Monitoring, environmental emergency management and water treatment improvement of freshwater lakes in China: the Chaohu Lake case study

Severe eutrophication of freshwater lakes, with the subsequent risk of algal blooms, has a critical effect on the safety of drinking water supplies in China and is one of the main environmental emergencies in the country. This paper focuses on Chao Lake, a large, shallow eutrophic lake used as a source of drinking water. The study considers the possibilities of improving the lake monitoring system and developing a SCADA system to manage the emergencies relating to water quality in order to meet the need of ensuring safe drinking water to the population of Chaohu City. The paper is presented in sub-sections that reflect the multitasking nature of the study, which focused on: (a) upgrading the monitoring system at lake and water treatment plant levels and also applying remote sensing, to develop a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system using neural networks to support prompt and effective management of emergency situations; (b) upgrading water collection and treatment technologies