Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Global Water Research Review 2018-20
Global Water Research Review 2018-20
Global Water
Research Review
2018-2020
Foreword 3
Introduction 4
Research themes 6
Digital tide 7
Water for cities and communities 9
Enabling flow in virtuous circles 11
Capital, governance and finance 13
Technologies to address major challenges 15
Working with and for nature 17
Foreword
Recent challenging times Problems caused by a damaged Targeted research is needed In order to account for the
and/or stressed water cycle have in order to advance our whole water cycle, Arup
have further highlighted
continued to manifest during the understanding in response conducts research into
how essential water pandemic and have compounded to these challenges. multiple aspects of water ar
nin
g
Heal
th & Wellbeing
Ec
Sh
Le
ar
an already challenging situation. management. From treating n
Regenerative
om
ed
u
The digital revolution is
&
m
es
wellbeing, societal and
Vi
It is more important than ever new and problematic pollutants
y
m
sio
om
transforming the water sector
&
Co
Li
that we understand the links to creating ambitious digital
n&
utc
environmental resilience
ve
&
and technological developments
ce
dO
lih
Prio
between water, the environment, catchments, we are continuously ly
Pla
ood
Fl
and as a fundamental open new possibilities, but it is pp
Share
rities
ecosystems, and society. broadening the expertise that
oo
u
s
an integrated and harmonious
Water S
consideration when
ding
enables us to assess risks and
Inte gr ate d
The global population continues approach that will secure the
fra s tr u ct ur e
Design
SMART
tackling global challenges. support our clients in taking
Energy & C
with
to increase and the demand for future of water. Water
a strategic approach to water
water intensifies pressure on
At Arup, we have evolved our usage and management.
finite water resources as a result.
al In
‘Design with Water’ framework,
arb
By 2050, the global demand for To learn more about water at W
it i c
ty
on
which draws on our experiences ate
r Q u a li
water will increase by 55%1, Arup, read our Global Water
Cr
of designing, implementing, and
whilst half of the population will Annual Review on arup.com. ab
maintaining water infrastructure re
H
it a R e s ili e n t
tu
live in water scarce regions2. t&
ri c
ul
around the world. Bio
d iv e &A
g
r s it y Fo od
Our most precious resource is at
Design with Water is strongly
significant risk and we must act Sha
re d I
underpinned by our research n v e s t m e n t & A c ti o n
now. Our solutions need to be
holistic in response to problems
activities. It places an
understanding of the local water
55%
By 2050, the global
and challenges that exist within
cycle at the centre of responses demand for water will
complex systems, whilst also
to wider local issues, such as increase by 55% Governance & Policy & Data & Funding &
resilient to future change as Partnerships Regulation Insight Resources
economic development, food
our planet continues to warm
and agriculture, community,
and hydrological extremes of
droughts and flooding increase
and energy use. 50% Design with water diagram
Design with Water is strongly underpinned by our research activities.
in frequency and intensity as has Whilst half of the
Vincent Lee population will live 1
https://www.oecd.org/env/indicators-modelling-outlooks/49844953.pdf
Global Water Skills Leader
happened in recent years. in water scarce regions 2
www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 3
Introduction
Rapid urbanisation, Recent events such as the Arup supported research
global Covid-19 pandemic have initiatives across many Research Themes
climate changes, and
highlighted the importance of our disciplines, external
extreme weather events ecosystems and our relationship partnerships, and collaborations.
around the world are with nature.
The 2018-2020 research
affecting our water To challenge these ever- and development programme
infrastructure and our evolving shocks and stresses, supported numerous activities,
living environments. a multidisciplinary approach that were linked to priority
to water research is needed. themes, which we defined as part
It should consider the climate, of our strategic research agenda.
geological, social, economic, Specifically, these themes were:
Digital tide Water for cities Enabling flow
and environmental factors that and communities in virtuous circles
affect water supply and use.
Arup continuously funds
collaborative research, and this
review provides an overview
of the successful projects that
we have invested in during
2018-2020.
