scholarly journals An unexpected decrease in urban water demand: making discoveries possible by taking a long-term view

Water Policy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 617-630
Author(s):  
David Ebbs ◽  
Peter Dahlhaus ◽  
Andrew Barton ◽  
Harpreet Kandra
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Water System ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Efficient Technology ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Millennium Drought ◽  
Eastern Australia

Abstract Forecasting supply and demand is fundamental to the sustainability of the water system. Demand for urban water seems on an ever-upward trajectory, with use increasing twice as quickly as population throughout the 20th century. However, data from Ballarat, a city in south-eastern Australia, show that despite this conventionally held wisdom, total water usage actually peaked over 30 years ago. While the 1997–2009 ‘Millennium Drought’ had some effect, the decline commenced many years before. Initially, this was due to a reduction in external domestic water use, which correlates well with an increase in water price. However, the effect was found to not be purely economic as the price was not volumetric-based. Internal water use seems more affected by technological advances and regulatory controls. Interestingly, there was no relationship found between rainfall and water demand. The role of price, water-reduction education programmes, water-efficient technology and regulation supports previous research that a multifaceted approach is required when developing demand-reduction policies and strategies. This finding emphasises the importance of understanding the component of consumptive behaviour being targeted, and ensuring that policies being implemented are appropriate for the desired behavioural change.

scholarly journals Assessment of Future Risks of Seasonal Municipal Water Shortages Across North America

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Janssen ◽  
Valentina Radić ◽  
Ali Ameli
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Deep South ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Municipal Water ◽  
Urban Water Use ◽  
Projected Changes

While anthropogenic climate change poses a risk to freshwater resources across the globe through increases in evapotranspiration and temperature, it is essential to quantify the risks at local scales in response to projected trends in both freshwater supply and demand. In this study, we use empirical modeling to estimate the risks of municipal water shortages across North America by assessing the effects of climate change on streamflow and urban water demand. In addition, we aim to quantify uncertainties in both supply and demand predictions. Using streamflow data from both the US and Canada, we first cluster 4,290 streamflow gauges based on hydrograph similarity and geographical location. We develop a set of multiple linear regression (MLR) models, as a simplified analog to a distributed hydrological model, with minimum input data requirements. These MLR models are calibrated to simulate streamflow for the 1993–2012 period using the ERA5 climate reanalysis data. The models are then used to predict streamflow for the 2080–2099 period in response to two climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) from five global climate models. Another set of MLR models are constructed to project seasonal changes in municipal water consumption for the clustered domains. The models are calibrated against collected data on urban water use from 47 cities across the study region. For both streamflow and water use, we quantified uncertainties in our predictions using stochastic weather generators and Monte Carlo methods. Our study shows the strong predictive power of the MLR models for simulating both streamflow regimes (Kling-Gupta efficiency >0.5) and urban water use (correlation coefficient ≈0.7) in most regions. Under the RCP4.5 (RCP8.5) emissions scenario, the West Coast, the Southwest, and the Deep South (South-Central US and the Deep South) have the highest risk of municipal water shortages. Across the whole domain, the risk is the highest in the summer season when demand is high. We find that the uncertainty in projected changes to the water demand is substantially lower than the uncertainty in the projected changes to the supply. Regions with the highest risk of water shortages should begin to investigate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

scholarly journals Agent based modelling of domestic water demand for adaptive urban water management

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ιφιγένεια Κουτίβα
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Domestic Water Demand ◽  
Agent Based Modelling ◽  
Impact Theory

