Assela Pathirana - Revision history

Assela.pathirana.admin at 08:39, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T08:39:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:39, 21 March 2022
Line 8:		Line 8:
	<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">		<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">

	==[[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems\|~~Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems~~]]==		==[[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems\|Systems thinking for Urban Water Systems]]==
	[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]		[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]

Assela.pathirana.admin at 08:38, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T08:38:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:38, 21 March 2022
Line 8:		Line 8:
	<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">		<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">

	==[[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems]]==		==[[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems\|Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems]]==
	[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]		[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]

Assela.pathirana.admin at 08:38, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T08:38:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:38, 21 March 2022
Line 8:		Line 8:
	<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">		<div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">

	==~~Systems Thinking for urban water systems~~==		==[[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems]]==
	[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]		[[image:Systems_thinking_cartoon.jpg\|thumb\|400px\|Systems thinking for water systems]]

Assela.pathirana.admin at 08:38, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T08:38:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:38, 21 March 2022
Line 15:		Line 15:
	What is lost in an urban water system? The answer is obvious when you look at what flows in and out of these urban water networks, it is water. Some might say money and some might say energy. Yes, this is true but is not the whole truth. This training is about finding out what is lost from an urban water system by looking beyond water and looking in the urban systems to track the lost water and the other elements that are being lost. The training touches upon the three prime movers of the urban water utility, namely engineering, management and strategic planning. The place, proportion and play of this trinity in an urban water utility can be ascertained only by a thorough understanding of the urban system that is served by the water utility. This can shed light on what is actually gained and lost through urban water systems.		What is lost in an urban water system? The answer is obvious when you look at what flows in and out of these urban water networks, it is water. Some might say money and some might say energy. Yes, this is true but is not the whole truth. This training is about finding out what is lost from an urban water system by looking beyond water and looking in the urban systems to track the lost water and the other elements that are being lost. The training touches upon the three prime movers of the urban water utility, namely engineering, management and strategic planning. The place, proportion and play of this trinity in an urban water utility can be ascertained only by a thorough understanding of the urban system that is served by the water utility. This can shed light on what is actually gained and lost through urban water systems.

	We the engineers and managers of urban water utilities are trained to ascertain the problem, quantify the impact, find out why it happened and devise ways to minimise or eliminate the problem. Quantification has always been the guiding principle, the means and the end in this endeavour. The water balance methods in their original or modified form used all over the world follow this logic and has proved to be a success in estimating the quantity of non-revenue water and formulating actions to reduce the losses in terms of water and revenue. The training starts by introducing the conventional water loss assessment methods to the urban water engineers and managers; the various elements of a water distribution system comprising physical, conceptual and design aspects; and, water loss management measures. Understanding and analysing these engineering aspects of the water supply system would create a comfort zone from which the engineer can start the process of identifying and minimising losses.		We the engineers and managers of urban water utilities are trained to ascertain the problem, quantify the impact, find out why it happened and devise ways to minimise or eliminate the problem. Quantification has always been the guiding principle, the means and the end in this endeavour. The water balance methods in their original or modified form used all over the world follow this logic and has proved to be a success in estimating the quantity of non-revenue water and formulating actions to reduce the losses in terms of water and revenue. The training starts by introducing the conventional water loss assessment methods to the urban water engineers and managers; the various elements of a water distribution system comprising physical, conceptual and design aspects; and, water loss management measures. Understanding and analysing these engineering aspects of the water supply system would create a comfort zone from which the engineer can start the process of identifying and minimising losses. [[Systems_thinking_for_Urban_Water_Systems\| Read more ...]]

Assela.pathirana.admin at 08:37, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T08:37:09Z

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 |width="45%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #F0F0FF; color: #000; background-color: #F0F0FF"|
 <div style="padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox1">
 ==Climate Security of Small Islands==
 Climate change presents unique challenges to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The difficulties that all countries face in effectively coping with climate change impacts are exacerbated in SIDS because of their small geographical area, isolation and exposure. The associated development challenges from sea-level rise, altered rainfall patterns, and storm-surges threaten to reverse progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals now and in the future. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provides on-the-ground support for small island and low-lying countries at the global, regional and national scales. - [https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=960&menu=1515 UNDP]

Root at 08:14, 9 April 2021

2021-04-09T08:14:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:14, 9 April 2021
Line 56:		Line 56:
	==Webapps with python==		==Webapps with python==
	[[File:water-detect-webapp.png\|center\|thumb\|center\|500px\|Interactive map, analysis and plotting tool for precipitation. [https://waterdetect.srv.pathirana.net/ LINK]]]		[[File:water-detect-webapp.png\|center\|thumb\|center\|500px\|Interactive map, analysis and plotting tool for precipitation. [https://waterdetect.srv.pathirana.net/ LINK]]]
	~~[[File:raingauge_stations_europe.png\|thumb\|450px\|Interactive map, analysis and plotting tool for precipitation]]~~
	One of the surefire ways of creating co-ownership is to encourage co-discovery and co-design. For this, we face the challenge of bringing modern technological knowledge to the stakeholders, including communities, in an understandable way but yet allowing for them to interact and contribute in a meaningful sense. One of the modern tools that contribute to this mission is interactive web applications. They allow water managers and scientists to bring complex data analysis solutions, big-data technologies, dynamic water models closer to the non-specialist stakeholders in an appealing and simple-to-interact fashion.		One of the surefire ways of creating co-ownership is to encourage co-discovery and co-design. For this, we face the challenge of bringing modern technological knowledge to the stakeholders, including communities, in an understandable way but yet allowing for them to interact and contribute in a meaningful sense. One of the modern tools that contribute to this mission is interactive web applications. They allow water managers and scientists to bring complex data analysis solutions, big-data technologies, dynamic water models closer to the non-specialist stakeholders in an appealing and simple-to-interact fashion.

