Urban water : harvesting rainwater at household level to improve the current water metabolism in Cuenca, Ecuador
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Tipus de documentProjecte Final de Màster Oficial
Data2015-10
Condicions d'accésAccés obert
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Reconeixement-NoComercial 3.0 Espanya
Abstract
With a global population about 7 billion people and their continued growth are pressuring
global natural resources, in freshwater matter this pressure is altering both the river flows;
timing season of water flows; and spatial patterns in order to meet human demands both
in urban as rural areas. However, water stress in urban areas are increasing and
expectations by 2050 are grim with a global urban development by 70 percent moreover
urbanization rate expected by 2030 in Latin America is 80 percent, thus the water
concerns because of high average water consumption 220 lpd, and water leakage by 29
percent in the third largest city of Ecuador Cuenca have motivated to perform this
analysis.
The analysis is based on a metabolic perspective in order to determine anomalies in the
urban water cycle at household level for then apply one of the tools of stormwater
management in short term such as harvesting rainwater to find how feasible can be this
system both individually as communally in Cuenca urban area based on criteria of rainfall,
roof surface, roof material, water average consumption, and costs; in order to generate
social, economic, and environmental benefits. Moreover, give recommendations and
strategies in mid and long term to get an Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM)
model that allow ensuring the enough natural resources, environmental health, and
economic sustainability for current and future demands.
The main problems in the urban water cycle are in a outdated urban water management
because of water leakage in the delivery network and unsuitable water pricing as well as
bad consumers habits; these are affecting economically the water enterprise; nonetheless
these problems are not putting in risk freshwater resources, and infrastructure capacity to
meet future demands but the implementation of harvesting rainwater systems both
individual as community can allow water savings by 18 percent at household level, and by
11 percent in whole water production process at city level. Moreover, the implementation
can generate 750.000 job positions both direct as indirect. Finally, the risk of floods can be
mitigated due to, roughly 2.88 million m3 of runoff rainwater a year are not released on
rivers.
To conclude, economic losses are avoiding that this money can be used to improve and
maintain the current infrastructures, and development socio-technical projects in order to
get a more suitable water metabolism. In other hand, encourage a harvesting culture at
household level is a good strategy in short term but its feasibility is related directly to five
drivers of which four can be handled such as roof surface area, roof material, domestic
water consumption, and costs; in order to get most efficient systems. Finally, there are
more tools and strategies to get sustainable goals in short mid and long term through an
Integrated Urban Water Management model, in order to urban dwellers can move from
simply consumers to a status of suppliers and managers of resources.
MatèriesWater-supply--Ecuador--Cuenca, Water resources development, Rainwater, Hydrologic cycle, Aigua -- Abastament -- Cuenca (Equador), Recursos hidràulics -- Explotació, Aigua de pluja -- Reutilització, Cicle hidrològic
TitulacióMÀSTER UNIVERSITARI EN CIÈNCIA I TECNOLOGIA DE LA SOSTENIBILITAT (Pla 2013)
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Final_Report_Juan Godoy.pdf | 13,23Mb | Visualitza/Obre |