Access to open water is considered good for the health and welfare of Pekin ducks. These studies investigated: 1.- the effect of water resource type (nipple drinker, narrow bell drinker, wide bell drinker, trough or pool) on duck health and behavior; 2.- the preference shown by ducks between pools of different depths (10cm, 20cm or 30cm) and whether the behaviours performed differed between these depths. Stage 1.- There was a significant effect of treatment on hygiene scores and nostril condition, with baths and troughs being better than the other resources. Overall, there was no effect of treatment on eye health score, gait or foot pad dermatitis. Significantly fewer ducks were resting inactive by the baths and troughs, and the % of ducks performing bathing behaviours was higher in those resources. Stage 2.- None of the factors analyzed had a significant effect on pool preference. Provision of open water seems to improve some aspects of duck health and welfare, and ducks were neither more attracted to, nor more averse to, deeper water. However, further work is needed to investigate open water resources such as pools or troughs at a commercial scale.

RESUMEN: Se monitoreo la calidad del agua utilizando como indicador los coliformes fecales y totales en la bahía de Santa Marta. El grado de contaminación fue determinado mediante el análisis de datos de calidad del agua en nueve estaciones de muestreo. Cuatro de ellas en las playas de Santa Marta, Taganga, Playa Grande y el Rodadero; dos en las desembocaduras de los ríos Manzanares y Gaira y las tres restantes en la descarga del emisario submarino a diferentes profundidades (Fondo, Profundidad media y Superfi cie). Las muestras fueron tomadas entre enero de 2006 y diciembre de 2008 cada dos meses. Se encontró una asociación entre el vertimiento del emisario submarino cuyo caudal fue estimado en 1028,64±163,9 (L/s) y la calidad del agua en Taganga y Santa Marta. Se examinó el grado de contaminación en las estaciones de muestreo, encontrando niveles de contaminación media en la playa de Santa Marta, las desembocaduras de los ríos y la estación en la superfi cie del emisario submarino. | ABSTARCT: Water quality in Santa Marta bay was monitored using fecal and total coliforms. The pollution degree was determined by water quality data analyzing at nine sampling stations. Four of them on the beaches (Santa Marta, Taganga, Playa Grande and Rodadero), two at the mouths of Manzanares and Gaira rivers and the last in the submarine outfall discharges in different depths (Bottom, medium depth and surface). Samples were collected between January 2006 and December 2008, every two months. An association between the submarine outfall discharges (the fl ow was estimated at 1028.64 ± 163.9 L/s) and the water quality in Taganga and Santa Marta was found. The pollution degree at the sampling stations was examined, the Santa Marta beach, the mouths of the rivers and the submarine outfall surface station showed pollution at medium level.

Electrolyzed water is a type of water produced by the electrolyses of sodium chloride saturated water. Its use in animal production is recent. Yet there is little literature on the subject, although in broilers (Northcutt et al, 2007) supplied as drinking water for 16 hours before slaughter reduced significantly bacterial spread in the inner cavity of the channel. In Arabian horses it has improved their performance during competition, and even in piglets, the results provided by farmers who used it indicate a 80% less medication costs and a 70% reduction in mortality. Moreover, there was an increment of weight of 450 grams during the four weeks. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effect of electrolyzed water intake on blood acid-base balance of dairy cows of different ages and times of their lactation curve. In order to do this, it was used the portable clinical analyzer I-STAT which uses disposable cartridges to determine blood pH and the following blood gases: partial pressure of carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, standard base excess, partial oxygen pressure, oxygen saturation and total carbon dioxide. The results showed that the electrolyzed water ingestion caused a significant increase in all parameters examined except for pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood.

In desalination process, besides the potable water, highly salty and pollutant water (brine) is generated, which can be used for producing crops since it is carefully monitored. In order to test this hypothesis, bell pepper plants, cv. 'Margarita', were grown in coconut fiber substrate under greenhouse and were irrigated with nutrient solutions prepared with tap water, brine from desalination plant, and its dilution with tap water at 75, 50 and 25%, giving a range of electrical conductivities of the nutrient solution (ECs) of 2.6, 3.1, 6.6, 10.0 and 12.2 dS m-1 after the dilutions and fertilizers addition. Completely randomized blocks design was used with 5 treatments (salinity levels of the nutrient solutions) and six replications. Leaf area, number of marketable fruit, total and marketable yield were reduced with ECs increase. The marketable yield of bell pepper 'Margarita' reduced 6.3% for each unitary increase of ECs above 2.6 dS m-1 (threshold salinity) and the results suggest that in hydroponic system, the reduction of marketable yield with increasing ECs is promoted by reduction of the number of fruits per plant instead of a reduction of fruit mean weight.

Considerações gerais sobre manejo da água de irrigação; Indicadores para manejo da água de irrigação; Indicadores de manejo de irrigação com base na planta; Aparência visual da planta; Potencial de água na folha; Temperatura da folha e índice de estresse hídrico da cultura; Indicadores de manejo de irrigação com base no solo; Teor de água no solo; Tensão de água no solo; Tensiômetros; Blocos de resistência elétrica; Sistema Irrigas e tensiômetro a gás; Curva de retenção de água no solo; Disponibilidade de água no solo; Profundidade efetiva do sistema radicular; Local e profundidade de amostragem de solo ou de instalação de sensores; Indicadores de manejo de irrigação com base na atmosfera; Coeficiente de cultura; Métodos de manejo da água de irrigação; Método do balanço diário de água no solo; Método do estado da água no solo; Método combinado do estado da água no solo e da evapotranspiração; Método do calendário de irrigação; Manejo de irrigação com água salina; Aumento da eficiência do uso de água pelas plantas; Tempo de irrigação; Irrigação por aspersão; Irrigação localizada; Irrigação por sulco; Horário de irrigar.

