Sustainable water supply systems are a core necessity for both urban and rural planning and development. The need for potable and domestic water spans across the entire spectrum. Rural needs are additionally about agricultural usage, while urban areas must manage industrial and commercial requirements.
The social, economic and environmental factors that need to be considered are completely different on the supply as well as demand sides of both urban and rural communities. There are a number of issues under usage and watershed management that vary hugely depending on local conditions such as the climate, natural resources, and population. The common aspect linking all communities is that water is essential for survival.
On the supply side, watershed management requires a lot of planning and resources. The key is finding the right balance between the needs of the human population and maintaining the natural ecosystem. Practical work that comes under this includes water rights, cross-jurisdiction agreements, land use, stormwater runoff, drainage, and compliance with environment law.
Surface freshwater is not evenly distributed. For instance, Canada owns more than half the lake freshwater in the world, so everyone else has been forced to build dams to block rivers and create giant artificial reservoirs. The main source for communities which do not have surface supplies is groundwater, which accounts for more than 50% of the world's total amount of freshwater.
By comparison, rainwater harvesting is a highly sustainable method which does not deplete or pollute natural resources. There is no danger of overexploitation at the moment, and the harvested supplies are clean and suitable for human consumption. The limitations include the setup cost and the need for treatment of stored rainwater to prevent contamination.
Another possibility is desalination plants that remove salt from seawater using reverse osmosis. It's not as environmentally friendly as harvesting rainwater, but it is a far better option compared to depleting lakes and groundwater or damming up rivers. Wider use is limited because of the high installation cost and energy required. Not to mention the fact that it produces Co2 emissions and several other byproducts that may be harmful to marine life.
Limiting the generation of wastewater is probably the best way to ensure sustainability on the usage side. It requires a certain amount of innovation to implement waterless car washes, dual-flush toilets, artificial lawns, astroturfs, etc. It also helps to have bigger and more efficient treatment plants. The municipal distribution system has to be optimized to reduce losses because of leaking pipes.
All of this merely scratches the surface in terms of what it will take to ensure sustainable water supply systems. It's going to take a lot of technological advancements, cross-jurisdictional agreements and changes in regulations to achieve sustainability at the community level. A good place to start is with potable supplies. Contaminated H2O still causes 1.8 million deaths every year, according to the latest WHO statistics. With climate change causing severe flooding and droughts, it becomes even more important to ensure resiliency by implementing plans for long-term sustainability.
The social, economic and environmental factors that need to be considered are completely different on the supply as well as demand sides of both urban and rural communities. There are a number of issues under usage and watershed management that vary hugely depending on local conditions such as the climate, natural resources, and population. The common aspect linking all communities is that water is essential for survival.
On the supply side, watershed management requires a lot of planning and resources. The key is finding the right balance between the needs of the human population and maintaining the natural ecosystem. Practical work that comes under this includes water rights, cross-jurisdiction agreements, land use, stormwater runoff, drainage, and compliance with environment law.
Surface freshwater is not evenly distributed. For instance, Canada owns more than half the lake freshwater in the world, so everyone else has been forced to build dams to block rivers and create giant artificial reservoirs. The main source for communities which do not have surface supplies is groundwater, which accounts for more than 50% of the world's total amount of freshwater.
By comparison, rainwater harvesting is a highly sustainable method which does not deplete or pollute natural resources. There is no danger of overexploitation at the moment, and the harvested supplies are clean and suitable for human consumption. The limitations include the setup cost and the need for treatment of stored rainwater to prevent contamination.
Another possibility is desalination plants that remove salt from seawater using reverse osmosis. It's not as environmentally friendly as harvesting rainwater, but it is a far better option compared to depleting lakes and groundwater or damming up rivers. Wider use is limited because of the high installation cost and energy required. Not to mention the fact that it produces Co2 emissions and several other byproducts that may be harmful to marine life.
Limiting the generation of wastewater is probably the best way to ensure sustainability on the usage side. It requires a certain amount of innovation to implement waterless car washes, dual-flush toilets, artificial lawns, astroturfs, etc. It also helps to have bigger and more efficient treatment plants. The municipal distribution system has to be optimized to reduce losses because of leaking pipes.
All of this merely scratches the surface in terms of what it will take to ensure sustainable water supply systems. It's going to take a lot of technological advancements, cross-jurisdictional agreements and changes in regulations to achieve sustainability at the community level. A good place to start is with potable supplies. Contaminated H2O still causes 1.8 million deaths every year, according to the latest WHO statistics. With climate change causing severe flooding and droughts, it becomes even more important to ensure resiliency by implementing plans for long-term sustainability.
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