A renewed focus on localised and networked water systems could increase water supply capacity and improve the resilience of critical water delivery systems, a new briefing paper has suggested.
The paper Distributed Water Systems: A networked and localised approach for sustainable water services describes how, instead of just relying on water services from large centralised, energy dependent infrastructure systems, people and organisations are taking advantage of local water resource opportunities. This is having many benefits such as increasing people’s ability to absorb the impact of water shortages, supporting new business linkages, reducing impacts on stressed waterways and empowering communities.
Lead author Mr Che Biggs, based in the School of Land and Environment at the University of Melbourne, says that climate change, ecosystem stress and oil scarcity require a fundamental rethink about the design of water systems. The briefing paper to be released on Monday – calls for urgent evaluation and support for emerging innovations in the water sector.
“The choices we make now about critical services like energy and water will be with us for many decades. Therefore, it is important we acknowledge what options exist, understand the risks involved and recognise where innovative trends are moving,” says Mr Biggs.
The briefing paper is a joint production of the Victorian Eco-Innovation Laboratory (VEIL) and the McCaughey Centre. The paper is the latest publication in a series of reports, concepts and exhibitions from VEIL that present positive innovations for a sustainable future. It is the second in a series of papers that investigates the benefits of distributed infrastructure systems by drawing on international and local case studies.
“Until recently, the standard belief was that local, small-scale ‘decentralised’ production of critical resources was inefficient, too variable and not cost effective. Distributed systems, involving a networked approach and the use of new technologies are changing this,” says Mr Biggs.
The paper outlines how combining multiple water systems, operating at different scales can help households, suburbs and regions contribute to their own water supply and treatment needs while reducing stress on centralised infrastructure. Options such as residential reuse of greywater, street-edge stormwater drainage and regional aquifer recharge schemes all provide greater adaptability when integrated with conventional water systems.
“What is particularly interesting is how distributed water systems are evolving out of a response to risks and uncertainties created by climate change and resource scarcity. They mirror a similar trend in ICT, energy and food sectors. We are not talking a niche movement here – this is a global pattern,” says Mr Biggs.
“The growing risk and uncertainty in water conditions is best met by creating infrastructure that is highly flexible – not just by boosting supply capacity” Mr Biggs said.
The paper:
- describes the emergence of distributed water systems as a response to resource and climate uncertainty.
- explores a range of example cases from Australia, Europe and the United States and presents the outcomes that have been achieved.
- calls for an evaluation of the impact large water infrastructure projects may have on water sector innovation.
- calls for greater investment in assessing and developing a range of innovative water projects.
“There is an urgent need to think and act differently. Through clever infrastructure choices from the household to regional level, we can reduce social, economic and environmental vulnerability to climate change and rising energy costs.”
The full paper is available here.