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Strategies for sustainable water management in the face of
scarcity and drought: the case of Barcelona
David SauriDepartament de Geografia
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
OUTLINE
• Introduction• Challenges• Opportunities• (Conventional) Solutions• Conflicts• (Alternative) Solutions• Conclusions: Which way ahead?
The water supply system in Barcelona
• ATLL (“Aigües Ter Llobregat”): public company belonging to the Regional Department of the Environment. Distributes bulk water to companies supplying the cities of the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona.
• AGBAR: private company (70% of capital belongs to Suez Environnement since October 2009). Distributes water to domestic customers in Barcelona and Metropolitan Area.
• AGBAR is the largest water company of Spain supplying 13 million people in 1200 municipalities.It also supplies 10 million customers in Algeria, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
ATLL Distribution network
Water stored in Barcelona reservoirs. January 2006 to April 2008
ACA, 2008
August 2006
February 2008
• CHALLENGES
Average annual precipitation of Catalonia inner basins. HIstogram (blue) indicates variation in precipitation with respect to the average value 1940-2007. The line (red) indicates variation in accumulated annual precipitation with respect to the average accumula ted annual precipitation
ACA 2008
Simulated evolution of water stored in the reservoi rs of the Ter –Llobregat system
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
60040 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 52 53 54 56 57 59 60 62 63 64 66 67 69 70 71 73 74 76 77 79 80 81 83 84 86 87 88 90 91 93 94 96 97 98 00 01 03 04 05 07
Vol
um a
fi d
e m
es (
hm3 )
Alerta
Excepcionalitat Emergència I,II,III i IV
The worst situation in 67 years!!
ACA, 2008
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF URBAN LAND USE IN THE MRB
Middle Ages 1880
1957 1992
From J. Acebillo i R. Folch: Atles Ambiental de l’À rea de Barcelona, Barcelona, Ed. Ariel, 2000.
Population change in the city of Barcelona. 1981-2008
population change in Barcelona 1981-2008
1.350.000
1.400.000
1.450.000
1.500.000
1.550.000
1.600.000
1.650.000
1.700.000
1.750.000
1.800.000
1981
1986
1991
1996
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
year
popu
latio
n
Poopulation change in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona
1981-2008
Population change Metropolitan Region of Barcelona
3800000
4000000
4200000
4400000
4600000
4800000
5000000
1981
1986
1991
1996
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
year
popu
latio
n
Urban sprawl in the Mediterranean coast and water
consumption
Suburbanization and the proliferation of low dense residential fabrics is not only a problem of Barcelona but also strongly affect the Spanish Mediterranean coast and other parts of Europe
In Spain, and concretely in the Mediterranean, this is a very important issue regarding water resources conservation
Water consumption in the dense city: around 130 lpd (liters/person/day)Water consumption in suburban areas: > 200 lpd, wit h cases >500 lpd
Urban Density and domestic water consumption
Relació entre el consum facturat d'aigua domèstica i la densitat urbana
en una mostra de municipis de l'àrea metropolitana de Barcelona
(1999)
Arenys de Munt
Premià
de Dalt
St. Adrià del
BesòsSabadell
Martorell
St. Feliu de
Llobregat
L'Hospitalet
Matadepera
Cabrera
de Mar
Sitges
Barcelona
0
2.500
5.000
7.500
10.000
12.500
15.000
17.500
20.000
22.500
25.000
27.500
30.000
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
litres/habitant/dia
hab/Km
2 urban
itzat
Rivera, Capellades, Saurí, 2001
• OPPORTUNITIES
Very dense urban pattern
Population density of Barcelona: near 17.000 persons/sq kilometre
London: 4.500 persons/sq kilometre
Los Angeles: 2.990 persons/sq kilometre
High Efficiencies of water distribution networks
• 98 % of domestic water is metered
Physical efficiencies of delivery networks:
• “Aigües Ter-Llobregat” (ATLL): 97%• “Aigües de Barcelona” (AGBAR): 93 % (*)
(*) Does not include losses by faulty meters or frauds (about 10% of all water delivered on the average for Barcelona)
Water price in Catalonia. Comparisons with other areas (euros/cubic meter)
Water prices in Spanish cities 2009 (*)
(*) Cost for a bill of 175 m3/year
Water consumption for selected European Cities (2006)
Domestic water consumption in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.
