El uso de aguas pluviales en la ciudad de Alicante. De viejas ideas a nuevos enfoques

Abstract

From 1960’s, the Mediterranean Spanish coastal is characterized by a spectacular increase of urban uses related with residential and sun and beach tourism. This process has affected the consumption growth of certain resources such water. To all this, it is necessary to add supply and availability problems associated to its shortage by climatic factors and the increased demand. The aim of this research is to show and to examine the importance and the potential that rainwater has in the hydro-social cycle in the city of Alicante (Spain) for increasing water supply for certain uses (watering gardens, street cleaning, etc.). To obtain it, it has been analysed databases about the use and collection of these resources. Also, different interviews have been carried out to the technical staff of the company (Aguas municipalizadas de Alicante. Empresa Mixta, S.A.) that is responsible of the tank management where these resources are stored. As main conclusion, it could be pointed that the use of this new water resources has allowed, on the one hand, reducing the use of drinking water to certain municipal water uses, and on the other, to reduce pollution and flooding risk coinciding with episodes of intense rainfall.