This review demonstrates the
breadth of Arup’s water expertise
Capital, governance, Technologies to address Working with
and our continuing commitment and finance major challenges and for nature
to expanding our knowledge into
new focus areas.
investment system, progress and achievements. research projects, ranging from Community Engagement
2020/21
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
academic partners and NGOs.
the globe, with the UKIMEA and
We challenge ourselves to
Americas regions representing
deliver at least 60% of research
our major centres of excellence
as collaborative projects. Regional Research Relevance
in water. We worked alongside
many experts, including Advisory We engaged with academic
Americas
Services, Maritime Engineering, partners from different regions,
Planning, and Environmental including University of Leeds,
Consulting and Ecology. University of Manchester, and
University of Massachusetts
Amherst. Australasia
Global and East Asia
We also worked with multiple
NGOs, including FRANK Water,
the British Red Cross and Oxfam.
UKIMEA
Europe
Capital, governance, and finance Technologies to address major challenges Working with and for nature
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 6
Research themes
Digital tide
© Unsplash
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 7
Research themes case studies
Digital tide
Stormwater analytics tool
Digital Water Accelerators: Digital Twinning Water Network Simulation: Water Digital Twin Land classification for
Global water and wastewater networks are facing increasing Unpredicted flood events can overwhelm sewer systems and the Shanghai urban area
pressure due to population growth, urbanisation, and climate cause failure that can cost municipalities and utilities billions in 3
Van Leeuwen, K., Hofman,
change. The drive to improve water networks to reduce bills, damages. Predicting where such events are most likely, or where J., Driessen, P. and Frijns,
maintain services, and replace ageing infrastructure is putting they will have the most significant impact, enable operators J., 2019. The Challenges
pressure on capital expenditure. to develop mitigation and emergency response plans, in turn of Water Management and
saving money and providing better services to customers. Governance in Cities. Water,
We collaborated with water clients globally to develop end-to-
end digital twins of water networks, consisting of smart meters Using real-time environmental data, a live digital twin of the 11(6), p.1180.
and sensors installed across the network. This provides utilities system can be built enabling early warning and subsequent 4
Nicklin, H., Leicher,
with a smart picture of the network to inform decision making action to reduce impacts. We have partnered with Welsh A.M., Dieperink, C. and
and prioritise operational response. Water to develop a prototype digital twin for their services. Van Leeuwen, K., 2019.
Operational Digital Twins of water and wastewater services are Understanding the costs of
going to be a rapidly growing market, positioning Arup as a inaction–an assessment of
© Arup
front runner in the Digital Water space. pluvial flood damages in
two European cities. Water,
11(4), p.801
City Stormwater Analytics Tool Digital Water Accelerators: Systems Architecture Big data AI Water Asset Optimisation
Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural disaster, causing over $20 billion in economic As urban water systems grow in complexity, efficient Water utilities have been digitising their assets and sensors
damage, and claiming over 3,300 lives worldwide in 20173. In Europe, annual flood losses are management of resources and assets is becoming increasingly in recent years. This has meant that for the first time there is
expected to increase by as much as seventeen-fold by 2080, highlighting the need for cities to difficult. The identification of a modern and future proof the opportunity to gather rich data from a variety of sensors,
build flood resilience4. We have developed a Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence Solution system would allow us to underpin the development work for perform calculations and analysis on these and allow for a
which takes satellite and aerial imagery and is able to identify Land Use typologies automatically the Global Water Digital Accelerator investment and future big data, machine learning approach. The current approach to
and rapidly. This information can be applied to produce a series of domain solutions and tools. We designed a system architecture and programme asset optimisation is ripe for automation and productisation.
interventions. The tool has been used to secure and deliver more than 10 new projects for level digital strategy that will host and link the four Digital Arup have developed a tool that enables a new business model
the water, city planning, and environmental businesses in East Asia, UK, and Europe. We are Water Invest in Arup, providing consistency across the four for asset management by using AI data insights to drive asset
currently exploring opportunities to work with our International Development team in Africa. investments and enable interactions between them. Early optimisation. The tool provides rapid and cost effective insights
confirmation of the architecture will result in efficient delivery by using monitoring data from sensors and algorithms that
of future projects and reduce redundant work. can infer missing data. The solution seeks to eliminate the
need for site visits, which form a significant proportion of
asset optimisation assessments, as its use of data can provide
greater insight than what being on site can accomplish.
