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Sustainability Criteria for Water Resource Systems

David Watkins

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

October 15, 2004

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AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

nn Task Committee on Sustainability Task Committee on Sustainability Criteria, Water Resources Planning and Criteria, Water Resources Planning and Management Division, ASCEManagement Division, ASCE

nn Working Group of UNESCO/IHP Working Group of UNESCO/IHP nn Jennifer Jennifer McConvilleMcConville, Jim , Jim MihelcicMihelcic, Alex , Alex

Mayer, Brian Mayer, Brian BarkdollBarkdoll, Michigan Tech, Michigan Tech

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What is Sustainability?What is Sustainability?

nn Any different than “longAny different than “long--term” planning?term” planning?nn Different perspectives/stakeholdersDifferent perspectives/stakeholdersnn Multiple objectivesMultiple objectivesnn Spatial scale?Spatial scale?nn Expected outcomes vs. risk/uncertaintyExpected outcomes vs. risk/uncertaintynn InterInter--generational vs. intragenerational vs. intra--generational generational

equityequity

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A Little HistoryA Little History

nn Farmers, fisherman, foresters, Farmers, fisherman, foresters, watershed managers have long known watershed managers have long known principles of “sustained yields”:principles of “sustained yields”:•• LongLong--term planning with limited though term planning with limited though

renewable resourcesrenewable resources

nn Concept of sustained development is Concept of sustained development is broader in concept:broader in concept:•• Economy, environment, social systems Economy, environment, social systems

evolve in harmony and improve over timeevolve in harmony and improve over time

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A Little HistoryA Little History

nn Meadows et al.: “Limits to Growth” Meadows et al.: “Limits to Growth” (1974)(1974)•• Systems analysis study done at MIT, Systems analysis study done at MIT,

commissioned by Club of Romecommissioned by Club of Rome•• Conclusions were doomsdayConclusions were doomsday--ishish::

–– A COMPUTER LOOKS AHEAD AND A COMPUTER LOOKS AHEAD AND SHUDDERSSHUDDERS

–– STUDY SEES DISASTER BY YEAR 2100STUDY SEES DISASTER BY YEAR 2100–– SCIENTISTS WARN OF GLOBAL SCIENTISTS WARN OF GLOBAL

CATASTROPHECATASTROPHE

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A Little HistoryA Little History

nn BrundtlandBrundtland Commission Report: “Our Commission Report: “Our Common Future” (1987)Common Future” (1987)•• “Humanity has the ability to make “Humanity has the ability to make

development sustainabledevelopment sustainable——to ensure that it to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”generations to meet their own needs”

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Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

nn ““Our Common Future” (1987)Our Common Future” (1987)•• Must not damage or destroy basic life Must not damage or destroy basic life

support system: air, water, soil and support system: air, water, soil and biological systemsbiological systems

•• Must be economically sustainable to Must be economically sustainable to provide continuous flow of goods and provide continuous flow of goods and servicesservices

•• Requires sustainable social systems at Requires sustainable social systems at international, national, local, and family international, national, local, and family levelslevels

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So What’s the Problem?So What’s the Problem?nn Climate change and climate variabilityClimate change and climate variabilitynn Stratospheric ozone depletionStratospheric ozone depletionnn Forest, wetland, and habitat destructionForest, wetland, and habitat destructionnn Loss of biodiversityLoss of biodiversitynn Encroaching desertificationEncroaching desertificationnn Contamination of ground and surface water resourcesContamination of ground and surface water resourcesnn NonNon--renewable resource userenewable resource use

nn Regional water and food scarcityRegional water and food scarcity

nn Population growth and urbanization Population growth and urbanization

nn TransboundaryTransboundary water resource conflictswater resource conflicts

nn Lack of sanitation and protected water supplies at local Lack of sanitation and protected water supplies at local levelslevels

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1.2 billion people lack adequate drinking 1.2 billion people lack adequate drinking water (water (WHO, 2002WHO, 2002).).

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2.4 billion people lack access to 2.4 billion people lack access to sanitation equipment (sanitation equipment (WHOWHO, , 20022002).).

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Groundwater DepletionGroundwater Depletion

nn By the year 2025, 3.5 By the year 2025, 3.5 billion people are billion people are estimated to face water estimated to face water shortages due to shortages due to exhaustion of exhaustion of groundwater resources groundwater resources ((World Summit on World Summit on Sustainable Sustainable Development, 2002Development, 2002).).

