Increasing Water Demand Research Articles

Original

Massive urbanization and industrialization are playing a catalytic role in increasing water demand which leads to fast extraction and contamination of drinking water. The process of rapid urbanization is creating serious challenges related to proper water supply with quality and quantity. The research aims to assess the quality of drinking water supplied to primary schools of different wards in Ballia city. Water samples to test the quality of drinking water have been collected from India Mark II hand pumps from different wards. These water samples have been tested in the laboratory and data are tabulated, analyzed in excel software. Distribution maps are prepared with the help of Arc GIS. This study reveals that the pH level of the entire city is good but TDS is above the permissible limit at some primary schools i.e. Neuri (599 mg/l) and Vijayipur (542 mg/l). The concentration of hardness, alkalinity and calcium are above the permissible level of BIS standard while the concentration of magnesium and Sulphate is below the permissible limit of BIS in all primary schools.

Usage of Green Material in Building Construction Evaluating its Outcome on Varied Properties of Concrete

Rice Husk Ash was selected as a green material. Two types of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) were considered and one of them was selected for this study. The RHA was characterized and its effect on the properties of cement, especially strength and shrinkage were studied. Four formulations containing 0, 10, 15 and 20 percent of RHA were prepared for flexure, compression and shrinkage including X-ray diffraction and fluorescence test. All formulations were prepared at their standard consistency. The results indicated that the RHA used in our study was not an effective pozzolanic material and had an adverse effect on the strength and shrinkage properties of the cement formulations due to its increased water demand and large particle size. This investigation proved that it cannot be used in the projects where early higher strength is needed.

Water Distribution and Non-Revenue Water Management Scenario in Asian countries: Malaysian Perspective

It is being estimated by the World Bank that the operations and maintenance cost for the basic water and sanitation services (WASH) is expected to increase from 4 to 30 Billion USD per year by 2030 which substantially surpass the capital cost of basic WASH services. Still the local and global funding prioritize the capital investment in the current water infrastructure resulting in the lack or no funding for the operation and maintenance mandates especially in the developing countries of Asia due to insufficient revenue generated from consumers to cover the operational and maintenance costs. This has subsequently caused an adverse impact on the financial utility and services rendered to consumers. Many water utilities are facing difficulties with high amount of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) for the past few years. Water utilities are being forced to consider implementing an efficient NRW reduction strategy due to the rapid population growth and industrialization raise the water demand and put pressure on the water resources. Public water utilities are expected to apprehend the demand by increasing the capacity. On the other hand, to solve the increasing water demand it is not enough to just increase the capacity and production. Combine both Non-Revenue Water and the increasing of capacity is more efficient rather than a single approach plan. In Malaysia, there is 35% of non-revenue water loss and mostly are caused by pipe leakages and breakage. This paper aims to assess the NRW reduction strategies by analysing the factors affecting, and challenges faced by Malaysian water utilities in reducing NRW rates. This paper also evaluates the public perception on Non-Revenue water management to establish a way to develop public participation in Non-Revenue Water reduction program. Finding shows that public participation in Non-Revenue Water reduction management in Malaysia remains lacking as many respondents indicate a lack of knowledge and awareness in non-revenue water. Participation from the community to achieve a sustainable water source management is important to enhance Malaysia’s water safety. The paper will provide an insight to the water distribution in the Southeast Asian countries and will especially emphasize on the crisis of non-revenue water its implications and possible measures and strategies to improve the situation.

