Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Urban water management
  • Resilient urban water systems
  • Hydrologic and hydraulic modelling
  • Hydroinformatics

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Nitin Muttil

Dr Nitin Muttil is a senior lecturer and leader of the Water Resources research group in the College of Sport, Health & Engineering at Victoria University (VU), Australia.

Prior to joining VU in 2007, Nitin worked as a research fellow at the National University of Singapore and at the University of Hong Kong. During this time, he worked on various projects including developing a hydrologic model for the Marina Bay in Singapore and a data-driven model to predict algal blooms at Tolo Harbour in Hong Kong. The results of these projects have been published and well cited in highly ranked journals and international conferences.

At VU, Nitin has further developed his research expertise in the areas of urban drainage modelling and flood control, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and impacts of climate change on water resources.

Along with colleagues from the Water Resources research group, Nitin has been extensively involved in collaborative research projects (with various local councils, water utility companies and so on) and supervision of postgraduate students.

Nitin has organised sessions on WSUD and climate change impact studies in conferences (MODSIM 2013 and MODSIM 2015) and his students regularly present their research at reputed conferences.

In recognition of his research efforts, Nitin was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Peak Award and Citation For Excellence In Research & Research Training (Research Team Category).

Qualifications

  • PhD (National University of Singapore)
  • M. Tech. (IIT Delhi)
  • B.E. (JMI Delhi)

Key publications

Year Citation
2024 Juwana, I., Sodri, A., Muttil, N., Hikmat, R. R., Indira, A. L., & Sutadian, A. D. (240101). Potential Pollution Loads of the Cikembar Sub-Watershed to the Cicatih River, West Java, Indonesia. Water (Switzerland), 16(2),

doi: 10.3390/w16020256

2023 Wimalasiri, E. M., Sirishantha, D., Karunadhipathi, U. L., Ampitiyawatta, A. D., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (231201). Climate Change and Soil Dynamics: A Crop Modelling Approach. Soil Systems, 7(4),

doi: 10.3390/soilsystems7040082

2023 Chathuranika, I. M., Sachinthanie, E., Zam, P., Gunathilake, M. B., Denkar, D., Muttil, N., Abeynayaka, A., Kantamaneni, K., & Rathnayake, U. (231101). Assessing the water quality and status of water resources in urban and rural areas of Bhutan. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 12

doi: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100377

2023 Pawar, U., Try, S., Muttil, N., Rathnayake, U., & Suppawimut, W. (230901). Frequency and trend analyses of annual peak discharges in the Lower Mekong Basin. Heliyon, 9(9),

doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19690

2023 Verma, S., Verma, M. K., Prasad, A. D., Mehta, D., Azamathulla, H. M., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (230901). Simulating the Hydrological Processes under Multiple Land Use/Land Cover and Climate Change Scenarios in the Mahanadi Reservoir Complex, Chhattisgarh, India. Water (Switzerland), 15(17),

doi: 10.3390/w15173068

2023 Irfeey, A. MM., Chau, H. W., Sumaiya, M. MF., Wai, C. Y., Muttil, N., & Jamei, E. (230701). Sustainable Mitigation Strategies for Urban Heat Island Effects in Urban Areas. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(14),

doi: 10.3390/su151410767

2023 Chathuranika, I. M., Koriyev, M. R., Wimalasiri, E. M., Asamovich, K. B., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (230701). Investigation of Rain-Fed Horticulture Productivity in the Namangan Region, Uzbekistan. Water (Switzerland), 15(13),

doi: 10.3390/w15132399

2023 Sandamal, K., Shashiprabha, S., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (230601). Pavement Roughness Prediction Using Explainable and Supervised Machine Learning Technique for Long-Term Performance. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(12),

doi: 10.3390/su15129617

2023 Wimalasiri, E. M., Ariyachandra, S., Jayawardhana, A., Dharmasekara, T., Jahanshiri, E., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (230601). Process-Based Crop Models in Soil Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Soil Systems, 7(2),

doi: 10.3390/soilsystems7020043

2023 Gangani, P., Mangukiya, N. K., Mehta, D. J., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (230501). Evaluating the Efficacy of Different DEMs for Application in Flood Frequency and Risk Mapping of the Indian Coastal River Basin. Climate, 11(5),

doi: 10.3390/cli11050114

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Knowledge Exchange-Adaptive greening solution to tackle climate change
From: Council for Australian-Arab Relations Grant
Other investigators: Dr Hing-wah Chau, Aspr Elmira Jamei, Dr Ashok Sharma
For period: 2023-2024
$45,000

Next Generation Water Management in the Werribee River Catchment
From: Victorian Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund
Other investigators: Ms Rowena Price, Ms Karen Jackson, Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran, Dr Ashok Sharma, Dr Dimuth Navaratna, Prof Mikel Duke, Dr Daniel Ooi
For period: 2021-2022
$500,000

Leak Management Strategy for CWW - Problem Identification
From: City West Water
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed

Development of sustainable bio-materials for mitigating climate change.
From: PVC (Research and Research Training), College of Engineering and Science
Other investigators: Dr Paul Joseph, Prof Khalid Moinuddin, Prof Vassili Novozhilov, Prof Stephen Bigger
For period: 2017-2020
$90,000

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Principal supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
3 Masters by Research Principal supervisor
1 Masters by Research Associate supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor
1 PhD Principal supervisor
2 PhD by Publication Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
Masters by Research (3) Principal supervisor
Masters by Research (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Principal supervisor
PhD by Publication (2) Principal supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Apr 2016 - Present
Leader of Water Resources research group
Victoria University
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Apr 2016 -
Present
Leader of Water Resources research group
Victoria University

Professional memberships

  • Member, Asia Oceania Geosciences Society

Media appearances

01st February 2013

What’s that smell? Water saving’s unintended consequences

The Conversation A recent study from Victoria University indicates water-conservation can have unintended consequences for residents and water managers - a problem that is only set to get worse.

01st November 2013

Water saving may lead to big stink

ABC Science Water conservation can lead to smellier sewers and more corrosion in sewer pipes, according to new research.

01st April 2012

Mapping the flood

VU News Melbourne will suffer more frequent and severe floods as stormwater drains struggle to cope under climate change, according to Victoria University engineers.

13th June 2019

Tapping into a source of clean energy beneath our cities

Dr Nitin Muttil and his team are working with City West Water (CWW) on a project that uses hydro turbines to generate energy from the water pressure in pipes. The turbines use pressure that builds up in gravity-fed water pipes between elevated reservoir sources and thousands of households and businesses that CWW serves in Melbourne’s west.