Sustainable water supply systems are now part and parcel of urban and rural development plans. Water that is potable and can be used for domestic purposes is required everywhere. Urban areas also need to provide adequate supplies for commercial and industrial purposes, while rural areas have to support agricultural needs.
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.
Rainwater harvesting systems are highly sustainable. There is no risk of depletion or contamination, since it is not overexploited and the source is clean enough for direct human consumption. The only thing limiting wider usage is the implementation cost, and the cost of treatment required to prevent contamination of stored rainwater.
Desalination plants are also leave the existing supply of freshwater untouched. Removing salt from seawater is not as environment-friendly as collecting rainwater, although it is far better than blocking rivers with dams and pumping out all the groundwater. The main barriers are the setup cost and the energy usage required for the reverse osmosis process. There's also the fact that desalination plants produce Co2 emissions and other byproducts that can harm marine life.
On the usage side, one of the best ways to ensure sustainability is to limit wastewater generation. This can be done using new innovations such as waterless car washes, artificial turfs and lawns, dual-flush toilets, etc. Bigger and better wastewater treatment facilities will help, and so will improving the efficiency of municipal distribution network by reducing leakage from pipes.
Everything mentioned above is just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of what must be done to implement sustainable water supply systems. A technological revolution accompanied by serious changes in regulations and cooperation between jurisdictions is needed to ensure sustainability. As per WHO, around 1.8 million people still die every year due to contaminated supplies, and it is getting worse with droughts and floods caused by climate change. A good place to start would therefore be to come up with a plan for an adequate supply of potable water.
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.
Rainwater harvesting systems are highly sustainable. There is no risk of depletion or contamination, since it is not overexploited and the source is clean enough for direct human consumption. The only thing limiting wider usage is the implementation cost, and the cost of treatment required to prevent contamination of stored rainwater.
Desalination plants are also leave the existing supply of freshwater untouched. Removing salt from seawater is not as environment-friendly as collecting rainwater, although it is far better than blocking rivers with dams and pumping out all the groundwater. The main barriers are the setup cost and the energy usage required for the reverse osmosis process. There's also the fact that desalination plants produce Co2 emissions and other byproducts that can harm marine life.
On the usage side, one of the best ways to ensure sustainability is to limit wastewater generation. This can be done using new innovations such as waterless car washes, artificial turfs and lawns, dual-flush toilets, etc. Bigger and better wastewater treatment facilities will help, and so will improving the efficiency of municipal distribution network by reducing leakage from pipes.
Everything mentioned above is just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of what must be done to implement sustainable water supply systems. A technological revolution accompanied by serious changes in regulations and cooperation between jurisdictions is needed to ensure sustainability. As per WHO, around 1.8 million people still die every year due to contaminated supplies, and it is getting worse with droughts and floods caused by climate change. A good place to start would therefore be to come up with a plan for an adequate supply of potable water.
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