Future Climate Change Impact on the Nyabugogo Catchment Water Balance in Rwanda

Droughts and floods are common in tropical regions, including Rwanda, and are likely to be aggravated by climate change. Consequently, assessing the effects of climate change on hydrological systems has become critical. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of climate change on the water balance in the Nyabugogo catchment by downscaling 10 global climate models (GCMs) from CMIP6 using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method. To apply climate change signals under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) (low and high emission) scenarios, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used. For the baseline scenario, the period 1950–2014 was employed, whereas the periods 2020–2050 and 2050–2100 were used for future scenario analysis. The streamflow was projected to decrease by 7.2 and 3.49% under SSP126 in the 2020–2050 and 2050–2100 periods, respectively; under SSP585, it showed a 3.26% increase in 2020–2050 and a 4.53% decrease in 2050–2100. The average annual surface runoff was projected to decrease by 11.66 (4.40)% under SSP126 in the 2020–2050 (2050–2100) period, while an increase of 3.25% in 2020–2050 and a decline of 5.42% in 2050–2100 were expected under SSP585. Climate change is expected to have an impact on the components of the hydrological cycle (such as streamflow and surface runoff). This situation may, therefore, lead to an increase in water stress, calling for the integrated management of available water resources in order to match the increasing water demand in the study area. This study’s findings could be useful for the establishment of adaptation plans to climate change, managing water resources, and water engineering.

Understanding and managing the interactive impacts of growth in urban land use and climate change on freshwater biota: Acase study using the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).

Globally, urban expansion and climate change interact to threaten stream ecosystems and are accelerating the loss of aquatic biodiversity. Waterway managers urgently need tools to understand the potential combined impacts of urbanization and climate change and to identify effective mitigating management interventions for protecting freshwater biota. We address this challenge using the semi-aquatic mammal the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) as a focal species. We developed high-resolution environmental spatial data for stream networks and spatially explicit habitat suitability models (HSMs) to explore the impact of threats and to identify the combination of management actions most likely to maintain or improve habitat suitability over the next 50years in greater Melbourne, Australia. We developed and evaluated platypus HSMs (males-and-females and females-only) including validation using an independent environmental DNA data set. Platypus occurred more commonly in larger, cooler streams with greater catchment-weighted discharge, following periods of greater stream flow. They were positively associated with near-stream forest cover and negatively associated with annual air temperature and urban stormwater runoff. Extensive reductions in suitable platypus habitat are predicted to occur under urbanization and climate change scenarios, with the greatest threat expected from reduced streamflows. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining flow regimes as part of conserving platypus in the region; however, substantial additional benefit is predicted by concurrent riparian revegetation and urban stormwater management efforts (that also have the potential to contribute to the streamflow objectives). Provision of adequate streamflows in a future with increasing water demands and water security requirements will likely require creative integrated water management solutions. Our high-resolution stream network and HSMs have allowed predictions of potential range-shifts due to urban expansion and climate change impacts at management-relevant scales and at the whole-of-landscape scale. This has enabled systematic strategic planning, priority action planning and target setting in strategic policy development.

Application of Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development Framework in River Water Conservation in Southern Ecuador. Case Study—The Zamora River

Water is essential for life and human activities. In addition to the constant increase in water demand, there are problems caused by inefficient governance, such as the discharge of untreated wastewater into rivers and seas, which is aggravated by the limited participation of civil society in decision-making. To face current and future challenges, solid public policies must be implemented, focused on measurable objectives, following planned and predetermined schedules on an appropriate scale, based on a clear assignment of functions to the competent authorities, and subject to periodic monitoring and evaluation. The Institutional Analysis and Development framework proposed by Ostrom made it possible to identify gaps in the existing governance, and to establish actions that could strengthen the institutional framework with the active participation of social actors, in order to achieve an effective conservation of water resources in southern Ecuador. The present study determined that regulations are not coherent with the conflict, the design of policies, and the effects of decision-making. The formal rules for wastewater management are not applied, and there is an incipient citizen participation, as well as disarticulation in institutions responsible for wastewater management. Recommendations were made to strengthen the institutional framework and governance of wastewater.

Ecological restoration intensifies evapotranspiration in the Kubuqi Desert

Afforestation combats desertification and improves the ecological environment but leads to huge consumption of water resources. Understanding how ecological restoration affects the regional water balance is important for scientific desertification management. Using remote sensing satellite images and meteorological data, we analyzed the impacts of ecological restoration on water resources in the Kubuqi Desert during 1986–2017. Human activities accounted for 60.14% of the desertification reversal: annual average NDVI increased by 94%, the severe desertification area decreased by 30%, and the non-desertification area increased threefold. Vegetation restoration accounted for 70.96% of the evapotranspiration increase of 5.17 mm·yr–1. However, precipitation could not support the increased water demand, which relied on replenishment from groundwater and Yellow River diversion. Therefore, to ensure water security in the Kubuqi, species that use less water should be used in future ecological restoration, and decision-makers should carefully consider the huge water consumption cost of ecological restoration.

