SELECTED ABSTRACTS

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER

13.00 – 14.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS1: Island Water Administration: A Nordic European View

Turbidity Challenges and Water Quality Management in the Grábrókarveita Drinking Water Utility, Iceland, in times of Seismic Unrest and Climate Change.
– Sigrún Tómasdóttir, Reykjavík Energy, Reykjavík, Iceland

Abstract:
Veitur Utilities operate the Grábrókarveita utility which supplies drinking water for residents in the Borgarfjörður region in SW-Iceland. The utility extracts water from the porous and permeable 3200 years old Holocene lava flow known as Grábrókarhraun, which naturally filters water from the Hreðavatn lake and local precipitation. Commissioned in 2007, the utility’s average annual production from the aquifer has been around 30 L/s. There are two active production wells in the lava field and numerous research wells. Despite generally meeting drinking water requirements, turbidity in produced water from the aquifer has been a challenge since the commissioning of the utility. The material is very fine grained, has a strong color and appropriate filters that can handle the grainsize and fluctuations in material load have been difficult to find. Presently, the water undergoes filtration through 10 µm filters followed by UV disinfection.

The utilization history has shed light on the characteristics of the turbidity behaviour. The turbidity levels increase notably during precipitation events, when flow is increased, when pumps are started and during seismic activity, even as far as in North Iceland. Intense seismic unrest started on the Reykjanes Peninsula, SW-Iceland, in the beginning of 2020. Since then, this unrest has caused numerous turbidity spikes in the Grábrókarhraun aquifer. It is expected that this unrest period will last for the next decades to centuries. This, coupled with potential climate change impacts exacerbating precipitation intensity, underscores that turbidity will continue to be a challenge in Grábrókarhraun. This is motivating Veitur to look into further possibilities to improve water quality in the utility. This could include increased filtering, further operational scheme refinements or exploring new water sources.

Authors:
Sigrún Tómasdóttir (Presenting), Reykjavík Energy, Reykjavík, Iceland
Sverrir Guðmundsson, Gissur Þór Ágústsson, Veitur Utilities, Reykjavík, Iceland

What happened to the water? Exploring the need for wider integration of water and rural and islands policy through a Scottish case study.
– Elizabeth Lawson, Newcastle University, Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Abstract:
The concept of water security is often employed as a desired goal for water management policies, and relates to the notion of access and availability of water of sufficient quality for all. Although the exact definition of the term is still up for debate, the need to adequately balance human and environmental water needs remains central to the underpinning of the idea. Independent of what definition is used, the changing climate and evolving requirements and demands of human populations has resulted in a dynamic outlook on which areas of the world are considered ‘water secure’ and which suffer from ‘water insecurity’. Islands, whether autonomous nation states, or a smaller body of land governed by a mainland, are increasingly known as environments that regularly undergo extended periods of water insecurity. This is no less clear than in the ‘hydro nation’ of Scotland where remote rural and island communities frequently experience issues with both quality and quantity of water. Using a Scottish case study, we demonstrate how a historical policy approach that has failed to prioritise water service provision for all, especially those in remote rural spaces, has ultimately contributed to the current scenario of water insecurity events across Scotland. We highlight the need to include and integrate water and wastewater services in wider rural and island policy, and the requirement for the development of a wider water governance framework that works for those in both urban and remote rural spaces. Finally, we provide a case study example of how one small Scottish island community are working together to ensure water security through the establishment of a community water scheme, and how lessons learnt from their approach may help us all transfer to a more equitable and sustainable model of water service provision.

Authors:
Elizabeth Lawson (Presenting), Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Jill Robbie, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Jaime Amezaga, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Freshwater management issues in an Arctic island settlement – challenges and potential impacts.
– Hanne Kvitsand, SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway

Abstract:
This research discusses challenges related to water supply and management in a remote Arctic Island community in light of risks related to climate change. Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in the archipelago of Svalbard (78 N), has only one available source of drinking water for its 2500 inhabitants and around annual 160 000 tourists. This source is a shallow (< 5 m) dammed lake, of which the water recharge mechanisms are not well documented, and which is already associated to water security uncertainties due to the dam construction and the vulnerability to contamination. Rivers and lakes are the most common sources of drinking water in the Arctic. These surface water sources typically freeze up during winter and often exhibit a low water quality due to high suspended sediment loads from glacier meltwater and from contaminants originating from land use. In high Arctic regions, permafrost plays a key role in the water cycle, as frozen ground acts as an impermeable barrier between surface water and the subsurface. A future risk for the Longyearbyen water supply is how global warming and permafrost degradation may affect the water source itself – will the water drain away? If the drinking water falls out there is no alternative water source, and the long distance to the mainland challenges rapid mergency preparedness assiatance. This is a preparedness problem also in case of a fire.

In this paper we elaborate the nature of freshwater in a permafrost region, the (lacking) interaction of supra – and subsurface water, freshwater vulnerability, demand and management, and discuss measures for securing water supply to Arctic communities in a changing environment. How can we best facilitate predictable management of freshwater sources and critical infrastructure in an Arctic climate?

Authors:
Hanne Kvitsand (Presenting), SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway

Characterisation of the aquifer in Straumsvik with respect to the saline-fresh groundwater interface.
– Sveinborg H. Gunnarsdottir, ÍSOR, Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland

Abstract:
Climate change is an undeniable reality, posing a significant threat to islands worldwide. While transitioning to cleaner energy sources and reducing emissions are crucial steps, mitigating climate change also requires the permanent removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere. Carbfix represents one such method, developed to sequester CO₂ underground with mineralisation, mimicking natural processes at an accelerated pace. Initially designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from geothermal power plants, Carbfix has been developed for broader applications, including the initiative outlined here. In this case, CO₂ will be shipped in containers from hard to abate industries in Europe to Straumsvík harbour just outside Reykjavík, Iceland. Straumsvík area is located at the Reykjanes peninsula which is known for its very recent volcanic eruptions. Although the surface in Straumsvík is covered by Holocene lavas the area is outside the most volcanic and tectonic activity. Nearby there are glacially eroded older lavas and inland, hyalaclastite forms mountain ridges. A powerful groundwater current originating from mountain precipitation, emerges at Straumsvík bay’s beach. While the Carbfix method has been previously applied in freshwater environments, studies indicate that seawater can be used for dissolving CO₂ before injection and mineralisation. However, mineralisation kinetics and potential vary based on different properties like fluid type, amount of dissolved CO₂, and rock composition. Understanding the aquifer’s properties, is thus crucial for optimizing the planned CO₂ injection in Straumsvík. Previous studies have revealed a freshwater lens on top of a saline aquifer in the region but the depth of the interface between them varies.

Prior to this project the data on the subsurface was scarce, with the deepest wells about 100 m deep. A variety of studies have been conducted to characterize the subsurface formations and the aquifer, and ÍSOR has been involved in many of them. Three deep wells have been drilled and studied in detail, including wireline logging and analysis and cutting analysis to determine the stratigraphy. TEM surveys were conducted and interpretated to try determining the depth to boundary between the saline and freshwater. Utilizing data from the deep wells and surface mapping, a 3D geological model has been developed, revealing the heterogeneous nature of rock formations. Although accurately predicting the freshwater/saline interface remains challenging, ongoing surveys and logging efforts, both surface and subsurface, offer promising approximations. Continued exploration drilling will play a vital role in refining our understanding of this interface.

Authors:
Sveinborg H. Gunnarsdottir (Presenting), ISOR, Reykjavík, Iceland
Sandra O. Snaebjornsdottir, Carbfix, Reykjavik, Iceland
Helga M. Helgadottir, Magnus A. Sigurgeirsson, Arnar M. Vilhjalmsson, ISOR, Reykjavík, Iceland

RS2: Climate Change and Water

Climate change and legal implications for adaptive freshwater management – a Nordic perspective on possibilities and restrictions in current legislation for water planning and concessions.
– Gunnhild Solli, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

Abstract:
Climate changes such as higher temperatures, rising sea levels and periods of drought/increased precipitation, requires more adaptive water management than the traditional approach in public law. Important management instruments are land-use planning, permits and licenses to facilitate water use and protect against harmful extraction and pressures. These instruments must be designed and used differently to properly address climate change in an efficient manner. For instance, all groundwater extraction permits are usually authorized in Norway with an unlimited time frame, and consequently, the established rights trough unlimited water permits are binding up valuable resources that might be needed for other purposes and also cause adverse burdens on local ecosystems. How can these public law instruments be designed to better adapt to climate changes? This contribution will discuss and offer critical reflections on the current Nordic legal framework for adaptive water management in the time of climate change.

Authors:
Gunnhild Solli (Presenting), Ingrid Wang Larsen, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

The impact of sea level rise and climate change on fresh groundwater occurrences and volumes below atoll islands.
– Tess Davids, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands

Abstract:
Freshwater lenses are important freshwater resources on Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), especially during droughts. Sustainable groundwater management is urgent due to climate change, population growth, and unsustainable extraction. Additionally, sea level rise will irreversibly impact these lenses. We used the SIDS modelling framework, developed by Deltares in 2021 to assess the effect of these stresses on the freshwater lenses. It is an open-source Python-based toolbox that utilizes the iMOD-WQ software to generate a density dependent groundwater model. To quantify the impact of flood events on the freshwater lens iMOD-WQ is coupled with the flood event software SFINCS. For this analysis, a generic boomerang island shape is used. It is assumed that no measures will be taken to maintain the island shape and size. The analysis shows there is a significant impact on the freshwater lens due to sea level rise. A sea level rise of 25 cm reduces the total freshwater lens volume by 20%, 50 cm results in a 50% reduction, and a 1 m sea level rise leads to an 80% reduction. The freshwater lens is pushed upwards by sea level rise resulting in extra drainage and evapotranspiration at the surface leading to shrinkage of the lens. Also, the reduction in island size causes the freshwater volume to decrease. In addition to the impact of the steady rise in sea level, an increase in the frequency of flooding due to storm surges is expected. The overtopping of saline water onto the freshwater lens instantaneously decreases the amount of freshwater. A 10-20% decrease occurs during a 50-year flood event, and the system takes up to one year to recover to the initial situation. The combination of sea level rise, an increase in overtopping events, and continued overexploitation will greatly reduce the freshwater lens volumes on islands. This analysis underscores the considerable impact of sea level rise on atoll islands, affirming the vulnerability of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) to climate change.

Authors:
Tess Davids (Presenting), Deltares, Delft, Netherlands
Perry de Louw, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
Gualbert Oude Essink, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
Guilherme Emidio Horta Nogueira, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands
Eva Schoonderwoerd, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands
Simon Jansen, Deltares, Delft, Netherlands

Towards An Integrated Framework for Climate Adaptation and Water Management Regulation on European Islands.
– Alberto Quintavalla, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Abstract:
This contribution aims to identify to what extent adaptation strategies are integrated in the water regulation of (selected) islands. Water management in island contexts can be seen as key climate change adaptation strategies to increase communities and ecosystems resilience against climate change impacts. The development of these strategies should take into consideration the impact that climate change has on water as well. It is in this context that water regulation should account for climate change impacts. This consideration should moreover be read in conjunction with one of the main paradigms in water management: integrated water resources management (‘IWRM’). The concept of IWRM aims to put forward an integrated approach to regulate water resources in the various possibly conflicting objectives. This contribution explores whether some jurisdictions that embrace the IWRM concept have also integrated adaptation efforts in their water regulation. To further explore this, we will analyse the regulatory framework of selected islands.

Authors:
Alberto Quintavalla (Presenting), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Matteo Fermeglia, Amsterdam University, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Carbon Neutral Islands and Water.
– Francesco Sindico, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract:
In this presentation we will present a few examples of how dealing with freshwater interacts with islands’ efforts to decarbonise. This is done through the prism of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, a Scottish Government initiative that is supporting six islands in Scotland to become carbon neutral by 2040. The six islands (Yell, Hoy, Raasay, Barra, Islay and Great Cumbrae) are all unique in their own way and present different water challenges and opportunities. For example, in Barra the water utility amounts to one of the greatest users of energy on the island. In Islay, home to 9 whisky distilleries (and several more on the horizon) freshwater is a key “ingredient” for the whisky sector on the island. On Great Cumbrae recent flooding events have shown that the danger of flooding for islands does not always come from the ocean due to sea level rise and sea surges, but often can come from inland through rivers and poor maintenance of critical infrastructure. By highlighting freshwater opportunities and challenges on these six islands in the context of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, this presentation ultimately pursues two objectives. First, it will open up a conversation on the climate water nexus from an island perspective, looking at both mitigation and adaptation. Second, it will frame discussions on freshwater administration, collaboration and innovation on islands in the context of an ongoing policy and community effort in Scotland that can provide some learning to other islands present at the Congress.

Authors:
Francesco Sindico (Presenting), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Shona MacLeod, CNI project, Barra, United Kingdom
Neil Gow, CNI project, Islay, United Kingdom
Tom Skinner, CNI project, Islay, United Kingdom
Scott Watson, CNI project, Great Cumbrae, United Kingdom

RS3: Island Groundwater Administration

Investigation of the groundwater potential in the Faroe Islands
– Óluva Eidesgaard, Jarðfeingi, The Faroese, Geological Survey, Faroe Islands

Abstract:
Despite growing knowledge of the groundwater systems and the whereabouts of existing aquifers in the Faroe Islands today, groundwater is only being used in a limited amount, and a good understanding of groundwater flow does not exist. Conventional geophysical instruments such as resistivity measurements are challenging in the Faroe Islands due to the volcanic origin of the islands. Therefore other methods, such as tracer analysis, pumping tests and continuous measurements are the tools that can help to increase the knowledge of the groundwater systems. The overall aim of this project is to initiate mapping of the groundwater systems operating in the Faroe Islands to get a better understanding and foundation for further sustainable usage of this relatively unknown resource. To this end, we aim to use a combination of  data, measurements and analysis to be able to answer the following questions: (i) where are the reservoirs?, (ii) when and how is groundwater recharged? and (iii) what is the water quality? With this approach, we aim to separate fossil water from younger water making predictions on how much and for how long a certain aquifer can be sustainably used. Additionally, we will carefully test one aquifer in order to see how it responds to pumping. We will present what we have found on e.g. flow patterns, temperature change, conductivity change (saltwater intrusion) and nearby surface water reservoirs. Hopefully the insights of this study will serve as a foundation for decision making to increase the possibility of sustainable groundwater usage in the Faroe Islands, both when it comes to its use as an energy source as well as for drinking water.

Authors:
Óluva R. Eidesgaard (Presenting), The Faroese Geological Survey, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Jana Ólavsdóttir, The Faroese Geologcial Survey, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Barbara B. Hansen, The Faroese Geological Survey, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Uni Árting, The Faroese Geologcial Survey, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Andrea Popp, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrköping, Sweden

The challenges of fresh groundwater at Reykjanes peninsula, Iceland
– Dagur Sigurðarson, ÍSOR, Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland

Abstract:
The recent and ongoing volcanic activity at Reykjanes is an added challenge to the freshwater on the peninsula. As the bedrock is young (<700.000 yrs) and covered with Holocene lavas, and though precipitation is rather high (exceeding 3000 mm/year in eastern part), there is no freshwater surface runoff to be found. The freshwater is at depth, forming a groundwater lens layered on top of the subterranean sea. This makes the freshwater on Reykjanes peninsula both a scarce and fragile resource (Sigurðsson, Freysteinn, 1986: Jökull, 36, p. 11-29). The challenges facing the resource of cold groundwater at Reykjanes include the need to serve 30.000 people with potable water. Two high-temperature geothermal power plants are operating on the peninsula producing electricity, where the Svartsengi plant uses up to 600 L/s of cold freshwater for the co-production of hot water by heat exchanger. There are current plans for fish farming along the shores of Reykjanes, where production of subterranean sea will be substantial with possible effect on the freshwater resource. Other industries, such as food production, CCS, and e-fuel production are also to be found or planned. A factor in plans of industry in Reykjanes is that the only international airport in Iceland is located at the western tip of the peninsula. We provide examples of challenges that fresh groundwater on the Reykjanes peninsula is facing. They are mainly controlled by the porous young bedrock surrounded by strong ocean tidal waves, ongoing volcanism and various demands made by new and innovative green industries. The co-existence of fresh groundwater and subterranean sea in the bedrock has provided both opportunities and challenges. We recognize that effective communication between developers, consultants, and regulators is key to the sustainable development of the freshwater resource in Reykjanes peninsula.

