Growing Water Demand Research Articles

Representing a dense network of ponds and reservoirs in a semi-distributed dryland catchment model

The mismatch between natural water availability and demand in dryland regions is overcome by reservoirs of different sizes with the purpose of storing water. The increase in population in dryland regions and the consequent growth in water demand expanded the construction of small reservoirs, generating in these regions a dense network of reservoirs, which increases the complexity of modeling these hydrological systems. For dryland watersheds modeling with daily time-step, the horizontal connectivity of the reservoir network needs careful representation in order to achieve acceptable model performance, including cumulative effects of reservoirs. However, the horizontal connectivity of reservoir networks is often less investigated in large-scale catchment models. This work presents an innovative way of implementing the dense-reservoir network into the widely used eco-hydrological model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), with detailed representation of large and small reservoirs, and an extensive analysis about the cumulative impact of small reservoirs on the horizontal hydrological connectivity for large-scale dryland catchments. A two-fold cross-validation was used against streamflow at a catchment outlet and against in-catchment reservoir water levels. The model daily performance was acceptable despite the input data uncertainty, with good reliability for peak flow in wet years, for nonflow periods and for the rising limb of the hydrograph. The efforts in the parameterization of reservoirs and aggregation of ponds allowed a better analysis of the hydrological processes and their impacts in the catchment. The results showed that small reservoirs decreased the streamflow, but had a low impact on catchment retention and water losses, with 2% of water retention in wet years. However, the water retention reached 9% in dry years, which may worsen periods of water scarcity in the large reservoirs. The spatial representation of small reservoirs for a high-density network in the SWAT model and the results of the cumulative impact of small reservoirs may be relevant for a better understanding of hydrology in dryland catchments, and can be applied to catchments in similar climatic and socio-economic environments.

Water Demand Management Based on Water Consumption Data Analysis in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

In Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the population and water demand have nearly tripled in the last two decades. Thus, it has become critical to curtail the growing water demand. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Abu Dhabi’s residential water demand management through the installation of water-saving fittings. The analysis of water consumption time-series data revealed that water consumption of the three water user categories was significantly different. Briefly: water-tariff exempt users consumed 95.19 m3/d/connection in 2019, followed by nationals with 5.14 m3/d/connection, and expats at 0.7 m3/d/connection. Nationals began saving water in 2011, which was earlier than the water tariff revision of 2015. In a newly developed area of Khalifa City, the water consumption of new residents was 46.0% less than that of old residents, indicating the effectiveness of water-saving fittings installed in new homes following the Housing Rules’ requirements. Then, based on the estimated number of new connections and the fittings’ saving efficiencies, we estimated that water-saving fittings contributed to 73.1% of the water savings since 2011. These results strongly recommend the introduction of an incentive or subsidy for owners of old houses to replace their outdated fittings with water-saving ones.

High-Resolution Spatiotemporal Trend Analysis of Precipitation Using Satellite-Based Products over the United Arab Emirates

Current water demands are adequately satisfied in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the available water resources. However, the changing climate and growing water demand pose a great challenge for water resources managers in the country. Hence, there is a great need for management strategies and policies to use the most accurate information regarding water availability. Understanding the frequency and the short- and long-term trends of the precipitation by employing high-resolution data in both the spatial and temporal domains can provide invaluable information. This study examines the long-term precipitation trends over the UAE using 17 years of data from three of the most highly cited satellite-based precipitation products and rain gauge data observed at 18 stations. The UAE received, on average, 42, 51, and 120 wet hours in a year in the 21st century as recorded by CMORPH, PERSIANN, and IMERG, respectively. The results show that the areal average annual precipitation of the UAE is significantly lower in the early 21st century than that of the late 20th century, even though it shows an increasing trend by all the products. The Mann–Kendall trend test showed positive trends in six rain gauge stations and negative trends in two stations out of 18 stations, all of which are located in the wetter eastern part of the UAE. Results indicate that satellite products have great potential for improving the spatial aspects of rainfall frequency analysis and can complement rain gauge data to develop rainfall intensity–duration–frequency curves in a very dry region, where the installation of dense rain gauge networks is not feasible.

Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley, Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers

Within the Ararat Valley (Armenia), a continuously growing water demand (for irrigation and fish farming) and a simultaneous decline in groundwater recharge (due to climate change) result in increasing stress on the local groundwater resources. This detrimental development is reflected by groundwater-level drops and an associated reduction of the area with artesian conditions in the valley centre. This situation calls for increasing efforts aimed at more sustainable water resources management. The aim of this baseline study was the collection of data that allows for study on the origin and age distribution of the Ararat Valley groundwater based on environmental tracers, namely stable (δ2H, δ18O) and radioactive (35S, 3H) isotopes, as well as physical-chemical indicators. The results show that the Ararat Valley receives modern recharge, despite its (semi-)arid climate. While subannual groundwater residence times could be disproved (35S), the detected 3H pattern suggests groundwater ages of several decades, with the oldest waters being recharged around 60 years ago. The differing groundwater ages are reflected by varying scatter of stable isotope and hydrochemical signatures. The presence of young groundwater (i.e., younger that the 1970s), some containing nitrate, indicates groundwater vulnerability and underscores the importance of increased efforts to achieve sustainable management of this natural resource. Since stable isotope signatures indicate the recharge areas to be located in the mountains surrounding the valley, these efforts must not be limited to the central part of the valley where most of the abstraction wells are located.

Assessment of Water Shortage Situations in Lower Nam Pong Basin under Climate Change

Lower Nam Pong basin experiences scarcity of water demand for most part of the year. This paper aimed to evaluate the reliability and vulnerability of water resources in basin under a changing climate and growing water demand. To facilitate simulation, ECHAM5 and high temperature change scenarios was utilized in conjunction with Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) to allocate water for each sector to meet future water demand. Results show that the gap between demand and supply grew dramatically for high temperature change scenario with total water shortage of 13,530 MCM over 30 years while water shortage of ECHAM5 scenario was 1,347 MCM. Vulnerability for high temperature change scenario increased with values of 10.52 MCM/unsatisfactory day in which more than two times comparison to baseline. Additionally, the study confirmed that the WEAP model can be applied to assess water shortage for water resources planning in the Lower Nam Pong basin. Keywords: WEAP, Reliability, Vulnerability, ECHAM5, High temperature change

Using Production Well Behavior to Evaluate Risk in the Depleted Cambrian‐Ordovician Sandstone Aquifer System, Midwestern USA

AbstractAs shallow aquifers become depleted or contaminated worldwide, use of deep aquifers will likely increase to meet growing water demands despite expensive drilling costs and well maintenance, and limited recharge to many of these deep systems. We discuss depletion of the Cambrian‐Ordovician sandstone aquifer, a deep bedrock aquifer that has been a major source of water in the Midwestern US for over 150 years. Using a participatory groundwater modeling approach with active stakeholder engagement, we developed a conceptual framework to assess risk to different sandstone units of the aquifer based on simulated heads and production well behavior (pumping levels and specific capacities). Over 320 m of static head decline has occurred since predevelopment in the deepest sandstone unit. Shallower units are actively being dewatered. Drawdown and head separation between sandstone units is even greater under pumping conditions and is most acute near a regional fault zone. Current depletion is prompting massive infrastructure changes to mitigate anticipated water supply shortages. Our results show that even with a substantial reduction in water use by 35% in 2030, many areas of the aquifer remain at High or Severe risk out to 2070. Head decline, as opposed to storage loss, is a critical metric for understanding depletion of deep bedrock aquifers. The participatory modeling process made clear that pumping levels at production wells should not be ignored in evaluations of aquifer sustainability and risk. Our conceptual risk framework could be applied to other deep bedrock aquifers undergoing depletion.