Αντικείμενο της διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η δημιουργία μιας νέας μεθόδου προσομοίωσης της συμπεριφοράς της ζήτησης νερού των αστικών νοικοκυριών, χρησιμοποιώντας μοντέλα παραγόντων –ευφυών πρακτόρων (Agent Based Modelling - ΑΒΜ). Μέχρι τώρα, η πιο κοινή προσέγγιση ήταν να συμπεριλαμβάνονται στα εργαλεία διαχείρισης των υδατικών πόρων, χρονοσειρές οικιακής ζήτησης νερού παραγόμενες είτε ακολουθώντας τις ιστορικές τάσεις ή προβάλλοντας μελλοντικές απαιτήσεις.Ωστόσο, σε αυτή την έρευνα, προτείνεται μια εναλλακτική μέθοδος για τη παραγωγή χρονοσειρών οικιακής ζήτησης νερού, προσομοιώνοντας τη συμπεριφορά των νοικοκυριών όπως αυτή διαμορφώνεται από τις κοινωνικές, πολιτικές, οικονομικές και τεχνολογικές συνθήκες.Το βασικό κίνητρο της έρευνας αυτής, ήταν η ανάγκη για τη δημιουργία κανόνων που προσομοιώνουν τη συμπεριφορά των νοικοκυριών. Προς την κατεύθυνση αυτή, αναπτύχθηκε ένα εργαλείο ΑΒΜ, που ονομάζεται Urban Water Agents’ Behaviour (UWAB), το οποίο προσομοιώνει τη συμπεριφορά της ζήτησης νερού ενός νοικοκυριού με βάση: (α) τη θεωρία σύνθετων δικτύων (Albert and Barabasi, 2000)που αντιπροσωπεύει τους κοινωνικούς δεσμούς που δύναται να επηρεάσουν την οικιακή ζήτηση νερού, (β) τη θεωρία της κοινωνικής επιρροής (social impact theory) (Latane, 1981) για την προσομοίωση της επιρροής που ασκούν πολιτικές και άλλοι εξωτερικοί παράγοντες στη συμπεριφορά των οικιακών χρηστών νερού, (γ) τη θεωρία της σχεδιασμένης συμπεριφοράς (theory of plannedbehaviour) (Ajzen, 1991) η οποία εξυπηρετεί την αποδόμηση της συμπεριφοράς του οικιακού χρήστη νερού στα συστατικά της με σκοπό τη μοντελοποίηση της πρόθεσης του και (δ) τη στατιστική μηχανική(Shell, 2014) η οποία χρησιμοποιείται για την προσομοίωση της στοχαστικής φύσης της ανθρώπινης συμπεριφοράς. Η συμπεριφορά της ζήτησης νερού των νοικοκυριών και η επιρροή της από τις πολιτικές διαχείρισης και από τις περιβαλλοντικές πιέσεις προσομοιώνεται στο μοντέλο UWAB. Στη συνέχεια, η συμπεριφορά αυτή μεταφράζεται σε συγκεκριμένο όγκο νερού μέσω της προσομοίωσης των συσκευών κατανάλωσης νερού ενός νοικοκυριού χρησιμοποιώντας το εργαλείο Urban Water Optionneering Tool(UWOT) (Makropoulos et al., 2008). Η υλοποίηση της παραπάνω προτεινόμενης μεθοδολογίας πραγματοποιήθηκε με τη σύνδεση του μοντέλου UWAB με το εργαλείο UWOT, δημιουργώντας την πλατφόρμα μοντελοποίησης UWAB-UWOT. Για την επαλήθευση της προτεινόμενης μεθοδολογίας χρησιμοποιήθηκε το αστικό σύστημα ύδρευσης της Αθήνας, το οποίο και προσομοιώθηκε στην πλατφόρμα UWAB-UWAT. Πιο συγκεκριμένα,μελετήθηκε η εξέλιξη της οικιακής ζήτησης νερού κατά την περίοδο εκτεταμένης ξηρασίας που σημειώθηκε στην Αθήνα, κατά την περίοδο 1988 – 1994. Αρχικά, το μοντέλο βαθμονομήθηκε και επαληθεύτηκε χρησιμοποιώντας μηνιαία δεδομένα οικιακής ζήτησης νερού για την παραπάνω περίοδο.Στη συνέχεια, αναπτύχθηκαν και μελετήθηκαν εναλλακτικές στρατηγικές διαχείρισης της ζήτησης νερού βάσει των εναλλακτικών μελλοντικών σεναρίων ζήτησης. Από τα αποτελέσματα προέκυψε ότι η σύνδεση ενός μοντέλου ABM, για την προσομοίωση της συμπεριφοράς των νοικοκυριών, με ένα μοντέλο προσομοίωσης του αστικού κύκλου νερού, δίνει τη δυνατότητα σύνθεσης υπολογιστικών πειραμάτων με στόχο την αξιολόγηση εναλλακτικών στρατηγικών διαχείρισης της οικιακής ζήτησης νερού από τις ρυθμιστικές αρχές.

