ENSE Seminar Series – Prof. Thomas Missimer

Sunday, 5 November 2017
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Auditorium between building 4 & 5, Level 0

Thomas Missimer is visiting professor at the U. A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University. He has a BA in geology from Franklin & Marshall College, an MS in geology from Florida State University, and a PhD in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Miami. He has 44 years of experience as a hydrogeologist and has completed projects in groundwater development, water resources management, and the design and construction of various water projects. He has worked on a large number of artificial aquifer recharge projects used for storage and treatment of impaired waters (domestic wastewater and storm water) and for seasonal and strategic storage of potable water (aquifer storage and recovery projects). He is the author of 11 books and more the 425 technical papers of which about 8100are published in peer-reviewed journals.

Title: “Meeting Future Global Water Supply Needs in a Changing Environment”

Population growth, industrialization, and agricultural expansion will cause a considerable expansion of water-supply demand over the next 50 years. In additional, changing climate and loss of water resources caused by overuse and pollution will exacerbate the issue. There is considerable debate concerning the population growth rate which is the primary demand factor. There are at least 6 different scenarios that create vast differences in the actual amounts of water required for future use. However, a recent analysis by Fred Pearce suggests that global reduction in fertility rate may significantly reduce population growth and water demand. To meet the demand based on the growth scenarios, there are five methods that must be used to meet the future water supply, including control and reduction in demand conservation, water reuse, desalination, and new “cradle-to-grave” water management techniques. Perhaps the most reasonable reduction of demand could be achieved in agriculture which accounts for 70% of the overall water use. Water conservation can be used to reduce non-essential water demands, but cannot be effectively used to reduce “hard” demand. Water reuse could be used to meet the largest percentage of future demand, if properly treated and re-introduced into the water-supply system taking health issue seriously. Reductions in the cost and energy demand of desalination will be necessary to make it an effective factor to meet demands in all population groups and regions. New water management strategies must be developed and implemented to both reduce demands and to meet overall needs. This includes the management of global climate change. Another critical issue is the abandonment of failed water projects that do not take into consideration the energy, cost, and technology required to operate sophisticated treatment facilities in low income regions. More than 100 water and wastewater treatment facilities have been abandoned in Africa alone because they cannot be run effectively by local governments.