Authors:
Dagur Sigurðarson (Presenting), ÍSOR Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland
Steinunn Hauksdóttir, ÍSOR Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland
Daði Þorbjörnsson, ÍSOR Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland

Enhancing Groundwater Governance: A Focus on Licensing and Monitoring by The National Energy Authority of Iceland
– Tinna Jónsdóttir, The National Energy Authority, of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

Abstract:
The National Energy Authority of Iceland (NEA) plays a crucial role in managing the nation’s abundant groundwater resources, vital for both domestic consumption and industrial applications. In response to evolving challenges and increasing demands, the NEA has embarked on a comprehensive revision of groundwater governance frameworks, with particular emphasis on licensing procedures and monitoring mechanisms. This abstract highlights the key aspects of the NEA’s initiative and its implications for sustainable groundwater management. The revision of licensing procedures by the NEA entails a systematic overhaul aimed at streamlining the application process while ensuring rigorous adherence to environmental and regulatory standards. By implementing more transparent and efficient procedures, the NEA seeks to facilitate responsible groundwater utilization for various purposes, including geothermal energy production, land-based aquaculture, agriculture, and public water supply. The revised licensing framework emphasizes stakeholder engagement and consultation, fostering a collaborative approach towards resource management and minimizing conflicts of interest. Furthermore, the NEA is enhancing groundwater monitoring practices to achieve greater accuracy and comprehensiveness in assessing resource utilization and environmental impacts. Leveraging advanced technologies such as remote sensing and data analytics, the NEA aims to establish a robust monitoring network capable of real-time data collection and analysis. This proactive approach enables timely detection of potential issues such as over-extraction or contamination, facilitating prompt intervention and mitigation measures.

The revised governance framework by the NEA represents a significant step towards ensuring the sustainable management of Iceland’s groundwater resources as well as assuring compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requirements and related EEA-relevant EU acquis. By incorporating principles of transparency, stakeholder engagement, and technological innovation, the NEA aims to strike a balance between economic development and environmental conservation. The success of these efforts hinges on effective collaboration between government agencies, industry stakeholders, and local communities, emphasizing the shared responsibility in safeguarding this precious natural resource for future generations.

In conclusion, the NEA’s initiative to revise groundwater governance underscores its commitment to promoting responsible utilization and conservation of groundwater resources in Iceland. Through streamlined licensing procedures and enhanced monitoring capabilities, the NEA aims to foster sustainable development while safeguarding the nation’s groundwater resources.

Authors:
Tinna Jónsdóttir (Presenting), The National Energy Authority of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
Kristján Geirsson, The National Energy Authority of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

SS1 – SPECIAL SESSION: Technologies to Ensure Quality of Water Supply in Islands

Co-chairs
Katy Roodenko (Max-IR Laboratories, kroodenko@max-ir-labs.com),
Israel Gannot (Tel-Aviv University, gannoti@tauex.tau.ac.il)

Introduction:

The aim of this session is to introduce new technologies that can assist in the identification, detection, and treatment of contaminants in water supplies, particularly in islands where fresh water supply may be limited. The speakers come from diverse disciplines including hydrochemistry, Biophotonics, Environmental studies, Nanotechnology, Electrical and Computer engineering, and Mechanical engineering. This session is designed to foster new cross-disciplinary research among all participants at the Islands Water congress.

1. Pharmaceutical transformation products formed by ozonation – does degradation occur
Authors: D. Avisar* A. Zilberman and I. Gozlan
The Hydrochemistry Research Group, the Water Research Center, Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University.
Correspondence*: droravi@tauex.tau.ac.il

Abstract
The efficiency of an advanced oxidation process (AOP) using direct and indirect ozonation for the removal of pharmaceutical residues from deliberately spiked deionized water was examined. Both direct and indirect ozonation demonstrated 34% to 100% removal of the parent compounds. However, based on the products’ chemical structure and toxicity, we suggest that despite using accepted and affordable ozone and radical concentrations, the six parent compounds were not fully degraded, but merely transformed into 25 new intermediate products. The transformation products (TPs) differed slightly in structure but were mostly similar to their parent compounds in their persistence, stability and toxicity; a few of the TPs were found to be even more toxic than their parent compounds. Therefore, an additional treatment is required to improve and upgrade the traditional AOP toward degradation and removal of both parent compounds and their TPs for safer release into the environment.

2. Using organic volatile compounds to monitor anaerobic digesters
Authors: Baptiste Poursat, Tania Gomez Borraz, Bill Sloan, Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay
University of Glasgow, James Watt School of Engineering, Water & Environment
Correspondence: Baptiste.Poursat@glasgow.ac.uk

Abstract:
This research project focuses on developing a novel technique to detect early warning indicators (EWI) in anaerobic digesters by monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the headspace. Anaerobic digesters, including septic tanks and full-scale anaerobic digesters, are crucial in wastewater treatment, waste management, and biogas production, aligning with the principles of a net-zero and circular economy.

In this proof-of-concept stage, our goal is to adapt advanced VOC measurement techniques from medical research to environmental engineering, allowing the detection of anaerobic digester malfunctions without traditional but hard-to-reach sampling methods and in a shorter timeframe. Detecting perturbations and system failures caused by contaminants, such as pollutants, bleach, or antibiotics, is essential in decentralized systems, to maintain efficient treatment and reduce the need for maintenance.

The project introduces VOC measurement through headspace passive sampling, using high-capacity sorptive extraction and thermal desorption in-line with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry—a method previously tested in batch but never on-site. An exciting aspect of this project is the opportunity to test the impact of bleach on real septic tanks by measuring their VOC productions. Field tests in a septic tank operated by Scottish Water and connected to local rural communities will refine cost-effective headspace sample collection strategies. Initially, we will monitor “healthy” systems to understand the background signal and representativeness of the measurements. We are using a non-targeted approach coupled with multivariate analysis to rapidly identify markers.

In summary, this project provides an engaging opportunity to develop a VOC-based approach that promises a faster and more accurate alternative to traditional sampling for detecting early signs of failures in septic tanks and full-scale anaerobic digesters, particularly benefiting decentralized systems.

3. Infrared sensor for analysis of nitrogen-based contaminants in wastewater
Authors: K. Roodenko, T. Daunis, J. Dussor, M. Molyneux, D. Robbins
Max-IR Labs, 17217 Waterview Pkwy, Dallas, TX, 75252
Correspondence: kroodenko@max-ir-labs.com

Abstract:
This abstract highlights advancements in sensor development for the detection of nitrogen-based compounds, specifically nitrate and ammonia, in water, with a primary focus on applications in wastewater treatment for process control and optimization. The innovative sensor employs a synergistic approach combining passive and active sampling techniques. Passive sampling involves the accumulation of contaminants from water, while active sampling utilizes infrared Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) spectroscopy. This sensor technology holds significant promise for enhancing the efficiency of wastewater treatment processes, offering real-time monitoring and precise control. Furthermore, the relevance of this sensor extends to freshwater resources in island contexts, where water quality is crucial for sustainability. The integration of such sensors in island wastewater management systems could contribute to the preservation of these limited and essential water resources.

4. Water Assessment based on AI-driven Multispectral Imaging
Author: Jin U. Kang, Ph.D.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University.
Correspondence: jkang@jhu.edu

Abstract:
Multispectral imaging is a powerful tool that can be used to assess the quality and composition of water solutions. Many traditional methods have been used to analyze water based on its absorption/reflection spectra with high accuracy. In this presentation, we will propose a deep learning-based-water assessment technique and assess its viability.

5. Field label-free water inspection by using interferometric phase microscopy
Author: Natan Shaked, Ph.D.
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University
Correspondence: nshaked@tauex.tau.ac.il

Abstract:
Interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) is an optical technique for quantitative three-dimensional imaging, which does not use labelling agents. Conventionally, IPM could not be implemented outside of the optical lab due to the setup bulkiness, it is non-portable and the requirement for specific optical skills to align and use it. I will present our latest advances in developing compact IPM modules for wave-front sensing in field conditions, making this technology affordable for inspection of small particles and bacteria in water in remote areas.

6. Fiber-Based Water Pipe Leakage Sensor
Authors: Jonathan Philosof ¹, Yevgeny Beiderman ², Sergey Agdarov ¹, Yafim Beiderman ¹ and Zeev Zalevsky ^1,*
¹The Nanotechnology Center, Faculty of Engineering, Bar-Ilan University, ²Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), Faculty of Electrical Engineering.
Correspondence: Zeev.Zalevsky@biu.ac.il

Abstract:
Water is an invaluable resource quickly becoming scarce in many parts of the world. Therefore, the importance of efficiency in water supply and distribution has greatly increased. Some of the main tools for limiting losses in supply and distribution networks are leakage sensors that enable real-time monitoring. With fiber optics recently becoming a commodity, along with the sound advances in computing power and its miniaturization, multipurpose sensors relying on these technologies have gradually become common. In this study, we explore the development and testing of a multimode optic-fiber-based pipe monitoring and leakage detector based on statistical and machine learning analyses of speckle patterns captured from the fiber’s outlet by a defocused camera. The sensor was experimentally tested. It was placed inside or over a PVC pipe with covered and exposed core configurations, while 2 to 8 mm diameter pipe leaks were simulated under varied water flow and pressure. We found an overall high leak size determination accuracy that our sensor detected for pipe bursts, outside interventions, and shocks.

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER: 15.00 – 16.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS4: Island Water Administration: Mediterranean and Atlantic Region

Ensuring the cohesive management of freshwater resources in the Maltese Island
– Henry Debattista, Energy and Water Agency, Valletta, Malta

Abstract:
Due to their semi-arid Mediterranean climate, the Maltese islands have historically faced a shortage of freshwater resources. Increasing populations and economic activities particular since the early 1900’s have further exacerbated the challenges related to the scarcity of natural freshwater resources and limited water supplies. Therefore Malta has increasingly depended, since the 1960’s, on the production of alternative resources of freshwater such as sea-water desalination and water reclamation.

Malta’s Water Policy therefore reflects the context of unavailability of water resources and focuses on the conjunctive use of water demand management and water supply augmentation measures to address an efficient water demand, whilst ensuring a high level of engagement with the population. The main policy objective is that of ensuring the long-term security of water supply, progressively in an increasingly sustainable manner.

Availability of freshwater has historically been an important limitation on Malta’s economic growth. Invariably, water is an important element in the development of other economic sectors (such as manufacture and tourism) and agriculture, where the growth of these sectors requires access to secure and affordable water resources. Sectoral policies need to ensure that economic growth is decoupled from water demand through the promotion of efficiency in water use.

The Energy and Water Agency (EWA) was established in 2014 with the aim of ensuring the cohesive development of water (and energy) policies across Ministries. EWA’s role therefore focuses on supporting other Ministries in aligning their policies with the objectives of the national water policy. To achieve this, an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Water has been established to coordinate the development of Malta’s River Basin Management Plans. Additionally, a National Water Table involving stakeholder representatives has also been set up to ensure the engagement of a broad spectrum of stakeholders, facilitating the effective implementation of cohesive water management plans.

Authors:
Henry Debattista (Presenting), Energy and Water Agency, Valletta, Malta
Manuel Sapiano, Energy and Water Agency, Valletta, Malta
Michael Schembri, Energy and Water Agency, Valletta, Malta

The increasing use of desalination in the Balearic Islands: 25 years of up and down
– Celso Garcia, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain

Abstract:
The increase on population pressure (local and visitors) and several drought periods during the 80’s and 90’s of the past century led to an expansion of desalinated water production in the Balearic Islands. This non-conventional resource has been used as the key resource to face drought management. The Balearic Islands has eight desalination plants (three in Mallorca and in Ibiza, one in Formentera and one in Menorca) with a potential production of 55 million of m³/year. During dry periods the production increased substantially (i.e.: 2000-01, 2004-08 and 2016-17) and decreased during wet periods (i.e.: 2009-15 and 2018). This up and down in the water production was mainly due to the more expensive water cost in comparison with the groundwater. In fact, groundwater is the main source for domestic water consumption in the archipelago (77% of a mean water consumption of 102 million of m³). Only two islands have shifted from groundwater to desalinated water. Formentera is totally supplied with desalinated water; and in Ibiza consumption of desalinated water surpassed groundwater in 2019 being now 63% to 37%, respectively.

The use of the desalination in the Balearic Islands as a hard innovation has positive and negative benefits. It has enabled the water administration to better manage the droughts although the supply network connected to the desalination plants does not reach the whole territory, especially in the islands of Mallorca and Menorca. The production of desalinated water has economic and environmental impacts and it needs to keep a higher production rate even during wet periods in order to protect overexploited aquifers. The high cost of this water has caused a reduction in water losses in the municipalities of Ibiza.

Authors:
Celso Garcia (Presenting), Universitat Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
Joana M. Garau, Direcció General Recursos Hídrics. Govern Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
Juan Calvo, Consultor en Agua, Medio Marino y Sostenibilidad, Palma, Spain
Dolores Tirado, Universitat Illes Balears, Palma, Spain

Water management in the Azores Islands
– Francisco Rodrigues, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of The Azores Islands, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal

Abstract:
The sustainable development of the Azores involves rational management of available resources and their protection. The small size of the islands, combined with a rugged relief and a geological environment dominated by permeable volcanic formations, induces hydrological specificities, making island water bodies particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Groundwater is the main source of fresh water on the Azores islands, with perched and basal aquifers being explored. Basal groundwater presents quality problems due to salinization processes.

Water management on each island is based on uses and is shared by two government entities: human and industrial consumption is managed by municipalities, who are several on some islands, while agricultural supply is managed by the agricultural planning institute (IROA). This fragmented management policy encourages conflict situations, related to the degradation of water quality due to overexploitation.

In this reflection, it is considered that water management in the Azores archipelago must reflect the specificities related with fragmentation and territorial discontinuity, as well as adapt solutions for optimizing water resources adjusted to the reality of each island, as a territorial unit marked by its own restrictions.

Authors:
Francisco Rodrigues (Presenting), Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources – Azores, University of The Azores Islands, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
José Goulart Fontes, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources – Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal

Analysis of Water Governance in the Canary Islands: Evolution and Future Challenges
– Noelia Cruz-Pérez, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

Abstract:
The Canary Islands are a European outermost region and one of Spain’s two archipelagos. They have a subtropical climate, however, the different orography between the eastern and western islands (which in turn make up the Province of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife), favours the islands that are closer to the African continent to be more arid. The islands furthest from the African coast, on the other hand, are rich in groundwater resources, with the aquifer being the main source of drinking water on these islands. In general, groundwater coexists with seawater desalination, with each island being managed individually through the Island Water Council of each island. Each Island Water Council develops a Hydrological Plan for each island, and these bodies are in turn dependent on the Island Council (Cabildo) an institution inherited after the Conquest of Spain. The hydrological plans are developed to comply with the provisions of the European Water Framework Directive and also to meet the specifications set out in the European Union’s Smart Specialisation Strategy for the Canary Islands. Therefore, this article analyses the evolution of the institutional regulation of water in the Canary Islands, placing special emphasis on its particularities, such as the privatisation of groundwater, and examines the challenges facing the region linked to climate change and the water-energy nexus posed by the desalination of seawater, as well as purification and reuse.