© Unsplash
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 9
Research themes case studies
© Arup
WaterUp: Global rural resilience through digitally-enabled water upskilling Drought Vulnerability Outcome Climate change impact on rainfall data in
Community driven, decentralised water management is one of the most effective and robust Assessment Tool for Cities infrastructure design - 1st Phase
ways to decrease global water problems, whilst delivering environmental, social ,and economic Droughts can have potentially devastating social and It is clear that in recent years, we have seen the impact of
resilience. Through the WaterUp project, we have used innovative digital tools to catalyse economic impacts on cities that are unprepared, as Cape climate change on rainfall, in most cases increasing rainfall
widespread change and enable landscape restoration in support of SDG6 achievement through Town, South Africa demonstrated recently. Being able to intensity, which has resulted in more frequent flooding in
rural upskilling using digital technologies. Arup survey apps, catchment models, and digital assess a full and realistic range of possible droughts, including many parts of Europe. This research analyses standards,
storyboard technologies were employed to produce a language-neutral, educational film on the impacts of climate change, and demonstrate the outcomes, requirements ,and methodology in relation to climate change
sustainable water management. The first tool of its kind that is freely accessible and has the mitigation, and trade-offs associated with each would allow as well as available design data in three European countries -
potential to benefit ~2.4 billion people currently living with water stress. city leaders to make timely and informed decisions about Poland, Denmark, and Spain. This enabled us to determine how
responses and investments that make their cities smarter and climate change is impacting rainfall intensity and to develop a
more resilient to drought. Arup’s research involved a desk- methodology to incorporate these allowances in the design of
based benchmarking study on drought preparedness, and drainage infrastructure.
this identified multi-stakeholder drought planning as key to
developing a drought vulnerability approach and tools for
cities. Arup and HR Wallingford have developed an approach
that we are seeking to apply to pilot cities around the world,
utilising and building the findings of the benchmarking.
© Unsplash
Sector in promoting cellulose
recovery from sewage sludge.
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 11
Research themes case studies
© Arup
Environmental flow assessment in an holistic framework Water and circular economy: Water catchment-scale carbon assessment
In recent decades, Environmental Flow Assessment has become an issue of continuous developing the assessment framework Flood authorities and water companies are increasingly
research, with approximately 207 different methods being explored over 44 countries. There The water sector has a vested interest in developing a recognising the crucial role they can play in responding to
are several models generally used, with the most complex ‘holistic’ model requiring inputs of circular approach to its business, which will not only save the climate emergency and a net-zero carbon world, with
hydrology, hydraulics, and ecological data. We developed an advanced framework for EFA precious resources but have long-term economic benefits. many having made commitments to achieve ‘net-zero’ carbon.
through reviewing several models. We derived a set of guidelines for implementing the most We have partnered with CE100 Water & CE Co.Project to However, the focus is often on individual assets rather than
comprehensive application and published a paper covering a case study of Lesotho in Water develop an assessment framework to enable users to take considering the catchment as a single, integrated system and
Journal in July 2018. a systematic approach to identify opportunities to optimise cumulative, whole-life impacts. We have developed a practical
systems, where water is central to the system function as approach to accounting for carbon emissions at the catchment
well as where it is secondary. We produced a White Paper on level enabling the development and implementation of solutions
Water and Circular Economy and succeeded in establishing which can be considered as ‘net-zero carbon’ and take advantage
an industry agreed concept of how circular economy of blue and green infrastructure.
principles apply to water systems.
