Global Water Consumption Research Articles

The environmental relevance of freshwater consumption in global power production

Purpose Freshwater use and consumption is of high environmental concern. While research has primarily focused on agricultural water use, industrial water use has recently become more prominent. Because most industries employ relatively low amounts of water, our study focuses on electricity production, which is involved in almost all economic activities and has a considerable share of the global water consumption.

Quantitative Assessment of Environmental and Economic Benefits of Recycled Materials in Highway Construction

The benefits of using recycled materials in highway pavements was assessed quantitatively by conducting life-cycle analysis and life-cycle cost analysis on pavements consisting of conventional and recycled materials for a highway construction project in Wisconsin. Results of the analysis indicate that using recycled materials in the base and subbase layers of a pavement can result in reductions in global warming potential (20%), energy consumption (16%), water consumption (11%), and hazardous waste generation (11%) while also extending the service life of the pavement. In addition, using recycled materials in the base and subbase layers can result in a life-cycle cost savings of 21%. The savings are even greater if landfill avoidance costs are considered for the recycled materials incorporated in the pavement. Extrapolation of the benefits to conditions nationwide indicates that modest changes in pavement design to incorporate recycled materials can contribute substantially to the emission reductions required to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at current levels.

Climate Change and Groundwater

The Geological Society produces Special Publications about 15 to 20 times per year, and these publications are often referred to as representing the “state of the science.” Climate Change and Groundwater is certainly a prominent title, one that seeks to capture some of the fundamental research related to understanding groundwater resources in the context of global warming. In the latest Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it was acknowledged that groundwater use will increase as a result of the declining availability of surface water and increased global water consumption and that “there has been very little research on the impact of climate change on groundwater” (IPCC, 2007). As described by Dragoni and Sukhija in the preface of Climate Change and Groundwater , this was the rationale for a climate change and groundwater session at the 32nd International Geological Congress (IGC) held in 2004, from which the papers of this Special Publication were derived. Climate Change and Groundwater is a collection of 13 papers that span various case studies on observed (or predicted) responses of groundwater systems to variations in climate. The introductory chapter by Dragoni and Sukhija provides an overview of what is generally termed “climate change” and includes a synopsis of the IPCC findings that are relevant to the field of hydrogeology. While they identify that there is a “heated dispute” regarding the cause of present climatic behavior, the focus of the book is a better understanding of the impact of …

LCA finally takes water into account

Researchers develop the first life-cycle assessment model to incorporate the impact of global water consumption.

Implications of Eutrophication for Lake Tourism in Québec

Introduction Water is essential to the planet and its societies, yet, it is one of the scarcest resources globally today (Klessing, 2000; Jobgen et al., 2004; Babou and Callot, 2007). According to the World Resources Institute (WRI, 2008), global water consumption increased sixfold in the last century and over 40% of the world’s population lives in water poverty today. It is estimated that if present water use trends continue, two of every three humans will live in conditions of water stress ...

Domestic water consumption benchmark development for Hong Kong

Fresh water consumption is of primary importance to the design of water systems in sustainable buildings and various benchmarks of water consumption have been developed for the indication of building sustainability. For rating probable water consumption performance in residential buildings, simple normalization with a single parameter might not be indicative and complicated benchmarking models could impose difficulties in general adaptation. In this study, a simple benchmarking model for residential buildings was developed using Monte-Carlo simulations. The model was tested in a case study based on an existing domestic water consumption survey in which the average water consumption distribution of 60 apartments in Hong Kong was the input of the simulation model. The distribution was compared with the Hong Kong global fresh water consumption patterns to derive the water consumption benchmarks for residential buildings in the region. This simple model could be useful for benchmarking the domestic water consumptions and for promoting sustainable building practices without inclusive measurements. Practical application: The proposed simple benchmarking model for water consumption of residential buildings could be useful for promoting sustainable building practices without inclusive measurements.

Carbon dioxide emission benchmarks for domestic water consumption in Hong Kong

This study proposes a simple benchmarking model for domestic water consumption correlated with its corresponding carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission. The model was tested with a survey of average water consumption in 60 apartments of Hong Kong. The results were compared with the global fresh water consumption patterns to derive the water consumption and CO 2 emission benchmarks for residential buildings in the region. Copyright , Manchester University Press.