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Countries Experiencing Water ScarcityCountries Experiencing Water ScarcityBased on availability of less than 1,000 mBased on availability of less than 1,000 m33 of renewable water per of renewable water per person year (person year (Population Action International, 2002Population Action International, 2002).).

CyprusCyprusZimbabweZimbabweTanzaniaTanzaniaPeruPeru

LibyaLibyaOmanOmanMoroccoMoroccoEgyptEgyptComorosComorosSouth AfricaSouth AfricaSyriaSyriaIranIranEthiopiaEthiopiaHaitiHaiti

Qatar Qatar Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia United Arab United Arab Emirates Emirates YemenYemenIsrael, Tunisia Israel, Tunisia Cape Verde Cape Verde Kenya, Kenya, Burundi Burundi AlgeriaAlgeriaRwandaRwandaMalawi Malawi SomaliaSomalia

Malta, DjiboutiMalta, DjiboutiBarbadosBarbadosSingaporeSingaporeBahrainBahrainKuwaitKuwaitJordanJordan

Added by Added by 2025 based 2025 based on medium on medium to high to high growthgrowth

Added by Added by 2025 based 2025 based on all on all possible possible growthgrowth

Added in Added in 19901990

Scarce in Scarce in 19551955

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Challenges for Regional PlanningChallenges for Regional Planning

nn Limits of traditional benefitLimits of traditional benefit--cost analysiscost analysisnn Difficult for governments to modify Difficult for governments to modify

economieseconomiesnn Time and space scale issuesTime and space scale issuesnn “It’s very difficult to forecast, especially “It’s very difficult to forecast, especially

the future.” the future.”

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OpportunitiesOpportunities

nn Information technologyInformation technologynn Better understanding of natural systems Better understanding of natural systems

and human impactsand human impactsnn Greater opportunities for resource Greater opportunities for resource

transfers and trade offs at larger spatial transfers and trade offs at larger spatial scalesscales

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Sustainable Water Resource SystemsSustainable Water Resource Systems

nn “…“…are those designed and managed to are those designed and managed to fully contribute to the objectives of fully contribute to the objectives of society, now and in the future, while society, now and in the future, while maintaining their ecological, maintaining their ecological, environmental, and hydrological environmental, and hydrological integrity.”integrity.”

nn Importance of both demand and supply Importance of both demand and supply managementmanagement

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Sustainability CriteriaSustainability Criteria

nn Income distributionIncome distributionnn Raw materials and energy consumptionRaw materials and energy consumptionnn Use of natural resources (water)Use of natural resources (water)nn Waste generation and disposalWaste generation and disposalnn Accretion of land or coastAccretion of land or coastnn Soil fertilitySoil fertilitynn Public health, safety (risks)Public health, safety (risks)

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Sustainability GuidelinesSustainability Guidelines

nn Design, management and operation of Design, management and operation of physical infrastructurephysical infrastructure

nn Environment and ecosystemsEnvironment and ecosystemsnn Economics and financeEconomics and financenn Institutions and societyInstitutions and societynn Health and human welfareHealth and human welfarenn Planning and technologyPlanning and technology

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Design, management and operation Design, management and operation of physical infrastructureof physical infrastructure

nn Design & manage systems to be effective, Design & manage systems to be effective, efficient and robust efficient and robust –– balancing changes in balancing changes in demands and supplies over time and space.demands and supplies over time and space.

nn Ensure that systems can adjust to changing Ensure that systems can adjust to changing land use.land use.

nn Ensure that designers and managers are Ensure that designers and managers are knowledgeable of the needs of those served.knowledgeable of the needs of those served.

nn Conserve renewable resources (sustained Conserve renewable resources (sustained yield) and effectively use nonyield) and effectively use non--renewable renewable resources.resources.

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Environment and ecosystemsEnvironment and ecosystems

nn Consider water quality along with quantity.Consider water quality along with quantity.nn Ensure that there are no negative longEnsure that there are no negative long--term term

irreversible or cumulative impacts on irreversible or cumulative impacts on ecosystems.ecosystems.

nn Protect and enhance the aesthetic Protect and enhance the aesthetic environment.environment.

nn Monitor the environment and adjust Monitor the environment and adjust operations accordingly.operations accordingly.

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Economics and financeEconomics and finance

nn Consider all direct and indirect environmental Consider all direct and indirect environmental costs over the full life of the project.costs over the full life of the project.

nn Recover all costs throughout the system’s Recover all costs throughout the system’s lifelife--cycle in an equitable and efficient way.cycle in an equitable and efficient way.

nn Ensure that sufficient finances are available Ensure that sufficient finances are available to continuously operate and monitor systems.to continuously operate and monitor systems.

