Manel Poch Universitat de Girona

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Introduction to water cycle

Manel Poch Universitat de Girona

XII INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Life Cycle Assessment and Water Issues

03/09/12 Universitat de Girona, 3rd-7th September

2012 1

The water cycle...

Universitat de Girona, 3rd-7th September 2012

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Water cycle is not static...

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Residence time

But, Is this the real water cycle?

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Find the difference...

The difference...

• Is the impact of human activity !!!

• Nowadays, the “natural” cycle is not the real cycle !!!

• We have modified the natural cycle

• It appears the water use cycle....

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Withdrawal and consumption (in km3/year)

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Some questions....

• What are the regions with the highest values of withdrawal and consumption?

• What is the forecasting?

• Two questions:

• 1) what’s the use of this water?

• 2) which are the impacts?

In your opinion...

• We use water for ...

• All over the world, we use water for:

• 1)...

• 2)...

• 3)...

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Water withdrawal and use

LCA and Water Issues. ISSE 2012

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Water withdrawal and use

• It seems that we use water for...

1) Agriculture 60-80%

2) Domestic 10-20%

3) Industrial 10-20%

Remember the differences...

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Remember the differences between rural and urban areas

Consums d’aigua per sectors a la Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona (2005)

Ús domèstic

67%

Ús industrial

23%

Ús agrícola 10%

Font: Entitat del Medi Ambient

Situation in Catalunya

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Legend

No Data < 100 100 - 250 250 - 500 500 - 1000 > 1000

FAO - AQUASTAT, 2008 Source: AQUASTAT Projection: Plate Carrée

Water withdrawal per inhabitant (m³/year)

Water withdrawn per inhabitant for agricultural, domestic and industrial purposes (around 2001)

Disclaimer

The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

Legend

No Data < 500 500 - 1000 1000 - 1700 1700 - 5000 > 5000 FAO - AQUASTAT, 2008

Source: AQUASTAT Projection: Plate Carrée

Total actual renewable water resources per inhabitant (m³/year) Actual renewable surface water and groundwater resources per inhabitant (in 2005)

Disclaimer

The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

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Fresh water stress

Water withdrawal and consumption: the big gap (1)

• Annual global freshwater withdrawal has grown from 3,790 km3 (of which consumption accounted for 2,070 km3 or 61%) in 1995, to 4,430 km3 (of which consumption accounted for 2,304 km3 or 52%) in 2000 (Shiklomanov, 1999).

• In 2000, about 57% of the world’s freshwater withdrawal, and 70% of its consumption, took place in Asia, where the world’s major irrigated lands are located (UNESCO, 1999).

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Water withdrawal and consumption: the big gap (2)

• In the future, annual global water withdrawal is expected to grow by about 10-12% every 10 years, reaching approximately 5,240 km3 (or an increase of 1.38 times since 1995) by 2025. Water consumption is expected to grow at a slower rate of 1.33 times (UNESCO, 1999).

• In the coming decades, the most intensive rate of water withdrawal is expected to occur in Africa and South America (increasing by 1.5-1.6 times), while the least will take place in Europe and North America (1.2 times) (Harrison and Pearce, 2001; Shiklomanov, 1999; UNESCO, 1999).

Increasing water scarcity

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Another point of view...

• Are you sure that these are the most important uses of water?

• Have we forgot something?

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S o u rc e U S G S

From now...

• We will be focused in a part of the anthropic cycle

• Urban wate rcycle

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Urban water cycle

This cycle modifies the natural water flow...

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Impact of urban water cycle in the natural cycle flow

Domestic use...

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City of Abbotsford (CA) UK (average)

Water consumption (in Catalunya)

Extensive Intensive

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•

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Manel Poch Universitat de Girona

Introduction to water cycle