Climate Resilient Water Resources Management
Climate resilient water resources management involves managing demand for scarce water resources as well as developing alternative water supplies so that the water system survives shocks and stresses.
Globally, the effects of climate change are beginning to be felt with rising temperatures, droughts, and heatwaves as well as more frequent and severe storm events impacting water quantity and water quality. As such, water managers at all levels of governance, from the city to transboundary river basin level, need to ensure communities are resilient to water scarcity pressures as well as water excesses, all the while ensuring the natural system and its associated ecosystem services are protected and enhanced.
Resilient water systems
Climate variability threatens both water supplies and sanitation. For communities to be resilient to climate change, where resilience has been defined by the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) as “the ability to cope with, and recover from, disruption, and anticipate trends and variability in order to maintain services for people and protect the natural environment, now and in the future”, the water system, which comprises the physical and technological infrastructure and users, survives shocks and stresses, the people and organisations can accommodate these stresses in their day-to-day decisions, and institutional structures continue to support the capacity of people and organisations to fulfil their aims.
Demand management
With regards to water scarcity, water utilities have traditionally relied on large-scale, supply-side infrastructural projects such as dams and reservoirs to meet increased demand for water (supply-side management). However, these projects are costly both economically and environmentally. In contrast, demand management involves the better use of existing water supplies before plans are made to further increase supply. Specifically, demand management promotes water conservation during both normal and abnormal conditions, through changes in practices, culture, and people’s attitudes towards water resources.
Welsh Water helping business customers become water efficient
Welsh Water helps business customers reduce water wastage and lower overheads by offering two types of water efficiency audits. The Standard water efficiency audit is an assessment of ‘domestic’ water use on-site (toilets, taps, kitchens, and cleaning facilities). The process audit is carried out by a Welsh Water industrial process engineer who will look at water consumption within the production and operational processes found on-site to identify areas of high consumption or wastage, plus cost-saving opportunities.
Alternative water sources
Even with successful demand measures, there are regions in the world where water scarcity requires looking for alternative water sources. This creates a need for new sources of freshwater beyond surface and groundwater utilisation.
Singapore’s NEWater
Singapore’s Public Utilities Board recycles treated used water into ultra-clean, high-grade reclaimed water: NEWater. In total, five NEWater plants supply up to 40% of the city-state’s current water needs. By 2060, it is projected that NEWater will meet up to 55% of Singapore’s future water demand. NEWater is created from a three-step process involving microfiltration, where microscopic particles including bacteria are filtered out, reverse osmosis, in which contaminants are removed to create high-grade water, and ultraviolet disinfection, where water passes through ultraviolet light ensuring any remaining organisms are eradicated. Because of its ultra-clean state, NEWater is used for industrial and air-con cooling purposes at wafer fabrication plants, industrial estates, and commercial buildings.
Conclusion
Resilient water systems value every drop of water and explore alternative water supplies.