Authors:
Noelia Cruz-Pérez (Presenting), Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Joselin S. Rodríguez-Alcántara, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Jesica Rodríguez-Martín, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Alejandro García-Gil, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Juan C. Santamarta, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain

RS5: Saltwater Intrusion

Charting the future: Saltwater intrusion vulnerability along island and continental coastlines
– Nicole LeRoux, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Abstract:
Approximately 40% of the global population lives within 100 km of the marine coast and are vulnerable to converging atmospheric and marine stressors. Along the land-sea interface, a subsurface salt wedge extends inland and underlies fresh groundwater due to the density differences between fresh and saltwater. Dense coastal populations strain fresh groundwater resources, as high pumping rates can draw this salt wedge landward in a process known as saltwater intrusion. Rising sea levels and storm surge can increase coastal aquifer salinization, particularly on islands. Canada has the world’s longest coastline and is projected to experience high rates of relative sea-level rise, further increasing the vulnerability of freshwater. Sea-ice reduction and hurricanes tracking higher north will also contribute to more intense waves and storm surges and associated extreme high-water events.

All of Nova Scotia (NS), Canada is within 50 km of the coastline and ~50% of residents, including many on Cape Breton Island, rely on fresh groundwater for drinking water. Given the heavy groundwater reliance and high rates of projected sea-level rise in NS, monitoring and management of these coastal freshwater resources is of paramount importance. This study employs a process-based approach to map saltwater intrusion vulnerability using an analytical solution that models the salt wedge extent based on publicly available data including groundwater levels, aquifer properties, and other (hydro)geological datasets. The vulnerability index considers the impacts of sea-level rise, changing recharge, and reduced seaward groundwater discharge, all of which can drive landward migration of the salt wedge. Preliminary results indicate that this tool can provide a robust first-order assessment of saltwater intrusion, which is inherently difficult to monitor, particularly at a province-wide scale. Identifying coastal regions most vulnerable to saltwater intrusion is the first step towards effective adaptation practices and is of utmost importance in an era of unprecedented change.

Authors:
Nicole LeRoux (Presenting), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Bay Berry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Barret Kurylyk, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Climate change, rising sea levels and the risks of saline intrusion into groundwater in African islands
– Etsong Jerome, Centre for social studies, Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract:
Rising ocean levels are a credible threat to the many islands based in the African continent. This leads to the reduction in arable land, recurrent flooding, and extreme weather phenomena which require better mitigation. Beyond these risks, the intrusion of salt water into groundwater resources is a major risk which raises fears for both the economies and the stability of regions. This research proposes, based on common and differential experiences, how to mitigate the risks announced by innovative local approaches.

Authors:
Jérôme Etsong (Presenting), Centre For Social Studies, Coimbra, Portugal

Saline water incursion into Icelandic geothermal and groundwater reservoirs
– Finnbogi Óskarsson, ÍSOR, Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland

Abstract:
A major challenge of groundwater exploitation on islands is the risk of saline water incursion into groundwater systems due to water production in excess of the natural recharge. As many oceanic islands have groundwater reservoirs where saline groundwater underlies the freshwater, the cause of the saline water intrusion can either be due to mixing of the fresh and saline groundwaters or by inflow of seawater into the groundwater system. This is particularly problematic on small islands and islands in arid and semi-arid regions with a considerable populations, for example the Canary Islands which fall into both groups.

Iceland is neither particularly small nor densely populated and is blessed with abundant precipitation. Nonetheless, several examples of saline water incursion into Icelandic groundwater reservoirs are known. Low-temperature (<150°C) geothermal water systems in Iceland are groundwater systems, in most cases recharged by either local or distant precipitation, where the water has been heated by deep circulation into bedrock where the geothermal gradient is high (>100 °C/km). Therefore, the geothermal systems may also be susceptible to incursion of saline water due to excessive production. As the saline water tends to be colder than the geothermal water there is an added complication of water-rock interaction and possible mineral precipitation when the saline water is heated up to the temperature of the geothermal system. This leads to a three-fold operational risk for the field operators; mineral scaling, corrosion and reservoir cooling.

In this contribution, examples will be given of saline water incursion into Icelandic geothermal and groundwater systems, including a recent example of seawater intrusion into the geothermal system at Hjalteyri in N-Iceland. The system is very permeable and shows little pressure drawdown, but geochemical monitoring of the produced water shows strong signs of seawater mixing.

Authors:
Finnbogi Óskarsson (Presenting), Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR), Kópavogur, Iceland
Bjarni Gautason, Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR), Akureyri, Iceland
Sigurveig Árnadóttir, Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR), Akureyri, Iceland
Þorsteinn Egilson, Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR), Akureyri, Iceland
Hörður Tryggvason, Norðurorka, Akureyri, Iceland

Environmental management accounting and Environmental Accountability of water supply companies: a case study of different realities
– Eva Ferreira, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract:
The environmental projects of a company must be accessible to the society. The objective of this research was to analyze the environmental accountability between the common consumer and the main water supply companies in Brazil (according to Bnamericas) during the period of December 2023 and March 2024. A questionnaire was applied to the Minas Gerais Sanitation Company [Copasa], Basic Sanitation Company of the State of São Paulo [Sabesp], and the Paraná Sanitation Company [Sanepar]. Furthermore, the online pages of these organizations were consulted, together with documents made available by the companies. Moreover, the data search was based on literature published in peer-reviewed resources mainly scientific research articles and review articles, including proceedings, books, and book chapters. The research is characterized as unprecedented due to some factors, firstly, no one has studied the application of the Project Management Institute [PMI] and environmental accountability in sanitation companies, secondly because the study is about Brazilian companies and thirdly the focus is on the common consumer. Little is still published specifically about water supply for human consumption and environmental accountability. One of the factors for this may be the possible low interest of the population and the monopoly in the water supply service. The research plays an essential role when we deal with the subject of water supply on islands, mainly because it uses a case study that is responsible for part of islands in the state of Paraná, the company Sanepar. Copasa, Sabesp and Sanepar: the company with the best environmental accountability was Sabesp, with detailed information in their webpage and a direct line for contact. Copasa and Sanepar lacks a direct line between the environmental management of the companies and the common consumer who seeks to know about their environmental actions. Even though contact was attempted via email, and the consent form was made available, only Sabesp returned contact.

Authors:
Eva Ferreira (Presenting), Tomas Bata University, Zlín, Czech Republic

RS6: Groundwater and Innovation

Managed Artificial Recharge in Jamaica – A Case Study
– Geoffrey Marshall, Water Resources Authority of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica

Abstract:
The Managed Artificial Recharge Facility in Innswood, St. Catherine is the largest artificial recharge facility in the Caribbean. It was conceptualized based on studies completed in 1982 by the then-Underground Water Authority, and was completed in 2017 by the National Water Commission and Rural Water Supply Limited. The facility’s purpose is to provide direct recharge of the underlying Limestone Aquifer to mitigate against the observed impacts of saline intrusion due to over-pumping and sea level rise. There is currently a moratorium on new abstractions in this limestone aquifer because of these impacts, and one of the goals for the MAR Facility is to provide sufficient and continuous recharge to the aquifer in order to ease the existing moratorium.

The MAR’s designed capacity is 5 million imperial gallons per day. To facilitate its operations, water is diverted from a nearby irrigation canal into four sedimentation basins to remove any suspended particles, and then the overflow from these basins flows into a series of wetlands/reed beds to filter any other contaminants which may be present in the water. The treated water is collected in an outflow sump, and then flows via pipes to a series of sinkholes and injection wells where the water enters the aquifer for storage and eventual restoration of water quality and retreat of the saline intrusion. The underlying issue of saline intrusion and water abstraction restrictions in this region is a very pressing issue, as there is significant residential growth in the area and a subsequent significant increase in water demand for domestic and other usages. While the MAR is a significant potential solution to the question “How can we sustainably provide water for this area without further deterioration of water quantity and quality?” routine monitoring is required to assess the facility’s intended impact. Previous and ongoing assessments of the MAR’s input is crucial for any similar infrastructural construction in the future.

Authors:
Geoffrey Marshall (Presenting), Water Resources Authority of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica

Innovative solutions to protect and increase fresh groundwater availability on small islands
– Tess Davids, Deltares, Utrecht, Wageningen University, Netherlands

Abstract:
The small island developing states (SIDS) are the first to be hit seriously by sea level rise and climate change. These small islands are prone to multiple hazards which interact and may cause large damages and reduce the habitability. Freshwater lenses are groundwater stocks below small islands and form the most important freshwater source for drinking and agriculture for many small islands. Unfortunately, these small freshwater lenses are very vulnerable and will shrink due to sea level rise, climate change (prolonged droughts) and overexploitation and will get salinized by sea water flooding more frequently.

To ensure a sustainable healthy and clean freshwater supply for people and ecosystems, the small islands require innovative and integrated solutions. Different solutions are thinkable, and the feasibility of some promising solutions focused on the increase of fresh groundwater availability are quantified with models and will be discussed. These solutions are: (1) managed aquifer recharge (MAR), (2) SeepCat, (3) sustainable groundwater extraction schemes.

(1) With MAR, groundwater recharge is increased by artificial infiltration of excess rainwater which normally flows towards the sea. Usually, there is more space in the subsoil than on land to store extra freshwater and being less prone to evaporation and pollution. (2) SeepCat provides a technical solution which consists of a series of vertical wells installed between the freshwater lens and the ocean side. Saline groundwater is extracted (by a solar pump) to prevent the freshwater lens to be pushed upwards by sea level rise and even creates more space for lenses to grow. (3) Groundwater extraction will rapidly result in saltwater upconing and undesirable elevated salinities in the pumping water. This is highly dependent on the location, depth of wells and extraction schemes in time. Scavenger wells and intermittent pumping are promising combinations for sustainable groundwater extractions.

Authors:
Tess Davids (Presenting), deltares, utrecht, Netherlands
Perry de Louw, Deltares, Utrecht, Netherlands, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands

Drilling a low temperature groundwater convective system, for heating the school in Glyvrar, Faroe Islands with an open-loop groundwater heating system
– Jana Ólavsdóttir, Jarðfeingi, The Faroese Geological Survey, Faroe Islands

Abstract:
The Faroe Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Nordeast Atlantic Ocean, located in the triangular area between Iceland, Scotland, and Norway. Fifteen years ago, the government of the Faroe Islands introduced shallow geothermal heat pump systems for heating of private houses around the islands as a greener energy solution instead of oil burners.

The drilling of these shallow geothermal energy systems gave The Faroese Geological Survey (Jarðfeingi) the opportunity to access large amount of information regarding the subsurface. Information that had not been accessible before. The information has been and still is being collected by measuring the depth of the groundwater table, the temperature, and conductivity of the groundwater at five-meter intervals downhole. Based on the collected data a geothermal gradient map was constructed and areas with geothermal gradients up to 140 ^oC/km were discovered. The average geothermal gradient of the Faroe Islands in generally around 30 ^oC/km. A hypothesis regarding convection of groundwater in fracture zones was put forward in a test project. An area with a geothermal gradient of approximately 60-70 ^oC/km was chosen close to a school. In addition to the high geothermal gradient the aim was to drill an artesian warm water well. Geological mapping with specific focus on fractures was done. Three large fractures were mapped, and all turned out to dip 30 – 38 ^oC in a northern direction. The central fracture zone was interpreted in depth closest to the school. The test was successful and artesian water was found in one well flowing with 4.5 m²/h of 24.7 ^oC warm water. The well reached the central fracture at c. 245 m depth. The energy from the water will be used for heating the school through an open-loop shallow geothermal system. After the heat is taken out of the water it is possible to use the water as drinking water.

Authors:
Jana Ólavsdóttir (Presenting), Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Óluva R. Eidesgaard, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Uni Petersen, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Barbara B. Hansen, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Effects of volcanic unrest on groundwater
– Sigurður Kristinsson, ÍSOR, Iceland Geosurvey, Kópavogur, Iceland

Abstract:
Measurements from continuous downhole data logger at the fish farm Matorka, located at Reykjanes Peninsula have been collected for several years. They show changes in heat, pressure and salinity that can be correlated to recent seismic and volcanic activity in the area. In recent years, an unrest in volcanic activity has occurred in the Reykjanes Peninsula after almost 800 years of inactivity. In 2020, a ground uplift occurred north of mountain Þorbjörn which is located 4 km north of the Matorka main production area. This activity propagated eastwards, causing three relatively small eruptions (in 2020, 2021 and 2022) in an uninhabited area about 10 km east of Þorbjörn. In October 2023, strong earthquake swarms occurred in the Þorbjörn-Grindavík area with probable signs of magma accumulation. This activity caused dozen of M3 earthquakes and a M5.2 earthquake WNW of Grindavik on the 10^th of November. Several fractures and open fissures crosscut the town which was evacuated. Since then, three small eruptions have occurred just north of the town and caused considerable damage on infrastructure. The fish farm Matorka is in the vicinity of the town of Grindavik, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland and produces high quality Arctic char on land. As a part of their control system, a continuous monitoring with data logger is in a shallow groundwater well nearby, where it monitors temperature (wate), pressure (water level), salinity and conductivity. The data from 2020-2023 shows changes in all parameters that can be corrected with seismic events. Temperature measurements were then obtained from other wells nearby and this data shows the effects of the volcanic and seismic activity on the groundwater in the area.

Authors:
Sigurður Kristinsson (Presenting), Íslenskar orkurannsóknir, Kópavogur, Iceland
Auður Agla Óladóttir, Íslenskar orkurannsóknir, Kópavogur, Iceland
Egill Árni Guðnason, Íslenskar orkurannsóknir, Kópavogur, Iceland

SS2 – SPECIAL SESSION: Freshwater and Islands: A SIDS perspective

Co-Chairs
Assela Pathirana, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands
Adam Mubeen, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands

Abstract:
Home to about 1% of the world’s population, small island developing states (SIDS) were categorised as a special case for both development and environment by the UN in 1992 [UN, n.d.]. SIDS are about 58 states and territories located in three regions: the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AMIS) and are considered among the most vulnerable group of locations in the globe. On average, the ocean area of a SIDS country’s EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) is nearly 30 times the landmass, making the majority of natural resources occur in connection to the sea. A mix of climate and local human impact drivers have made these islands vulnerable to water hazards like beach erosion, floods, drought, groundwater pollution etc. [Nurse, et al., 2021]. These occur in a backdrop of a special socio-economic context, sometimes known as the “island paradox”: the concurrence of high vulnerability to the risk of external shocks and relative prosperity (for example being highly sought-after tourist destinations) in comparison with other types of economies [di Friedberg, et al., 2021]. This was perfectly illustrated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on many SIDS: the reduction of international tourism and foreign remittances seriously impacted the economies of these islands [Sachs, et al., 2021].