Root at 08:13, 9 April 2021

2021-04-09T08:13:29Z

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 |width="55%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #F0FFF0; color: #000; background-color: #F0FFF0"|
 <div style="clear: right; text-align: left; float: right; padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox2">
 ==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islands==
@@ Line 60: / Line 69: @@
 But can we enlist the help of the inhabitants of these islands to do the monitoring of the groundwater resources. This is exactly what we did with 45 inhabited islands. A simple idea: Every household that has a groundwater well (nearly 100% in many islands) is a potential sensor of the health of the freshwater lens. We just have to enlist their support and suddenly we have thousand sensors to monitor our resources! This is exactly what we did. We surveyed more than 2100 households from the 45 islands and inquired them how the perceive the groundwater they obtain from the family wells. Does it smell? Looks clear? Do they use it for drinking and cooking? Washing, bathing and toilet flushing? We went on. The result was a dataset that revealed plenty of useful information. [[Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islands|Read more ...]]
 ==Urbanization not only heats up the cities, but could increase extreme rainfall==

Root at 10:32, 28 August 2020

2020-08-28T10:32:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:32, 28 August 2020
Line 53:		Line 53:
	\|width="55%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #F0FFF0; color: #000; background-color: #F0FFF0"\|		\|width="55%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #F0FFF0; color: #000; background-color: #F0FFF0"\|
	<div style="clear: right; text-align: left; float: right; padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox2">		<div style="clear: right; text-align: left; float: right; padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox2">
	==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small ~~islandss~~==
			==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islands==
	[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|thumb\|500px]]		[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|thumb\|500px]]

Root at 10:31, 28 August 2020

2020-08-28T10:31:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:31, 28 August 2020
Line 55:		Line 55:
	==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islandss==		==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islandss==
	[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|thumb\|500px]]		[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|thumb\|500px]]

	The Maldives has more than 180 inhabited islands with many with populations less than 1000 inhabitants. Less populations do not mean they are facing lesser challenges to the sustainability or lower rate of change. In fact, these are among the most climate-vulnerable places on the earth and undergoing rapid change that need to be continuously monitored. But the challenge is every rufiyaa allocated for monitoring the vulnerability is money taken away from addressing the same vulnerability – a zero sum game. Therefore, in the Maldives, as well as other small islands, we need to continuously innovate on cost-effective, but also EFFECTIVE, ways of doing environmental monitoring.		The Maldives has more than 180 inhabited islands with many with populations less than 1000 inhabitants. Less populations do not mean they are facing lesser challenges to the sustainability or lower rate of change. In fact, these are among the most climate-vulnerable places on the earth and undergoing rapid change that need to be continuously monitored. But the challenge is every rufiyaa allocated for monitoring the vulnerability is money taken away from addressing the same vulnerability – a zero sum game. Therefore, in the Maldives, as well as other small islands, we need to continuously innovate on cost-effective, but also EFFECTIVE, ways of doing environmental monitoring.

Root at 10:30, 28 August 2020

2020-08-28T10:30:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:30, 28 August 2020
Line 54:		Line 54:
	<div style="clear: right; text-align: left; float: right; padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox2">		<div style="clear: right; text-align: left; float: right; padding: .4em .9em .9em" id="MainPageBox2">
	==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islandss==		==Crowdsourcing groundwater quality in small islandss==
	[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|~~500 px~~\|~~right~~]]		[[file:fresh_water_lens_xsection.jpg\|thumb\|500px]]
	The Maldives has more than 180 inhabited islands with many with populations less than 1000 inhabitants. Less populations do not mean they are facing lesser challenges to the sustainability or lower rate of change. In fact, these are among the most climate-vulnerable places on the earth and undergoing rapid change that need to be continuously monitored. But the challenge is every rufiyaa allocated for monitoring the vulnerability is money taken away from addressing the same vulnerability – a zero sum game. Therefore, in the Maldives, as well as other small islands, we need to continuously innovate on cost-effective, but also EFFECTIVE, ways of doing environmental monitoring.		The Maldives has more than 180 inhabited islands with many with populations less than 1000 inhabitants. Less populations do not mean they are facing lesser challenges to the sustainability or lower rate of change. In fact, these are among the most climate-vulnerable places on the earth and undergoing rapid change that need to be continuously monitored. But the challenge is every rufiyaa allocated for monitoring the vulnerability is money taken away from addressing the same vulnerability – a zero sum game. Therefore, in the Maldives, as well as other small islands, we need to continuously innovate on cost-effective, but also EFFECTIVE, ways of doing environmental monitoring.