Urban Water Security Challenges

Abstract

Water security is a new concept for the sustainable water management. Rapid urbanization and climate change have become a burden for water security managers. It is important to understand and investigate various challenges and impacts of global environment changes for managing water-related problems like frequent urban floods; groundwater water depletion; surface and groundwater pollution; land subsidence and aquatic ecosystems. Urbanization leads to more impervious surface causing increased storm runoff and decreased groundwater recharge resulting in greater floods and groundwater table depletion. Similarly, climate change is reported for alteration of rainfall pattern with more extreme rainfall events and longer dry days resulting in greater floods and lower groundwater table. Therefore, haphazard urbanization, climate change, population growth and change in lifestyle have badly affected urban water environment. In many cases, urbanization rate is quite higher in comparison to capacity of local government which is mainly engaged in development and construction of water infrastructures like water supply and sanitation system, stormwater drainage and flood management system. This chapter is focused on various global environmental changes with focus on urbanization and climate change and their implications on urban water security. Case studies have been included for better illustrations.