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INSIGHT, September '99 Edition
IETC's INSIGHT Special:
International Symposium Highlights Innovative Ways of Finding Water
for Cities
Freshwater supply is the most important prerequisite for sustaining
human life and achieving sustainable development. With human populations
growing and freshwater demand increasing worldwide, particularly in urban
areas, the challenge of supplying adequate water to meet societal needs is
one of the most urgent problems facing decisionmakers. UNEP IETC recently
held a symposium in Kobe, Japan, to help urban managers understand and
prepare for the challenges they face, now and in the future.
Adequate freshwater supply is the most
important precondition for sustaining human life and for achieving
sustainable development. Nevertheless, over a billion people around the
world lack access to satisfactory supplies of freshwater. In many large
cites in developing countries, population is increasing rapidly. The issue
of supplying adequate water to meet societal needs and to ensure equitable
water access for all urban residents is one of the most urgent and
critical problems facing decisionmakers.
In considering physical alternatives to ensuring adequate water supply,
there are two solutions: finding additional water resources using
conventional centralised approaches; or more efficiently utilising the
limited water resources already available. To date, much attention has
been given to the former, while only limited attention has been given to
optimising water management systems. Improved water resource management is
necessary, however, to increase the availability of water for urban use,
and energy inefficiencies need to be avoided in supplying water. In
addition, it is important for administrators and decision-makers in
developing countries and countries in economic transition to improve their
knowledge base and skills in order to address this problem more
effectively.
In an effort to enhance the capacity of urban managers and
decisionmakers in water resources management, IETC organised an
International Symposium on "Efficient Water Use in Urban Areas -
Innovative Ways of Finding Water for Cities," from 8 to 10 June 1999,
at the WHO Kobe Centre Conference Room. The Environment Agency of Japan,
GEC in Osaka, and ILEC in Shiga co-organised the event. WHO, UNCHS
(Habitat), UNU, UNCRD, the American Water Works Associa-tion (AWWA),
Fukuoka City Waterworks Bureau, and Environment Australia also supported
the conference.
About 150 delegates from 45 countries participated in the symposium,
primarily managers and decision/policymakers from national and local
governments, senior managers of aid agencies, water supply authorities,
urban-planning professionals, and representatives of international
agencies and NGOs with an interest in efficient water use.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SYMPOSIUM
The symposium opened with an
address by Mr. Takashi Nakamoto, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Osaka, of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms.
Lilia GC. Casanova, Deputy Director of UNEP IETC, then explained to those
gathered that the symposium was organised in order to:
- Increase awareness of the need for and benefits of efficient water
use;
- Compile available technology options for efficient water use; and,
- Enhance the capacity of administrators and managers in the water
sector and encourage them to adopt appropriate sustainable solutions.
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
Dr. Greg Goldstein, Coordinator of the
Healthy Cities Programme, WHO, presented the first address, "The
Health Implications of Efficient Water Use in Urban Areas." Dr.
Goldstein emphasised that health and sanitation need to be considered in
the planning of water supply systems, especially since the lack of
sanitation remains one of the greatest threats to urban populations.
Dr. Graham Alabaster, Human Settlement Officer, UNCHS (Habitat), made a
presentation on the Joint UNCHS/UNEP Regional Initiative on Managing Water
for African Cities, currently underway. He stressed that governments must
give top priority to the current water crisis in Africa, and focus on
establishing long-term capacity and changing people's attitudes toward
water resources.
Mr. Seiji Ikkatai, Director, Water Quality Management Division,
Environment Agency of Japan, presented "Toward an Ensured and Sound
Hydrological Cycle." He outlined how the Japanese Government is
approaching a comprehensive national water use program by studying the
country's natural hydrological cycle and human impacts, plus the diverse
interests of various government agencies and consumers.
TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS DISCUSSED
The symposium was divided into
six sessions, and 26 papers were presented on various approaches for
securing water through efficient use of existing water sources to avoid
water shortages in urban areas. Presentations and discussions in each
session covered the advantages, special features, and characteristics of
each approach, including obstacles and barriers to be overcome.
Harvesting and Utilisation of Rainwater
This
session addressed a wide range of case studies, including applications in
villages and large cities at the household, community, and
institutional/commercial levels. Various topics were addressed, including:
planning and design of rainwater collection and utilisation systems; water
quality and regulatory aspects; costs and innovative financing options;
public acceptance; and, institutional barriers. The session also
emphasised the need for an integrated approach to improving water resource
management, leading to the establishment of a more resilient, autonomous
hydrological cycle at the local level.
Water Reuse for Non-potable Applications
Three
presentations covered the advantages and problems associated with the
reuse of wastewater for non-potable applications. It was noted that reuse
of treated human wastes is a major source of water often ignored, and
on-site decentralised treatment and reuse should be analysed in terms of
cost-effectiveness, health risks, ecological implications, and overall
benefits. It was noted that reliable measures are required to prevent the
use of raw sewage on edible crops, while at the same time it is necessary
to promote and create incentives to connect flows of treated effluents to
agricultural areas. It was recommended that governments create an enabling
environment to promote mechanisms for reuse by providing adequate budgets,
incentives and disincentives, especially in water-scarce cities and
regions.
Augmentation of Groundwater Resources through Aquifer Recharge
Prof. Peter Fox, Arizona State University, USA, made a presentation
on the advantages of aquifer recharge. It was noted that decentralised
treatment with subsequent aquifer recharge in strategically located
recharge sites represents a cost-effective option for mega-city systems.