Evolution of domestic water consumption of the Metr opolitan Area of Barcelona (20 municipalities)*
116
118
120
122
124
126
128
130
132
134
136
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
cubi
c he
ctom
eter
s
ACA, 2006
Water savings by Barcelona citizens during the drought of 2008
El Periódico, 22 september 2008
• (CONVENTIONAL) SOLUTIONS
July 2009: Barcelona goes Desal!
July 2008. Source: ATLL
The New Cornucopia? Desalination plants along the
Mediterranean coast
Desalination plants as the compromise solution to the tension between increasing demands of water (increase of the supply) along the Mediterranean coast and “New Water Culture” of the donor basins
In 2009 desalination plants are expected to supply around 1,250 cubic hm3.
• CONFLICTS
The “Barcelona water war” (1992-1999)
• Between 1987 and 1993, average prices for domestic uses in BMA rose from 0.59 to 1.23 euros/cubic meter (an increase of 108%).
• In 1991 the Catalan government raised substantially the water bill adding new taxes to pay for wastewater treatment plants required by the European Wastewater Directive
• Neighborhood community groups in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona stopped paying the tax part of the water bill in protest for the raise.
The “Barcelona water war” (1992-1999)
• Main reasons for the revolt: In Barcelona, taxes for domestic water where higher than in other cities of Spain, and they were four times comparatively higher than those charged in the industrial sector
• Moreover, it was reported that golf courses remained exempt of the hydraulic tax during the period 1991-1996
• The area potentially affected by the tax revolt covered a total of 23 municipalities and a total population of 2.6 million people.
• A At the end of the 1990s more than 80,000 families objected to the payment of taxes.
• The disproportionate fraction of cost of environmental modernization by the lower income segments of the metropolitan population
The Geography of the Barcelona Water War
The struggle against the Ebro water transfer (2001)
• National Water Plan of 2001: Ebro water transfer to Catalonia, and to Valencia, Murcia and Almeria
• Opposition of “donor” regions (Aragon+southern Catalonia)
• Arguments- Deepening uneven development between
inland Spain and the coastal areas- Impacts on the Ebro delta
- Need of a “new water culture” not based on big projects
C a r t a g e n a
B a r c e l o n a
T a r r a g o n a
C a s t e l l ód e l a P l a n a
V a l è n c i a
A l a c a n t
M ú r c i a
A l m e r i aA g u a d u l c e
N í j a r
S o r b a s
V e n t a d e l P o b r e
B a z a
L o r c aT o t a n a
A l h a m ad e M ú r c i a
O j ó s
C i e z a
J u m i l l a
Y e c l a
M u l a
V i l l e n a
A l c o r a
A m p o s t a
T o r t o s a
R e u s
V i l a f r a n c ad e l P e n e d é s
E l V e n d r e l l
a n z o r a E m b a s s a m e n t d e C u e v a s d eA l m a n z o r a
T ú n e l d e lS a l t a d o r
E m b a s s a m e n td e T a l a v e
T r a n s v a s a m e n tT a j o - S e g u r a
E m b a s s a m e n td ' A z o r í n ( n o u )
E m b a s s a m e n td e T o u s
C a p t a c i ód e X e r t a
C a p t a c i ód eC a m p - r e d ó
P l a n t a d e t r a c t a m e n td 'A b r e r a
E l x
7 4 2 k m7 0 06 5 06 0 05 5 05 0 04 5 04 0 03 5 03 0 02 5 02 0 01 5 01 0 05 00
5 0 0 m
4 0 0
3 0 02 0 0
1 0 0 T o r t o s a
R i uM i j a r e s R i u
T ú r i a
V i l l e n a
A g u a d u l c e
B a r c e l o n a1 9 0 h m 3 , ( 1 7 2 k m )
J u c a r3 1 5 h m 3 , ( 3 6 1 k m )
S e g u r a4 5 0 h m 3( 5 2 8 k m )
