With the World Economic Forum estimated 40% gap between global water supply and demand, RLB’s Rees Westley, Partner and Head of Utilities Services, talks to ACE’s Infrastructure Intelligence about how the built environment needs to rethink resources when it comes to water management.
With the UK government’s targets on housing, the need to maintain and rebuild national infrastructure, and the growth of sectors such as data centres, there is no doubt the pressure on water availability will continue to rise up the agenda. So how can we work with the industry to slow down the use of water and bring viability to projects, while remaining cognisant of environmental impact?
Groundwater abstraction of water is one of the most reliable and sustainable methods and offers a stable supply and resilience during droughts and natural filtration through geological layers. When managed properly, it supports sustainable water systems by diversifying supply sources and reducing dependency on surface water infrastructure.
However, there is a need to adhere to strict regulations around abstraction rates, making sure they do not exceed natural recharge to avoid depletion, land subsidence and ecological harm. Safeguarding catchments from pollution is also essential, as groundwater contamination is difficult and costly to remediate. Many regions require abstraction licences to ensure long- term balance and protect ecosystems.
Greywater recycling, used wastewater from showers, baths, laundry and the like, is a good start for any project to consider as a key sustainability strategy. By reducing the potable water demand, between 30% and 50% of household water use can be offset when reused for toilets, irrigation or cooling, while decreasing wastewater volume and the load on sewers and treatment works.
As water availability increasingly affects project viability, it is becoming a core consideration in resource planning, alongside energy, materials and labour.
Unlike these variables, however, we have very few substitutes for water. If we are to continue to build responsibly and sustainably into the future, we must understand how we use this resource and ensure we manage it wisely.
This is an abridged version of an article that first appeared in Infrastructure Intelligence.
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