IPCC (Assessment report 6, Working group II) chapter on small islands [Nurse et al., 2021] identify air and ocean temperature change, ocean chemistry, rainfall, wind strength and direction, sea levels and wave climate including tropical cyclones, drought, and distant storm swell events as major climatic drivers of change. The impacts of which depend on the magnitude, frequency and extent of the events as well as on the geophysical, social, economic and political context of the island. The majority of these drivers as well as their corresponding hazards and risks are very much related to the water systems of the nations. While in absolute terms do not often make global headlines, in terms of percentage of GDP or population impacted, SIDS are among the most vulnerable locations on the Planet. To address these vulnerabilities, an essential component is the wholistic understanding, rehabilitation, management and preservation of the water systems in these nations. Integrated management of water and marine resource management challenges in this rapidly changing environment calls for good governance, integrated policies, improved community resilience, and capacity-building.

Sustainable water management in SIDS requires a multi-faceted approach that encompasses innovative technologies, community engagement, robust policy frameworks, and international collaboration. Technological innovations are essential to address water security challenges in SIDS. From advanced desalination techniques that provide a reliable source of fresh water to efficient rainwater harvesting systems that maximize available resources, technology plays a critical role in ensuring the sustainable management of water in these regions. Wastewater recycling and reuse can significantly reduce the demand for freshwater, contributing to water security. While acknowledging the importance of technological innovations in addressing water security challenges in SIDS , this session will also , highlight the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with modern innovations to create resilient water management systems. Community-driven initiatives play a crucial role in achieving water sustainability in SIDS therfore, by involving local communities in water management decisions, SIDS can harness traditional knowledge and practices that are well-adapted to the local environment. This participatory approach not only ensures the sustainability of water resources but also empowers communities, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility towards different innovations implemented for water conservation.

Papers in the session
Note: These are the initial papers, we may ask for the possibility of adding two or three more talks.

Our preference is to use thee (5-8) topics to provide sort of ‘elevator pitches’ each lasting about 5 minutes. This will be followed by a public discussion in a workshop format. The goal of the public discussion is to discuss and debate the appropriate approaches for water security in small island developing states.

1. Commercialization and Service Differentiation in Santa Cruz – Small Islands Development State, Cabo Verde: This paper examines Aguas de Santiago S.A (AdS), a commercial public water utility in Santiago, Cape Verde, and its impact on service differentiation and consumer inequality. It highlights the challenges of balancing commercial objectives with equitable service delivery, leading to a low-level equilibrium for certain consumer groups.

2. Sustaining Small-Scale Water Systems (3SWater): Focused on small islands, this project integrates local knowledge with collaborative learning to enhance the sustainability of small-scale water systems. It aims to protect aquatic ecosystems and improve quality of life through pilot demonstrations, specialized training, and applied research, developing scalable, globally applicable solutions.

3. Infrastructure Asset Management in SIDS – Challenges of the ‘islandness: Discusses the explosive growth of water supply and sewera3ge services across the Maldives’ outer islands, emphasizing the challenges of infrastructure provision in small, isolated communities. The paper shares lessons learned from these mixed-success projects on sustainability and implementation.

4. Watering PSIDS NDCs – Enablers and Barriers – case study of Fiji: Water is critical for sustenance of life and environment, yet it often finds itself in the shadows of climate change and disaster risk reduction. The impacts of climate change (CC) are primarily felt through the water systems – too much water or too little water. For many Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), the effect of CC on hydrological cycle is only going worsen, which renders the key questions how “island” communities are planning for anticipated changes. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) provide opportunities to mainstream and prioritise water throughout all national climate planning and implementation processes and further pursue it at global climate discussions. While the role and importance of water in national climate planning is acknowledged, it is still not sufficiently reflected in the NDCs – the highest national climate communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This session presents how water is integrated in NDCs in PSIDS, its enablers and barriers. It provides valuable lessons for mainstreaming water in NDCs, giving it the recognition it deserves, allowing for management of water as an asset for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.

5. Capacity Development in the SIDS Water Sector: Presents the development of an innovative, MOOC-integrated course on managing small island water and marine resources by IHE Delft. This initiative addresses the need for capacity development in integrated water management within SIDS, offering a comprehensive overview of water-related challenges and innovations, available as a free, self-paced online course and adaptable for various training formats.

6. The inhabitants of the Republic of Maldives’ islands rely heavily on groundwater sources for their non-potable water requirements. Recent anecdotal evidence and opinions of inhabitants indicate contamination of the groundwater resources. Water samples were collected from numerous dug-wells in two outer islands Mulah and Muli and were tested for physical,chemical and biological markers for contamination. Further, household questionnaire surveys were conducted to gain insights into the experiences of the residents when transitioning across sanitation systems. Interviews supplemented these surveys to understand the historical and policy context of the transitions. Many inhabitants complain of the foul smell of groundwater. The water testing results show signs of faecal contamination of groundwater, in spite of the fact that both islands have piped sewer systems. Further work is being done to identify the sources of this contamination and possible remedial actions.

7. Unveiling Water Challenges in the Maldives: Perspectives from the Outer Island Communities Kolhufushi and Muli: Freshwater scarcity in the Maldives demands holistic strategies to tackle climate and human-induced challenges affecting water quality and quantity. Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, the government aims to provide safe water access to all inhabitants by 2023 through centralized water piped networks (desalination plants) on each (outer) island. This approach overlooks informal local methods such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater extraction, which can also serve as sustainable solutions for island communities. Hence, this research aims to elucidate the perspectives of local communities and how they cope with different water resource challenges on the outer islands of Kolhufushi and Muli in the Maldives. For this research, 25 Household interviews and 5 Key Informant interviews have been conducted on each island. This research aims to foster more dialogue among stakeholders about Maldives’ water management and provide insights to boost water security and safety in the Maldives via individual, community, and institutional efforts and support.

8. Life history of a water policy: Fiji’s draft National Water Resources Management and Sanitation Policy: This research illustrates the social, political, traditional history associated with resource management in Fiji has deeply carved the development of Fiji’s draft National Water Resources Management and Sanitation Policy (NWRMSP), its processes, and development dynamics. The policy process in this case has been heavily top-down, largely influenced and shaped by political actors, often guided by political aspiration, then resource governance requirements. It further reveals that to a certain extent, the NWRMSP iteration is inadequately rooted in the local context but rather constructed by international actors, who also seem to fund the policy formulation, based on their interest in certain water sector activities in Fiji, most of which forms “policy-based lending”. The research further highlights that the initial idea behind policy formulation has been lost in transition and at the end, the policy is only made to satisfy global declarations having ramifications on its intended purpose. It further illustrates that with each iteration the actor dynamics change, with new actors emerging with different power, interests, and influence, each having a varied impact on policy formulation.

Authors
Assela Pathirana (Presenting), IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands
Akosua Sarpong Boakye-Ansah, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands
Fazeela Ibrahim, Villa College, Male’, Maldives
Tharika Fernando, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Adam Mubeen, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands
Adele Young, IHE Delft Institute for water education, Delft, Netherlands
Amit Singh, Pacific Community, Suva, Fiji
Suma Khlaid, Feneka Corporation, Male’, Maldives
Helen Deise Barbosa, IHE Delft, Santiago, Cape Verde
Atishma Lal, IHE Delft Alumni, Suva, Fiji

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER

09.00 – 10.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS7: Island Water Administration: Caribbean Region

Introducing CWUIC – transforming disaster resilience and response for water utilities in the Caribbean region
– Christopher Husbands, Caribbean Water Utility Insurance Collective, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Abstract:
OVERVIEW:
This paper/presentation will share the experience of developing and operationalizing the Caribbean Water Utility Insurance Collective (CWUIC). The CWUIC was officially established in September 2023 under the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) as a segregated portfolio. It is supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the UK Government (FCDO) and other key stakeholders.

A first of its kind facility in the world, CWUIC SP will help water utilities in the Caribbean with access to a formalized response program and to build resilience to natural hazards through disaster risk finance and management products, training, tools, and support.

The three main components under the CWUIC SP Program are:

The CWUIC Response Program: To provide support to utilities for swift response and recovery following a natural disaster.
Parametric Insurance Program: To provide insurance coverage that offers quick liquidity after a hazardous event.
The CWUIC Resilience Program: To facilitate access to funding from development banks and other financing institutions to fund priority resilience projects of the participating utility.

THE CWUIC RESPONSE PROGRAM:

Improve communications among water utilities.
Provide guidance on advanced agreements with suppliers.
Develop procedures to survey damage caused by the event;
Develop procedures for the mobilization, deployment and coordination of workmen and crew;
Develop procedures for the movement of materials, tools, and equipment;
Provide training and development for personnel;
Coordinate post-disaster assistance amongst utilities to support early recovery.

THE PARAMETRIC INSURANCE PROGRAM

Provide an insurance product to utilities that offers payments based on the intensity of an event.
It is less expensive than traditional indemnity insurance as no assessments are required post-disaster;
Faster settlement of claims and payouts to utilities for recovery operations;
CWUIC’s objective will be to offer utilities the lowest possible premiums.

THE CWUIC RESILIENCE PROGRAM

Increase resilience of CWUIC SP’s member utilities against natural disasters;
Support utilities in identifying and structuring priority resilience projects;
Facilitate access to funding from development banks and other financing agencies to implement resilience projects;
This results in reduced risk for utilities and lower insurance premiums for future policy terms.

Authors:
Christopher Husbands (Presenting), Interamerican Development Bank, washington, USA, Caribbean Water Utility Insurance Collective, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Development of a Resource Management Model for the island of Martinique
– Hielard Gaella, Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique

Abstract:
Climate change have already consequences on the quantity and quality of Martinique’s available freshwater resources. In the future, without an adaptation strategy, the unavoidable trade-off will have to be made between satisfying water uses with an acceptable price versus respecting the ecology of watercourses and the quality of aquatic environments.

However, this trade-off is not inevitable, and solutions exist to reconcile these two objectives. They need to be collectively shared, technically and financially, equitably and effectively, at the territorial level.

The Resource Management Model is the first hydroeconomic model that was developed in France with the support of French Office of Biodiversity, as a decision-making tool for water management in Martinique. It is the result of a research and development program led by the Water Office Martinique which mobilized the expertise of economists, hydrologists and hydraulics civil engineers.

This model includes all uses of freshwater (human, agricultural, industrial consumption) and involves 3 components: the environment (modelling of water resources), hydraulics (distribution according to uses) and economy (the cost of water). This model aims to optimize the technical and financial management of water resources in order to guarantee uses within resource constraints (compliance with reserved flows). Climate and demographical projections were incorporated into calculations of the availability of the extractable resource.

This innovative model has been co-constructed as a structuring tool for dialogue and projection for all water stakeholders. Different scenarios were discussed and implement into the model for further cost-benefit analysis.

Modelling results:
1 – Due to rainfall scarcity, the volumes of water available for all uses would be reduced in 2055 by -31% to -75% during dry season.
2 – Demography and operating revenues of services: alert on the financial balance of drinkable water services
3 – Improving network performance is an option in the adaptation strategy, but not enough!
4 – Diversifying sources of supply would improve user service satisfaction at 78% to 95%
5 – The interconnection of primary infrastructure: a cornerstone of the adaptation strategy
6 – RECOMMENDATIONS

• The first results of the “MGR” should allow the development of an adaptation strategy For climate and demographic changes.
• Such a strategy should involve all stakeholders in a concerted process.
• This strategy would have significant benefits in terms of user satisfaction rates and respect for the ecological constraints of watercourses.
• This strategy also has a cost, which must be equitably distributed among users, the citizens of Martinique and the State in a perspective of national solidarity.

Authors:
MANGEOT LOIC, Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique
HIELARD GAELLE (Presenting), Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique

Sustainability of water supply for human consumption in Curaçao and Saint Martin
– Eva Ferreira, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Leiden, Netherlands

Abstract:
The use of water is essential for humans, animals in general and the ecosystems, in addition to maintaining industrial production. In Curaçao and Saint Martin, one of the biggest problems has been the use of technologies that are not inclusive and expensive for the population, for example, desalination, a concept based on the fact that the use of groundwater would be outdated. Curaçao and Saint Martin are islands located in the Caribbean, and former colonies of the Dutch kingdom, with Saint Martin experiencing problems with hurricanes every year. Moreover, the islands are still burdened with public debts and problems resulting from the colonization period. The main objective of this work is to present an overview about the systems used for the water supply in Curaçao and Saint Martin, together with a case study of water supply option. The research was based on a proposal of a pilot project and in interviews with NGOs and the local government. The study was the first to evaluate water supply in Caribbean countries, and a case for similar realities, especially in places impacted by the tourism industry.

Authors:
Eva Ferreira (Presenting), Tomas Bata University, Zlín, Czech Republic

Exploring Rainwater Harvesting Practices in a Water-Stressed Rural Community in Trinidad
– Alana Mahir, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract:
The paper examines the crisis of a water- stressed rural community in Trinidad where the residents do not have access to a pipe- borne supply of water. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) provides water for the survival of several rural communities in Trinidad. It is used in many communities for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning and supports livelihoods across the island. The rural community is plagued by the catastrophe of obtaining a supply of safe drinking water. Potable water is a long-term challenge as the community is off the national water supply grid. Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) has been adopted by the community as a primary means of drinking water and is now considered a sustainable solution. This study implemented a mixed method approach to assess the demographics, sources of domestic water, its primary uses, and household water practices by conducting a survey of households that use rainwater actively. Focus was placed on the importance of Rainwater in meeting the needs of the community and the approaches adopted for collection, storage and careful use of harvested water. Research was conducted to review existing national policies specific to Rainwater Harvesting to identify gaps and recommendations made. These results demonstrate the importance of rainwater and the need for proper management of RWH techniques to ensure water security of the community.

Authors:
Alana Mahabir (Presenting), University of the West Indies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Hazi Azamathulla, University of the West Indies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

RS8: Water and Nature Working Together Including the Special Case of Rainwater Harvesting

Designing with Nature: Stormwater and Aquatic Biodiversity Considerations
– Mary Trudeau, Envirings Inc, Ottawa, Canada

Abstract:
Urban land use fundamentally changes the quantity and quality of water flowing off the landscape. In addition to pavement, roofs and other impervious surfaces, urban drainage systems further compound alterations to the water cycle because they are conventionally engineered to whisk water away as fast as possible. While these designs mitigate flood risks and reduce puddling on streets, the consequences for aquatic biodiversity of altered flows due to urban drainage infrastructure are not fully appreciated or even studied. Changes to the natural flow regime are initiated with very small changes to land surfaces. Urbanization has catastrophic consequences for aquatic biodiversity when it reaches only about ten percent of a watershed’s land cover. Known as urban stream syndrome, multiple concurrent changes to the aquatic ecosystem with urbanization mean that it is very difficult to scientifically identify individual causal factors. Water temperature, water chemistry and water quantity all shift simultaneously, including specific characteristics of flow, which in turn affect the viability of aquatic species in the receiving waters. For example, an increase in the rate of change in flow, or flow acceleration, in urbanizing areas is associated with decreased fish richness in the Great Lakes region of Canada. With limited geographic extent, and potentially unique endemic species, island states have additional considerations for how drainage infrastructure is designed and operated. Biodiversity is in crisis, with freshwater biodiversity being the most imperiled group of species. With immediate linkages from land to sea, island nations have an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of designing urban drainage with nature. The factors in making choices for urban drainage extend beyond the technical and scientific to cultural norms, risk tolerance, precaution in the face of uncertainty, and perceptions and values of nature and humanity’s place in it.

