scholarly journals From Mosaic to Systemic Redux: The Conceptual Foundation of Resilience and Its Operational Implications for Water Resource Management

Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Richard Burgess ◽  
Keith Horbatuck ◽  
Mario Beruvides

Preserving and enhancing the resilience of water supply systems is an important goal for managers to help ensure the ongoing availability of a resource necessary to both economic activity and basic survival. If not explicitly identified as a goal, it can be inferred from the desire to preserve water supply against a variety of stressors for current and future generations. Pursuing resilience is less than straightforward as there are multiple concurrent theoretical paradigms. Furthermore, operationalizing even one of these can be challenging. The authors survey several dominant paradigms with an eye towards distilling the essential, combinative properties of resilience. The contention underwriting this approach is that each paradigm yields important insights about resilience as a complex, emergent system characteristic. This survey lays the foundation for the operationalized approach that is the central thrust of the paper. Specifically, the authors develop an equation based on these properties and identify water resource metrics that correspond to each property. The analysis concludes with a preliminary causal loop diagram intended to capture key system variables and relationships between them. The authors argue that a systemic, conceptually robust approach to resilience is necessary to (1) assess current levels, and (2) improve levels of water resource system resilience.

Author(s):  
Arezoo Boroomandnia ◽  
Omid Bozorg-Haddad ◽  
Jimmy Yu ◽  
Mariam Darestani

Abstract Fast-growing water demand, population growth, global climate change, and water quality deterioration all drive scientists to apply novel approaches to water resource management. Nanotechnology is one of the state-of-the-art tools in scientists’ hands which they can use to meet human water needs via reuse of water and utilizing unconventional water resources. Additionally, monitoring water supply systems using new nanomaterials provides more efficient water distribution networks. In this chapter, we consider the generic concepts of nanotechnology and its effects on water resources management strategies. A wide range of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, including nano-adsorbents, nano-photocatalysts, and nano-membranes, are introduced to explain the role of nanotechnology in providing new water resources to meet growing demand. Also, nanomaterial application as a water alternative in industry, reducing water demand in the industrial sector, is presented. Another revolution made by nanomaterials, also discussed in this chapter, is their use in water supply systems for monitoring probable leakage and leakage reduction. Finally, we present case studies that clarify the influence of nanotechnology on water resources and their management strategies. These case studies prove the importance and inevitable application of nanotechnology to satisfy the rising water demand in the modern world, and show the necessity of nanotechnology awareness for today's water experts.


Author(s):  
A. T. Lennard ◽  
N. Macdonald ◽  
J. Hooke

Abstract. Droughts are a reoccurring feature of the UK climate; recent drought events (2004–2006 and 2010–2012) have highlighted the UK’s continued vulnerability to this hazard. There is a need for further understanding of extreme events, particularly from a water resource perspective. A number of drought indices are available, which can help to improve our understanding of drought characteristics such as frequency, severity and duration. However, at present little of this is applied to water resource management in the water supply sector. Improved understanding of drought characteristics using indices can inform water resource management plans and enhance future drought resilience. This study applies the standardised precipitation index (SPI) to a series of rainfall records (1962–2012) across the water supply region of a single utility provider. Key droughts within this period are analysed to develop an understanding of the meteorological characteristics that lead to, exist during and terminate drought events. The results of this analysis highlight how drought severity and duration can vary across a small-scale water supply region, indicating that the spatial coherence of drought events cannot be assumed.


Author(s):  
Ivana Ćipranić ◽  
Marija Jevrić ◽  
Milan Radulović ◽  
Goran Sekulić

Abstract Due to the importance of overall sustainable development, efficient energy management should be as significant as water resource management within every water supply system. The pressure reduction, as a measure for loss reduction, not only guarantees less leakage but also minimizes energy consumption. The relationship between energy consumption and pressure in water supply systems has been the subject of many previous studies, mainly based on measurements in real systems. However, a methodology for beforehand assessment of energy savings which occur due to the pressure reduction, has not been proposed yet. The paper proposed a method for the assessment of energy savings in relation to pressure reduction, implemented it on the hypothetical water supply system and verified it on the real system. Results led to the conclusion that the proposed methodology can be considered as a successful tool for better energy and water management. It enables water utility management to estimate energy saving in water supply system in advance, based on the hydraulic model of the system.


10.29007/qwwt ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Maiolo ◽  
Giuseppe Mendicino ◽  
Daniela Pantusa ◽  
Alfonso Senatore ◽  
Joaquim Sousa

In the last decades, climate change is affecting several aspects of human and natural systems worldwide. Concerning water resources, the main impacts are related to the combined effect of temperature increase and changes in availability and distribution of precipitation, which affects both quantity and quality. The Mediterranean is potentially very sensitive to climate change. In Calabria (Southern Italy) the projected reduction suggests a particular care in matching water resource availability and needs. In this paper, the province of Crotone in Calabria was analyzed as a study case. This area is characterized by a sufficient availability of resources as a whole when compared with the needs of the users, but with an unbalanced distribution through its networks. This condition requires the identification of a resource allocation optimization solution. Using a least-cost optimization model, water resource optimization solutions were identified and compared starting from a review of the existing water supply systems, taking into account both current water availability and possible future availability due to climate change.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.Q. Liu

Shanghai is the largest city in China with fast growth of population and economics during the last two decades. Management of water resource and water supply systems is one of the most important strategies for its sustainable urban development. In order to meet the increasing requirements of water demand, studies on policies and technologies for water resources development and water supply management have been implemented in the last few years. New water resource projects, water saving policies and water quality improvement have been adopted and played important roles for Shanghai's long-term rapid development.


2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-458
Author(s):  
Mihai Gavrilas ◽  
Gilda Gavrilas ◽  
Ovidiu Ivanov

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