scholarly journals Individual Water-Saving Response Based on Complex Adaptive System Theory: Case Study of Beijing City, China

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1478
Author(s):  
Hanqing Liu ◽  
Yong Zhao ◽  
Haihong Li ◽  
Lizhen Wang ◽  
Qingming Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Adaptive System ◽  
Complex Adaptive System ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Saving Behavior ◽  
External Stimuli

It is of significance to examine the factors impacting individual water-saving behavior and their mechanism of action for water demand management, especially for domestic water demand management. To provide a solution to the issues of individual water-saving behavior research with unclear influence mechanisms and subjective modeling decisions, this study provides a novel idea of combining social survey and model study for research on domestic water conservation, introduces complex adaptive system theory to describe the mechanism of action between individuals as well as between individuals and external stimuli, and proposes a general framework for the model establishment and analysis of individual water-saving response research under external stimuli. This study uses Beijing as an empirical city. Based on the analysis results of the survey on Beijing residents’ domestic water use combined with the problems in Beijing’s domestic water-saving efforts, this study constructs water-saving regulation scenarios and corresponding individual water-saving response rules; systematically simulates the change process of individual water use considering the aspects of water price formulation, water use information, and water-saving publicity and education; quantitatively analyzes the influence of these three types of external stimuli on individual water saving; proposes individual water-saving promotion measures; and suggests the three aspects of water price formulation, water use information feedback, water-saving publicity and education.

scholarly journals Urban stormwater harvesting for domestic water supply: a water evaluation and planning approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Pravin ◽  
C. Gajendran ◽  
T. Divya
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Domestic Water Demand ◽  
Surface Water Bodies ◽  
Water Evaluation And Planning

Abstract Renewable groundwater and surface water supplies are insufficient for the existing urban population all over the world as water demand is increasing rapidly. Usage per capita in urban areas transcends 160 liters per day. Climate change is projected to increase water demand even more. Sources of surface water obtained by stormwater runoff can be well used to fulfill this requirement. The main objective of this work is to assess the water supply and demand in the dry condition in the Coimbatore region, Tamil Nadu, India, and to use the Water Evaluation and Planning method to create a model for supply and demand in the future. There are more than three dozen of surface water bodies in and around the metropolitan center. Most sources are heavily encroached upon. By linking stormwater runoff from its respective elevation to the accessible surface water bodies, an additional water supply source can be obtained. By using the Water Evaluation and Planning framework as a guide, models were developed to determine potential needs, compare demand and supply, water usage, lack of water use, and population coverage. The enhanced stormwater drainage system for Coimbatore city was also designed in such a way that the corporation's various roads were connected to the major water bodies. The domestic water demand in the future is predicted to be around 27 Million Cubic Feet(MCFT). Meanwhile, the possible amount of stormwater collection in the selected water bodies is predicted to be 50 Million Cubic Meter (MCM) to 320MCM. Thus, the study concluded that 100% of urban domestic water demand can be met if the urban stormwater is utilized by harvesting and storing in surface water bodies.

scholarly journals Water Metering Pilot Project: A Case Study of Water Demand Management in the Sultanate of Oman

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Zaher Khalid Al Suleimani ◽  
Bushra Khalfan Al Wohaibi
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Sultanate Of Oman ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Water Demand Management ◽  
Water Metering