O ciclo hidrológico; Tipos de águas utilizadas para irrigação; Critérios para estabelecer a qualidade da água para irrigação; Modelos de classificação da água de irrigação; Entupimento de emissores; Técnicas para análise de água; Gestão da água para controle dos sais; Irrigação com águas salinas.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fungal microflora present in drinking water and domestic sewage from different districts of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Water and sewage samples were collected during the four seasons and analyzed by the technique of Colony Forming Units (CFU). Yeasts and fungi of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus were observed in the water samples. The genus Geotrichum was also found in the sewage. Therefore, it is concluded that treatment of water held in the municipality is unable to remove these agents.<p><p> objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a microbiota fúngica presente na água potável e no esgoto doméstico de distintos bairros de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Amostras de água e esgoto foram colhidas durante as quatro estações do ano e analisadas pela técnica de Unidades Formadoras de Colônias (UFC). Foi observada a presença dos gêneros Penicillium, Aspergillus e leveduras nas amostras de água. No esgoto, além dos agentes fúngicos reportados na água foi identificado o gênero Geotrichum. Dessa forma, conclui-se que o tratamento da água realizado no município não é capaz de eliminar estes agentes.

The paper analyses an irrigation water tariff model to control overconsumption by implementing effective penalties that can be seen as a supplementary tool to crop-specific quotas. This progressive pricing system is based on the financial loss that farmers would face when having to reduce their irrigation water consumption in order to comply with the commitment to achieving more restrictive quotas. Results show that a single fixed price system (with a flat rate) is costlier to farmers than the differentiated tariff system, which distinguishes the amount of water that exceeds the established allocation from the quantity below. This system of irrigation water pricing and overconsumption penalties, aimed specifically at each crop, facilitates efficient utilisation and the ability to adjust this consumption to resource availability and current economic and market situations, especially in response to crop subsidies. The practical barriers to implementing differentiated tariffs per crop with overconsumption penalties are the availability of irrigation water marginal productivity and net profit functions, and having to install technological equipment to control the water being used by individual farmers. | Este trabajo analiza un modelo de tarifas de agua de riego &uacute;til para disuadir consumos excesivos, a trav&eacute;s de un sistema de sanciones eficientes, como instrumento de control complementario al de cuotas espec&iacute;ficas de cultivo. Este sistema de precios progresivos se basa en la disminuci&oacute;n de ganancias que habr&iacute;an de afrontar los regantes cuando ajustan sus riegos a unas cuotas m&aacute;s restrictivas. Los resultados muestran que un sistema de tarifa &uacute;nica es m&aacute;s costoso para el agricultor que un sistema de tarifas diferenciadas, por el que se distingue entre el consumo por encima y por debajo de la cuota permitida. Este sistema de precios del agua y sanciones a los consumos en exceso, espec&iacute;fico para cada cultivo, contribuye a lograr un uso eficiente de este recurso, ajust&aacute;ndolo a su disponibilidad, a la coyuntura de los mercados y a los subsidios a los cultivos. Para su correcta aplicaci&oacute;n, es preciso conocer las funciones de productividad y beneficio marginal del agua de riego para cada cultivo y zona, y tambi&eacute;n la instalaci&oacute;n de un adecuado equipamiento que permita el control individualizado de los vol&uacute;menes utilizados por los usuarios.

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, o desenvolvimento de metodologia para diagnosticar energeticamente sistemas de captação de água com vistas ao abastecimento da irrigação e para meio urbano. Foram avaliados: (i) a qualidade da energia elétrica fornecida pela concessionária em relação aos quesitos nível e desbalanceamento do sinal de tensão da rede; (ii) o consumo e a demanda de energia elétrica na estação de captação; (iii) o levantamento das características elétricas e hidráulicas das cargas; (iv) o enquadramento e a otimização tarifárias; (v) a capacidade de armazenamento de água e (vi) o gerenciamento dos horários de funcionamento. Esta metodologia foi testada e validada para a estação de bombeamento de água em uma cidade de cerca de 70.000 habitantes. Dentre as ações propostas e que mais economizaram com gastos com energia elétrica, se encontram: (i) o redimensionamento de bombas e motores e (ii) o enquadramento e a otimização tarifárias. No caso testado observou-se que a metodologia utilizada é simples e de fácil aplicabilidade, havendo um potencial de economia de energia elétrica com valores de até 52%.<br>This study aimed to develop a methodology to diagnose energetically a water supply system for a irrigation system and for a city. The steps taken were: (i) the energy quality supplied by the utility in relation to level and unbalanced of the supplied voltage; (ii) the electrical energy consumption and demand for the pumping station; (iii) the study of the electrical and hydraulic load's characteristics; (iv) the tariff and demand contracts optimization; (v) the water storage capacity; and (vi) the working hours management. This methodology was tested and validated for the water pumping station in a town of about 70,000 inhabitants. Among the proposed actions, which saved the most, were: (i) the sizing of pumps and motors; and (ii) the optimization of tariff and demand contracts. It was noted that this methodology is simple and easy to apply and there is a great potential for saving energy up to 52%

Comparte reflexiones en torno al agua y su gestión, y sobre la institución que está a cargo de orientarla, la Autoridad Nacional del Agua del Perú - ANA. En tal sentido, contiene 11 capítulos en los cuáles se busca generar instrumentos que permitan administrar y gestionar los recursos hídricos a partir del nuevo pensamiento del agua.