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Institutions and societyInstitutions and society

nn Minimize potential for conflicts and establish Minimize potential for conflicts and establish effective procedures to manage conflicts.effective procedures to manage conflicts.

nn Implement fully democratic and participatory Implement fully democratic and participatory planning and decisionplanning and decision--making processes.making processes.

nn Ensure that responsible institutions have the Ensure that responsible institutions have the capacity to plan, monitor, and adapt to capacity to plan, monitor, and adapt to changing situations.changing situations.

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Human health and welfareHuman health and welfare

nn Guarantee a minimum water supply to all Guarantee a minimum water supply to all humans to maintain health.humans to maintain health.

nn Minimize all adverse social impacts caused Minimize all adverse social impacts caused by dislocation and stress during system by dislocation and stress during system failure.failure.

nn Preserve and protect society’s cultural Preserve and protect society’s cultural heritage.heritage.

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Planning and technologyPlanning and technology

nn Recognize that planning is multiRecognize that planning is multi --disciplinary disciplinary by nature, and includes all relevant options, by nature, and includes all relevant options, including nonincluding non--structural options.structural options.

nn Collect and make available to all interested Collect and make available to all interested parties all data on water resource availability, parties all data on water resource availability, use and quality.use and quality.

nn Maintain options for future uses of water Maintain options for future uses of water resources.resources.

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Regional Case StudiesRegional Case Studies

nn Aral SeaAral Seann Ogallala AquiferOgallala Aquifernn Groundwater mining in LibyaGroundwater mining in Libyann Restoration of Rhine, Danube RiversRestoration of Rhine, Danube Riversnn North and Baltic Sea water pollutionNorth and Baltic Sea water pollutionnn Damming the MekongDamming the Mekongnn High Aswan DamHigh Aswan Dam

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Proposed Metrics for Local ScalesProposed Metrics for Local Scales

1.1. Relative water demandRelative water demand2.2. Percentage of income spent on Percentage of income spent on

water and sanitationwater and sanitation3.3. Incidence of waterborne diseaseIncidence of waterborne disease4.4. Measures of robustness / Measures of robustness /

adaptabilityadaptability

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1. Relative Water Demand 1. Relative Water Demand

nn Defined as the ratio of water Defined as the ratio of water withdrawal or consumption to total withdrawal or consumption to total water availability (water availability (VVöörröösmartysmarty et al., et al., 2000).2000).

nn Addresses social and Addresses social and environmental concerns, possibly environmental concerns, possibly economic.economic.

nn Problem: Spatial and temporal Problem: Spatial and temporal variability is critical, but may be variability is critical, but may be difficult to estimate.difficult to estimate.•• UnderUnder--estimation of groundwater potential estimation of groundwater potential

to supplement irrigation and drinking water to supplement irrigation and drinking water supplies (supplies (UNEP Global Environmental UNEP Global Environmental Outlook, 2000Outlook, 2000).).

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2. %Income Spent on Water & Sanitation2. %Income Spent on Water & Sanitation

nn Direct measure of economic Direct measure of economic welfare.welfare.

nn Indirect measure of social and Indirect measure of social and environmental costs.environmental costs.

nn Problem: UnderProblem: Under--estimation of estimation of willingnesswillingness--toto--pay may result inpay may result in•• Inadequate systems with limited Inadequate systems with limited

public taps and household public taps and household connections.connections.

•• Vendors able to generate high Vendors able to generate high monopoly rents (monopoly rents (LoveiLovei and and Whittington, 1993).Whittington, 1993).

•• Inequitable income distribution.Inequitable income distribution.•• High environmental costs.High environmental costs.

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3. Incidence of Waterborne Disease3. Incidence of Waterborne Disease

nn Direct measure of human health Direct measure of human health impacts.impacts.

nn Measure of economic Measure of economic development.development.•• Strongly linked to water and Strongly linked to water and

sanitation servicessanitation services•• Linked to poverty (lost wages)Linked to poverty (lost wages)

nn Problems:Problems:•• Accurate local data difficult to Accurate local data difficult to

obtainobtain..•• Studies have found conflicting Studies have found conflicting

results regarding links between results regarding links between health and water quality.health and water quality.

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4. Measures of Robustness/Adaptability4. Measures of Robustness/Adaptability

nn Measures of a system’s ability to cope Measures of a system’s ability to cope with variability and change.with variability and change.

nn Need to consider both historical variability Need to consider both historical variability and expected future conditions. and expected future conditions.