Authors:
Mary Trudeau (Presenting), Envirings Inc, Ottawa, Canada, IWRA, Paris, France

Wai Governance & the Hawaiian Ancestral Circular Economy
– Pua Souza, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA

Abstract:
This paper examines the central role of freshwater (wai) in traditional Hawaiian resource management and governance. It highlights how intimate knowledge of hydrological cycles informed sustainable economic systems modeled on principles of balance, reciprocity, and regeneration. Wai is considered the source of all life in an indigenoua Hawaiian worldview. Ancestral water deities like Kaneikawaiola represent its sacred, life-giving properties. Traditional laws used terms like “kanawai” (“belonging to the waters”) to encode protections. Scientific observations of evaporation, rainfall, and groundwater recharge patterns were encoded in mythology, poetry, and place names.

The paper describes how water cycles were conceptually linked to political economy. For instance, the harvest festival Makahiki synchronized governance rituals with wet season abundance. The Kalaiaina land redistribution process upon a ruler’s death was designed to mimic water’s natural movements across landscapes. Notions of wealth (waiwai) were defined by sustainable access to freshwater. And the interconnected watershed-based land division system (ahupuaa) balanced localized autonomy with resource sharing between mountain and sea.

A central argument of this work is that these water-informed cyclical models formed the basis of an Ancestral Circular Economy (ACE) optimized for equity, diversity, and resilience. In contrast to contemporary systems prioritizing growth and accumulation, the ACE renewed environmental balance and community wellbeing with each generation. It distributed surplus through give-and-take relationships between land, chiefs, and commoners. Hydrologically-aligned boundaries and institutions encouraged place-based agency while maintaining abundance across larger regions.Revitalizing elements of the ACE offers models for sustainable development today, as Hawai’i and the world urgently seek to heal damaged ecosystems and societies. Centering Indigenous water knowledge promotes justice while guiding more ethical and regenerative modes of production. Respecting water’s sanctity creates space for alternative economic visions redefining wealth, power, and our collective fate.

Authors:
Pua Souza (Presenting), University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
Kamanamaikalani Beamer, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA

Groundwater conservation and nature-based solutions. The case of springs in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
– Noelia García-Rodríguez, University Institute for Social Research and Tourism (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

Abstract:
Water is a vital resource that guarantees life in any environmental context. In insular areas, this statement becomes even more crucial. The subsistence of local populations, the sustainability of the economy, and the conservation of island ecosystems depend on the wise management of available water resources. It is essential to have an appropriate mix of soft measures, such as policies and management strategies, and hard measures, such as technologies and infrastructure, to ensure efficient water management. This study was carried out on La Palma Island, where the springs have been seriously affected, especially since the 1970s, by the extraction of groundwater through galleries (water tunnels) for irrigation of banana farms (an export crop). Many water springs have disappeared, and others have lost a significant portion of their historical flow. Throughout history, the island has relied on its water and other natural resources, which have been protected in various ways. Also, conflicts related to controlling water and other resources have been frequent in recent history, especially after the expansion of export crops. Our paper aims to analyze both the historical and current situation of the springs on the island and the solutions that have been developed to protect and recover them. Among the most effective options is the construction of closures in the water galleries. This approach is an example of a nature-based solution, where natural processes are used as models for designing and implementing solutions to environmental problems.
Keywords: Groundwater, springs, natural protected areas, nature-based solutions, Canary Islands (Spain), La Palma.

Authors:
José Antonio Batista-Medina, Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna., La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
José Jaime Pascual-Fernández, Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna., La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
Raquel De la Cruz-Modino, Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna., La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
Noelia García-Rodríguez (Presenting), Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna., La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
Alejandro Rodríguez-Pais, Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR). Universidad de La Laguna., La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain

Circularity of Water in Small Islands: A Case Study of Rainwater Harvesting in Ameland
– Christina Natalia Titisari, Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands

Abstract:
As climate change continues to impact small islands, the consequences on freshwater resources become increasingly pronounced. This paper explores the critical realm of the circularity of water, focusing on the case study of Ameland, a small island in the North Sea and part of the Netherlands’ West Frisian Islands. With a total area of 57.5 square kilometres, Ameland confronts challenges in sourcing freshwater from underground reservoirs and predominantly relies on a mainland pipeline for its water supply. As the island experiences an upswing in population and tourism and heightened freshwater demands during the summer, envisioning alternative, sustainable water resources emerges as a judicious strategy within the circularity of water. This aligns with the pursuit of self-sufficiency and aims to reduce dependence on the mainland for water resources and maintain the number of groundwater reservations on the island.

In response to these challenges, the study delves into rainwater harvesting as a sustainable and effective measure within the circularity of water. Rainwater harvesting offers multifaceted benefits, from mitigating water scarcity to promoting year-round sustainable water management practices, particularly crucial during the summer months. The research methodology employs quantitative data collection to analyse Ameland’s current state of water resources. A feasibility analysis is conducted, incorporating insights from external case studies, specifically focusing on adapting viable solutions to suit the distinctive context of Ameland within the circularity of water. Key findings elaborate on the potential success of rainwater harvesting in Ameland, highlighting challenges and proposing potential solutions, providing insights into the initiative’s potential success within the circularity of water. The study contributes valuable insights to the broader discourse on sustainable water management practices within the circularity of water, offering a template for implementing rainwater harvesting in similar small island environments.

Keywords: Island, Ameland, Rainwater harvesting

Authors:
Christina Natalia Titisari (Presenting), Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands
Rehema Komba, Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands

RS9: Monitoring and Data

Leveraging Interpretable Machine Learning for Enhanced Freshwater Resource Management in the Canary Islands: A Data-Driven Study
– Horacio Pérez-Sánchez, UCAM Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

Abstract:
The advancements in artificial intelligence models have demonstrated notable progress in the field of hydrological forecasting. However, predictions of extreme climate events are still a challenging task. This work presents the development and testing procedures of several interpretable machine learning techniques for short-term meteorological drought forecasting. These techniques were implemented to forecast multi-temporal drought indices, three-month and six-month standardized precipitation evapotranspiration (SPEI-3 and SPEI-6), at the seven islands that form the Canary Islands. To evaluate the model’s performance, we utilized statistical accuracy measures, conducted graphical inspections, and compared it with benchmark models. We achieved a good trade-off between predictive accuracy and interpretability of the obtained model. The machine learning techniques applied represent a promising and reliable modeling approach for SPEI prediction and increased our knowledge of drought weather patterns in the Canary Islands, which is very useful for efficient water resource management and can be implemented on other islands around the world.

Authors:
Horacio Pérez-Sánchez (Presenting), Structural Bioinformatics and High-Performance Computing Research Group (BIO-HPC), Computer Engineering Department, Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM), Murcia, Spain
Francisco José Segura-Mendez, Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Murcia, Spain
Patricia Jimeno-Saez, Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Murcia, Spain
Javier Senent-Aparicio, Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Murcia, Spain

Multicriteria design tool for selecting Treatment wetlands systems for urban wastewater management in insular territories
– Legeai Zoe, Inrae, Lyon, France

Abstract:
Wastewater treatment solutions using nature-based solutions (NBS) are numerous and diverse. Finding the most appropriate solution for a given context is challenging more over when developing such technologies in insular territories where climate conditions, local available material or human skills can be selective. Based on this issue, CARIBSAN project aims to develop a design and treatment chain selection tool that take into account local and characteristic of insular territories in defining adapted wastewater treatment NBS technologies. One of the goals is to develop a methodology that can automatically combine and size different treatment wetlands systems to achieve specific treatment objectives while taking into account local context characteristics. Those characteristics can be define, among others, according to technical local constraints (available materials, risk of electricity cuts, geological characteristics …), climate characteristics (storm events, temperature seasons …) and governance and local skills for operation.

In order to select the most appropriate treatment chain, we use a multi-criteria analysis (technical, economic, social and environmental criteria). The technical component aims to define a treatment system chain able to achieve the desired level of treatment for a specific sizing (which type of treatment wetlands systems, which surface and which material depths) with a precise degree of reliability. As local constraints (climate, material dependence, operation …) can have an impact on the reliability, a specific tool as been developed to help decision makers in selecting the most suitable NBS treatment chain. Developed in Python, the code allows designing and comparing different treatment chains, validated in various climatic conditions that are ranking by TOPSIS methodology to take into account different criteria.

The proposed oral presentation aims at explaining the concept, methodology and validation based on the Caribbean regions.

Authors:
Legeai Zoe (Presenting), INRAE, LYON, France
Molle Pascal, INRAE, LYON, France
Hielard Gaelle, Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique

Interactions between erosion and saltwater intrusion on small islands and implications for future water security
– Barret Kurylyk, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Abstract:
Populations on small islands are often groundwater-dependent due to the lack of surface water resources, forcing residents to pump potable freshwater from the underlying aquifer known as the ‘freshwater lens’. Government funding, media attention, and infrastructure aim to address surface impacts of extreme coastal storms; however, freshwater lenses beneath the land surface are also susceptible to degradation (salinization) during and following coastal storms. Previous research suggests that in a changing climate, water insecurity due to saltwater intrusion may often be the ultimate trigger driving the forced migration of island populations. Saltwater intrusion can be lateral due to increasing pumping, declining aquifer recharge, and rising sea levels, or downward due to coastal flooding.

We report on recent field and modelling investigations of saltwater intrusion into small-island aquifers in Atlantic Canada. Field sites include Sable Island, a remote sand island in the Northwest Atlantic; Lennox Island, a Mi’kmaq First Nation with a confined, bedrock aquifer; and Hog Island, a sandy barrier island protecting Lennox Island from waves in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Results highlight the profound importance of coastal erosion as a mechanism that exacerbates surface coastal flooding extent and associated downward saltwater intrusion into aquifers. We provide field data from monitoring wells, geophysical instruments, wave buoys, and drone-based LiDAR elevation mapping to illustrate the interactions between coastal flooding, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion. We investigate these processes in a surface-subsurface hydrologic model. Field data and model results show that both gradual, decadal erosion and sudden, pronounced erosion during coastal storms can drive saltwater intrusion into island aquifers; however, the underlying mechanisms are distinct. Collectively, the results highlight that small-island freshwater management programs should explicitly consider the interactions and feedbacks between coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion and weigh these impacts when conducting risk analyses and feasibility assessments for coastal adaptation solutions.

Authors:
Barret Kurylyk (Presenting), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Julia Cantelon, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Sofija Stanic, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Nicole LeRoux, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Voicing experiences of water scarcity in rural and island Scotland
– Elizabeth Lawson, Newcastle University, UK

Abstract:
This creative session will feature audio-visual material including film and photography from the ESRC/ACCESS funded project “Taps Aff!” Voicing Experiences of Water Scarcity in Rural Scotland’. Water scarcity events are complex environmental crises with far-reaching environmental, social, and economic consequences. However, they have not kept pace with other environmental challenges in terms of attention garnered and particularly attention paid to the specificities of place and the complexity of the social and environmental issues that are catalysts for water scarcity, including those relating to climate change. Despite reference to Scotland as a ‘hydro-nation,’ many areas of the country now frequently undergo periods of water scarcity. This issue is of growing concern amongst communities and wider stakeholders, but the lived experience of these events is little understood.

This year-long project, running from September 2023 to September 2024, documented these lived-experiences with water scarcity in rural Scotland. Co-produced by communities, the project produced film, image, and audio narratives of water scarcity events as they took place. Alongside this documentation, the project investigated and engaged in opportunities to include this on-the-ground knowledge and experience with water scarcity, in the development of a water scarcity action plan at both the regional and national level.

This session will present stories from the Scottish islands involved in this project. The session will feature a specially curated visual and audio-visual exhibition with the possibility of an online or in-person round-table event involving community members. The content of the session will be tailored to the space, format, and audio-visual resources available at the conference venue and online. A revised plan for the session will be submitted following acceptance of this initial proposal and further discussion with the conference organisers around suitable formats.

Authors:
Elizabeth Lawson (Presenting), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Laura Major, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

SS3 – SPECIAL SESSION: The Battle for the Water – Exploitation of Water for Green Hydrogen Production

Ditte Stiler, Nordic Energy Research, Oslo, Norway

Abstract:
Accessibility to freshwater resources is a globally recognised priority, highlighted by the UN’s 6^th Sustainable Development Goal. One of its sub-goals (6.4) emphasises the importance of managing water resources across sectors to ensure sustainable management, as water is a universal resource in society and a prerequisite for life. (United Nations, 2024).

Hydrogen is proclaimed as a key enabler for transitioning hard-to-abate sectors, including industrial processes and heavy-duty transportation. Moreover, integrating green hydrogen production can help stabilise power grids vulnerable to congestion from the growing penetration of fluctuating renewable electricity production. This challenge is particularly pronounced on islands with off-grid situations.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has, with its recently published report from December 2023, emphasised that the prospected green hydrogen production demand requires incorporating water considerations into energy planning, as there exist implications for freshwater withdrawal. Furthermore, the energy sector constitutes the industrial sector with the largest water consumption globally. (IRENA and Bluerisk, 2023).

We are facing a technical transition of energy systems on islands where sustainability can only be ensured through cross-sectoral collaboration. Therefore, Nordic Energy Research deems it prudent to address energy and water management considerations at the outset of expanding green hydrogen production during the 1^st Islands Water Congress.

Important Topics to Raise
The most important aim of this event is to bring administrative measures into light within water and energy management on islands that can ensure short- and long-term sustainable consumption of water for green hydrogen production. With sustainability, both the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, if it refers to.

In addition, several sub-topics can be mentioned:

The primary objective of this event is to highlight administrative measures in water and energy management specific to islands, aimed at ensuring both short- and long-term sustainable water consumption to produce green hydrogen. Sustainability encompasses social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Additionally, the event will address several sub-topics, including:
Assessing water stress risks on islands concerning green hydrogen production.
Exploring innovative solutions for water treatment and efficiency at green hydrogen facilities.
Identifying synergies and conflicts in freshwater energy and water management concerning green hydrogen, across political, industrial, and public spheres.
Identifying areas where international cooperation and knowledge sharing can benefit islands in this regard.
Showcasing best practices and experiences in energy and water management for green hydrogen.

Organisation
Nordic Energy Research serves as the platform for collaborative energy research and policy development under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Established in 1975, the institution boasts extensive expertise in facilitating cooperation on energy matters within the Nordic region and internationally. This includes tasks such as providing administrative support to working groups, conducting analyses for policy recommendations, and organising events like conferences and workshops.

For this proposed event, specialists from the Net Zero Islands Network will participate to share insights and present solutions regarding energy and water management in Nordic and Arctic islands. Operating since 2020, this network serves as a platform for experts dedicated to enabling the transition to green energy on islands, fostering the exchange of best practices and knowledge sharing. Member islands in the network include the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, Aaland, Gotland, Bornholm, the Hebrides, Orkney Islands, and the Shetland Islands.

Nordic Energy Research aims to involve the Faroese Environmental Agency and the Faroese Geological Survey in the event, along with potential experts and organisations beyond the Nordic region. The objective with this composition is to explore opportunities for mutual learning between Nordic and international stakeholders.

Panel Debate
Nordic Energy Research proposes organising a 1.5-hour panel debate featuring six experts representing various sectors: a local government authority, an energy distribution company, a water supply company, an international interest organization, a researcher, and a representative from IRENA.

To kickstart a constructive dialogue among the panellists and set the scene for participants, two to three presentations will be delivered by panel members. Following this, a workshop will be conducted among participants to explore experiences, innovative solutions, and considerations beneficial for sustainable water management in relation to green hydrogen production on islands. Both technical and administrative aspects will be addressed.