Climate change impacts on infectious diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East (EMME)-risks and recommendations.

The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region has rapid population growth, large differences in socio-economic levels between developed and developing countries, migration, increased water demand, and ecosystems degradation. The region is experiencing a significant warming trend with longer and warmer summers, increased frequency and severity of heat waves, and a drier climate. While climate change plays an important role in contributing to political instability in the region through displacement of people, food insecurity, and increased violence, it also increases the risks of vector-, water-, and food-borne diseases. Poorer and less educated people, young children and the elderly, migrants, and those with long-term health problems are at highest risk. A result of the inequalities among EMME countries is an inconsistency in the availability of reliable evidence about the impacts on infectious diseases. To help address this gap, a search of the literature was conducted as a basis for related recommended responses and suggested actions for preparedness and prevention. Since climate change already impacts the health of vulnerable populations in the EMME and will have a greater impact in future years, risk assessment and timely design and implementation of health preparedness and adaptation strategies are essential. Joint national and cross-border infectious diseases management systems for more effective preparedness and prevention are needed, supported by interventions that improve the environment. Without such cooperation and effective interventions, climate change will lead to an increasing morbidity and mortality in the EMME from infectious diseases, with a higher risk for the most vulnerable populations.

The Effect of Corporate Water Disclosure on Financial Performance

Natural resources crises specifically the water crises are listed in the top ten global risk in 2021. Water demand and withdrawal increase as the population rise. To mitigate water scarcity, companies disclose more on water related information as an engagement to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Motivated towards exploring the impact of corporate water disclosures, this study aims to examine effect corporate water disclosures for five years to financial performance of the sample companies. The sample companies are the electric utilities companies that listed as the top 50 market capitalisation in the sector. The water related information disclosure in this study include resource reduction policy, policy of water efficiency policy of environmental supply chain, target water efficiency and environmental management team. This study found that corporate water information disclosures including resource reduction policy and policy of water efficiency) have positive significant relationship on earnings per share (EPS). However, the target water efficiency is negatively significant with EPS which explain the behaviour of electric utilities companies all this while.

Impact of agricultural water management interventions on upstream–downstream trade‐offs in the upper Cauvery catchment, southern India: a modelling study*

AbstractThe Cauvery basin in southern India is experiencing transboundary issues due to increasing water demand. This study analysed water balance components and the impact of agricultural water management (AWM) interventions in the upper Cauvery catchment of the Cauvery basin. Results showed that the study catchment receives an average of 1280 mm of annual rainfall. Of this, 29% (370 mm) flows downstream, 54% (700 mm) contributes to evapotranspiration (ET) and 17% (215 mm) contributes to groundwater recharge and surface storage. Rainfall varies from 700 to 5400 mm and the Western Ghats (mountain pass) are the main source of freshwater generation. The estimated ET in different catchments ranged from 500 to 900 mm per annum. An increase in the allocation of fresh water supplied by all three reservoirs (Hemavathi, Harangi and KRS) was observed in the canal command areas, from 1450 million cubic metres (MCM) yr‾¹ in 1971–1980 to 3800 MCM yr‾¹ in 2001–2010. AWM interventions harvested 140–160 MCM (13–20 mm) of surface runoff upstream of the upper Cauvery and reduced inflow into the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir by 2–6%. The study findings are useful for designing and planning suitable water management interventions at basin scale.

