Making a sustainable water system is tough. Here is a rundown of how to use our water sources sustainably and some ways to reduce consumption.
A water supply can be sustainable only if it provides enough water of the right quality for its required use. Furthermore, the system that delivers the water must do so without damaging the prospects of continued economic, social, and environmental progress. Since every location has a different set of circumstances, there is no uniform, reliable path to developing a sustainable water supply. Therefore, communities that want to promote sustainability must account for their local needs.
This article will look at the different aspects of a water system and explain how each can become part of a sustainable infrastructure. These aspects include various water sources and the three main spheres of activity that draw from them: industry, agriculture, and domestic consumption.
A water supply can be sustainable only if it provides enough water of the right quality for its required use. Furthermore, the system that delivers the water must do so without damaging the prospects of continued economic, social, and environmental progress. Since every location has a different set of circumstances, there is no uniform, reliable path to developing a sustainable water supply. Therefore, communities that want to promote sustainability must account for their local needs.
This article will look at the different aspects of a water system and explain how each can become part of a sustainable infrastructure. These aspects include various water sources and the three main spheres of activity that draw from them: industry, agriculture, and domestic consumption.
We Can Use Multiple Sources For Sustainability
We draw much water from traditional sources like rivers, lakes, and aquifers. However, modern technology provides alternative means to acquire it, and each requires various treatment levels to ensure the water quality is sufficient.
Surface Water Is Our Oldest Source Of Water
Fresh surface water in lakes and streams is our oldest means of finding potable water. However, they are unevenly distributed. For instance, more than half the world's lakes are in Canada. Moreover, pollution from human activity necessitates treatment systems either near the source or at the destination.
Properly constructed dams can produce a sustainable water supply, provided they have a design that does not negatively impact the local ecosystem. Moreover, people required to move to accommodate a new dam must be compensated fairly. To ensure a truly sustainable dam, the local government should thoroughly assess its impact before breaking ground.
Groundwater Requires Careful Long-Term Planning
More than half the world's freshwater is groundwater. A groundwater system should maintain a constant supply to be sustainable. Therefore, people in each place need to monitor and account for precipitation, the proximity and placement of surface water bodies, and the evaporation rate. If they neglect these considerations, water level and quality will decline, raising health risks for the community and local wildlife.
A sustainable groundwater system often manages the input and output by manipulating the amount in storage at any given time. In arid regions, governments will regulate consumption at warmer times of the year. Regardless of the methods, groundwater systems require long-term planning since the consequences of a faulty system often take years to manifest.
Rainwater: Very Sustainable, Very Erratic
Rainwater provides potable water without any treatment. However, storage for more than 24 hours is prone to contamination. For any practical rainwater catchment, there will need to be a treatment system at or near the point of use. These systems include filtering, boiling, chlorination, solar treatment, and various combinations. Given climate change, the unpredictability of rainfall makes rainwater harvesting a powerful supplement to other types of sustainable water in any given location.
Reclaimed Water Requires Treatment
Modern technology makes it possible to recycle water. However, depending on the intended purpose, a greater or lesser amount of treatment is necessary, requiring chemicals, energy, or a combination of both. Lightly soiled domestic water, known as greywater, is excellent for many non-potable uses with little to no treatment. Blackwater, which contains human waste, requires extensive purification. Both sources can help reduce stress on primary sources.
Desalinization: Freshening Up Ocean Water
Removing salt from seawater may be an effective sustainability measure for freshwater-poor regions. However, most common methods require tremendous energy, making desalinized water more than three times as expensive as other sources. Furthermore, the brine and chemicals released from "desal" plants can harm local marine life. Therefore, a sustainable desal facility must be designed with the local ecosystem in mind and use renewable energy to power its processes.
The Agriculture Sector Drains Most Of Our Freshwater
Agriculture accounts for 70% of the world's freshwater consumption. This proportion will likely increase as the global population skyrockets to 9.8 billion by 2050. Moreover, agriculture also pollutes groundwater from erosion and chemical fertilizer runoff. A sustainable agriculture system must, therefore, eliminate contaminants by adopting organic practices. Furthermore, it can alleviate stress on the water system by practicing micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, etc.
Industry Requires Water for Many Uses
Nearly every industry requires water. They use it in manufacturing, cooling, sanitation, diluting, and many other processes. Corporations can promote water sustainability by investing in high-efficiency equipment designed specifically for their type of business. They can also develop local rainwater collection and or water recycling facilities to take the strain off municipal supplies. They are also responsible for their output and must ensure that their industrial waste does not pollute nearby water sources.
We Have Direct Control Over Our Homes
The average US household uses over 300 gallons of water per day. While awareness is undoubtedly an effective way to boost sustainability, new technologies are available that can help. For example, high-efficiency appliances, waterless toilets, usage monitors, and modern piping systems greatly limit waste. However, it is up to each household to examine its own needs and circumstances and make the decision that best suits them.
Good Stewardship Involves Attention To Supply And Demand
A sustainable water system requires efficient management of supply and demand. We can get water from traditional sources like lakes and streams or high-tech desalinization facilities. In either case, water should come from the most efficient, least environmentally and socially disruptive source possible in a given situation. Likewise, agricultural and industrial firms can adopt efficient tech and innovative methods to reduce consumption and the adverse impact on local environments and communities. Whether setting up a rain harvesting barrel at home or making a corporate pledge, sustainability requires buy-in from every level.
Key Takeaways
Start at Home – Do your best to source water and reduce waste sustainably. Bottled water is rarely the answer. In addition, invest in high-efficiency washers and lower flow-rate faucets.
Do Homework – It can be challenging to follow up with every company, but try to reward businesses that do their best for the environment. The time and effort they put into research and development is a considerable value added to their products.
Make a Difference at Work – You might not be able to change where the water at the office comes from, but you can be a positive force of change for the culture. For example, get pitchers and washable cups for meeting rooms instead of plastic bottles. It looks classier and is better for the planet.
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