This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The NERC GW4+ DTP involves the four research-intensive universities across the South West - Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter – and six Research Organisation partners. For further details about the programme please see www.bristol.ac.uk/gw4plusdtp.

Supervisors:

Professor David Butler, University of Exeter

Dr Simon Wakefield, Cardiff University

Dr Christopher Hutton, University of Bristol

Dr Sarah Ward, University of Exeter

Mr Keiron Maher, Severn Trent Water PLC

Mr Martin Fairley, ACO Drainage Technologies PLC

Mr Robert Mclellan, Pell Frischman Consulting Engineers

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) remains an underexploited technology in the UK, as the systems typically only address one objective – providing ‘free’ water for non-potable uses in domestic, commercial and industrial settings. Uptake remains very low. However, RWH can also offer stormwater (flood management) benefits when designed correctly. Furthermore, numerous sustainability benefits can be delivered by the widespread uptake of well-designed RWH systems (reduced abstraction, reduced carbon footprint, reduced leakage, reduced sewer flooding, reduced pollution of rivers, reduced wastewater treatment costs and reduced flooding. 

A new conceptual design of an active RWH system has been developed for commercial premises (e.g. supermarkets) to satisfy TWO drivers, to allow the system to provide an alternative water supply (i.e. reduce drought risk) whilst also managing storm water discharges in line with UK regulations (i.e. manage flood risk). New developments must manage their storm water discharges by implementing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to attenuate storm water discharges. This study seeks to demonstrate that this can be achieved using actively managed RWH systems. Active RWH Systems can be defined as those that “are controlled by a dynamic management regime to ensure rainwater is available to meet the predicted demand (typically but not exclusively WC flushing), whilst maximising the opportunity for the RWH storage tanks to be available to capture and attenuate rainwater runoff (reduce storm water flooding)”.

This study seeks to develop the technologies, control algorithms and a framework to support the commercial application of Active RWH systems. An initial pilot study will be retrofitted, controlled and monitored at the University of Exeter’s Innovation Centre to permit development of the prototype technology. The goal will be to investigate the combined benefits of such a ‘smart’ system. It is intended that positive responses from supermarket partners will permit further real-world installations to be achieved and monitored as the study develops.

Eligibility:

For eligible students the award will cover UK/EU tuition fees and an annual stipend (in 2014/15 this was £13,863 for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students) for three and a half years.

Citizens of a EU member state will be eligible for a fees-only award

* Please note, there are up to nine University-funded studentships available as part of the GW4+ DTP that will provide the funds for tuition fees and stipend for EU nationals *