Integrating Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation into Land Use Optimization: A Case Study in Huailai County, China

Land use plays a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation, as the reasonable design of land use distribution can positively impact these things. Therefore, research interest in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in land use and management has been growing. However, the adaptation and mitigation strategies have been handled separately at different dimensions and spatial levels. In this study, we presented a modeling framework for land use optimization that integrates climate change adaptation and mitigation, developed the model, and then applied it to Huailai County, wherein environmental and socioeconomic conditions are sensitive to climate change. The regional land use optimization model was combined with a linear programming model and a modified cellular automata model. Subsequently, the climate change adaptation and mitigation constraints, including ecological water demand, spatial suitability, and carbon sequestration, were incorporated into the model. The results indicate that most regions in the study area could adapt to and mitigate climate change with a constant land use pattern, and the land use conversion region under different climate change scenarios was primarily located in the topography transition region. The optimization results also reveal trade-offs between climate change adaptation and mitigation that were manifested with an increase in carbon sequestration and ecological water demand accompanied by decreases in the net income of agricultural production. Thus, it is necessary to simultaneously incorporate climate change adaptation and mitigation into land use optimization and management, and the proposed model provides a feasible method to incorporate them and balance their trade-offs in land use pattern optimization at a regional scale.

Environmental Mitigation And Adaptation As Key Factors For Increasing Water Demand

Environmental Mitigation And Adaptation As Key Factors For Increasing Water Demand

Hydrostratigraphic Framework and Physicochemical Status of Groundwater in the Gioia Tauro Coastal Plain (Calabria—Southern Italy)

In this study, we analysed the Gioia Tauro Plain (Tyrrhenian coast, southern Italy) in terms of hydrostratigraphy and the physicochemical status of groundwater. We investigated the hydrostratigraphic framework of the area identifying a deep aquifer (made by late Miocene succession), an aquitard (consisting of Pliocene clayey and silty deposits) and a shallow aquifer (including Late Pleistocene and Holocene marine and alluvial sediments) using subsoil data (boreholes and geophysics). Our reconstruction showed that the structural geology controls the spatial pattern of the aquitard top and the shallow aquifer thickness. Furthermore, we evaluated the hydraulic conductivity for the shallow aquifer using an empirical method, calibrated by slug tests, obtaining values ranging from 10−4 to 10−5 m/s with a maximum of 10−3 m/s located close to inland dune fields. The piezometric level of the shallow aquifer recorded a significant drop between the 1970s and 2021 (−35 m as the worst value). It is the effect of climate and soil use changes, the latter being the increased water demand for kiwi cultivation. Despite the overexploitation of the shallow aquifer, shallow groundwater is fresh (736 µS/cm as mean electrical conductivity) except for a narrow coastal area where the electrical conductivity is more than 1500 µS/cm, which can be due to the seawater intrusion. What was more complex was the physicochemical status of the deep aquifer characterised by high temperature (up to 25.8 °C) and electrical conductivity up to 10,520 µS/cm along the northern and southern plain boundaries marked by tectonic structures. This issue suggested the dominant role of the local fault system that is likely affecting the deep groundwater flow and its chemical evolution.

The Impact of Predicted Climate Change on Groundwater Resources in a Mediterranean Archipelago: A Modelling Study of the Maltese Islands

The effects of changes in climate predicted for 2100—reduction in recharge, increase in water demand and sea-level rise—on groundwater volume and saltwater intrusion have been quantified in the Maltese Islands, an archipelago located at the center of the Mediterranean Sea. A three-dimensional density dependent and heterogeneous model, working in transient conditions, was developed based on morphological and geological information. The hydraulic conductivity and porosity of the lithological formations were derived from previous tests and studies conducted on the islands. The complex fault system intersecting the area has also been included in the model. The results show that among the three considered factors affecting groundwater resources, the most significant is the increase in water demand, which is closely followed by the decrease in groundwater recharge. Sea-level rise plays a marginal role. The 80-year simulation period showed that these combined impacts would cause a loss of more than 16% of groundwater volume.

