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  2. Sustainable Water [SCI2371]

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Sustainable Water

  • Unit Code

    SCI2371

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

This unit provides students with an understanding of the importance of water for life, and the centrality of water in all ecosystems, in societal structures and cultural settings. It sets out the drivers for the individual, community and institutional demand for water. It provides students with the capacities to develop and evaluate strategies for water conservation, and to make contributions to water allocation and planning processes. The unit emphasises a sustainable approach to water by focusing on the interdisciplinarity of water, and water resource management.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 2 units from SCC1123, SCI1185

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded SCI3122

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Contribute to water allocation and planning processes including methods for monitoring and auditing water use, and water resource management.
  2. Describe the drivers of water demand in societies.
  3. Describe the importance of water to ecosystems, people and the structures of societies.
  4. Develop personal and institutional strategies for the conservation of water.
  5. Outline the environmental context for water resources, and the cultural, social and economic context of sustainable water.

Unit Content

  1. Case studies in sustainable water.
  2. Demand management measures consumer approaches (attitudes and behaviours).
  3. Demand management measures regulation and institutional approaches (including trading, pricing, education, recycling, reuse).
  4. The centrality of water in life and society, and the need for water.
  5. Water allocation and planning processes.
  6. Water and the sectors (health, agriculture, mining and energy).
  7. Water consumption patterns and uses.
  8. Water resources and sustainable yield: hydrology and ecosystems.
  9. Water technologies, water efficiencies and water treatment.
  10. Water: the hydrological cycle, water properties and water chemistry.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorials and field work.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentA water conservation strategy50%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • Anisfeld, S. C. (2010). Water resources. Washington, US: Island Press.
  • Crase, L. (2011). Water policy in Australia: The impact of change and uncertainty. Washington, US: Resources for the Future.
  • Escobar, I., & Schafer, A. (2010). Sustainable water for the future: Water recycling versus desalination Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
  • Grafton, R. Q., & Hussey, K. (2011). Water resources planning and management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Pigram, J. J. J. (2006). Australia?s water resources: from use to management. Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Hirji, R., & Davis, R. (2009). Environmental flows in water resources policies, plans and projects: Findings and recommendations. Washington, US: The World Bank.
  • Hussey, K., & Dovers, S. (2007). Managing water for Australia: The social and institutional challenges. Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Mays, L. W. (2002). Urban water supply handbook. Boston, US: McGraw-Hill.
  • Meijer, K. S. (2007). Human well-being values of environmental flows. Delft Hydraulics Select Series 10/2007 Amsterdam, Netherlands: IOS Press.
  • Harper, D., Maciej, Z., & Pacini, N. (2008). Ecohydrology: Processes, models and case studies. Oxfordshire, UK: CAB International.

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SCI2371|1|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Sustainable Water

  • Unit Code

    SCI2371

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

This unit provides students with an understanding of the importance of water for life, and the centrality of water in all ecosystems, in societal structures and cultural settings. It sets out the drivers for the individual, community and institutional demand for water. It provides students with the capacities to develop and evaluate strategies for water conservation, and to make contributions to water allocation and planning processes. The unit emphasises a sustainable approach to water by focusing on the interdisciplinarity of water, and water resource management.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 2 units from SCC1123, SCI1185

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded SCI3122

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Contribute to water allocation and planning processes including methods for monitoring and auditing water use, and water resource management.
  2. Describe the drivers of water demand in societies.
  3. Describe the importance of water to ecosystems, people and the structures of societies.
  4. Develop personal and institutional strategies for the conservation of water.
  5. Outline the environmental context for water resources, and the cultural, social and economic context of sustainable water.

Unit Content

  1. Case studies in sustainable water.
  2. Demand management measures consumer approaches (attitudes and behaviours).
  3. Demand management measures regulation and institutional approaches (including trading, pricing, education, recycling, reuse).
  4. The centrality of water in life and society, and the need for water.
  5. Water allocation and planning processes.
  6. Water and the sectors (health, agriculture, mining and energy).
  7. Water consumption patterns and uses.
  8. Water resources and sustainable yield: hydrology and ecosystems.
  9. Water technologies, water efficiencies and water treatment.
  10. Water: the hydrological cycle, water properties and water chemistry.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorials and field work.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentA water conservation strategy50%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • Anisfeld, S. C. (2010). Water resources. Washington, US: Island Press.
  • Crase, L. (2011). Water policy in Australia: The impact of change and uncertainty. Washington, US: Resources for the Future.
  • Escobar, I., & Schafer, A. (2010). Sustainable water for the future: Water recycling versus desalination Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
  • Grafton, R. Q., & Hussey, K. (2011). Water resources planning and management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Pigram, J. J. J. (2006). Australia?s water resources: from use to management. Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Hirji, R., & Davis, R. (2009). Environmental flows in water resources policies, plans and projects: Findings and recommendations. Washington, US: The World Bank.
  • Hussey, K., & Dovers, S. (2007). Managing water for Australia: The social and institutional challenges. Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Mays, L. W. (2002). Urban water supply handbook. Boston, US: McGraw-Hill.
  • Meijer, K. S. (2007). Human well-being values of environmental flows. Delft Hydraulics Select Series 10/2007 Amsterdam, Netherlands: IOS Press.
  • Harper, D., Maciej, Z., & Pacini, N. (2008). Ecohydrology: Processes, models and case studies. Oxfordshire, UK: CAB International.

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SCI2371|1|2