Prof. Takashi Asano, University of California at Davis, USA, spoke on
regulatory perspectives. He stressed that the level of nitrogen in aquifer
recharge water must be controlled and monitored. Dr. Peter Dillon, Centre
for Ground-water Studies and CSIRO Land and Water, Australia, spoke on
technology, risks and implementation issues. He explained that storm water
aquifer storage and recovery has been proven viable and should be further
developed as one of the benefits of establishing storm-water detention
ponds in urban areas.
Leakage Control and the Reduction of Unaccounted for Water (UFW)
Mr. Jose A. Hueb of WHO gave a comprehensive talk on
managerial approaches for reengineering traditional water supply services,
both public and private. He noted that these approaches should be not only
cost effective through the reduction of UFW, but also capable of directing
the newly available water to people in under-serviced urban areas who are
more vulnerable to water-related health risks. The presentation addressed
the need for new approaches to reducing water loss -- specifically the
types of leaks related to pipe material performance, age, and other
technical considerations, as well as labour costs, with a view to more
cost-effective management. Mr. Hueb also provided an example of a planned
and structured approach to protecting limited availability of water
resources.
Water Demand Management
Mr. Saul Arlosoroff, a
water resources management consultant from Israel, addressed the social
and economic characteristics of managing water resources. Water
conservation is the cheapest and largest available source of water within
cities, he stressed, and appropriate water management should be seen as an
integral element in all national strategies for sustainable development.
Although water management alone can not completely solve water resource
problems in the long term, it can delay marginal expenditures by
postponing expensive capital projects. Complete metering is a basic tool
for demand-side management, as is the introduction of progressive tariffs.
Mr. Arlosoroff also emphasised the importance of raising public awareness
through education.
Ms. Madeleen Wegelin-Schuringa, IRC Inter-national Water and Sanitation
Centre, The Netherlands, addressed water demand management in low-income
urban areas in developing countries. Often the urban poor only have access
to expensive water, and thus these people possess a high level of
awareness about water conservation. The key issue is not reduction of
consumption among the poor, but how to provide water to the vast majority
of the urban population; this implies conservation by the more affluent
sectors. A significant amount of water is also lost due to leakage.
Motivation to reduce these water losses is key. For this reason, education
in schools is important, because children can teach their parents about
appropriate water use.
Presentations were also made on water demand management in Germany and
on the residential use of water in the United States. It was emphasised
that no single approach is sufficient to significantly reduce water
consumption, and that reducing the amount of water used by toilets and
eliminating leaks are two of the most efficient approaches to water
conservation.
Integrated Approaches for Efficient Water Use
Eight
case studies, from Singapore, India, Israel, South Africa, Barbados,
Maldives, Mexico City and Fukuoka, Japan, were also presented. These
described the application of more efficient water use and water resource
management practices.
As the symposium came to a close, concluding remarks were made by Mr.
Masaharu Yagishita, Director, Planning Division, Global Environmental
Department, Environment Agency of Japan, and Ms. Lilia GC. Casanova,
Deputy Director, UNEP IETC.
The symposium, seen as a success by participants and organisers alike,
provided an array of sustainable options in the water sector based on
theories and examples presented by international and country experts. The
event also provided participants with a good opportunity to interact and
establish contact with fellow professionals from around the world.
A report on the
proceedings
of this symposium has been published by IETC. IETC will also compile
all the case studies presented at and contributed to the symposium in a
monograph for publication. The report of proceedings and the monograph of
case studies will be distributed free of charge to all those in developing
countries, as well as to symposium participants and experts.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
At the end of the
symposium, Dr. Goldstein presented a summary of the recommendations
compiled during the various sessions:
Awareness,
Education and Training
- Public awareness and education are essential to improve the
acceptance of innovative ways to augment water supply.
- To facilitate the transfer of know-how, guidance documents and
training packages must be made available to water authorities and
companies.
- Staff training at water authorities and companies should be
undertaken to improve the quality of service to users.
- Demonstration projects should be undertaken to improve public
acceptance and to assist in removing institutional barriers.
Planning and Policy
- Appropriate water management should be seen as an integral
component of all countries' strategies leading toward sustainable
development.
- Government must play a leading role to ensure that safe water is
made available to the population. In so doing, closer links between
water supply, environmental sanitation, and health must be
established, taking into account the perspectives of users.
- Involvement of the private sector in the provision of water
services is welcome; however, governments must provide good controls
and regulations.
- Coordination of centralised and decentralised approaches is
needed.
- Governments should give priority to the treatment of human waste,
with the objective of enhancing potential reuse for irrigation of
non-edible crops and industrial uses.
- For cities (or sections of cities) without sewers, planning and
design should consider future reuse potential, and should take steps
to direct wastewater flows towards potential reuse areas.
- Rainwater collection and utilisation should be viewed as an
effective flood control strategy, and should be implemented in
conjunction with water demand management, as well as aquifer
recharge enhancement measures.
- Steps should be taken to establish auto-nomous water systems that
are not dependent on water resources outside a given watershed.
- Care must be taken to ensure that potable water is not negatively
affected by proposed water supply augmentation schemes. To augment
water supply for urban areas, basic policies, implementation
strategies, technology development, and networking are required.
Regulatory and Legal Frameworks
- Water authorities and companies need to be backed by effective
laws and regulations. Legal barriers must be overcome to ensure that
measures and programs for augmenting water supply are implementable.
- Where innovative approaches are being considered, appropriate
regulatory frameworks should be established.
Financing
- Innovative approaches are needed to finance innovative water
supply augmentation.
- Policies should be established for the banking of water to
encourage safe and beneficial application of aquifer recharge, water
efficiency, and other water supply augmentation initiatives.
Research and Development
- Research and development related to innovative technologies and
approaches for water supply augmentation are key for any sustainable
water program.
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