About the Project
Sustainable water resources planning, and management policies need to consider the impact of future changes due to factors like geomorphologic processes, aging infrastructure, demand shifts or variability of water supplies. However, whilst change over time is certain, the extent to which it will affect the physical and social dimensions of the water resource systems is uncertain. Under ‘deep’ uncertainty where predictions are highly unreliable (Timbadiya, Singh and Sharma, 2023; Roach, Kapelan and Ledbetter, 2018), responsible decision makers should avoid irreversible actions and anticipate the need to adapt their policies as information about the future unfolds (Plummer and Armitage, 2007; Folke et al., 2005). This is particularly crucial for the water sector, which relies on a capital-intensive infrastructure legacy requiring long-term investments. Failing to embed flexibility and adaptable planning into system’s design could result in significant consequences. Since it is not possible to ‘disinvest’ should conditions change adversely, long-lived infrastructure with high irreversible sunk costs may have to be replaced or expensively retrofitted before the end of the design life (Ranger, Reeder and Lowe, 2013). This could also expose society to higher risks than initially planned for and lead to bad adaptation decisions, which can be proved to be far from optimal (Hall and Borgomeo, 2013). Hence in such situations, adaptive strategies can reveal insights to avoid maladaptation and reduce the effect of erroneous decisions.
This project aims to develop a capacity expansion optimization model to help water planners select the most appropriate schedule for future infrastructure upgrades and investments, incorporating flexible and adaptive strategies. This will be achieved by building on current advancements in the literature (Ihm, Seo and Kim, 2019; Pachos et al., 2022; Timbadiya, Singh and Sharma, 2023). This initiative is timely, given the significant infrastructure investments that countries, including the UK, plan to make over the next decade to ensure water security (UKWIR, 2020b; HM Treasury, 2020). UKWIR guidelines (UKWIR, 2016; UKWIR, 2020a) and recent government guidance (Ofwat, 2022) also emphasise the importance of integrating flexibility into water resource system designs.
This project is part of a broader, ambitious plan initially funded by Kingston University’s Women in STEM Hub (WISH) 2024 scheme. To pilot the development of the required modelling techniques, the selected candidate will collaborate closely with academics from Kingston University and external partners from English Water Utilities. This collaboration is a key strength, as it will expose the successful candidate to real-world data and provide opportunities to interact with industry professionals.
We welcome applications from individuals with strong backgrounds in civil and environmental engineering, or mathematical and computer science. Ideal candidates should have proficiency in mathematical optimisation, data science for handling large datasets, and Python programming.
Funding Notes
This project may be eligible for a Graduate School studentship for October 2025 entry – see the information at View Website
How to apply: see the Graduate School Studentships information at View Website and the information on the Faculty webpage GRS studentships for engineering, computing and the environment – Kingston University
Funding available
Stipend: .£21,237 per year for 3 years full-time; £10,618 part-time for 6 years
Fees: Home tuition fee for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time
International students will be required to pay the difference between the Home and International tuition fee each year (£13,000 approx for 2025-26)
References
Folke, C. et al. (2005) ‘Adaptive governance of social-ecological systems’, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 30(1), pp.441–473. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.30.050504.144511.
Hall, J. and Borgomeo, E. (2013) ‘Risk-based principles for defining and managing water security’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, 371(2002), pp.20120407. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2012.0407.
HM Treasury (2020) ‘National Infrastructure Strategy – Fairer, faster, greener’.
Ihm, S.H., Seo, S.B. and Kim, Y. (2019) ‘Valuation of Water Resources Infrastructure Planning from Climate Change Adaptation Perspective using Real Option Analysis’, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 23(6), pp.2794–2802. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12205-019-1722-6.
Ofwat (2022) ‘PR24 and beyond: Final guidance on long-term delivery strategies’.
Pachos, K. et al. (2022) ‘Trade-off informed adaptive and robust real options water resources planning’, Advances in Water Resources, 161 pp.104117. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.104117.
Plummer, R. and Armitage, D. (2007) ‘A resilience-based framework for evaluating adaptive co-management: Linking ecology, economics and society in a complex world’, Ecological Economics, 61(1), pp.62–74. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.09.025.
Ranger, N., Reeder, T. and Lowe, J. (2013) ‘Addressing ‘deep’ uncertainty over long-term climate in major infrastructure projects: four innovations of the Thames Estuary 2100 Project’, EURO Journal on Decision Processes, 1(3-4), pp.233–262. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40070-013-0014-5.
Roach, T., Kapelan, Z. and Ledbetter, R. (2018) ‘A Resilience-Based Methodology for Improved Water Resources Adaptation Planning under Deep Uncertainty with Real World Application’, Water Resources Management, 32(6), pp.2013–2031. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11269-018-1914-8.
Timbadiya, P.V., Singh, V.P. (. and Sharma, P.J. (2023) Climate Change Impact on Water Resources: Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Hydraulics, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering (HYDRO 2021). 1st edn. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
UKWIR (2020a) Answering the big questions. Available at: https://ukwir.org/answering-the-big-questions
UKWIR (2020b) Deriving a Best Value Water Resources Management Plan. Available at: https://ukwir.org/deriving-a-best-value-water-resources-management-plan.
UKWIR (2016) WRMP 2019 Methods – Decision Making Process: Guidance Report London: Available at: https://ukwir.org/WRMP-2019-Methods-Decision-Making-Process-Guidance.
