About the Project
Join us in addressing the pressing challenges faced by Qatar’s water distribution network through the innovative SMART-Distribution project.
Project Overview: The SMART-Distribution project aims to understand microbial dynamics within Qatar’s potable and non-potable water distribution network. Unique features of Qatar’s water distribution network include reliance on alternative water sources:
- Potable Water Supply: Efforts to enhance the climate resilience of potable water supplies have focused on emergency storage solutions, increasing reservoir capacities from 24 hours to 7 days.
- Non-Potable Water: By implementing dedicated treated sewage effluent (TSE) distribution networks, Qatar aims to reduce the demand for potable water in non-potable applications, thus increasing its availability.
Research Focus: We aim to determine to what extent our existing understanding of water quality dynamics in freshwater distribution systems is relevant for desalinated potable water and distributed reclaimed wastewater/TSE. This will be achieved by implementation of real-time monitoring of water quality during storage and distribution. Key areas of focus will include:
- Water Quality Test Bed (WSTB) Development (WP2): Work between bench-scale, pilot scale and full-scale water distribution networks to setup and calibrate advanced technologies like online Flow Cytometry (FCM) to support assessment of commercially available sensors (ORP, pH, conductivity, UV-VIS, Turbidity) as soft-sensors for microbial growth in water distribution networks.
- Controlled Environment and Real-World Testing (WP3 & WP4): Assess spatial and temporal variations in water quality and biofilm formation in controlled environments and real-world conditions at Qatar Foundation’s Education City Campus, leveraging it as a Living Lab.
Collaboration and Innovation: The successful student will work as a team member within a collaborative project consortium involving HBKU, our affiliated research centers (QEERI), original equipment manufacturers (BNovate), and end-user Kahramaa (local water utility).
Offer: ca, 12,000 QAR (3,000 USD) monthly stipend + benefits. Housing available on-campus.
ONLY APPLICATIONS WITH COMPLETE CV AND COVER LETTER WILL BE REVIEWED.