The outcomes of the workshop will be synthesised into a policy brief. This document will offer recommendations for authorities, including tools and considerations for sustainable water and energy management. Additionally, it will highlight synergies and innovative technical solutions, with a focus on showcasing best practices or flagship projects. The policy brief will be publicly accessible on Nordic Energy Research’s website for those interested

Risk Assessment
The organisation of a panel discussion is currently in the initial stage, with panellist names yet to be confirmed. A meeting has been conducted with a Faroese member of the Net Zero Islands Network working for the Faroese Environment Agency, who expressed interest in addressing this topic at the congress.

Once, we receive a potentially positive response to our suggested session, we will promptly reach out to relevant experts to join the panel. Nordic Energy Research has allocated a budget specifically for activities related to the green energy transition on islands and remote areas. This budget allows us to finance the attendance of speakers for the panel discussion to overcome financial barriers.

Water management is an area that Nordic Energy Research has not extensively explored. However, as an institution, we have expertise in the energy sector and the green transition within the Nordic region. We will leverage external expert knowledge to complement our understanding of water management

Literature
IRENA and Bluerisk (2023), Water for hydrogen production, International Renewable Energy Agency, Bluerisk, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
ISBN: 978-92-9260-526-1
United Nations (2024), 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs – Sustainable Development, New York, USA.
Link: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6#targets_and_indicators

Authors
Ditte Stiler, Nordic Energy Research, Oslo, Norway

SS4 – SPECIAL SESSION (09.00 – 12.00): Faroe Island water administration (Session only in Faroese)*

Arni Petersen, Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Abstract:
A mini symposium aimed at the water managers and water system workers in the municipalities and people with interest in the water supply systems in the Faroe Islands. The minisymposium will be held in faroese.

In this minisymposium 4-6 presentations wil be given on relevant subjects regarding the water supply systems in the faroe Islands.

Authors
Arni Petersen, Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Tráin P. Nónklett, Fróðskaparsetur Føroya
Birita F. Kjærbæk, Umhvørvisstovan – Vernd
Marita S. Hentze, Tekniskur leiðari, Runavíkar Kommuna
Knud Simonsen, Vørn, Veðurstovan
Janus Vang, deildarleiðari, MIKRO & Arni Petersen eftirlitsfólk MVD, Heilsufrøðiliga starvsstovan
Jana Ólavsdóttir, Jarðfeingi

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER: 14.00 – 15.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS10: Island Water Administration: Asia/Pacific and African Region

Water management challenges on Kinmen Islands
– Mei-Huan Chen, Penn State University, State College, USA

Abstract:
Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands have long experienced water stress, which is often attributed to the island’s environmental constraints in official claims, such as inadequate rainfall and limited water storage capacity. Yet, this paper contends that water governance issues have also played a critical role in impeding effective water supply. These issues include absence of data and regulations, ineffective management and operation, and lack of collaboration among horizontal and vertical institutions. This paper examines the causes and politics surrounding water governance issues in Kinmen and identifies some of the factors that are specifically related to island conditions and the islands’ relation with the main-(is)lands. For instance, the islands’ relatively closed social network has hindered the implementation of pollution control and groundwater management, contributing to a decline in water quality and unsustainable groundwater use. Additionally, the islands’ distance from main(is)land Taiwan and their historical role as a military frontline against mainland China have resulted in gaps in environmental data collection and delayed enforcement of specific water and land-use regulations. Through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, this paper reveals instances of these challenges. By highlighting the politics of island water governance, this paper offers a more comprehensive understanding of why Kinmen islands face water scarcity and underscores the need to address governance challenges on islands.

Authors:
Mei-Huan Chen (Presenting), Penn State University, State College, USA

Navigating the Waves: Freshwater Administration and Water Management on Saint Martin Island, Bangladesh
– Mahir Abrar, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada

Abstract:
This study focuses on Saint Martin Island, situated in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, to examine the critical theme of freshwater administration and water management in its booming tourist economy. The administration of freshwater on islands introduces unique challenges and opportunities, particularly when juxtaposed with mainland approaches. The study will scrutinise the nuances of freshwater administration and its connection to the island’s jurisdictional setting, considering factors such as the island’s status as a sovereign state or a sub-national jurisdiction. Water management on Saint Martin Island is intricately linked to its tourist-driven economy, creating a pressing need for effective policies and regulations. The research will delve into the role of regulation in integrating surface and groundwater resources within a unified island water administrative system. It will explore strategies to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services, administer water for tourist facilities, and address conflicts arising from competing water uses.

This study aims to contribute to the broader understanding of freshwater administration on islands, shedding light on the specific challenges and innovative solutions relevant to the unique context of Saint Martin Island. By addressing these issues, the research seeks to inform policymakers, environmentalists, and local communities about sustainable water management practices, ensuring the resilience of both the island’s ecosystem and its burgeoning tourist economy.

Authors:
Mahir Abrar (Presenting), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
Faria Sultana, American International University-Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sustainable freshwater administration in Nosy Mitsio island (Madagascar): the collaboration between NGOs and the newborn Community Water Management Committees
– Edoardo Bono, H4O Help for Optimism, Torino, Italy

Abstract:
On the small island of Nosy Mitsio – as well as most of the volcanic archipelagos in the north west of Madagascar – some 2000 people live far from any services such as education, electricity, roads, mobile network and water access. In these islands freshwater aquifers are superficial and very sensitive both to climate change, as well as to saltwater intrusion from the sea. Since 2018 the italian NGO “H4O Help for Optimism” has been implementing WASH projects in Nosy Mitsio island in close collaboration with local communities with the aim of improving public health conditions by ensuring access to clean water for all. H4O started working with and for the villages to enable communities to design, build, maintain and manage the water resources. In order to achieve the project objectives, H4O Help for Optimism made the local population the main stakeholder in all phases of the project by creating Community Water Management Committees (CWMC) where each fringe of the community has the opportunity to express themselves, identify problems and priorities for action. The project is environmentally, technically and economically sustainable thanks to specialized training programmes provided by the NGO that ensures scalability of the project and the introduction of a user tariff which aims to cover operating and maintenance costs of the infrastructures. This approach paid off when, in 2021, Madagascar’s borders were closed due to COVID-19, but through an approach of “Smart-Cooperation” local population was able to independently build a drinking water supply, relying on the remote support of H4O. With the reopening of the borders, projects continued in 2022 and 2023 for the irrigation of new vegetable gardens and watering troughs for livestock.

The Community Water Management Committees administration and the collaboration with the NGO “H4O Help for Optimism” were further structured to enable local communities to manage freshwater for different uses and to ensure the small island’s long term sustainability.

Authors:
Edoardo Bono (Presenting), H4O Help for Optimism, Torino, Italy
Serena Zara, H4O Help for Optimism, Torino, Italy
Francesca Fontanella, H4O Help for Optimism, Torino, Italy

Access to sanitation in the small islands of Senegal: the case of the island of Foundiougne (Fatick region, Senegal)
– El Hadji Mamadou Sonko, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal

Abstract:
In Senegal, access to water, in small island towns is a particular problem, which is still poorly understood by the public authorities and development aid actors. The main objective of this study, carried out in the Municipality of Foundiougne, is to contribute to the knowledge of the problems related to the supply of drinking water, in small island towns in Senegal. The methodology adopted consisted of a literature review and quantitative surveys of a sample of 100 households. Semi-structured interviews using interview guides and informal interviews, municipal authorities, and neighbourhood leaders. Direct observation with photography was also used.

The results show that, 46% of households use water from tanks for drinking. Five tanks take water from Passy or Sokone, two cities located respectively 32 and 50 km from Foundiougne, and go around the neighbourhoods of the commune to serve “better tasting” drinking water to the population. This is due to the fact that the water from these localities is of better quality than that salted from Foundiougne according to the population. The main source of water used for laundry, washing, dishwashing, cleaning and bathing is tap water for 94% of household. In relation to SDG 6, 35% of households have unimproved water services, 46% have a limited level of service, and 19% have a basic level of service. These results show that there is real work to be done at the level of small urban islands to achieve SDG 6.

Authors:
El Hadji Mamadou SONKO (Presenting), Institute of Environmental Sciences, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal

RS11: Water / Energy / Food Nexus Region

Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Human Mobility in Insular Nations: The Case of the Greek Islands
– Konstantinos Pappas, Texas A&M Energy Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA

Abstract:
Surrounded by water and isolated from the mainland, insular countries face challenges in maintaining adequate supplies for their water, energy, and food demands. The tight interconnectedness of water, energy, and food systems, compounded by growing pressures including intensified extreme weather events due to climate change, human mobility patterns, and economic sectors such as tourism, make adopting a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus approach vital to ensuring the sustainable livelihoods of island communities. In the Aegean Sea, there are about 100 inhabited islands, most of which have a very low availability of water which is aggravated mainly in summer due to tourism and in larger islands due to high demand for crop irrigation. The seawater reverse osmosis (RO) desalination seems to be an attractive solution; however, several trade-offs need to be considered. RO requires large amounts of electricity. Since in most of the Aegean islands electricity is produced by autonomous diesel stations, the cost of the desalinated water will be high, coupled with environmental pollution concerns. In addition, agriculture and food production have been decreasing in recent years driven by climate-related risk and farmer’s ability to earn more by investing in the tourism sector. This paper aims to conduct a scoping review of existing literature and current events in the context of the insular nation of Greece, to highlight the interconnections between water, energy, and food-related challenges and identify how human mobility in its different forms impacts these interconnected systems in Greek islands.

Authors:
Konstantinos Pappas (Presenting), Texas A&M Energy Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA, Borders & Migration Program, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
Bassel Daher, Texas A&M Energy Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
George Papadakis, School of Environment and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Evanghelos Dimitriou, School of Environment and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Funda Iseri, Texas A&M Energy Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
George Spyrou, School of Environment and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Kyle Wilson, Texas A&M Energy Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA

Optimising complex decision-making under uncertainty: application of a novel multi-agent decision support tool to inform climate resilience of finfish freshwater aquaculture in Scotland
– Joshua Peters, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Decision support tools can be applied to enhance collaborative decision-making in complex systems (Wagener et al., 2022) such as freshwater administration on islands (Karnauskas et al., 2016). Despite the prevalence of decision support tools, existing solutions often fall short in adequately incorporating multiple stakeholders’ perspectives and addressing uncertainties. We developed a novel multi-agent decision support tool to address this gap. The SEAD (Stakeholder interaction, Elicitation, Analysis, Dialogue) method uses a Multi-agent Influence Diagram (MAID) framework to enable the quantification of different stakeholder perspectives and values while accommodating various scenarios, such as climate change. We applied the SEAD method to the freshwater finfish aquaculture industry in Scotland to understand climate vulnerability, adaptation and resilience pathways for different climate futures. In total, 6 stakeholders participated in the study, which included representatives from insurance, regulation, and industry bodies. The SEAD tool explicated how stakeholder values differed, and interactions between and implications of different stakeholder decisions. Through exploration of different climate risk scenarios, cooperative decision pathways were identified, including key focal points for climate adaptation and resilience measures. Our findings highlight the additionality of collaboration among stakeholders involved in freshwater-reliant industries on islands, and the value of innovation in freshwater administration processes, both in terms of technological advancements and conceptual approaches to better capture the value of freshwater resources on islands. The SEAD method could be used for a range of contexts and applications, such as to enhance innovation within collaboration, governance and stewardship of water.

Authors:
Karnauskas, K. B., Donnelly, J. P., & Anchukaitis, K. J. (2016). Future freshwater stress for island populations. https://doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE2987
Wagener, T., Reinecke, R., & Pianosi, F. (2022). On the evaluation of climate change impact models. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/WCC.772

Cooperation for a Hydrologic Initiative for Crop Cultivation Optimisation in Madagascar
– Marta Tuninetti, Department of Environment, Land, and Infrastructure Engineering, Turin, Italy

Abstract:
Nosy Mitsio is an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is very rural and most of the 2000 inhabitants are rice farmers and fishermen. Nosy Mitsio relies on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture with traditional practices, leading to vulnerability due to precipitation fluctuations, as observed in 2022. Unsustainable land-use methods, like slash-and-burn farming, result in soil erosion and low crop yields, forcing continual clearing of new areas from the primary forest. This situation emphasizes two critical challenges: (i) quantifying water availability and demand for rice fields and (ii) finding solutions for production stability and food security. Addressing these challenges is crucial to mitigate climate change effects on vulnerable communities in Nosy Mitsio. In order to face these challenges, a major research gap should be addressed by tuning the agri-hydrological model waterCROP (Tuninetti et al., 2015-WRR, Tuninetti & Davis, 2024-Nature-in revision; Chiesa Turiano et al., 2024, in prep) using local data from the existing weather station, newly installed humidity sensors and weather stations, and through insights from farmers’ semi-structured interviews on agricultural practices facilitated by the NGO H4O – Help for Optimism. The objective is to better understand current agricultural techniques, the actual productivity of rice fields and the planting-harvesting times. The interviews will be recorded, transcribed into Malagasy and translated in English.

Project outcomes encompass high resolution maps and reports describing the hydro-climatic conditions of the rice villages; insights on the soil moisture dynamics, daily rice water demand; solutions to for enhanced soil water retention, optimised rice calendars, scenarios for transitioning from only-rice-cultivation to maize or manioca to boost production resilience. Additionally, guidelines derived from waterCROP results will be provided to the communities in order to address the challenges in water management and production stability, thanks to the cooperation between local communities and H4O together with the capacity building in place expected at the end of the project. These outcomes will impact and innovate both the technological and the socio-economic aspects of freshwater administration in the island of Nosy Mitsio.

Authors:
Marta Tuninetti (Presenting), Department of Environment, Land, and Infrastructure Engineering, Turin, Italy
Nike Chiesa Turiano, Department of Environment, Land, and Infrastructure Engineering, Turin, Italy
Marco Testa, H4O, Help of Optimism, Turin, Italy
Benedetta Malquori, H4O, Help of Optimism, Turin, Italy
Edoardo Bono, H4O, Help of Optimism, Turin, Italy

The first “very-low-temperature” geothermal district heating in Iceland? A Case Study from Patreksfjörður, Westfjords, Iceland
– Auður Agla Óladóttir, ÍSOR, Iceland Geodurvey, Reykjavík, Iceland

Abstract:
Traditional methods in geothermal exploration in Iceland have widely given good results and in 2023, about 90% of the Icelandic population have a geothermal district heating, both in rural and populated areas. During the last 30 years this number has changed very little and in most of the areas, which are still without district heating, traditional methods have not been successful. With new technology in geothermal exploration and more efficient and sustainable ways of energy use, it is vital to review the populated areas which do not benefit from geothermal district heating and seek new and innovative possibilities. After being rejected as a promising area for geothermal exploration, a survey is now ongoing at the Patreksfjörður village in NW-Iceland. It includes reviewing existing data, siting and drilling shallow exploration and gradient wells with the purpose of using the data to site and drill a production well in 2023. The expectation is to obtain ~ 20-30°C warm water for a centralized heat-pump for district-heating in the village.

