Chapter 9 - Alternative water resources in rural areas: Smart solutions for a sustainable future

Abstract

In recent decades, water security has evolved as a critical foundation for environmental resource management. Climate change, escalating urbanization, deteriorating water quality, frequent floods, and droughts are the chief factors posing threats to the long-term viability of water resources. Complex geographical terrains with less water accessibility further worsen localized water scarcity. Based on the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) 2018, more than half of the world's population would experience water scarcity for at least one month per year. Water security underlines the importance of rural society development in terms of food security, health, and economy. Hence, many rural development initiatives have prioritized enhancing the quantity and quality of water supplies, particularly since the establishment of the millennium development goals in 2000. In order to attain water security, methods for ensuring access to water resources for disadvantaged rural communities with limited resources must be devised. This has been made feasible by the integration of alternative water resources as a means of fulfilling rural water needs that may not be met by a traditional water source. Non-conventional techniques viz., smart irrigation, rainwater harvesting (RWH), atmospheric water capture, etc. as well as more holistic, integrated water management strategies are becoming more popular in this line of investigation. Extracting traditional knowledge from ancient indigenous water harvesting structures may improve in developing more problem-specific management concepts. The outcomes of this chapter can be useful for water resource planners by undertaking a state-of-the-art review of alternative water resources for a sustainable future. In addition, various possible pros and cons of these practices in rural areas especially for irrigational purposes are also discussed. Also, there is an urging need to develop more improved energy-efficient and cost-effective designs to make the best of non-conventional water resources.