The threat of global warming, and the subsequent threat to water supply, presents an opportunity to revisit how water is used and how the processes, infrastructure and attitudes about water can be improved.
Xylem Africa strategy and marketing manager Chetan Mistry, citing data published by the United Nations Children’s Fund, explains the close relationship between water and natural disasters, noting that rising temperatures impact on water cycles, increasing the intensity of rainfall and the severity of drought.
Between 2001 and 2018, 74% of the major natural disasters that occurred during that period resulted from floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts and other weather-related events.
There has been no improvement since, with the US, over the past two years, recording the most named tropical storms in one season and the most storms that made landfall, while Mozambique now frequently experiences heavy tropical storms, with some even reaching down the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa.
“Yet, while these signs are very concerning, they also point to how we can focus on water to prepare for and mitigate climate change,” Mistry assures.
“Water is a major part of preparing for climate change. The impact of changing weather patterns ultimately affects the distribution and availability of water. Climate change is an opportunity for us to revisit how we use water and how we can improve the processes, infrastructure and attitudes that determine our relationship with water.”
He points out that better water management will help protect communities from the worst of climate change and help reduce and even reverse the phenomenon.
Reducing nonrevenue water; investing in water monitoring; educating citizens on water use; investing in better irrigation; deploying greener sanitation systems; replacing inefficient pumps; reclaiming and revitalising natural water systems; and recycling water are some of the solutions suggested.
Nonrevenue water erodes income through leaks, poor metering or water theft and modern technologies can help discover leaks, improve metering and limit unauthorised use.
Digital technologies greatly enhance the ability to monitor water consumption and mitigate significant inefficiencies, while deploying better irrigation techniques, such as drip irrigation and recycling wastewater for irrigation, improves water resilience, as most irrigation techniques can waste as much as half the water used.
Mistry also highlights the deployment of greener sanitation systems, such as ozone and ultraviolet light, enabling reclamation of water and improving wastewater systems.
Further, implementing efficient infrastructure reduces energy consumption and thus greenhouse gases, as inefficient water distribution systems and outdated pumps require more power to pump water where needed than modern alternatives.
“Unlike new pumps with variable frequency drives, traditional pumps will run continuously regardless of flow rates or water requirements, consuming a lot of unnecessary energy,” he explains.
In addition, promoting green spaces such as wetlands and tree-filled parks in cities will improve water retention while removing carbon from the atmosphere.
It is also beneficial to reclaim and revitalise natural water systems, such as wetlands, aquifers, rivers and forests, as the protection, rehabilitation and recharging of such systems will make a significant difference in both water availability and reducing temperatures.
Recycling water or capturing rainwater, from self-made home systems reusing greywater for gardens to large-scale wastewater recycling using anaerobic and aerobic ponds to create drinking water, is also one of the easiest and greatest tools to improve water resilience.
Lastly, another water-saving tool he recommends is water-use education.
“Numerous groups, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, estimate that we waste about 100 litres of water per person every day. Educating water consumers on better practices, including water recycling, can make a huge difference.
“Water is life. Global warming threatens water, but we can fight back. By everyone doing their part to conserve water, we can turn the tide against climate change,” he concludes.