Identification of groundwater recharge potential zones in a study region of South Kerala

Groundwater is considered as a precious natural resource which serves as the main source of agriculture and domestic purposes. Kerala state is blessed with around 3000mm rainfall annually because of two prominent monsoon. But the available water is insufficient to meet the demand of people. Increase in population and water demand cause threat to overall water balance. Ground water resource must be managed well to overcome these problems. Ground water recharging is a major requirement for sustainable utilization of water resources. It also becomes highly relevant to assess the water recharge zones and to preserve water quality. This study proposes identification of suitable water recharge sites in Karamana river basin, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Karamana river supplies majority of drinking water in Thiruvananthapuram district. Since its quality is deteriorating day by day, appropriate locations for recharging groundwater is identified using GIS technique. Various thematic maps like soil, slope, drainage, geomorphology and land utilization that affect the groundwater recharge is integrated and weighted overlay analysis is adopted to find the groundwater recharge potential map. Weights are assigned using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) by constructing a pairwise comparison matrix. The result depicts the groundwater recharge potential zones which is divided into very high, high, moderate, low and very low potential areas.

Influence of Various Basin Types on Performance of Passive Solar Still: A Review

Passive solar still is the simplest design for distilling seawater by harnessing solar energy. Although it is undeniable that solar still is a promising device to provide an additional freshwater source for global increasing water demand, low thermal efficiency along with daily distillate yield are its major disadvantages. A conventional solar still can produced 2 to 5 L/m2day. Various studies have been carried out to improve passive solar stills in terms of daily productivity, thermal efficiency, and economic effectiveness. Most of the researches that relate to the daily output improvement of passive solar still concentrates on enhancing evaporation or/and condensation processes. While the condensation process is influenced by wind velocity and characteristics of the condensed surface, the evaporation process is mainly affected by the temperature of basin water. Different parameters affect the brackish water temperature such as solar radiation, design parameters (for example water depth, insulators, basin liner absorptivity, reflectors, sun tracking system, etc). The inclined angle of the top cover is suggested to equal the latitude of the experimental place. Moreover, the decrease of water depth was obtained as a good operational parameter, however, the shallow water depth is required additional feed water for ensuring no dry spot existence. Reflectors and sun-tracking systems help solar still absorb as much solar intensity as possible. The internal reflector can enhance daily yield and efficiency of stepped solar still up to 75% and 56% respectively, whereas, passive solar still with the support of a sun-tracking system improved daily yield up to 22%. Despite large efforts to investigate the impact of the different parameters on passive solar distillation, the effect of the basin liner (including appropriate shapes and type of material), needs to be analyzed for improvement in practical utilization. The present work has reviewed the investigation of the solar still performance with various types of basin liner. The review of solar stills has been conducted critically with rectangular basin, fins basin, corrugated basin, wick type, steps shape, and cylindrical shape basin with variety of top cover shapes. The findings from this work conclude that the basin liner with a cylindrical shape had better performance in comparison with other metal types and provides higher freshwater output. Stepped type, inclined, fin absorber, and corrugated shapes had the efficient performance. Further exploration revealed that copper is the best-used material for the productivity of passive solar still.

Upstream migration of anadromous and potamodromous brown trout: patterns and triggers in a 25-year overview

River fragmentation and alterations in flow and thermal regimes are the main stressors affecting migrating fish, which could be aggravated by climate change and increasing water demand. To assess these impacts and define mitigation measures, it is vital to understand fish movement patterns and the environmental variables affecting them. This study presents a long-term (1995–2019) analysis of upstream migration patterns of anadromous and potamodromous brown trout in the lower River Bidasoa (Spain). For this, captures in a monitoring station were analyzed using Survival Analysis and Random Forest techniques. Results showed that most upstream movements of potamodromous trout occurred in October–December, whereas in June–July for anadromous trout, although with differences regarding sex and size. Both, fish numbers and dates varied over time and were related to the environmental conditions, with different influence on each ecotype. The information provided from comparative studies can be used as a basis to develop adaptive management strategies to ensure freshwater species conservation. Moreover, studies in the southern distribution range can be crucial under climate warming scenarios, where species are expected to shift coldwards.

