Module: Water & Waste Management

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Water & Waste Management
Module Code	MEC1041 (ITS: MM439)
Faculty	Mechanical & Manufacturing Eng	School	Engineering & Computing
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

The combination of population growth, affluence, and improvements in living conditions as well as consumerism unfortunately increases the amount of waste that is produced across the globe. In a sustainable society, water and resource consumption and waste generation should be minimised and managed effectively. Innovative engineering solutions and technologies can help, but must be applied in conjunction with sustainability principles such as resource consumption reduction, the waste and energy hierarchies and the move to a more circular economy. This module will educate students on the technical and management aspects of water production/usage, waste treatment (UPW, desalination, potable water treatment), and waste management. It will teach them how to analyse existing systems and recommend sustainable alternatives. The module will also address societal attitudes to waste management.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the legislative drivers for water, wastewater, and solid waste treatment and management in Europe and Ireland.
2. Design and analyse the operation of physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes in a conventional and nature-based wastewater, water and municipal solid waste treatment systems.
3. Calculate hydraulic and organic loading based on population equivalence, and determine water treatment requirement.
4. Apply and evaluate suitable waste management processes, taking into account energy demand and carbon emissions for different waste streams.
5. Propose suitable waste management options for a product.
6. Evaluate and analyse the evolution and social context of wastewater, water and solid waste treatment systems.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Lectures in class
Workshop	6	Interactive workshop including presentations and discussions.
Online activity	36	Preparation for and delivery of challenge based group assignment deliverables (report, presentation, oral interview).
Independent Study	113	Preparation for exams and assignments and study
Assessment Feedback	8	Tutorials
Total Workload: 187

Section Breakdown
CRN	20196	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Lorna Fitzsimons	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Group presentation	A challenge-based learning assignment which focuses on addressing SDG6 for a less developed country. A suitable wastewater treatment system will be designed and analysed. The system will meet location specific design objectives and constraints. The CBL has three main deliverables: a mid-semester presentation, a written report, and an oral interview. The presentation is marks account for 10%.	10%	Week 25
Group project	Written report: part of the CBL activity.	35%	Week 30
Group assignment	Oral interview: part of the CBL activity.	25%	Week 30
Formal Examination	End of semester written exam	30%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Water treatment processes
Wastewater and potable water treatment systems: typical design calculations in terms of size and loading; content and removal of particular contaminants in these systems.

Water and waste management legislation and regulatory drivers
European and Irish legislative and regulatory drivers; water and waste links with SDGs

Solid waste systems
Expected loading; collection and treatment; reuse and recycle; compost and AD; waste to energy.

The waste hierarchy
Rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle, recover - waste hierarchy and the circular economy

Water, waste and society
Development of water, wastewater and solid waste systems: historical and societal perspectives

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Mihelcic and Zimmerman: 2021, Environmental Engineering: Fundamentals, Sustainability, Design, 3, Wiley,
Tchobanoglus, G., Burton, F., & Stensel, H. D.: 2013, Wastewater engineering: Treatment and reuse., 5, American Water Works Association,
Williams, P. T.: 2013, Waste treatment and disposal, 4, John Wiley & Sons,

Articles:

Wiesmeth, H.: 2020, Implementing the Circular Economy for Sustainable Development, Elsevier,

Other Resources

None

A few minor amendments to indicative content added also.