Be ready - Water Cycle Restoration & Rainwater Harvesting for Municipalities

The recent drought in Spain already affected a large part of the country's harvest. And we just ended April. It highlights the urgent need for a more complex and connected approach to water management. Spain's Agriculture Minister requested emergency funds from the European Commission to help its farmers, who are facing an exceptional situation due to the water scarcity. This situation is not unique to Spain, as many countries around the world are waking up to the effects of climate change, population growth, and urbanization creating massive pressure on their water resources.

To address these challenges, a more integrated and sustainable approach to water management is needed, one that takes into account the entire water cycle, from source to sink. This approach involves a combination of measures, such as water conservation, water recycling, and infrastructure investment, and requires the collaboration of governments, business, communities, and individuals.

In this article, we list out what communities can do to prepare for seasonal and long terms challenges and how cities and citizens can contribute.

Preparing for seasonal changes can affect the availability and quality of water in many communities. With climate change we know extreme weather increases the risk to secure a stable water supply. Due to warmer prolonged periods, water resources may become scarce, and water quality may deteriorate due to low flows, high temperatures, and reduced dilution capacity. On the other hand, during intense rain periods, there may be a risk of floods, erosion, and waterborne diseases. No matter how the summer will be, we need to make sure water management becomes a?top priority and receives the attention needed. Some of the things that communities can do include:

1. Modelling & regular assessments to identify risks & weaknesses
2. Develop supply plans for water scarcity, floods & other water-related emergencies
3. Raise awareness among citizens early
4. Enable, Encourage and Support adoption of efficient water- management practice

Water Cycle Restoration Starts with each?Tree (Plant)

The water cycle is a complex process that involves the movement of water from the atmosphere to the earth's surface and back to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, human activities such as deforestation, land use change, and pollution have disrupted this natural process, leading to water scarcity, flooding, and other water-related problems. Restoring the water cycle is essential for ensuring sustainable water management. Forests are a?key component of the system and the golden rule is Protect and Expand. Some of the things that cities and citizens can do include:

1. Reforestation: Trees play a critical role in the water cycle by absorbing water from the soil and releasing it into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. Therefore, planting more trees can help restore the water cycle. In urban and rural areas planting natural style forest using the Miyawaki Mini Forest Method can bring many benefits – the forest becomes after the initial phase selfsufficient, as the combination and sizes of plants complement and protect each other as well as optimize resource flows. Contact our partner to asses and realize a Miyawaki forest projects of any size HERE.
2. Protection and Care of existing Forests and Urban Trees / Green Infrastructure- it is always cheaper to take proper care of a?grown tree, than plant and wait until it has the same performance level. Urban trees and rural trees need to be protected – including substrates like Porous Alpha, HERE by Better2Earth , & Waterbags and other root or drip irrigation methods.
3. Reducing pollution: Pollution can affect the quality of water and soil, making it difficult for plants and animals to survive. Therefore, reducing pollution through proper waste management and sustainable practices can help restore the water cycle. It is scary and shocking what people still flush down the toilette, including chemicals or regular waste (wet wipes prohibitions etc). This waste than needs to be filtered out and decomposed by various substances which can have a?negative impact on water quality.

Water & Rain Generation, Harvesting & Retention

Water generation refers to the process of producing water from non-traditional sources such as seawater, brackish water, wastewater or by Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG). AWG is sophisticated but reliable technology to harvest atmospheric moisture even in extreme conditions. Great option if you have no time to recover or prepare your water supply. Our partners can help you with that in large or residential scale HERE.

Rain Generation however is based again on the most powerful technology we have ever known. Nature. It is connected to forests. Studies confirm forests act like Biotic pumps in the landscape. By growing more trees and other plant biomass across our catchments - in our farms, gardens and community open spaces -more water infiltrates and gets stored in our soil and vegetation. More water is then available for evaporation from the soil, leaf surfaces, and transpiration from plants. As a result, cloud cover increases, and we get more rain.