Towards Financial Sustainability: Beneficiaries’ Perception and Performance of Community Water Supply Services in Ghana

Revenue mobilization is critical for community-managed water systems to overcome financial constraints and to achieve financial sustainability. Using data from beneficiaries of a community managed water supply system in Ghana, we employed descriptive statistics, chi-square, perception index and document review of the system’s financial reports to assess beneficiaries’ views and perception on revenue mobilization for operations and maintenance, system expansion as well as sustainability of the project. The results showed that revenue mobilization for sustainability of operations and maintenance is significantly influenced by water connection type and religion while marital status, age and income of beneficiaries determine sustainability of the project’s expansion. The findings further revealed a significant relationship between sustainability of replacement of the project’s accessories and water connection type as well as gender, marital status, age and income of beneficiaries. The average perception index of 3.2 showed that beneficiaries perceived revenue mobilization as very good for replacing the water system’s accessories. Revenue mobilization is able to support the water system’s expansion to help meet the increasing water demands. In addition, with an average perception index of 3.6, the beneficiaries’ perception was that revenue was enough to fund operations and maintenance. Furthermore, the document review of the system’s financial reports confirmed beneficiaries’ perception of sufficiency of revenue for operations and maintenance. Finally, we found weaknesses in revenue mobilization with over 40% of bills in arrears, mostly from private users. To build resilience to the financial crisis with enhanced innovations, the study recommends the institution of effective debt recovery strategies such as the provision of pre-paid metering for private users, adoption of a public standpipe pay-as-you-fetch system as well as the introduction of smart tap technology for public standpipes in community-managed water supply systems.

Analysis of the Economy-Wide Rebound Effect of Water Efficiency Improvement in China Based on a Multi-Sectoral Computable General Equilibrium Analysis

The effectiveness of water efficiency improvement is restricted by the water rebound effect by which anticipated water resource saving from improved water efficiency may be partly or wholly offset or even surpassed by an increase in water demand. The economy-wide rebound effect of water efficiency improvement in China is poorly understood. This study explored the economy-wide rebound effect of water efficiency improvement in China based on a multi-sectoral computable general equilibrium model. The results suggested that water efficiency improvement could effectively reduce water consumption in producing sectors and benefit economic growth and employment. However, the decrease in water consumption was much lower than the volume of water efficiency improvement, which indicated that the rebound effect partly offset water savings caused by water efficiency improvement. We observed a larger reduction in water consumption in the long run, which indicated a smaller rebound effect and a more significant effect in saving water resources in the long term. Notably, the total rebound effect in the short-run closure was much larger than that in the long-run closure, and the effect from the production side was much smaller. Hence, the economic-wide rebound effect is primarily derived from the incremental water consumption by households, investors, and governments.

Optimal reservoir operation using Nash bargaining solution and evolutionary algorithms

Optimizing reservoir operation is critical to ongoing sustainable water resources management. However, different stakeholders in reservoir management often have different interests and resource competition may provoke conflicts. Resource competition warrants the use of bargaining solution approaches to develop an optimal operational scheme. In this study, the Nash bargaining solution method was used to formulate an objective function for water allocation in a reservoir. Additionally, the genetic and ant colony optimization algorithms were used to achieve optimal solutions of the objective function. The Mahabad Dam in West Azerbaijan, Iran, was used as a case study site due to its complex water allocation requirements for multiple stakeholders, including agricultural, domestic, industrial, and environmental sectors. The relative weights of different sectors in the objective function were determined using a discrete kernel based on the priorities stipulated by the government (the Lake Urmia National Restoration Program). According to the policies for the agricultural sector, water allocation optimization for different sectors was carried out using three scenarios: (1) the current situation, (2) optimization of the cultivation pattern, and (3) changes to the irrigation system. The results showed that the objective function and the Nash bargaining solution method led to a water utility for all stakeholders of 98%. Furthermore, the two optimization algorithms were used to achieve the global optimal solution of the objective function, and reduced the failure of the domestic sector by 10% while meeting the required objective in water-limited periods. As the conflicts among stakeholders may become more common with a changing climate and an increase in water demand, these results have implications for reservoir operation and associated policies.