The Sultanate of Oman is experiencing increased pressure on its groundwater resources. This is mainly due to agricultural enterprises, which consume about 92 % of national water resources, as well as an upsurge in industrial, commercial and domestic water use. The ever-growing population, diversification of economic activities and the ensuing rise in national prosperity have meant an increasing demand for water. This has resulted in a marked depletion of groundwater supplies, intrusion of seawater, and deterioration of ground water quality in the case of the Al Batinah region. A scientific and effective water demand management strategy for the Sultanate is therefore needed. Accordingly, the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources (MRMEWR) have conducted several studies related to water demand management in the agricultural, industrial and domestic sectors. One of these studies was the Water Metering Pilot Project (WMPP), initiated in 1994 with the objective of evaluating patterns of water use on a number of randomly selected farms in the southern Al-Batinah. The results obtained over a period of seven years confirm that water metering alone does not help reduce the quantity pumped. These findings have encouraged other advanced studies on water demand management in industrial, commercial, domestic and agriculture sectors in different areas of the Sultanate. 

scholarly journals Impact of Rapid Tourism Growth on Water Scarcity in Bali, Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Eva Mia Siska Yamamoto ◽  
Takahiro Sayama ◽  
Kaoru Takara
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Domestic Water Demand ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
The Impact

Despite Bali’s dependency on tourism, concerns over the impact of tourism on water scarcity are increasing. The objective of this study is to analyze the clean water demand related to tourism growth and compare them with the available clean water supply. This study suggested that tourism water demand has increased by 20.8 million m3 (295%) from 1988 to 2013. Sixty-eight percent of the increase was concentrated in Badung Regency, where the tourism water demand ratio has increased from 31% to 46%. The study also suggested that rapid population growth has caused an increase in domestic water demand by 48.3 million m3 (48%). This study also shows that the capacity of clean water supply in Bali has increased significantly to meet these demands and the water supply coverage of domestic water demand has increased significantly from 13% in 1988 to 53% in 2013. The water supply coverage of tourism demand varies from year to year with an average of 28% in the study period. The increasing issues over water scarcity despite the improvement in the coverage of domestic water demand suggest further investigations. Yet, despite the large gap between supply and demand in the tourism sector the industry still can have undisrupted clean water throughout the year. This indicates the use of alternative clean water which can be obtained locally such as groundwater. Wise water management through the sharing of scientific data, including in the tourism sector is imperative in solving water scarcity in Bali.  Keywords: clean water demand, water scarcity, Badung Regency

Water use, sanitation and health in a fragmented urban water system: case study and household survey

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis E. Neumann ◽  
Magnus Moglia ◽  
Stephen Cook ◽  
Minh N. Nguyen ◽  
Ashok K. Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water System ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water System

Quantitative Study on Eco-Environmental Water Demand of Urban Water System

2013 ◽  
Vol 671-674 ◽  
pp. 2575-2579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Jie Xu ◽  
Wei Guo Chen ◽  
Xiao Ping Zhang ◽  
Hui Ling Gong
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water System ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Shandong Province ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Normal Functions ◽  
Urban Water System ◽  
Sustainable Usage ◽  
Environmental Water Demand

Eco-environmental water demand of urban water system should be that of certain quality, which is necessary for it to develop its normal functions. The water system includes Dongchang Lake, Tuhai River and Old Canal in Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, China. The multiannual mean optimum, medium and minimum eco-environmental water demand of Dongchang Lake are respectively 2922.9×104m3, 2334.7×104m3 and 1746.4×104m3. Those of Tuhai River are respectively 4757.9×104m3, 2865.7×104m3 and 1919.7×104m3. Those of Old Canal are respectively 348.0×104m3, 277.9×104m3 and 207.9×104m3. Then those of the water system in Liaocheng City are respectively 8028.8×104m3, 5478.3×104m3 and 3874×104m3. These results can provide basis for protecting its eco-environment and promoting its sustainable usage.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document