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4. Measures of Robustness/Adaptability4. Measures of Robustness/Adaptability

nn Reliability, Resilience, Vulnerability Reliability, Resilience, Vulnerability (Hashimoto et al., 1982)(Hashimoto et al., 1982)

nn Efficiency, Survivability, Efficiency, Survivability, Sustainability (Sustainability (PezzeyPezzey, 1992), 1992)

nn Reversibility, AdaptabilityReversibility, Adaptability

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Measuring Measuring SustainabilitySustainability

(Hashimoto et al., 1982)(Hashimoto et al., 1982)

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Efficiency, Survivability, SustainabilityEfficiency, Survivability, Sustainability

((PezzeyPezzey, 1992), 1992)

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Concluding QuestionsConcluding Questions

nn How much and what types of activities can How much and what types of activities can a region handle without undesirable a region handle without undesirable impacts?impacts?

nn What are the expected effects of current What are the expected effects of current and planned activities?and planned activities?

nn What attributes of society and the natural What attributes of society and the natural work should be preserved?work should be preserved?

nn What incentives and policies can be What incentives and policies can be developed to achieve the desired goals?developed to achieve the desired goals?

nn How can stakeholders evaluate How can stakeholders evaluate sustainability metrics, uncertainties, and sustainability metrics, uncertainties, and trade offs?trade offs?

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ReferencesReferencesnn American Society of Civil Engineers and United Nations ScientifiAmerican Society of Civil Engineers and United Nations Scientific, c,

Educational and Cultural Organization (1998). Educational and Cultural Organization (1998). Sustainability Criteria for Sustainability Criteria for Water Resource SystemsWater Resource Systems , ASCE, Reston, Va., ASCE, Reston, Va.

nn Farrell, A. and M. Hart (1998). “What does sustainability reallyFarrell, A. and M. Hart (1998). “What does sustainability really mean? The mean? The search for useful indicators,” search for useful indicators,” EnvironmentEnvironment, 40(9), 4, 40(9), 4--9, 269, 26--31.31.

nn Hashimoto, T., Hashimoto, T., StedingerStedinger, J. R., and , J. R., and LoucksLoucks, D. P. (1982). Reliability, , D. P. (1982). Reliability, resiliency, and vulnerability criteria for water resource systemresiliency, and vulnerability criteria for water resource system performance performance evaluation, evaluation, Water Water ResourResour. Res., . Res., 18(1), 1418(1), 14--20.20.

nn LoveiLovei, L., and D. Whittington (1993). “Rent, L., and D. Whittington (1993). “Rent--extracting behavior by multiple extracting behavior by multiple agents in the provision of municipal water supply: A study of Jaagents in the provision of municipal water supply: A study of Jakarta, karta, Indonesia,” Indonesia,” Water Water ResourResour. Res.,. Res., 29(7), 196529(7), 1965––1982.1982.

nn MihelcicMihelcic, J. R., J. C. Crittenden, M. J. Small, D. R. , J. R., J. C. Crittenden, M. J. Small, D. R. ShonnardShonnard, D. R. , D. R. HokansonHokanson, Q. Zhang, H. Chen, S. A. , Q. Zhang, H. Chen, S. A. SorbySorby, V. U. James, J. W. Sutherland, , V. U. James, J. W. Sutherland, and J. L. and J. L. SchnoorSchnoor (2003). “Sustainability science and engineering: The (2003). “Sustainability science and engineering: The emergence of a new emergence of a new metadisciplinemetadiscipline,” ,” Environmental Science and Environmental Science and TechnologyTechnology, 37(23), 5314, 37(23), 5314--5324.5324.

nn PezzeyPezzey, J. (1992). “Sustainable Development Concepts: An Economic , J. (1992). “Sustainable Development Concepts: An Economic Analysis,” World Bank Environment Paper No. 2, World Bank, WashiAnalysis,” World Bank Environment Paper No. 2, World Bank, Washington, ngton, DC.DC.

nn VörösmartyVörösmarty, C.J., P. Green, J. Salisbury, and R.B. , C.J., P. Green, J. Salisbury, and R.B. LammersLammers (2000). “Global (2000). “Global water resources: Vulnerability from climate change and populatiowater resources: Vulnerability from climate change and population growth,” n growth,” ScienceScience, 289, 284, 289, 284--288.288.

nn World Health Organization (2001). World Health Organization (2001). Report of the Commission on Report of the Commission on Macroeconomics and HealthMacroeconomics and Health, Geneva, Switzerland., Geneva, Switzerland.