A l m e r i a , 9 5 h m 3( 7 4 2 k m )
D i s t a n c e
V O L U M E O F W A T E R T R A N S F E R E DA N D D I S T A N C E S
S O U T H E R N S E C T I O N
T o r t o s a
S e r r aP e d r e g o s a A b r e r a
3 0 0 m
2 0 0
1 0 0
0 5 0 1 0 0 1 5 0 1 7 2 k m
N O R T H E R N S E C T I O N
P R O J E C T E D T R A N S F E R
C a n a l s 3 3 2 k m
T u n n e l s 9 6 k m
P i p e s 3 9 1 k m
S i p h o n s 8 3 k m
A q u e d u c t s 1 2 k m
R e s e r v o i r s ( s m a l l s ) 2 1 k m
R e s e r v o i r s ( l a r g e ) 1 k m
C o s t ( e u r o s ) 4 . 0 9 1 m i l i o n s
2 %A q u e d u c t
1 1 %T u n n e l3 6 %C a n a l
5 1 %P i p e
T H E P R O J E C T E D E B R O W A T E R T R A N S F E R ( 2 0 0 1 )
F i n a l p r o p o s a l
A l t e r n a t i v e s o l u t i o n s
• (ALTERNATIVE) SOLUTIONS
Wastewater plant of El Prat de Llobregat
• Year of construction: 2002 (2006)• Type of treatment: Biological with N and P removal• Capacity: 420.000 m3 daily (population equivalent
of 2.275.000)
• Wastewater treated: 700 Hm3/year• Treated wastewater reused: 30% (2015)
Flood retention areas in Barcelona
WATER SAVINGS AT HOME: TECHNOLOGIES AND SYSTEMSWATER SAVINGS AT HOME: TECHNOLOGIES AND SYSTEMS
**Ecoaigua I Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge
For Flats
TECHNOLOGY Maximum potential savings
Dual flushing systems
Thermostatic tap+ flow regulator
Taps with flow regulators
50%*
50%*
30%*
Taps
Showers
WC’s
Indoor consumption
For condominiums and houses
TECHNOLOGY Maximum potential savingsIndoor consumption
Same as in flats
Outdoor consumption
A)
B)
C) Use of efficient irrigation systems
20- 40%
4-10 %
• Greywater is low polluted water which includes all the wastewater produced in a household with the exception of the wastewater from toilet flushing
• After treatment, greywater may be reused on site• Uses given to greywater: toilet flushing, garden watering and laundry
Example: GREYWATER REUSE
• Collection of rainwater runoff generated from an impermeable surface and its storage for later use
• Components of the system: catchments area, gutters, storage tank
RAINWATER HARVESTING
Urban rainwater harvesting systems
Rural rainwater harvesting systems
Water Savings Ordinance of Sant Cugat del Vallès
In operation since 15 november 2002
For residential uses especially
For new buildings and large renovations
Mandatory installation of Pressure regulators in taps
Air flows in showers
Dual flushing systems in toilets
Timers (public buildings)
Rain water deposits (gardens > 1.000 m 2)
Pool water re-use (gardens>40m 2)
Grey water use systems (> 8 housing units)
Tot edifici
Condicionat
• CONCLUSIONS
Which way ahead?• Drought and scarcity conditions have become a “normal” state of
affairs for Barcelona during the last decade.
• Despite favorable conditions (high density urbanism, metering, high prices and sound conservation attitudes) water demand will continue to grow in the future
• Last episode (2007-2008) ended with desalinization as the main alternative together with water conservation and water re-use as important management options as well
• End of large scale water transfers? What will happen with the Rhone project now that Suez Environnemenent controls water supply in Barcelona?
• Interesting debate with important implications for sustainability: large scale centralized systems for wastewater and rainwater or small scale decentralized systems at the scale of the household coupled withdomestic technologies for saving water? (as in the energy field)?
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