Authors:
Auður Agla Óladóttir (Presenting), ISOR, Reykjavík, Iceland
Sigurður G. Kristinsson, ISOR, Reykjavik, Iceland

RS12: Hard Innovation I

Islands as testbeds for sustainable water infrastructure
– William Sloan, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Most islands are not independent states. They reside in archipelagos governed from cities on a mainland, where most of a country’s population reside. The infrastructure to provide clean water and sanitation often reflects the historical problems associated with the rapid development of these cities and the urban centric perspective of governments that typically reside there. Thus, in the global North, a centralised paradigm for water and sewerage dominates, with large water utilities moving vast amounts of water through treatment works and via networks to houses and businesses, then removing and treating wastewater via sewers and energy intensive wastewater treatment plants to dump clean water back into the sea or rivers. We demonstrate, using Scotland as an example, that this urban centric perspective means that the water-needs of rural and Island communities have been neglected, resulting in effects on the wellbeing of Islanders that are being exacerbated by climate change. Our research highlights the role that new decentralised water technologies could play in mitigating these effects and documents the prevailing barriers to implementation. We go on to suggest that the climate related water related climate problems of Scottish Islands are a bellwether for similar problems in our cities. The engineering and legislative lessons learned from deploying new decentralised technologies on our Islands now may be invaluable in transitioning to equitable and sustainable infrastructure in the future, everywhere, even in our densely populated cities.

Authors:
William Sloan (Presenting), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Jill Robbie, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Elizabeth Lawson, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Jaime Amezaga, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Tania Gomez Borraz, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Cindy Smith, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom

How local and regional governments can catalyse water innovations on islands
– Simon Tijsma, Province of Frylan, Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Abstract:
At the core of Fryslân’s provincial policy lies the mission ‘Blue Delta,’ championing water, circular economy, and local communities, inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Frisian Delta, with its four islands, serves as a focal point for societal innovations, particularly in water and energy, acting as a real-world testing ground. In collaboration with diverse European islands, leveraging European funding (such as Efro, Erasmus & Interreg), we’ve developed the Tipping-Rudder model. As a government, our objective is to catalyze and implement bottom-up ideas related to water. Our paper delves into the context, exploring how local and regional governments, guided by the Tipping-Rudder model, can facilitate these processes. We present examples of this approach on Vlieland and Schiermonnikoog, the sole Dutch islands not connected to the national drinking water network. These examples encompass both the water cycle and the water system, revealing different aspects of water dynamics and the complexities in these vital areas.

In fostering additional international collaboration among islands, our experiences with the Tipping-Rudder model contribute to a shared knowledge base. We envision an ongoing exchange and development of best practices and next practices. This interconnected approach is crucial for addressing shared water-related concerns and collectively advancing solutions on a global scale. In our paper, we will elaborate on specific possibilities for future collaboration.

Authors:
Simon Tijsma (Presenting), Province of Frylan, Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Han Brezet, Agricola institute- Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Albert Ruiter, Province of Frylan, Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Decentralized Wastewater Collection and Treatment Appropriate for Small, Remote, or Distributed Communities
– Holda Crocker, Orenco Water, Sutherlin, USA

Abstract:
Island communities face unique operational and affordability challenges to achieve high performance of wastewater treatment. Rather than scaling-down versions of treatment technologies better intended for urban environments, engineers and planners can benefit from special attention to decentralized design and best practices. Through review of two case studies, this presentation introduces liquid-only sewer and packed-bed textile treatment and highlights design considerations of spatially-distributed populations, O&M frequency, energy consumption, treatment process complexity, maintenance personnel availability, local reuse needs, and sludge disposal.

Authors:
Holda Crocker (Presenting), Orenco Water, Sutherlin, USA

CARISBAN : Cooperation between Caribbean islands for wastewater treatment by plant filters
– Galle Hielard, Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique

Abstract:
The issue of the impact of sanitation is of great concern to the Caribbean islands. Almost 35% of wastewater is discharged into the environment without treatment (source: Caribbean Development Bank). The treatment systems are mostly septic tanks or infiltration wells, which has a strong environmental impact on an area where 70% of species are endemic (the Caribbean is one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots). This lack of sanitation is a shared problem in the Caribbean basin; This leads to health risks, environmental degradation and sometimes freshwater resources. The economic impact (especially tourism) is also a significant issue. In addition, the high exposure of these islands to natural hazards (volcanic risk, seismic, accelerated coastal erosion, etc.) increases their vulnerability to climate change. This shared observation led to a regional cooperation between Caribbean islands. The driving force which impulsed the Caribsan project has been to share and adapt a technical, reliable, efficient and economically sustainable solution has been the driving force behind the CARIBSAN project.

CARIBSAN is an INTERREG Caribbean project started in 2021, led by the Martinique Water Office and co-financed by AFD. It is the result of a consortium of French research actors (INRAE), cooperation (IOWater & CAWASA), and Caribbean water actors (WASCO in St Lucia, DOWASCO in Dominica, INRH in Cuba, Guadeloupe Water Office). CARIBSAN aims to promote wastewater treatment through plant-based filter technology in the Caribbean islands. This ecological and climate-resilient technique has been adapted to the tropical context (a local innovation). Stemming from successful experiments carried out in the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, the project aims to promote the gradual implementation of this Nature-Based Solution in the Caribbean islands. pilots or trials sites of wastewater treatment plants with Tropical Plant Planted Filters are expected to be built in Cuba by 2025, Saint Lucia and Dominica. The preliminary drafts are currently being delivered. CARIBSAN has also made it possible to develop a multi-criteria analysis method to guide decision-makers in the definition of their remediation project.

CARIBSAN is also based on an important awareness-raising component, workshops are to come on the social acceptability of this type of treatment at several levels (from the beneficiary service user to the political leaders). This is a key to the success of the resort’s sustainability. A technical training program for water stakeholders has also been deployed. Finally, the organization of key events such as the June 2023 regional conference held in Martinique, which brought together water stakeholders from 15 Caribbean islands around this project. This major inter-island meeting was a place for exchanges, sharing of knowledge and expertise and the first feedback from the project. CARIBSAN highlights that cooperation around the themes of water and the preservation of aquatic environments is a real tool for international cooperation and adaptation to climate change.

Authors:
Gaelle Hielard (Presenting), Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique
Mathilde Edmond-Mariette, Martinique Water Office, Fort-De-France, Martinique

RS13 – Islands, Water and Regulation

Islands, Freshwater and International Law: The Beginning of a Journey
– Francesco Sindico, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract:
This paper will assess the role that international law plays in promoting good freshwater administration on islands at a domestic level, including in, but not limited to, the Faroe Islands. It will do so by providing an overview of island positions within three different, but interconnected areas of international relations. For each one, it will assess whether international law is advancing or ends up being a hurdle for island positions. By island positions this paper considers both island nations (and SIDS in particular) and sub national island jurisdictions, where possible. The three areas of international relations are the Programme for Action on SIDS, international climate change efforts (including the Under 2 Coalition, a global network of States and regions that includes sub national island jurisdictions), and global efforts to promote good water governance. All these areas at a critical juncture. In May 2024, the Programme for Action on SIDS will launch its fourth ten-year strategy. The international climate change regime appears to have just agreed a deal on loss and damage, which is particularly relevant for islands. Finally, the international water community needs to deliver actions to implement recommendations stemming from the 2023 UN Water Conference.

This paper wishes to be the start of an ongoing mapping and critical assessment of how islands may rely on international law to advance their freshwater agenda. There are many other areas of international relations, which we will not have the time to discuss, such as, for example, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which we plan to discuss in future iterations of this research. Overall, this paper and research related thereto wishes to accompany the IWRA Islands and Water Congress series in its effort to leverage practical solutions to island related freshwater challenges and unlock opportunities where they present themselves.

Authors:
Francesco Sindico (Presenting), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom,
Climate Change Legal Initiative, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,
IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Gland, Switzerland

Transparent differentiation between types of freshwater (technologies) in island regulation
– Flore Vavourakis, KU Leuven, Institute for Property Law, Leuven, FWO, Research Foundation – Flanders, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract:
Regulation is only one of the tools to which we turn in hope to mitigate the freshwater challenges islanders currently face due to climate change. Legal theory must not defend abstract ideas about regulation because regulation can only be a useful tool if it ‘fits’ (1) the context of the islands, as lived by the islanders, and (2) the insights and tools from other fields focusing on islands e.g. decentralized water technologies. ‘Legal transplants’, importing regulation from mainland legal systems to islands, risk to ignore both. In that sense cherry-picking best-practices from foreign regulation is not desirable, neither from a democratic nor from a technocratic point of view. We want to present one particular feature of ‘mainland property theory’ that ignores the insights and tools from other fields, and might thus result in maladapted regulation.

Mainland property theory debates the most ‘sustainable’ form of freshwater management in terms of private vs. public vs. common water management. While these abstract denominations amount to different practices across legal systems, more and more authors conclude that freshwater management is inevitably a shared responsibility between public and private actors. We agree with this nuanced conclusion, but regret the tendency of property theory to talk about all freshwater in abstract terms. We instead argue for regulatory differentiation between ‘types of freshwater’. This might seem strange, given that freshwater policy should be coherent (cf. third OECD Water Governance Principle). However, coherency can require differentiation.

It might be tempting to simply declare all freshwater equally ‘not appropriable’ in view of protecting it. Especially as it is nowadays accepted that ground- and surface water are interconnected, as regulation generally strives to be mindful about future generations and environmental protection, as scholarship is increasingly aware of the role that e.g. land property, class, gender and religion play in the effective access to water rights. Although all freshwater is indeed valuable to all islanders, tackling water scarcity will demand well-reasoned choices between rain water, surface water, phreatic groundwater, deep groundwater, purified waste water, desalinated water etc., depending on the use, the season, the location etc. It is not only important that regulation guides islanders in making sustainable choices between types of water (technologies), but also that islanders understand why they could prefer one over the other (e.g. long-term and short-term effects, more autonomy, safer, less scarce, less wasteful). A regulatory ‘management tool’, similar to Lansink’s waste hierarchy, could potentially help to empower islanders in making conscious water choices, especially if such hierarchy is created from a dialogue between scientists and islanders.

Authors:
Flore Vavourakis (Presenting), KU Leuven (Institute for Property Law), Leuven, Belgium
FWO (Research Foundation – Flanders), Brussels, Belgium

Comparative Study of Ownership Regimes for Groundwater Resources
– Gabriel Eckstein, Texas A&M University School of Law, Fort Worth, USA

Abstract:
The regulation of groundwater resources in nations around the globe is not well-developed and lags behind the domestic governance of surface water resources. As a result, these subsurface resources are often subject to unfettered extractions, uses, and contamination. A main challenge in developing sound regulations for these hidden resources is the lack of a clear ownership regime. Where groundwater ownership is undefined or unclear, it makes regulatory implementation and enforcement challenging since no one is identified as accountable for the use, management, or exploitation of the resource, or for negative consequences that might ensue. It also makes it difficult to identify the party responsible for violations of law. This is true regardless of whether the country is an island nation or continent-based nation.

In this project, we surveyed the groundwater ownership regime in eight countries on five continents. Among others, questions addressed whether the ownership model: allows for public and/or private proprietorship; recognizes customary and traditional practices; includes institutional mechanisms with designated responsibilities; provides a process for ownership transfer; and includes mechanisms for resolving ownership disputes. Once the surveys are vetted, they will be reviewed and assessed comparatively to identify examples of different groundwater ownership approaches and mechanisms, ascertain commonalities and differences, and highlight good regulatory practices. The objective of the project is to provide countries with poorly developed groundwater ownership regimes with examples and practices that could inform their own approaches.

While none of the countries included in this survey are island nations, the results of this project could be equally informative. Since both island and continental nations have groundwater residing in their subsurface, both require a regulatory regime to manage the resource, including an approach to the ownership of groundwater resources. We firmly believe that the results of this project will be of great interest for island communities interested in developing or improving their groundwater legal regime.

Authors:
Gabriel Eckstein (Presenting), Texas A&M University School of Law, Fort Worth, USA
Stefano Burchi, International Association for Water Law, Rome, Italy
Gabriela Cuadrado Quesada, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands
Juan Pablo Galeano, Consultant, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Eric Garner, Best Best & Krieger LLP, Riverside, USA
Amy Hardberger, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA
Dang Heping, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Imad Antoine Ibrahim, Universiteit Twente, Enschede, Netherland
Oudi Kgomongwe, South Africa Department of Water and Sanitation, Johannesburg, South Africa
Robyn Stein, Consultant, Johannesburg, South Africa

Law and Water Management in the Hawaiian Kingdom
– Kawena Elkington, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA

Abstract:
This paper examines the history of freshwater administration and collaboration in the Hawaiian Islands. It focuses on the Hawaiian Kingdom era from 1840-1893, during which indigenous models of water management emphasized shared access and community governance. Laws like the 1840 Constitution and 1876 Forestry Act codified protections for water sources, while water commissioners were appointed community representatives to adjudicate disputes based on local knowledge. However, after the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom in 1893, corporate powers reshaped policies to serve private irrigation projects. Sugar interests gained control of vast tracts of Hawaiian lands and watersheds. Over 20 major ditch systems were developed, capable of diverting over 1.2 billion gallons per day by 1926. This severely disrupted streamflows, traditional cultivation, and community health across islands. This paper highlights the tensions between traditional water rights, plantation interests, and the territorial government in late 19th century Hawaii. The rise of the sugar plantation industry ultimately undermined equitable, place-based administration. Despite gains for elite planters, communities persistently challenged unjust diversions. This legacy informs struggles for environmental justice today. More collaborative, culturally-informed approaches are needed to resolve 21st century water challenges in Hawaii and beyond.

This analysis of Hawaii’s history demonstrates how traditional and modern systems can clash in an island setting. It provides lessons on power imbalances, inequality, and the importance of local context for freshwater policy and regulation. Centering community voices and environmental sustainability alongside economic demands remains critical for just and resilient water administration on islands worldwide.

Authors:
Kawena Elkington (Presenting), University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
Pua Souza, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
Kamanamaikalani Beamer, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA

FRIDAY 6. SEPTEMBER

09.30 – 11.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS14: Island Water Administration: New and Old Challenges and Opportunities

Land use and freshwater resource management on small islands: A social ecological metabolism method
– Joshua MacFadyen, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada

Abstract:
Islands such as Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada’s smallest province and its only island with provincial jurisdiction, have traditionally focused on primary sector industries such as agriculture, fishing, and increasingly aquaculture. Farmers and aquaculturists depend on stable freshwater supplies, and they are increasingly turning to pumping groundwater from traditional and in some cases high-capacity wells. Like many islands, population, tourism, and coastal developments are rapidly growing in PEI. This contributes to concerns about groundwater supplies and the risks associated with climate change, it helps to drive policy interventions, and in some cases it pressures primary sector stakeholders to consider mitigation strategies and even substantial changes in land use and other practices.

This paper reports on two recently funded freshwater projects, and it introduces methods and feedback gained from participatory research with primary sector stakeholders. The “Sustainable Agriculture and Water Use for Prince Edward Island” NSERC Alliance project aims to quantify and optimize sustainability trade-offs associated with both agriculture and water use to improve environmental, economic, and social outcomes. The authors have developed a social ecological metabolism profile method that presents stakeholders with information about long-run changes in both land use and freshwater resource management practices in order to gauge their willingness to consider sustainability tradeoffs. By creating metabolic profiles at the watershed scale, this approach offers social science research instruments that are innovative in both scale and scope. This is the main focus of the paper. However, stakeholder engagement is also underway for a second project, the Ocean Frontiers Institute-funded “SOURCE: Offshore Groundwater resources in the Continental Shelf surrounding PEI” project. Preliminary results will be shared from research on the willingness of primary sector stakeholders to engage in non-traditional freshwater sources, including freshwater aquifers located beneath island coastal waters.

