Glossary W
Deutsch: Wasserqualitätsüberwachung / Español: Monitoreo de la calidad del agua / Português: Monitoramento da qualidade da água / Français: Surveillance de la qualité de l’eau / Italiano: Monitoraggio della qualità dell’acqua
In the environmental context, water quality monitoring refers to the continuous or periodic testing and analysis of water sources to assess their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The goal is to determine whether water is safe for human consumption, agriculture, industry, and ecological health.
Deutsch: Wasserressourcenmanagement / Español: Gestión de recursos hídricos / Português: Gestão de recursos hídricos / Français: Gestion des ressources en eau / Italiano: Gestione delle risorse idriche
Water resource management refers to the practice of planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimal use of water resources in a sustainable way. In the environmental context, it encompasses the strategies and policies aimed at ensuring that water is used efficiently, conserved, and protected to meet both human and ecological needs, particularly in the face of growing demand, pollution, and climate change.
Deutsch: Grundwasserspiegel / Español: nivel freático / Português: nível freático / Français: nappe phréatique / Italiano: falda acquifera
The water table in the environmental context refers to the upper surface of the zone of saturation in the ground where the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water. This is the boundary below which the ground is completely filled with water, and above which the ground is not saturated.
Deutsch: Wasseraufbereitung / Español: Tratamiento de agua / Português: Tratamento de água / Français: Traitement de l'eau / Italiano: Trattamento dell'acqua
Water treatment in the environmental context refers to the processes used to make water more acceptable for a specific end-use, which may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, water recreation, or many other uses, including being safely returned to the environment. Water treatment aims to remove contaminants or reduce their concentration so that the water becomes fit for its desired end-use. This process is critical for ensuring access to safe drinking water, protecting public health, and preserving the natural environment by preventing pollution.
Deutsch: Wasserverbrauch / Español: Uso del agua / Português: Uso da água / Français: Utilisation de l'eau / Italiano: Uso dell'acqua
Water use in the environmental context refers to the ways in which water is utilised for various purposes, including agricultural, industrial, domestic, and ecological needs. It encompasses the management, allocation, and consumption of water resources to support human activities and sustain natural ecosystems. Effective water use is crucial for balancing the demands of growing populations, economic activities, and environmental Protection, especially in the face of increasing water scarcity and climate change.
Deutsch: Gewässer / Español: Cuerpo de agua / Português: Corpo de água / Français: Étendue d'eau
A body of water or waterbody (often spelled water body) is any significant accumulation of water, generally on a planet's surface. The term most often refers to oceans, seas, and lakes, but it includes smaller pools of water such as ponds, wetlands, or more rarely, puddles.
Deutsch: Wasserweg / Español: Vía acuática / Português: Via aquática / Français: Voie aquatique / Italiano: Via d'acqua
In the environment context, a "waterway" refers to any body of water that supports ecosystems and provides pathways for water movement within various landscapes. These include rivers, streams, canals, lakes, and ocean currents that play crucial roles in ecological and hydrological systems. Waterways are vital for maintaining biodiversity, supporting Aquatic and terrestrial life forms, and facilitating natural processes such as nutrient cycling and sediment transport.
Deutsch: Wasserwerk / Español: Obra hidráulica / Português: Obra hidráulica / Français: Ouvrage hydraulique / Italiano: Opera idraulica
Waterwork in the environmental context refers to infrastructure, systems, or engineering projects designed for water supply, management, treatment, and distribution. These structures play a crucial role in providing clean water for human consumption, irrigation, industry, and ecological conservation while also addressing wastewater treatment and flood control.