Investigating the impact of climate change on river water quality to secure future water supplies

这个令人兴奋的博士项目，与诺森伯兰水合作，将调查气候变化对河流水质的影响，这将对水处理基础设施的影响，以及管理这种影响的新工程干预措施。研究的一个具体重点将是水处理基础设施对淡水硫酸盐浓度变化的适应能力；近几十年来，淡水硫酸盐浓度有所增加，这些问题在以前的采矿集水区尤其明显，包括英格兰东北部。该项目将包括(1)审查地区/国家的淡水硫酸盐浓度趋势，以确定现在和未来存在潜在风险的水基础设施；(2)量化传统煤矿集水区目前（点和扩散）的硫酸盐来源；(3)使用NU的SHETRAN建模软件预测未来河流硫酸盐浓度和通量；(3)试验创新的、基于集水区的硫酸盐源控制管理方法。以及基于水处理厂的硫酸盐衰减技术。该项目将与诺森伯兰水务公司以及纽卡斯尔大学的学术主管密切合作。研究将在国家、区域和地方三级进行。实地考察（水质和水文）将集中在英格兰东北部的威尔河，并在该大学设备齐全的实验室进行相关分析工作。该项目将涉及数值模拟工作，在这方面的一些先验知识将是有利的。

This exciting PhD project, in collaboration with Northumbrian Water, will investigate the impact of climate change on river water quality, the implications this will have for water treatment infrastructure, and novel engineering interventions for management of such impacts. A specific focus for the research will be water treatment infrastructure resilience to changes in freshwater sulphate concentrations; freshwater sulphate concentrations have increased in recent decades, and these problems are particularly evident in former mining catchments, including in north-east England. The project will involve (1) reviewing regional / national trends in freshwater sulphate concentration to identify water infrastructure at potential risk, now and in the future, (2) quantifying current (point and diffuse) sources of sulphate in legacy coal mine catchments, (3) projecting future riverine sulphate concentration and flux using NU's SHETRAN modelling software, (3) trialling innovative, catchment-based management approaches to sulphate source control, and water treatment plant-based technologies for sulphate attenuation. The project will involve close working with Northumbrian Water, as well as the Newcastle University academic supervisors. Research will be conducted at national, regional and local scales. Fieldwork (water quality and hydrology) will focus on the River Wear, NE England, with associated analysis work in the University's well-equipped labs. The project will involve numerical modelling work, and some prior knowledge in this area would be advantageous.