Water conservation considers the strategies and application to ensure that water remains a sustainable resource.
Waste management is also an important way to conserve and preserve our way of life, to ensure that we live in a sustainable way. This course provides you with detailed knowledge of water conservation and waste management, as well as the potential to study environmental studies or assessment.
The course is studied by distance learning and you can start at any time to suit you. There are -
2 core modules - Water Conservation, Environmental Waste Management
You then choose 1 elective module from Environmental Studies or Environmental Assessment
Then undertake a 200 hour Industry related project/work experience Find out more below.
If you would like to work in water conservation and waste management, this is a great course to get started. This course is a unique course putting you ahead of the competition.
Modules
Note that each module in the Qualification - Proficiency Award in Water Conservation and Waste Management is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
How Can Waste Water be Treated
This should be the last resort when water is no longer usable or recyclable, as it is quite costly. Nowadays there are more sustainable technologies available in the market, that are cost-effective and ecological.
Wastewater treatment can be done through conventional methods or alternative ones. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are found in most of the largest cities’ large-scale wastewater plants. They are very expensive to build and maintain, require chemicals and high costs in energy, and specialized staff. They also produce large amounts of semisolid wastes that have to be dehydrated and later transported to waste dumps. The problems associated with the process mean that research is being undertaken to design better processes for these wastes, especially to generate usable end-products.
A half way technology between conventional and alternative are the bio filters, which use building materials (cement, steel, plastic), to provide suitable surfaces for micro-organisms to develop colonies that will obtain their food from the wastewater treated. In this way water is cleaned up of organic matter and nutrients, pathogens are digested by the other bacterial and algal colonies, and water is cleaned. Advantages of these plants are that they occupy small surfaces, and they are relatively inexpensive.
Water Sanitation Methods
Water sanitation is the process of cleaning water to remove potentially harmful substances and living organisms like virus, bacteria, fungus and algae.
- Filter any suspended particles from the water. Live, dead or non biological particles may be removed from the water using a mesh filter. This can be successful up to a point, but may be ineffective for for smaller microscopic size particles.
- Disinfection: biological organisms may be killed. They may still exist in the water, but may be rendered not harmful.
- Chlorination: Chlorine (Cl-) is added to the water. Chlorine is an effective oxidizer. It may kill potentially harmful organisms through oxidation.
- Ozone treatment: Ozone (O3) may be added to water either as a chemical or a gas bubbled into the water. It has a highly oxidative impact; disinfecting by oxidizing living material.
- UV treatment is another method of biological sanitation. It is safer than some, using no chemicals. Bacteria are killed by the action of UV irradiation to damage their genetic material (DNA). This method is only effective in clear water where light can penetrate. This works best in shallow water.
- MF (Membrane filtration): Introduced in the early 1990’s this treatment system is becoming more popular as new systems are developed and approved for using the reclamation of water and for use as a micro-filtration system as a first step to produce drinking water from effluent (followed by UV and Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatments).
- Microbial Fuel Cells: Also known a Biological Fuel Cells – this emerging technology generates electricity during waste water treatment, using energy (produced by microorganisms) that is extracted from organic waste as it oxidises.
- Nanotechnology: This is an emerging technology that has enormous potential in water treatment as a way of removing pathogens and also other contaminants and pollutants e.g. heavy metals from otherwise useless water sources. Considered a very viable option in the future in especially for developing countries with high water contamination issues.
- Natural treatments: e.g. reed beds
What Next?
The world is a big place and the population of the world is increasing. Ensuring that we have an adequate water supply and are not wasteful is essential to our continued survival. If you would like to become an expert in this field and help the world, this course provides you with detailed knowledge and insight into this specialist area.
To be successful in the field of water conservation and waste management, you need to passionate, determined to succeed and persistent. Show potential employers that you are keen and willing to learn.
If this sounds right up your street, then why delay? Enrol today.
