Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education 

About: Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education is an academic journal published by Wiley. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Water resources & Integrated water resources management. It has an ISSN identifier of 1936-7031. Over the lifetime, 676 publications have been published receiving 7843 citations. The journal is also known as: Journal of contemporary water research and education.

The Political Economy and Political Ecology of the Hydro-Social Cycle

Abstract: Geographers have been engaged in research into access to safe drinking water for years. In fact, Abel Wolman helped chlorinate the world’s water. Over the past few years and in the wake of the resurgence of the environmental question on the political agenda, a growing body of work has emerged on the political-economy and political-ecology of water and water circulation (Gandy 1997, Loftus 2005, Kaika 2005, Castro 2006). This is re-defining the contours of water resources research and opening up an exciting and vitally important research agenda for the years to come. Political-ecological perspectives on water suggest a close correlation between the transformations of, and in, the hydrological cycle at local, regional and global levels on the one hand and relations of social, political, economic, and cultural power on the other (Swyngedouw 2004). In a sustained attempt to transcend the modernist nature – society binaries, hydro-social research envisions the circulation of water as a combined physical and social process, as a hybridized socionatural flow that fuses together nature and society in inseparable manners (Swyngedouw 2006a). It calls for revisiting traditional fragmented and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of water by insisting on the inseparability of the social and the physical in the production of particular hydrosocial configurations (Bakker 2003, Heynen et al. 2005). Such a perspective opens all manner of new and key research issues and urges considering a transformation in the way in which water policies are thought about, formulated, and implemented. In what follows, an outline is provided of some of the vital issues and socio-natural properties of the hydro-social cycle and charts the terrain for future research.

Integrated Water Management

Abstract: Creating a healthy, livable, and equitable city must include a commitment to effective water management. Yet, most cities have a water system that is burdened by serious threats, from lack of funds for proactive maintenance to challenges in quality or supply, that are too great to solve with current management practices. Cities can instead create a more resilient water system by transitioning to a new framework: integrated water management. This approach to water management can help cities leverage limited resources more efficiently and better safeguard the important roles that water fills in residents’ lives. Residents depend upon safe drinking water flowing reliably from their taps, and cities must safeguard this vital service to protect the health of their residents. Providing clean drinking water equitably to all, regardless of income level or location within the city, is essential to preserve public trust in government. Water is a necessary commodity, powering residents’ lives and businesses. Safe and easy access to healthy, attractive, and recreational waterways greatly enhances livability and economic development; even without a body of water, cities can generate new economic opportunities through infrastructure investment and maintenance.

Assessment of Potential Antibiotic Contaminants in Water and Preliminary Occurrence Analysis

Abstract: Antibiotics are among the emerging microcontaminants in water because of concerns of their potential adverse effects on the ecosystem and possibly on human health. Antibiotics are likely to be released into the aquatic environment via wastewater effluent and agricultural runoff as a result of incomplete metabolism, ineffective treatment removal or improper disposal because large quantities of antibiotics are used annually in human therapy and in agriculture. Despite large quantities of use, published data on the amounts and use patterns of antibiotics are scarce. To assess the magnitude of the potential risks associated with antibiotics, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on the usage, occurrence, and behavior of antibiotics. To identify antibiotics that are likely to be present in water sources, concentrations of antibiotics in municipal wastewater and animal waste in the United States (U.S.) were estimated and were classified according to chemical properties. The estimation of human health antibiotics was based upon the number of prescriptions administered. The estimated concentrations of antibiotics in untreated wastewater range from 3.9 ng/L to approximately 27,000 ng/L. The estimation of animal health antibiotics was based upon the subtherapeutic usage in feed for growth promoting. Considerable variation in antibiotic usage exists among different animal species. Reported data on the occurrence of antibiotics in the aquatic environment confirm the persistence of certain antibiotics. Although information is limited, studies on the transformation and sorption of antibiotics indicate that these processes significantly affect the fate of mo st classes of antibiotics. By combining information on environmental fate with the predicted concentrations, we identify that antibiotics of sulfonamides and fluoroquinolones are the most likely water contaminants, followed by macrolides. Among sulfonamide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin are most likely to be present in municipal wastewater effluent and sulfamethazine is most likely to be present in agricultural runoff. Azithromycin and tylosin are the most likely macrolides present in municipal wastewater effluent and in agricultural runoff respectively. An occurrence study, which is currently underway, focuses on three of the potential antibiotic contaminants, ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and sulfamethazine, identified by literature review. Solid phase extraction methods were developed. Recoveries ranged from approximately 45 to 106 percent. Analysis of the three antibiotics was conducted by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Additionally, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection was employed for ciprofloxacin analysis. Preliminary results indicated the presence of ciprofloxacin in secondary wastewater effluent at approximately 80 to 150 ng/L. Sulfamethoxazole was detected in one of the wastewater samples. Sulfamethazine was not detected. Concentrations of antibiotics were found to be much lower or below the detection limits in the effluent of advanced treatment processes including granular activated carbon and ozonation, indicating significant removal by those processes.

Service-Learning in Higher Education

Abstract: Service-learning is a reflective, relational, pedagogy that combines community or public service with structured opportunities for learning. Service-learning is premised on experiential education as the foundation for intellectual, moral, and civic growth. This focus on the synergy of the intellectual, moral, and civic dimensions of learning distinguishes service-learning from other forms of experiential education. Rather than focusing on preparing students for a particular job, service prepares students for practical community-based problem solving. It offers students an opportunity to explore the connections between the theoretical realm of the classroom and the practical needs of the community. As such, service-learning is inherently linked to a civic purpose reinforcing the skills of critical thinking, public discourse, collective activity, and community building. Moreover, because service is occurring in the context of an educational setting, faculty can ask students to reflect upon their service experience in relation to particular community principles, civic ideals, universal virtues, and their relationship to course content. Perhaps the most important benefit of service-learning is the motivation and opportunity it can provide for students to connect to a community and identify their civic role in that community.

An Introduction to Soil Concepts and the Role of Soils in Watershed Management

Abstract: Soil is a non-renewable dynamic natural resource that is essential to life. Water movement, water quality, land use, and vegetation productivity all have relationships with soil. This article introduces many important soil concepts including development, classification, properties (physical, chemical, and biological), quality, and conservation. A general understanding of soil concepts and these interwoven relationships is essential to making sound land management decisions.