Many cities today are at risk of running out of water, with
water availability now cited as one of the greatest risks to business
continuity and growth. It is very clear that the way water is managed today in
many parts of the world poses serious risks to human well-being and sustainable
development. Imagine going through your day with limited access (only for a
couple of hours per day or a couple of days per week) to store water in
your home for drinking, cooking, washing or bathing. The condition where
water is provided for a limited period of time is called Intermittent Water
Supplies (IWS), and affects at least 1.3 billion people around the world.
The scale of systems operating under IWS conditions is
expected to intensify as water demand continues to increase due to rapid
urbanization and on the other hand water supplies tend to decrease due to
climate variability thus posing a great challenge to achieve urban water
security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under conditions of
water resource shortage many countries have turned to IWS policies as a means
of controlling water demand and expanding their existing domestic water supply.
Unfortunately, adoption of intermittent water supply systems aggravates urban
water insecurity, as it fails to consider the impact on the condition of the
water supply systems and the detrimental effects on public health. IWS fails to
provide citizens with safe and sustainable water services and to protect them
from water-related calamities.
IWS can be seen as a downward spiral (schematically shown
below) where increased urbanisation leads to higher water demand. Water
utilities tend to respond with network expansion, which often takes place after
poor planning, and extend the network beyond capacity, thus lowering the
quality of service for consumers. This leads to an inadequate water supply for
towns and agglomerations, which may entice people (mostly the privileged) to
take matters in their own hands and proceed with private investments that will
improve their service.
The implications of the intermittent supply are many and complex, leading to adverse impacts upon society, along various dimensions:
IWS service costs more than continuous service.
Intermittent hours of water supply force customers to rely on
black-markets or informal vendors, often serving higher-income citizens,
thereby exacerbating inequalities among users. IWS service costs more than
continuous service, and users bear the brunt of having to pay more to access
water services via alternative routes. It also weakens the social contract
between governments and their communities when water utilities fail to deliver
basic water services, perpetuating a downward spiral of water insecurity and
fragility in many developing countries. For example, riots broke out in Algeria
in 2002 and in Bolivia in 2000 over water shortages.
Impacts of climate change on IWS can act as risk multipliers
in fragile contexts, contributing to conflict, violence, or migration.
Water quality problems due to the potential suction of
non-potable water by negative pressures, biofilm detachment, and microbial
re-growth especially when static conditions occur. Roof tanks often encourage
bacterial re-growth.
IWS holds back gender equity. As the task of providing water
for households falls disproportionately to women and girls, especially in rural
areas. IWS locks women in a cycle of poverty and it is hard to imagine that
women’s and girls’ experiences will improve without intentional efforts to deal
with intermittent water supply.
Achieving a paradigm shift from IWS to continuous supply is
only possible by changing the way we manage water today. As Buckminster Fuller
said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change
something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – The
numerous problems associated with management and operation of distribution
networks under IWS as well as the critical challenges entailed in moving to
24/7 water supply forms the core objectives of the IWA IWS Specialist Group
(IWSSG). The work that is undertaken by the IWS Specialist Group will help to
better understand what the root causes of intermittent supply are and how to
apply, in a simple and practical manner, solutions which will assist water
utilities operating their networks under intermittent water supply and to
document in a structured manner cases that were successful to move from IWS to
continuous supply in a sustainable manner.
The IWA IWS Specialist Group stresses the
importance of addressing the challenges of intermittent water supply in the
policies and plans of sustainable water management, which interconnects with
all sustainable development goals.
* Hassan is a PhD
researcher at Cologne University in Germany
with a particular interest in urban water security issues including non-revenue
water management and integrated water resources management. Hassan is certified
project management professional (PMP)® and has been an active in the
international level as a young water professional in issues of water security,
climate change and youth advocacy. He has a strong academic background in
engineering and management, including international professional trainings in
water related issues. He has been an active member of many international
organizations including International Water Association.
Hassan is also member of the IWA IWSSG Management Committee
and IWA IWSSG YWP Liaison
الآثار المترتبة على الخدمة المتقطعة للمياه كثيرة ومعقدة ، مما يؤدي إلى آثار ضارة على المجتمع ، بمختلف الأبعاد تكلف الخدمة المتقطعة أكثر من الخدمة المستمرة.
فالساعات المتقطعة من إمدادات
المياه تجبر العملاء على الاعتماد على الأسواق السوداء أو البائعين غير الرسميين ،
غالباً ما يخدمون المواطنين ذوي الدخل المرتفع ، مما يؤدي إلى تفاقم عدم المساواة
بين المستخدمين. يتحمل المستخدمون العبء الأكبر من الاضطرار إلى دفع المزيد للحصول
على خدمات المياه عبر طرق بديلة. كما أنه يضعف العقد الاجتماعي بين الحكومات
ومجتمعاتهم عندما تفشل مرافق المياه في تقديم خدمات المياه الأساسية ، مما
يؤدي إلى استمرار تدهور حالة انعدام الأمن المائي والهشاشة في العديد من البلدان
النامية. على سبيل المثال ، اندلعت أعمال الشغب في الجزائر عام 2002 وفي بوليفيا
عام 2000 بسبب نقص المياه.
مشاكل جودة المياه بسبب الإمتصاص
المحتمل لمياه غير صالحة للشرب بواسطة الضغوط السلبية ، انفصال الأغشية الحيوية ،
وإعادة نمو الميكروبات خاصة عند حدوث حالات ثابتة. غالباً ما تشجع صهاريج السقف
إعادة نمو البكتيريا.
حيث يؤدي التوسع العمراني المتزايد
إلى ارتفاع الطلب على المياه. تميل مرافق المياه إلى الاستجابة من خلال التوسع في
الشبكة ، والذي يحدث غالبًا بعد التخطيط الضعيف ، توسيع الشبكة إلى ما بعد القدرة
، مما يقلل من جودة الخدمة للمستهلكين. هذا يؤدي إلى عدم كفاية إمدادات المياه
للمدن والكتل ، مما قد يغري الناس (في الأغلب الأفضلية) في أخذ الأمور بأيديهم
والمضي قدما في الاستثمارات الخاصة التي من شأنها تحسين خدمتهم
IWS (الخدمة
المتقطعة للمياه) يعيق المساواة بين الجنسين. حيث أن مهمة توفير المياه للأسر
تقع بشكل غير متناسب على النساء والفتيات ، وخاصة في المناطق الريفية. تؤمن IWS (الخدمة
المتقطعة للمياه) النساء في دورة من الفقر ومن الصعب تخيل أن تجارب النساء
والفتيات ستتحسن دون بذل جهود متعمدة للتعامل مع إمدادات المياه المتقطعة.
IWA IWSSG aims to provide leadership in the development of effective and sustainable international best practice to improve the Level of Service in Intermittent Water Supply.
How to get involved? Join our IWA Connect group, LinkedIn group and Facebook Page and check out our news bulletin
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