The Determinants of Non-Revenue Water in Balkan Countries
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2017
Pages:
18-27
Received:
22 February 2017
Accepted:
1 March 2017
Published:
21 March 2017
Abstract: In Balkan countries, half of water quantity is being lost during the distribution process. Due to high percentage, this study empirically evaluates the determinants of non-revenue water for 180 service providers in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, and Montenegro. Cross sectional data has been collected from International Bench-marking Network for Water and Sanitation Utilities Database “IBNET”. This collected data covers period from year 2003 up to year 2015. Based on regression analysis, the findings indicate that, connection density network, labor cost percentage to operating cost, number of connections, production quantity per connection, consumption quantity per person per day, metering level ratio and operating unit cost, are significant with non-revenue water per connection indicator. However, to have in-depth analysis, International Water Association “IWA” recommends to depend on more than one non-revenue water indicator. Therefore, non-revenue water percentage indicator has been included here. A correlation analysis in this study shows that the more the metering level ratio and labor cost percentage relative to operating cost; the less the non-revenue water percentage. On the opposite side, the more the consumption per person, production per connection, number of population, network connection density, operating cost per cubic meter sold and number of connections, the more the non-revenue water percentage, other things being constant. It seems those countries are suffering from large physical leakages and high commercial losses. To decrease those losses, coordination, amalgamations and multiple efforts are to be exerted from different parties as donation agencies, government entities and service providers.
Abstract: In Balkan countries, half of water quantity is being lost during the distribution process. Due to high percentage, this study empirically evaluates the determinants of non-revenue water for 180 service providers in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, and Montenegro. Cross sectional data has been collected from International Bench...
Show More
Effect of Magnetic Treatment on Water Permeability Through a Semi-Permeable Membrane
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2017
Pages:
28-33
Received:
16 May 2017
Accepted:
20 June 2017
Published:
21 July 2017
Abstract: Magnetic water treatment devices (MWT), while attractive because of their safety, simplicity, environmental friendliness and effectiveness in agriculture have been difficult to assess scientifically because a single, generally accepted, repeatable and measurable indicator of their decree of impact on the physical properties of water, has not been discovered. Experimental results have shown that MWT offers many agricultural benefits and that magnetically-treated water can more easily penetrate various media such as membranes, which are generally considered excellent proxies for plant cell walls. This study evaluated how MWT changes permeability through a semi-permeable membrane, how that change is impacted by flow velocity and proposed membrane permeability as a reliable indicator of MWT effectiveness. Results obtained from this study indicated that MWT changed permeability through a semi-permeable membrane and these changes depended on water flow velocity. Results further indicated that the permeability differential in the MWT treatment group decreased by almost 9% at low-flow velocities (laminar regime; Re<1000) to 2.3% at the high-flow velocities, compared to control (turbulent regime; Re>4000). At low-flow velocities, the electro-conductivity of MWT and the control group were statistically different at p ≤ 0.01. However, at higher-flow velocities, the difference between MWT and the control group was smaller and a statistically sufficient level was reached only at p ≤ 0.05 and p ≤ 0.10. The differences observed between the low, and high-flow velocity treatment groups was somewhat expected as high flow rates reduce the retention time of water in the treatment area and thus reduces the efficiency of magnetic treatment. These results also provide a clear indication that water has been impacted by MWT and demonstrate the degree that water has been impacted by MWT under various flow rates.
Abstract: Magnetic water treatment devices (MWT), while attractive because of their safety, simplicity, environmental friendliness and effectiveness in agriculture have been difficult to assess scientifically because a single, generally accepted, repeatable and measurable indicator of their decree of impact on the physical properties of water, has not been d...
Show More