© Unsplash
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 13
Research themes case studies
© Unsplash
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 15
Research themes case studies
© Arup
Faecal sludge management in disaster response Adapting the City Water Resilience approach Storm surge inundation risk tool
In response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, an unprecedented number of agencies have (CWRA) for use in low-capacity or fragile contexts Arup has previously provided consultancy advice to Cairns
implemented Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) projects at Cox’s Bazaar (CXB). Arup Low-capacity/fragile contexts including refugee and IDP and Hinterland Hospital Health Service (CHHHS) to improve
undertook a study on behalf of Oxfam to assess FSM technologies that have been put in place to camps, post-conflict areas, and cities in the least developed decision making on emergency responses from cyclone-induced
determine which is the most efficient and effective in different emergency contexts. Researchers countries are often most vulnerable to water-related shocks wind and storm surge impacts. We developed an interactive
visited over 20 operational FSM sites in CXB and the technologies against a set of indicators. and stresses such as poor quality, insufficient water supply, spreadsheet-based tool that allowed the user to input storm surge
A key finding was that adequate allowances and resources should be allocated for the full faecal inadequate sanitation and flooding. We recognised an urgent predictions on magnitude and peak timing and obtain an output
sludge treatment process. This must include liquid and solids management and final disposal. need to adapt the City Water Resilience Framework (a process of risk level to a number of hospital buildings, assets, and other
for building resilience to water-related shocks and stresses) remote infrastructure critical to the operations of the hospital.
for application in these areas in order to improve the quality We have now developed this Tool (Version 1.0) with internal
of water and sanitation services. We refined and simplified research funding into a web-based, geospatial portal. Version
the existing framework for wider application-including 2.0 of the Tool utilises real-time weather forecasts to automate
updating indicators for assessing resilience in data-poor the process and enable emergency response planning for coastal
environments and developing new assessment materials for inundation and wind impacts. We’re looking to expand this proof
remote implementation of the CWRA, as well as new data of concept Tool into an adaptable version that we can use to help
collection tools such as online surveys and questionnaires. other coastal asset owners in their storm surge risk assessment
and emergency response planning.
© Unsplash
Global Water Research Review 2018-2020 17
Research themes case studies
© Arup
a mathematical optimization algorithm will then generate Design Week 2021 in March, facilitating conversations around
potential candidate designs which can maximise this benefit. how mycelium can be utilised for other plastic alternatives.
GRC2017: Unlocking the potential of natural flood Digital catchments benefits analysis Artificial lighting to support ecological function
management with machine learning - Phase 2 Increasingly, organisations, local authorities, and city and connectivity in urban waterways
Flooding is already a major problem globally. Future climate predictions suggest extreme regions wish to become ‘smarter’ at designing their water Infrastructure projects which affect light penetration in
weather events will become more frequent and intense in the future, further exacerbating investment projects to: achieve multiple outcomes with fluvial systems can jeopardise ecological function and habitat
flood risk. We previously developed a machine learning system to improve the natural flood planned investment, determine future land strategies, connectivity. We consolidated, analysed, and published findings
management design process and sought to further advance the system to develop a more and broaden potential funding solutions. One such from novel artificial lighting trials to demonstrate a ‘proof
integrated and efficient natural flood management scheme design process. In this phase, case study was the removal of Phosphorus from urban of concept’ for artificial LED lighting supporting ecological
an optimisation algorithm was successfully used to minimise the number of flood control wastewater, using an end of pipe solution which is costly function in an artificial setting. The trials were managed by Arup
barriers while maximising overall storage. and produces unwanted sludge. We developed a Proof of and funded to date by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) and
Concept tool focusing on land management interventions were designed to understand how artificial lighting can support
versus end of pipe solutions to reduce Phosphorous plant growth in rivers covered by infrastructural developments
discharge to freshwater bodies. such as roads, railways, and airport runways. The outputs of
this work has established Arup as a global leader in the field of
artificial lighting design for water-related projects which seek to
promote ecological connectivity, achieve WFD compliance and
Biodiversity Net-Gain and promote city resilience.
www.arup.com © Unsplash