The forecasts for water availability in the next decade are devastating, many cities will reach Day Zero *
Smart Cities need smart water
Whether water management is privately or publicly owned, it would be necessary to:
1. Maintain infrastructure properly
Underground leak detection methods are getting better; approximately 30% of water is lost ( & not invoiced ) in transportation (leaks)
2. A pricing policy that encourages savings
Currently in Spain 90% of the water bill for individuals are fix taxes. Families who have not been able to move to their second residence have paid the same amounts during Covid.
3. Try to recover the maximum amount of water in water treatment plants.
4. Desalination plants
If the previous measures are still insufficient, although they have the disadvantage of being expensive because it requires a lot of energy to push the water through the filters. It’s also expensive to treat water to kill microbes and replace filters.
5. Carry out long-term policies with water
For example water transfers within counties; unfortunately, plans are canceled or postponed by election cycles.
6. Water management of reservoirs
Sometimes economic criteria prevail to generate electricity when it is expensive without taking into account those affected ”downstream” (farmers / ranchers). This should be better regulated.
7. Assign a target to each household according to the number of people living.
8. Encourage ( provide subsidies ) for the installation of domotic & monitoring devices
As currently done with solar panels, insulation, etc which are compulsary for new buildings in many cities.
Even if the planet stopped releasing CO2 today, the climate change effects would not be felt for at least 10-15 years later.
*Additional information about Day Zero
The climate is changing and will continue to change, affecting societies and the environment.
