2022

















The Author has asserted his rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988. But please be aware that much of the content is available to you under the provisions of “Fair Use.”
Special thanks to Alan Sutton for his major contributions especially on Distribution and Materials and Wayne Earp for his valuable insi ghts
All unaccredited photographs are by Peter St yles.
All accredited photographs are via Creative Commons, to whom a donation has been made. The links to their sources can be foun d at:
https://felixschrodinger.wordpress.com/2022/07/21/the-power-of-w ater/
Thanks again to Wikipedia, Wikimedia, Creative Commons and all of the free sites who make knowledge sharing so easy these days.
An apology is due for the poor quality of some of my own images. Two of the major water companies were approached for help but both decl ined.
Dedicated to all who enjoy sharing knowledge and, especially, those who do it for free.



Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Background
The Macro and Micro Water Cycles
A History of Water in the UK
The Current UK Water Industry and Regulation
Water Legislation in the UK
Water Chemistry and Properties
Water Supply
Water Resources
Water Treatment
Water Supply and Storage
Water Distribution
Fire Fighting
Waste Water (Sewage)
Alternatives to Sewerage
Sewerage
Sewage Treatment
Sludge Treatment and Disposal
Pumping
Trade Effluent
Quality Assurance
Finance
Human Resources
Maintenance
Support Functions
WaterAid
Asset Management
Design and Construction
Materials
Dams and Reservoirs
Design of Treatment Plants
Design of Pipelines
Tunnelling
Land Drainage and Irrigation
Rivers
Flooding
Drought
Other Waterways
Canals and Navigation
Recreation
Utilities
The Drinks Industry
This Sceptered Isle
Recent Disasters
Appendix 1 Abbreviations
Appendix 2 Glossary
Appendix 3: Units
Appendix 4: Bodies
Appendix 5: Management Structures
Appendix 6 – Regulation
Appendix 7: Further Reading
Appendix 8: A Water Grid for England







Also by Peter Styles (writing as Stilovsky and Schrodi nger)
Hoggrills End published December 2017
The Power of Numbers published January 2018
The Power of Names published May 2018
The Power of Notes published September 2018
The Power of Words (1) published December 2018
Power Quiz ’18 published January 2019
Power Quiz ’19 published March 2019
Power Quiz ’17 published July 2019
The Power of Words (2) published March 2020
The Power of Words (3) published May 2020
The Power of Dreams published July 2020
SAMS, Simplified Asset Management Systems published December 2020
Principles of Asset Management published 2021 with Wayne Earp
[all available in paperback or Kindle on Am azon]



Foreword
Working on New Civil Engineer’s 50 th anniversary issue this year has shown me that skills shortages were a concern in 1972, the same as they are now, and it is likely to be the same in another 50 years, which is why sharing knowledge with those who have joined the sector is so critical. This is the key reason why books like The Power of Water are essential building blocks for our industry – both now and in years to come. It draws together the many years of learning from retired engineers and stores it for future generations to ensure that lessons learned are not lost.
This need to continue learning beyond your formal education is very pertinent for me this year as it marks 25 years since I graduated and went into my first job as a geotechnical engineer. I had the benefit of studying at a former polytechnic that maintained its focus on delivering practical learning despite the transition to university status. Nonetheless, I can still remember hanging up my graduation gown and donning my steel toe-capped boots and hard hat with the realisation of how much I still had to learn. And I have never stopped learning since, even with my move to construction journa lism.
What I do remember clearly from my time as a new graduate in 1997 is the time some of the senior staff took to explain processes, industry history and basic business essentials to me. I then had the chance to build on that knowledge and become more self-reliant working as a resident engineer. Sadly, the economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 changed the civil engineering industry forever with many graduates expected to be earning from day one and the role of resident engineer mostly having disappe ared.
The loss of these learning opportunities makes books like The Power of Water even more essential reading as the chance to gain such insight on the job is becoming rarer. Peter recalls “sitting with Nellie” during his formative years and I recall “sitting with John” in the same way but I hope that for you, “sitting with The Power of Water ” will create a firm foundation for your career in the water indu stry.
As an industry we have come a long way since Sir Joseph Bazalgette transformed the health of Londoners with his sewer system and we are about to see another step change with the commissioning of the Tideway Tunnel. However, there is much to learn about the drivers for that change and how the industry has developed. It continues evolving for the better and having skilled employees is a key part of that evolu tion.
Claire S mith
Ed itor
New Civil Engi neer





Introduction
Why write a book about w ater?
Having time to spare, I set about looking at what’s available to a new entrant to the industry to cut their teeth on. And the answer is very little - yes, there are a number of excellent courses and a few informative books, but there’s nothing that covers the whole subject at the basic level, and is readily available at minimal cost. So, my answer to the above question is – ‘knowledge sharing’ without you having to break-the-bank to acces s it.
I remember well, my days “sitting with Nellie” as I was learning about the basics of the sewer system in Manchester and would have been so grateful for a book which would provide much of what “she” was showing me. How little I knew in those days – and how much were things to change over the coming y ears.
A short introductory, on-line, course could cost you hundreds of pounds and most specialist textbooks can cost as much. Searching out papers on the internet may be cheap but it’s very time consuming. So, I have aimed, through self-publishing, to produce a broad-based textbook at a fraction of those costs and almost free if you use the downloadable Kindle version. My concentration is on getting a complete broad-based coverage rather than an in-depth explanation of any of the subj ects.
Having been involved in safety training and the development of the BTEC courses in my days at the Leicester Water Centre, I found that I have much to share. Whilst this book is aimed at new entrants, I hope that it will provide a valuable insight to others who may already be employed in associated non-technical fields such as finance and human resources. In addition, it should help those in developing countries to appreciate the basics of water, its technologies and its manage ment.
Whilst I have concentrated on the UK Water Industry, most of the content is relevant elsewhere and of interest to anyone who wishes to learn about water and how mankind makes use of it. I apologise for not writing too much about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but most of what’s in here is common to them as well.
You may wish, before embarking on reading my work in its entirety, to find, in the contents list, where the glossary and list of abbreviations are so that you may refer to them when necessary. And don’t expect lots of stuff on the latest gadgets as the author is long past his sell-by date.
At an entry level, basic skills and organisation are crucial and this is where I have aimed this book. I call it a ‘primer’ but expect it to be useful to anyone who is new to the industry or just wants to know more about how things work. It is based on many years of experience in local government and the water industry including at home and ab road.
I hope you find it useful and good luck in your ca reer.



Background
The water industry in the UK is complex and has undergone many changes throughout its history. These involve the organisation and management of its functions alongside the technological advancement which have taken place, in which the UK has played a pivotal role. Whilst this book concentrates