Module 1; Water matters Unit 2: Global Issues and Water Conservation

Source - National Federation of Group Water Schemes.

www.worldofwater.ie

Objective of this presentation

 To give participants an understanding of some of the global issues around water Although Ireland may not experience the critical water supply issues of many developing countries, our inefficient use and increasing demand may give rise to problems in the coming years

Courtesy of DKIT

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Key facts about the global water situation

( Courtesy of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes.

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

     70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water 3% of the Earth’s water is freshwater 2.25% of Earth’s water is locked up in ice Less than 1% of the planet’s water is available for human consumption.

More than 1.2 billion people have no access to safe drinking water

Water usage and waste

Courtesy of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes

 It takes between 25 and 50 litres of water, free from harmful contaminants, to meet a person's basic daily needs (UNESCO)  This mother and her four daughters must fetch 20 buckets of water a day for their household in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Water usage

Kitchen Sink 15% Dishw asher 4% Wash basin 8% Toilet 35% Bath 15% Ordinary Show er 5% Washing machine 12% Outside Use 6%

Typicial Household Water Usage - per capita consumption Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Harvested Rainwater (in green) could replace at least 53% of our household water usage

Kitchen Sink 15% Dishw asher 4% Wash basin 8% Toilet 35% Bath 15% Ordinary Show er 5%

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Washing machine 12% Outside Use 6%

Water usage and waste

   A typical household can reduce water consumption by 40 % or more, with little or no effect on lifestyle.

Through maintainence of out farm connections and simple rainwater harvesting, farmers can reduce water demand by over 40% Dublin City Council predicts that the city will experience water shortages in 2015 if population grows as expected. (Irish Times, 2007)

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Water usage and waste

- the importance of Water Conservation Projects

   As much as 30% of the total water entering supply-line systems is lost to leaking pipes. As much again is lost through careless use and leaks on the consumer side of connections To resolve the problem of leaking networks, local authorities and group water schemes are now undertaking major water conservation projects

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Monaghan Co. Council’s Water Conservation Programme Step 1

Mapping District Metering Areas (DMA)

Step 2

Installation of Bulk Meters in each DMA

Step 4 Where actual flows are too high – Active Leakage Team will then identify and repair leaks Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Step 3 Compare design water flow (based on population served) with actual flow (measured by Bulk Meters )

Group water scheme water conservation

      Universal metering in addition to bulk metering Installation of Pressure Reducing Valves in high pressure areas A realistic charge for water following a free allocation Regular billing Critical mains replacement An active and ongoing programme of leak detection

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

GWS success in water demand reduction

    In 2007 Tydavnet GWS was using 1,400 m to 980 m houses) 3 3 daily. This fell following successful detection of just one leak, thanks to a bulk meter indicating high usage in DMA (960 Killeen GWS (Mayo) reduced from 575 m 3 daily to 168 m 3 thanks to universal metering and charging policy (150 houses) Ballyglass GWS (Mayo) reduced from 2,030 m 505m 3 (500 houses) 3 daily to through mains replacement and universal metering Ballinagar GWS (Offaly) reduced daily demand from 820m 3 in 2006 to 420 m 3 in 2009 although the number of domestic connections rose from 500 to 560 houses, thanks to close management of flow through bulk and universal metering, leakage detection and charging policy

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Reducing UFW in Distribution Network

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Reduce Distribution Network to < 25% UFW

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Typical District Metered Area Possible solutions identified

Leaks

Critical Mains Rehab District Meter SV M Pressure Reduction Valve Reducing Pressure from 70m to 40m should reduce leakage by 55% Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

SV PRV Consumer Meter Box

     Original Usage Target 2007 usage 2008 usage UFW

Erne Valley GWS - 1,100 Houses, 70 cent/m 3

Setting Targets 5,700 m 3 /day 3,000 m 3 /day 3,300 m 3 /day 2,900 m 3 /day 2,800 m 3 /day

49% Reduction Saving to Scheme > €200,000 approx. p.a.

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

EVGWS

Water Stress

Water shortages are expected in the East coast of Ireland in the coming years Even without climate change, there is a huge variation between rainfall levels in the West and the East Ireland’s largest population centres are located in the area of least rainfall

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie

Graphic by G Cullen, DKIT <800 mm 800-1000 mm 1000-1200 mm 1200-1400 mm 1400-1600 mm 1600-2000 mm 2000-2800 mm >2800 mm

Discussion/Exercise

Explore websites www.taptips.ie

www.voiceireland.org

Debate the following proposition: ‘Without universal metering and charging policies that reflect the true value of water, the goal of ending water wastage will remain a pipe dream’.

Source:

Time Magazine

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility www.worldofwater.ie