Anthropogenic Drought: Definition, Challenges, and Opportunities

AbstractTraditional, mainstream definitions of drought describe it as deficit in water‐related variables or water‐dependent activities (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, surface and groundwater storage, and irrigation) due to natural variabilities that are out of the control of local decision‐makers. Here, we argue that within coupled human‐water systems, drought must be defined and understood as a process as opposed to a product to help better frame and describe the complex and interrelated dynamics of both natural and human‐induced changes that define anthropogenic drought as a compound multidimensional and multiscale phenomenon, governed by the combination of natural water variability, climate change, human decisions and activities, and altered micro‐climate conditions due to changes in land and water management. This definition considers the full spectrum of dynamic feedbacks and processes (e.g., land‐atmosphere interactions and water and energy balance) within human‐nature systems that drive the development of anthropogenic drought. This process magnifies the water supply demand gap and can lead to water bankruptcy, which will become more rampant around the globe in the coming decades due to continuously growing water demands under compounding effects of climate change and global environmental degradation. This challenge has de facto implications for both short‐term and long‐term water resources planning and management, water governance, and policymaking. Herein, after a brief overview of the anthropogenic drought concept and its examples, we discuss existing research gaps and opportunities for better understanding, modeling, and management of this phenomenon.

Hydrological Environment and Prospects of a Semi-Arid Region: A Case Study of Gwalior, India

With rapidly growing water demand, arid and semi-arid regions face severe water shortages. The study district, Gwalior, is considered to be one of the vulnerable semi-arid districts in India. Due to the expansion of the city towards its surroundings within the plinth area of the city, low and declining vegetation cover and less precipitation, the district has faced extreme water scarcity in recent decades. Under extreme conditions, villagers in the Gwalior district are forced to temporarily move closer to the nearby river Chambal to fulfil their drinking water needs and support their livestock. This study is an investigation into the environmental conditions of Gwalior, mainly focusing on its hydrology. Methods such as the preparation of base maps from different satellite images and other conventional data sources and GIS techniques for interpretation have been used in the study. The database has been designed based on research gaps, and suggestions have been given based on the conceptual data model. Some suggestions proposed by the study are water conservation at the household level, rainwater harvesting and environmental awareness, maintenance of underground drains and construction of new drains to prevent contamination of the water used for domestic purposes. .

How can socio-psychological factors be related to water-efficiency intention and behaviors among Iranian residential water consumers?

Water security while facing a growing water demand and decreasing supply has become a vital issue in urban areas, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Considering households’ potential for significant water saving, residential water conservation has become the main component of the future sustainable water supply. To encourage households to engage in water conservation behaviors voluntarily, it is crucial to recognize and consider the socio-psychological factors influencing acceptance of such behaviors, including intention, normative aspects, and so on, because it can lead to the implementation of effective policies in urban water demand management. The main goal of the current research was to investigate the prerequisites and determinants of household water-efficiency intention and behaviors among Iranian citizens. To that end, the current research was based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and extended TPB by adding three new variables: moral norm, perceived risk, and familiarity to the theoretical framework. A questionnaire survey method (N = 820) was used to collect data from Tehran citizens. Structural equation modeling revealed that intention to adopt water-efficiency behaviors was predicted by attitude, perceived behavioral control (the most potent predictor), moral norm, perceived risk, and familiarity. Water-efficiency behaviors were predicted by intention, perceived behavioral control, and familiarity (the strongest determinant). Perceived risk was also a substantial determinant for attitude and moral norm. The findings indicated that both TPB and extended TPB frameworks are useful and practical tools for explaining the relationship between socio-psychological factors and water-efficiency intention and behaviors. Moreover, after the inclusion of the three new variables of moral norm, perceived risk, and familiarity in the original TPB, its predictive power for intention and behaviors increased up to 9% and 21%, respectively. According to the results, implications for improving and promoting water-efficiency intention and behaviors among households and suggestions for relevant future studies are proposed.

Forecasting the Impact of Population Growth on Robustness of Water Distribution Networks: A System Dynamics Approach

Robustness analysis of water distribution networks (WDNs) has recently come to prominence in the research literature. While the robustness analysis is garnering much attention, there is a knowledge gap surrounding the forecasting of robustness in response to changes in the parameters involved in the analysis, such as water demand and population growth. To fill this gap, this article looks at the robustness of WDNs through the lens of the system dynamics (SD) modeling approach. The objective of this article is to design a dynamic model for the robustness analysis of WDNs that can be updated as its constituent variables change over time. The propose SD modeling approach is developed for a real-world case study of an Australian town. Model simulations are performed for three scenarios designed to forecast the effects of different population growth rates on robustness. The results showed that uneven demand distribution forced by uneven population growth has a strong influence on the robustness of WDNs. Furthermore, the simulation results highlighted the importance of considering the future development pattern of suburbs at the inception of the city development planning.