05/01142 Multi-impact evaluation of new medium and large hydropower plants in Portugal centre region

This paper presents the first estimate of global water use in the forestry sector related to roundwood production for lumber, pulp, paper, fuel and firewood. For the period 1961–2010, we estimate forest evaporation at a high spatial resolution level and attribute total water consumption to various forest products, including ecosystem services. Global water consumption for roundwood production increased by 25% over 50 years to 961 × 109 m3/y (96% green; 4% blue) in 2001–2010. The water footprint per m3 of wood is significantly smaller in (sub)tropical forests compared to temperate/boreal forests, because (sub)tropical forests host relatively more value next to wood production in the form of other ecosystem services. In terms of economic water productivity and energy yield from bio-ethanol per unit of water, roundwood is rather comparable with major food, feed and energy crops. Recycling of wood products could effectively reduce the water footprint of the forestry sector, thereby leaving more water available for the generation of other ecosystem services. Intensification of wood production can only reduce the water footprint per unit of wood if the additional wood value per ha outweighs the loss of value of other ecosystem services, which is often not the case in (sub)tropical forests. The results of this study contribute to a more complete picture of the human appropriation of water, thus feeding the debate on water for food or feed versus energy and wood.

Global modeling of irrigation water requirements

Currently, almost 90% of the global water consumption is for irrigation purposes, and more than 40% of the crops are produced under irrigated conditions. In order to assess the future water and food situation, it is therefore necessary to model irrigation water requirements. We present a global model of irrigation requirements, which is based on a new raster map of irrigated areas. With a spatial resolution of 0.5°, the model simulates the cropping patterns, the growing seasons, and the net and gross irrigation requirements, distinguishing two crops, rice and nonrice. Using long time series of monthly climatic variables, the irrigation requirements under present‐day climate conditions are computed, and the impact of climate variability is analyzed. The correspondence between model results and independent estimates of irrigation water use is judged to be good enough for applying the model in global and continental studies.

Human Frontiers, Environments, and Disease: Past Patterns, Uncertain Futures

Human frontiers, environments and diseases goes beyond the alarm raised by Silent spring by R Carson and continued by The stolen future by T Colborn. Toni McMichael gives a broad picture of health ecology. A picture that tells how during the 20th century, average life expectancy has doubled, the population has increased by four, the global food yield and water consumption by six, …

Water for sustainable development in the 21st century: a global perspective

Many arid and semi-arid countries are feeling water crisis already at present, and the problem will become more serious in the 21st century. Global water consumption will increase, 10-fold during this century, and the increasing trend will continue well into the 21st century. This Presidential Address to the International Water Reserves Association discusses the reasons for the water crisis, and the major water issues of the 21st century. Among those issues are water conservation and efficient use of water, water pricing and cost recovery, social and environmental considerations, institutional responses to better management, management of international water bodies and proper analytical frameworks.

Threats to the World's Water

Water is in short supply in many regions; almost everywhere increasing amounts of organic waste and industrial pollutants threaten its quality. Only international cooperation in the integrated management of water resources can ameliorate the situation. Agriculture is usually the main drain on the water supply. Problems associated with overirrigation, increased population, and organic and industrial wastes are described. The paper explains the global water cycle; illustrates the uneven distribution of water among the oceans, ground water, ice caps, glaciers, lakes, and soil moisture; and gives data on the global water consumption from 1950 to 1980. Recommendations for water management are given.

Long distance water transfer: the Chinese plans

The demand for water has been increasing steadily with increases in population and standard of living. The food and energy crises of the Seventies have made water resources development a priority issue in many countries. Agriculture currently accounts for 80 % of all global water consumption but hydroelectric generation does not consume any water. Since irrigation and hydropower generation are compatible uses of water, most recent water developments include both these uses. Quantity of water available to any country is limited, but demands are continually rising. Accordingly, water use has to be made more efficient and options like interregional water transfers have to be explored. The paper outlines the problems and prospects associated with long distance water transfer projects and discusses the latest plans for this type of development in the People's Republic of China.