Air Quality and Wastewater Management

Air quality management consists of a system of components that work together in order to minimize the effects of air pollutants on the environment and humans. The first part of the course reviews current air quality issues (such as acid rain and particulate matter exposure) and each component of an air quality management system such as emission inventories, monitoring tools, emission control methods and dispersion modelling. The emphasis of the course is to apply the theoretical material through tours, case studies, lab exercises and guest speakers. The second part of the course examines water and wastewater practices currently in use or proposed, with an emphasis on efficiency and cost effectiveness. It provides a survey of some of the contemporary problems with water use and wastewater treatment from a sustainability perspective and a forum for exploring some current biases in practice. Theoretical material is tied in with tours of systems design for disposal-to-ground, innovative wastewater treatment for cluster developments, and large-scale urban collection and treatment systems. Beneficial reuse of wastewater and residuals, cumulative impacts, eutrophication, coliform contamination, and human diseases arising from mismanagement of water supplies and wastewater are also examined.