Mineração e Crise Hídrica em Minas Gerais

Evidenciando-se como uma atividade humana bastante antiga, praticada desde os primórdios da humanidade, a mineração, com o decorrer do tempo e do desenvolvimento cultural, tornou-se cada vez mais importante para os diversos povos nas mais diversas regiões do globo. Os empreendimentos minerários de grande porte geralmente consomem grandes volumes de água, muitas vezes estabelecendo uma competição por este recurso natural e muitas regiões do globo. O Brasil, e o Estado de Minas Gerais, e mais especificamente a região do Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QF), têm experimentado uma aceleração exponencial por demanda hídrica. No caso do QF, uma demanda em torno do abastecimento hídrico da crescente Região Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte (BMBH), a terceira maior região metropolitana do Brasil, atrás apenas das de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, e também da crescente demanda hídrica pelos novos projetos minerários e pela expansão dos já existentes. A Formação Cauê, uma unidade geológica rica em minério de ferro de alta qualidade, interseciona-se com o Aquífero Cauê, o mais importante manancial hídrico subterrâneo do QF. A inevitável e necessária exploração do minério de ferro da Formação Cauê e as atividades minerárias e obras de engenharia decorrentes constituem um conflito socioambiental, pois, ameaçam a integridade do Aquífero Cauê, responsável, em última instância, pelo abastecimento hídrico da RMBH. Muitas questões ainda não foram adequadamente respondidas relativas à real dimensão do conflito, bem como das consequências de eventual desastre ambiental na bacia hidrográfica do Rio das Velhas, a montante da estação de captação hídrica de Bela Fama.

Response of the Arab world to climate change challenges and the Paris agreement

This paper reviews the national environmental agenda of Arab countries in the Middle East and Africa in an attempt to determine coherence of local efforts with the international environmental commitments these countries have made by signing and ratifying the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework and Convention on Climate Change. The paper succinctly summarizes the impacts of climate change on the countries of the region and the responses of individual countries to the eminent environmental threats. Using country specific data, the paper identifies the mitigation and adaptation measures that individual governments communicated in their initial Nationally Determined Contributions to combat climate change and support concomitantly the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals pertinent to climate impacts. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the overall environmental commitment and performance of the Arab countries and compares them to the average global performance. The findings indicate that most of the Arab countries are heading toward severe water shortages due to deteriorating water supply and growing water demand. The paper concludes that the Arab countries, individually and collectively embrace the Paris Agreement and engage in necessary measures to combat and/or adapt to climate change. Furthermore, the paper presents supporting evidence to show that the Arab countries are at par with the rest of the world when dealing with climate change issues.

Water Availability-Demand Balance under Climate Change Scenarios in an Overpopulated Region of Mexico.

Climate change scenarios show that water availability could be decreasing in the near future, adding to the increasing problem of the growing water demands in socioeconomic sectors. The aim of this work was to generate a geographically explicit water balance concerning availability vs. demand in an overpopulated region of Mexico. Water balance and water deficit models were made for three periods of time: 1970–2000, and two future periods of time (2041–2060 and 2061–2080). Three global climate models were used in addition to two different climate scenarios from each (Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) RCP 4.6 and RCP 8.5). Water demand for socioeconomic sectors was calculated through the water footprint. Water availability was 197,644.58 hm3/year, while that the water demand was 59,187 hm3/year. The socioeconomic sectors with the highest demand were domestic services (48%), agriculture (27%), livestock agriculture (20%), and timber production (5%). The highest water availability areas were not the same as those with the highest demand and vice versa. However, 39% of municipalities had a higher water demand than its availability. A significant reduction in water availability was identified, considering an interval of −15% to 40%. This variation depends on climate models, scenarios, and period of time. Areas with overpopulated cities in the region would have higher pressure on water availability. These results could be used in the implementation of public policies by focusing on adaptation strategies to reduce water deficit in the immediate future.