Authors:
Joshua MacFadyen (Presenting), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
Daria Kass, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
Michael van den Heuvel, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada

Every Drop of Freshwater on Islands Counts for Sustainability, Survivability, Buildability and Livability
– Heng Kian Liew, Liew Strategics, Liew Consultants, SINGAPORE, Singapore

Abstract:
There are different categories of island countries. Many are termed United Nation members and sovereign states while a smaller number of islands are termed dependencies and other territories. The largest island country is Indonesia with land area of 1,904,569 km2 (density 142 per km2) and the smallest being Cocos Island of 14 km2 (density of 42.6 per km2). Faroe Island has 1,393 km2 (density 35.5 per km2) compared with Singapore with 728 km2 (density 7831 per km2). Nevertheless, with big or small in land area or multitude of islands in a country or a single main island of very big population density, the problems face on freshwater sufficiency and inundation is common. The degree and variation of challenges on these islands could differ due to geography/geology, governmental-societal actions and state of technologies however, the common mitigation is on the climate change impacts affecting all islands – sovereign, dependencies and territories. In the paper “Every drop of water footprint counts for humanity” and subsequent publication on “Every drop of water and food footprints count for humanity” by same author has emphasized the need for life-long listening and learning on sustainable water footprint as laid out by United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. To many island countries, water and consequently food insecurity results in high economic livelihood impacts to their people. The tri-factor of Administration, Collaboration and Innovation relating to freshwater on islands could take on a fresh approach in meeting challenges by island countries. Even for Singapore, having overcome most strategic freshwater dependency problems head on, with some occasional floods, fresh new eyes too are needed in looking at administration, collaboration and innovation on freshwater and food footprints particularly with the long term risk of rising sea level.

Freshwater from rain precipitation is a precious natural resource with or without climate change impacts. Understanding the regular patterns of weather outcome that was more predictable in the past until greenhouse gases emissions due to CO2 and methane built up in the environment has touted to cause global irregular and extreme conditions. The big variations in average rainfall which affects the amount of runoff on land surfaces and water table levels beneath, hence, groundwater of islands requires mitigation and implementation of widespread small, fast and effective solutions. Big national projects take time and costly while may become overkill when reversal of local weather conditions happen. Each island may need bespoke unique ecosystem to overcome challenges on collection, storage, processing and conflicting/competing uses; precious freshwater from rainfall precipitation however would simply be drained into the surrounding seas easily from the islands. On the contrary, such islands could be inundated by heavy detrimental floods destroying homes, farms, facilities, etc. of entire village. Survivability is at humanity scale.

This paper attempts to take a lateral and out-of-the-box thinking by proposing first-of-its-kind ideas and solutions on to a deep personal-individual level administration; deep-root close-loop collaboration and simple back-to-basic frugal innovation. All these ideas and solutions are easily implemented with the will (societal and political) at local buildability levels without the need for much United Nations COP pact/convention high level interventions. The motivation on such initiatives should start with individual at grass roots tapping on readily available practical frugal engineering and local sustainable materials with watered-down regulations by encouraging public participation/collaboration of youngsters at private firm -Institute of Higher Learning for life-long learning. Unlike Singapore, most island countries may not have the economic resources at local level which gets the environmental flooding or drought head-on impacts of freshwater and sea level rise. Island countries need to have unique bespoke solutions for sustainability, survivability, buildability and livability.
Keywords: Islands Freshwater Footprints Sustainability Survivability Buildability Livability

Authors:
Heng Kian Liew (Presenting), Liew Strategics, Liew Concultants, SINGAPORE, Singapore

Innovations That Improve Freshwater, Administration Processes on Islands: A Synthesis of Hard and Soft Innovations
– Chirag Bhimani, Catamaran Eco Ventures, Ahmedabad, India, Optimor Ventures LLC, Delaware, USA

Abstract:
The management of freshwater resources on islands presents a unique set of challenges due to their isolated geographic characteristics, limited land area, and susceptibility to climate variability. Recognizing these complexities, this paper delves into the dual facets of innovation—hard and soft—to elucidate transformative approaches enhancing freshwater administration on islands.

Hard innovation encapsulates technological advancements tailored for island contexts, encompassing cutting-edge solutions such as specialized desalination techniques, innovative rainwater harvesting systems, and infrastructure development. Through meticulous case studies spanning diverse island regions, including the Canary Islands, Maldives, and Hawaii, the paper elucidates how these technological interventions bolster freshwater sustainability, resilience, and accessibility amidst resource constraints.

Conversely, soft innovation underscores organizational and societal adaptations, emphasizing collaborative governance models, policy reforms, community engagement, and adaptive management strategies. Drawing upon empirical evidence from islands like Samoa, Seychelles, and Caribbean nations, the paper elucidates the synergistic integration of organizational innovations, fostering resilience, equity, and sustainability in freshwater administration.

By synthesizing hard and soft innovation paradigms, this research underscores their complementary roles in addressing multifaceted freshwater challenges on islands, offering insights, implications, and recommendations for forging a path towards a more secure, sustainable, and equitable freshwater future in these unique and vulnerable environments.

Authors:
Chirag Bhimani (Presenting), Catamaran Eco Ventures, Ahmedabad, India,
Optimor Ventures LLC, Delaware, USA

The daily work of the Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority with special emphasis on water
– Arni Petersen, Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Abstract:
The Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority is the competent authority of food – including water – in the Faroe Islands. The presentation wil give an insight into the daily work of the FFVA in the Faroe Islands with special emphasis on water herunder:

– Organisation of the authority
-Legislation on drinking water
– Statistics and facts of the drinking water supply systems in the Faroe Islands
– Hazards and challaenges regarding drinking water in the Faroe Islands

Authors:
Arni Petersen (Presenting), Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

RS15: Hard Innovation II

A novel method for estimating local rain as freshwater discharge from Faroese rivers into fjords
– Sissal Vágsheyg Erenbjerg, FIRUM, dpt. fjord dynamics, Við Áir, Faroe Islands

Abstract:
Previous studies of precipitation in the Faroe Islands mostly exists in “grey literature” such as Førland in 1986. This study concluded that the variation in precipitation is quite extreme even over limited distances. Here it was also stated, that if expansion of hydropower is a plan, more advanced rain measurements must be introduced. This was done in a report by Davidsen et al in 1994, that presented a rain map for the Faroe Islands with a linear dependency between topography and precipitation. Generally, one can say that the rain climate in the Faroe Islands is similar to the West coast of Scotland and the West coast of Norway. The Faroe Island has lower summer temperature and a greater number of days with precipitation in winter than the other two location. For this reason, our Islands need dedicated local studies.

This paper describes a QGIS based approach on estimating freshwater discharge from rivers based on rain measurements at point locations in the Faroe Islands, together with DSM data from 2 m resolved satellite data and rain transect data measurements over shorter periods in the Faroe Islands. The catchment area basin order is determined by the Strahler order introduced in 1957 by Arthur Strahler.

This study suggests a novel approach using Kriging, that introduces a map of rain variation and correlation to heights that significantly differs from the one presented in Davidsen et al 1994. We also find that the precipitation over the Faroe Islands is heavy and locally varies over short distances.

Authors:
Sissal Vágsheyg Erenbjerg (Presenting), FIRUM, dpt. fjord dynamics, Við Áir, Faroe Islands
Barbara Biskopstø Hansen, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Óluva Eidesgaard, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Lis Mortensen, Jarðfeingi, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

The Role of Isotope Hydrology in Supporting Water Management in Small Island Developing States
– Yuliya Vystavna, International Atomic, Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria

Abstract:
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face exceptional challenges in terms of limited resources, infrastructure, and vulnerability of their water systems to climate change and natural disasters. In the last decades the impact of climate change on SIDS exacerbates the water availability problems: ocean acidification, intensification of the hydrological cycle, extended drought periods, intense rain events, sea level rise, groundwater salination, and groundwater shrinking. Another challenge is the lack of water laboratories that are necessary for the continuous generation of national data to support decision making in water management. Through the Technical Cooperation Programme, Coordinated Research Projects, trainings and the Global Network of Water Laboratories (GloWAL), the International Atomic Energy Agency promotes the use of isotope hydrology in SIDS (Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Palau, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago) and beyond (Malta and Cyprus), allowing national experts to better identify and assess water resources. Isotope hydrology provides valuable insights into the accessibility and sustainability of groundwater resources, as well as for sea water intrusion quantification. It also aids in identifying sources of contamination and tracking of pollutants. This way SIDS can make informed water management decisions, ensuring the availability of safe and reliable water sources for their populations. Technical cooperation projects are also supporting the development of national laboratory capacities for water-related data generation and databases development. Such laboratories are limited to isotopic methods but also undertake hydrological and hydrochemical analysis. The sustainability of laboratory operations and development of isotope hydrology as an innovative tool to improve understanding of water resources availability under changing climate should be grounded on the collaborations between local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies. This helps providing the necessary resources and expertise to support water management and the overall well-being and sustainable development of island communities.

Authors:
Yuliya Vystavna (Presenting), International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
Oliver Kracht, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
Astrid Harjung, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria

Nanoscale Taste Buds for Monitoring Drinking Water Treatment Sites
– Alasdair Clark, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Water treatment sites commonly operate a “sample and test” process to monitor the health of their system via off-site laboratory analysis. This provides a snapshot of the system at the time of sampling, which, for decentralised treatment sites, can mean a significant delay between system failure and detection. This is a problem which is further magnified in island communities, where transport of samples to centralised laboratory facilities may be particularly challenging. As a result, there is a need for a cheap, fast, simple technology that can be located in island treatment sites to provide real-time water monitoring, and to alert of system failures before water supplies are compromised.

We present an artificial taste bud sensor designed as a real-time monitoring device for remote drinking water treatment sites. The sensor is comprised of millions of nano-scale metal structures (each 1000x smaller than the width of a human hair, at approx. 100nm in size). Made of gold, these nano-structures exhibit structural colour; colour that is a product of their geometry and their environmental surroundings. If their surroundings change (from “clean” water to “dirty” water, for instance) then their colour will change.

Our sensor contains many of these coloured regions, each modified with a different chemical group. The chemical modifications give us functionality that is analogous to the human perception of taste, allowing us to record a response that is unique to each water sample’s molecular composition.

Using machine learning, the sensor can be trained to recognise when the composition of a water supply is drifting away from acceptable norms, indicating a problem with the treatment system.

The low-power, real-time nature of our new nano-scale technology, along with its ability to detect small changes in water composition, makes it a good candidate as a future, on-site monitoring tool for island-based water treatment facilities.

Authors:
Alasdair Clark (Presenting), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Justin Sperling, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Baptiste Poursat, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Iain Christie, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Calum Cuthill, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Badri Aekbote, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Katie McGuire, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Affar Karimullah, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Jill Robbie, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
William Sloan, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
William Peveler, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Possible mine dewatering impacts on a Philippine community’s groundwater supply: Insight from Analytic Element Method
– Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM), Quezon City, Philippines

Abstract:
In the 2010s, the community close to a mine in Luzon Island, Philippines, observed substantial lowering of groundwater levels (GL). This had coincided with the mine development, raising concerns on the mine dewatering possibly contributing to this GL decline. Thus, I demonstrated this possibility by examining this dewatering impact on GLs within community area in my groundwater model based on the analytic element method. No long-term GL monitoring data prior to and after the mine development has been accessible, so this model cannot be calibrated. But, it is still useful to at least see if the model shows extensive GL lowering by using the model parameter values and soft data mostly from the mining company’s technical reports.

The following model features are considered: my analytic line elements representing the shear zone, rivers, and the boundary conditions (no-flow and leaky types); my main hydrostratigraphic unit being the fractured hard rock (confined type); the climate type being Type IV, justifying the recharge (10% of annual rainfall) being equally distributed yearly; hydraulic conductivity ranges for both geologic shear zone and hard rock; the clayey gravel texture of the riverbed, and; pumping rates for open pit (OP: 150 L/s) and underground activities (UG: 350 L/s). For conditions related to inflows and outflows, I first considered the reported ones that will make simulation scenarios the most conservative possible (e.g., highest annual rainfall, putting the dewatering system’s location as far from the community as possible, etc.).

Results show that OP and UG significantly lowered GLs by 5 and 10 meters for at least half of the community proximal to the mine, respectively. Hence, even the most conservative scenarios reflect the dewatering’s significant impact to the community’s water supply. Increasing the dewatering rates (as done and projected by the company) could have thus likely exacerbated this crisis.

Authors:
Jayson Gabriel Pinza (Presenting), Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM), Quezon City, Philippines

SELECTED ABSTRACTS

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER

13.00 – 14.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS1: Island Water Administration: A Nordic European View

RS2: Climate Change and Water

RS3: Island Groundwater Administration

SS1 – SPECIAL SESSION: Technologies to Ensure Quality of Water Supply in Islands

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER: 15.00 – 16.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS4: Island Water Administration: Mediterranean and Atlantic Region

RS5: Saltwater Intrusion

RS6: Groundwater and Innovation

SS2 – SPECIAL SESSION: Freshwater and Islands: A SIDS perspective

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER

09.00 – 10.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS7: Island Water Administration: Caribbean Region

RS8: Water and Nature Working Together Including the Special Case of Rainwater Harvesting

RS9: Monitoring and Data

SS3 – SPECIAL SESSION: The Battle for the Water – Exploitation of Water for Green Hydrogen Production

SS4 – SPECIAL SESSION (09.00 – 12.00): Faroe Island water administration (Session only in Faroese)*

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER: 14.00 – 15.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS10: Island Water Administration: Asia/Pacific and African Region

RS11: Water / Energy / Food Nexus Region

RS12: Hard Innovation I

RS13 – Islands, Water and Regulation

FRIDAY 6. SEPTEMBER

09.30 – 11.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS14: Island Water Administration: New and Old Challenges and Opportunities

RS15: Hard Innovation II

SS5 – SPECIAL SESSION: IWRA Islands Water Congress Policy Report

For any questions/concerns, please reach out to islands.congress@iwra.org

SELECTED ABSTRACTS

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER

13.00 – 14.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS1: Island Water Administration: A Nordic European View

RS2: Climate Change and Water

RS3: Island Groundwater Administration

SS1 – SPECIAL SESSION: Technologies to Ensure Quality of Water Supply in Islands

WEDNESDAY 4. SEPTEMBER: 15.00 – 16.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS4: Island Water Administration: Mediterranean and Atlantic Region

RS5: Saltwater Intrusion

RS6: Groundwater and Innovation

SS2 – SPECIAL SESSION: Freshwater and Islands: A SIDS perspective

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER

09.00 – 10.30 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS7: Island Water Administration: Caribbean Region

RS8: Water and Nature Working Together Including the Special Case of Rainwater Harvesting

RS9: Monitoring and Data

SS3 – SPECIAL SESSION: The Battle for the Water – Exploitation of Water for Green Hydrogen Production

SS4 – SPECIAL SESSION (09.00 – 12.00): Faroe Island water administration (*Session only in Faroese)

THURSDAY 5. SEPTEMBER: 14.00 – 15.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS10: Island Water Administration: Asia/Pacific and African Region

RS11: Water / Energy / Food Nexus Region

RS12: Hard Innovation I

RS13 – Islands, Water and Regulation

FRIDAY 6. SEPTEMBER

09.30 – 11.00 REGULAR SESSIONS (RS)

RS14: Island Water Administration: New and Old Challenges and Opportunities

RS15: Hard Innovation II

SS5 – SPECIAL SESSION: IWRA Islands Water Congress Policy Report

For any questions/concerns, please reach out to islands.congress@iwra.org

SS4 – SPECIAL SESSION (09.00 – 12.00): Faroe Island water administration (Session only in Faroese)*