Rainwater harvesting is essential. It involves collecting and storing rainwater for later use, while water retention involves capturing and storing water in underground aquifers, wetlands, and other natural or artificial reservoirs. Some countries empower and Incentivize Rainwater harvesting in homes and buildings. France mandated 2022 the installation of Green Roof for all new commercial Buildings (to at least 30 % greenery) and Switzerland is subsidizing up to 50% of a?green roof building improvement project. To foster rain water retention capacity you can use:

1. Green roofs, green walls and Permeable pavements that allow rainwater to infiltrate the soil and recharge underground aquifers. Green roofs absorb rainwater and release it slowly, reducing the amount of water that flows into storm drains. It is estimated that a green roof can reduce stormwater runoff by up to 75%. Look at our partners HERE
2. Application of Rain terraces, building Retention Ponds in Communities and Landscaping,check your options with us HERE
3. Water Retention in Healthy Soil – Regen agriculture is the word to connect, check the options with international experts, HERE

Efficient Usage of Water & Water Recycling

Efficient usage of water refers to the practice of using water wisely by minimizing waste and maximizing the benefits derived from water. Water recycling, on the other hand, involves treating and reusing wastewater for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, industrial processes, and toilet flushing. These practices can help reduce the demand for freshwater and minimize the discharge of wastewater into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of the things that cities and citizens can do include:

1. Water-efficient appliances such as low-flow showerheads, toilets, and faucets in homes and buildings, which help reduce water usage by up to 50% without compromising the quality of life. Check our partners HERE.
2. Water-saving behaviour for all stakeholders. Like Switzerland announced on 04.04.23 with immediate restrictions on water usage for selected municipalities in Kanton Aargau, the limitations included: Usage of drinking water sparingly, Reduction of garden irrigation to max 2x a week, No irrigation of lawns, sports fields still maintained, Avoiding washing vehicles, exterior of buildings or terraces, No filling up of private pools, paddling pools, cisterns, or other water storage containers.?
3. Water recycling Plants or Systems, like the one from Resili Group HERE. In France currently 77 of the 33,000 wastewater treatment plants are equipped with a complete recycling treatment system, and this step is part of the?rolled out 5 year 'anti-drought' plan to save water & upgrade water infrastructure.
4. Dual plumbing systems that can separate potable water from non-potable water and direct them to their appropriate uses. It is design & preplaning, costs & effort even for home owners are manageable and the benefits outweigh the investment.

Disposal and Discharge

The disposal and discharge of wastewater can have a significant impact on the quality of water in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Improper disposal can lead to contamination, eutrophication, and other environmental problems. Therefore, proper disposal and discharge practices are essential for sustainable water management. Some of the things that cities and citizens can do include:

1. Water treatment at the Sources – Upgraded Drainage and Filtration Systems, check your options with Ari Water Solutions, HERE
2. Wastewater is treated properly before it is discharged into the environment – we support the application of biological systems like right bacteria to purify water before discharge with our go to partner at Bioseptik HERE
3. Reducing the discharge of pollutants such as nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens into water bodies.
4. Use of Natural Treatment Systems such as wetlands and riparian buffers that can help remove pollutants from wastewater.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainable water management. It includes pipes, pumps, treatment plants, and other facilities that are needed to supply and treat water. ?The case of Italy shows, it can have a?massive impact. Current audits revealed some of its aqueducts have leakage up to 50% on the amount of water distributed. Therefore, it is essential to invest in infrastructure that is resilient, efficient, and sustainable. Some of the things that cities and citizens can do include:

1. Investing in infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather conditions such as floods, droughts, and storms. Check our partner eWIND helping with innovative decentralized anti flooding systems that bundle, water management, food production and energy generation, HERE.
2. Smart water systems that can monitor and optimize water use, detect leaks, and reduce water loss, preview options HERE.
3. Upgrading existing infrastructure to improve efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Include RE powered equipment.

Conclusion

Water is a precious resource that is essential for our survival and well-being. Therefore, it is important to manage water resources sustainably by preparing for seasonal changes in time, restoring the water cycle, generating and harvesting water, using water efficiently, recycling water, disposing and discharging wastewater properly, and investing in sustainable infrastructure. By working together, cities and citizens can ensure that we have enough water for our current needs and future generations.

We at frogeex are committed to promote efficient and eco-logical ways to manage natural resources. Explore more on www.frogeex.com

Sources:

France mandates green roofs – time for Oz to look at the pacesetters - The Fifth Estate

How one Swiss city made green roofs a legal requirement in bid to tackle climate change - BrightVibes

HESS - Biotic pump of atmospheric moisture as driver of the hydrological cycle on land (copernicus.org)

How to increase Rainfall - when you need it! (learningfromnature.com.au)

Further sources: Guardian, EuroNews, AZ, Stadtwerke-dreieich -trinkwasserampel, SRF News, RFI