Prediction of Water Quality Index in Drinking Water Distribution System Using Activation Functions Based Ann

Determination of the drastic changes in water quality is an urgent need in this polluted era and is more essential for the survival of the existing and growing water demand. It has been very difficult to analyze the water quality data. This study focused on the Water Quality Index (WQI) prediction of water samples collected from 1944 different wells surrounding the Vellore district. WQI prediction is carried out by ANN (i.e.) Artificial Neural Networks implementation which has used 15 groundwater variables that are collected in different parts of the Vellore district from 2008 to 2017. If 15 underground variable values meet the desired range then WQI is considered as better and appropriate for drinking. But if any one of the value doesn’t meet the desired range then it is not considered as better and hence not suitable for drinking. In this study the pre-processing of the collected data has been completed to reduce the computational time. Further feature extraction techniques are used to extract the required features. The extracted features are passed on to ANN classifiers that possess three activation functions like Tanh, Maxout, and rectifier. The novelty of this paper is that WQI is determined by combining the three activation functions like Tanh, Maxout, and rectifier. A comparative analysis has been performed for proposed work related with various methodologies.

Water Scarcity in Kenya: Current Status, Challenges and Future Solutions

Growing water demand and water scarcity have turned into a prominent challenge to livelihood in several parts worldwide. Global warming, water pollution, population growth, urbanization, and poor management of water resources have aggravated the issue of the water crisis. Water scarcity is expected to affect socio-economic activities, food security, education, health, and intensity climate change, hereby has caught the attention of the public. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, Clean water and sanitation, sets various targets to make water sustainable for use by the year 2030. However, water scarcity assessment remains a challenge. Kenya, which has a growing population, is known as a water-scarce country due to its low supply of renewable freshwater (

Assessment of water reuse potential of wastewater treatment systems used in Mumbai, India

Ever growing population of Mumbai has put additional pressure on existing infrastructure in terms of huge demand for portable water as well as treatment of city’s waste water. Study aimed at review of city’s wastewater in order to understand the reality of treatment quality of wastewater, it’s reusability in terms of offsetting growing water demands of domestic, industrial and agricultural fields in and around the city. Literature review and case study method was used in order to get primary as well as secondary data for achieving data regarding overall functioning and water balance of the city. Because of lot of irregularities, current wastewater management systems are asking for paradigm shift from current centralized wastewater treatment systems to decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Conventional treatment systems treat wastewater as a ‘waste’ yet there is some reuse potential. Concept of collecting water and wastewater separately for better treatment, increased reuse potential, savings upon energy and better nutrient recovery can be used in order to move towards more ecologically and economically sound waste water management systems. To demonstrate this idea documentary and discourse analysis is used. The paper starts by providing general overview about water scarcity and security in India and then proceeds to provide comparative analysis between centralized and decentralized treatment systems used in the city in order to identify it’s water reuse potential. Second, legislative and policy framework used in the city for wastewater treatment and management which is then followed by outline of the current situation and reflections on system dynamics in City. Third, the paper ends with a discussion on practical implications, policy options and conclusion. The presented study gives conceptual model based on Net Zero concept which can be helpful in making of sustainable future cities.

Toward A Sustainable Water And Sanitation Strategy for Duhok Governorat

This article focuses on building a resilient sector based on a unified approach for a comprehensive social, economic and environmentally viable water and sanitation sector development for Duhok Governorate. The article highlights the challenges of meeting the growing water demand, the impact of water scarcity, the changing geo-political scenarios, the sanitation policy of Duhok, the need to prepare for a water-secure future for all citizens and residents of Duhok Governorate. To achieve an integrated approach to manage water resources and sustainable water and sanitation services in light of future sector imperatives there is a need to protect our water resources while ensuring equitable and efficient water allocations to meet all social and economic development needs, with secured wastewater/sanitation services to our populations. Furthermore, there is a need to revise the institutional and legal frameworks to streamline sector management and administration. The management and protection of water is a shared responsibility among various government sectors, municipalities, businesses, industry, and individuals. Residents need to be aware of how much water they use, practice water conservation, and respect the environment. Water and sanitation management could include developing a better understanding of water resources and using this information to support sustainable economic development; implementing improved long-term management developed through joint work of all stakeholders; and evaluating opportunities to share more information with the public.

