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Integral Approach from Delft at World Water Forum

March 14, 2000

"It's about technology, support, management and education."
Integral Approach from Delft at World Water Forum

Researchers from The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) will show their integral approach to water management at the World Water Fair and the World Water Forum being held in The Hague from 16 to 22 March. Water management, health technology, flow control: these are only a few of the activities carried out by TU Delft in this field. One of the most recent studies is that of PhD student Ir. Peter Gijsbers. He designed an information system for international water resource management. Where Gijsbers supplies the technical support for water resource management, other participants from Delft are researching systems for water management (RBA Centre: Centre for Research on River Basin Administration, Analysis and Management), or are involved in the education of water resource managers (the CICAT: Management Centre for International Co-operation).

Whether the subject is drinking water purification or coast protection, TU Delft researches almost everything that has to do with water. Along with many civil-technological departments that concentrate on this area, TU Delft also has several research and education centres.

Need for Water

The RBA Centre, which supported the Dutch government in the preparations for the World Water Forum, mainly works on national and international water resource management. "We recently developed a five-step plan for the ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, which can be used by everyone as a manual for water resource management." says Dr Erik Mostert, acting president of the RBA Centre. This plan could help national governments all over the world to form policies for water resource management. Mostert: "People often do not realise how great the need for water really is, where the water must come from and what infrastructure is necessary to achieve this. A well thought out plan can help to find solutions to these problems." According to Mostert, 'demand management' is becoming more and more frequent. "In water management there is also a need to synchronise supply and demand. Why store tons of water in all kinds of basins if one can easily use less water? Water saving is usually much cheaper and better for the environment than the construction of basins."

Facts

That international synchronisation is not a simple task, is made clear by the number of failed projects in this area. The problem is often that participants in a project do not have the right information. Gijbers developed a database that simplifies the exchange of information. "Much of the knowledge used in this area is stored in calculation and analysis methods and geographical information systems (GIS)." says Gijsbers. "I have developed a database that allows people to enter and exchange model-information." An interesting part of the database is a dictionary in which common terms are defined. This can be used to avoid misunderstandings.

Education

Offering a plan of action, developing a database or building a purification plant are all of no use if people are not educated in their use. The primary function of the CICAT (Management Centre for International Co-operation) of TU Delft is the improvement of international co-operation in research and education. For large international projects, it is important that people from all the regions involved are educated to firstly be able to fully take part in the project, and secondly, to be able to conduct maintenance make necessary changes. Drs. Paul Althuis, president of CICAT: "Where the various departments of TU Delft supply the scientific input, we take care of the international project management and the education of the people involved." It's about an interaction between technology, support, management and education.


Delft University of Technology