Evaluation of water supply alternatives for Istanbul using forecasting and multi-criteria decision making methods

Water scarcity is one of the most serious problems of the future due to increasing urbanization and water demand. Urban water planners need to balance increasing water demand with water resources that are under increasing pressure due to climate change and water pollution. Decision makers are forced to select the most appropriate water management alternative with respect to multiple, conflicting criteria based on short and long term projections of water demand in the future. In this paper, we consider water management in Istanbul, a megacity with a population of 15 million. PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a method combining demand forecasting with multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods to evaluate five different water supply alternatives with respect to seven criteria using opinions of experts and stakeholders from different sectors. MethodologyTo combine forecasting with MCDM, we design a data collection method in which we share our demand forecasts with our experts. For demand forecasting, we compare Holt-Winters, Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (S-ARIMA), and feedforward Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models and select S-ARIMA as the best forecasting model for monthly water consumption data. Generated demand projections are shared with experts from different sectors and collected data is evaluated with Fuzzy Theory using two distinct MCDM models: Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE). Also our analyses are complemented with two sensitivity analyses. FindingsOur results indicate that greywater reuse is the best alternative to satisfy the growing water demand of the city whereas all experts find desalination and inter-basin water transfer as the least attractive solutions. In addition, we adopt the PROMETHEE GDSS procedure to obtain a GAIA plane indicating consensus among experts. Furthermore, we find that our results are moderately sensitive to the number of experts and they are insensitive to changes in experts’ evaluations. NoveltyTo the best of our knowledge, our study is the first one incorporating water demand and supply management concepts into the evaluation of alternatives. From a methodological perspective, water demand projections have never been used in an MCDM study in the literature. Also, this paper contributes to the literature with a mathematical construction of consensus and Monte Carlo simulations for the sufficiency of experts consulted in a study.

A review on harvesting and harnessing rainwater: an alternative strategy to cope with drinking water scarcity

Abstract Currently available sources of water face extreme pressures around the globe because of oblivious human activities as well as changing climate. The rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) carries a huge potential to enhance surface and groundwater resources in regions having a poor water supply. Recently, several countries have started to promote the updated implementation of such practice to tackle the problem of growing water demand. These considerations motivated our enthusiasm for looking at its current circumstances and the possibility of RWHS in the future. In this regard, the study aims to identify the evidence gap among different determinants (climate change, reliability, water quality and financial viability) intertwined with RWHS. In the paper, studies related to the significance of RWHS amidst scarcity of water around the globe, published in valued journals from 2000 to 2020, are reviewed. We found that the RWHS becomes economically viable when certain steps and risk assessment methods are executed in planning and maintaining this system. The study concludes that drinking water sufficiency is possible if a sustainable drinking water supply system is built via RWHS.

Groundwater Microbial Communities in Times of Climate Change.

Climate change has a massive impact on the global water cycle. Subsurface ecosystems, the earth largest reservoir of liquid freshwater, currently experience a significant increase in temperature and serious consequences from extreme hydrological events. Extended droughts as well as heavy rains and floods have measurable impacts on groundwater quality and availability. In addition, the growing water demand puts increasing pressure on the already vulnerable groundwater ecosystems. Global change induces undesired dynamics in the typically nutrient and energy poor aquifers that are home to a diverse and specialized microbiome and fauna. Current and future changes in subsurface environmental conditions, without doubt, alter the composition of communities, as well as important ecosystem functions, for instance the cycling of elements such as carbon and nitrogen. A key role is played by the microbes. Understanding the interplay of biotic and abiotic drivers in subterranean ecosystems is required to anticipate future effects of climate change on groundwater resources and habitats. This review summarizes potential threats to groundwater ecosystems with emphasis on climate change and the microbial world down below our feet in the water saturated subsurface.