How Civil Engineers are Helping to Solve Water Scarcity

The year is 2043, and the earth's water resources have either been polluted or have dried up. The price of packaged water is 10X what it used to be, and wars are waged between nations for the few glacier water resources we have left. Who is responsible for this? We are! This is the dystopian future we are heading to. Unless we fundamentally change how we collect, use and reuse water! That’s where Bob The Builder comes in, civil engineers. In this blog, we’ll explore the innovative way in which civil engineering can help prevent this global disaster of water scarcity.

What is Water Scarcity?

The lack of freshwater resources to meet the normal demand for water is known as water scarcity. With the world's population growing, the demand for water and other resources is increasing. Water scarcity is a major global problem, with an estimated 1.1 billion people living in areas of water scarcity. 37600000000 litres of water is consumed by people every day, without accounting for industrial and agricultural needs. People from underdeveloped and developing nations are affected the most. 

Who are Civil Engineers? 

Civil engineers plan, design, build, maintain and operate infrastructure. Civil engineers play a vital role in solving global issues like climate change, global warming, energy crisis, deforestation, and, you guessed it, water scarcity. With their expertise in building structures and mastery of over-engineering concepts, civil engineers can develop innovative solutions to address these issues and create a more sustainable infrastructure that can help mitigate or even reverse the effect of water scarcity. 

Causes of Water Scarcity

Water scarcity can be caused by a variety of factors, including: 

 

• Climate Change 

 

• Climate change is one of the primary causes of water scarcity. Water sources dry up as temperatures rise, leading to decreased water availability.
• The water resources most at risk are,
• Rivers
• Lakes
• Glaciers 
• Extreme weather events can cause water scarcity by damaging infrastructure and disrupting water supply. 

 

• Population Growth

 

• The need for water increases as the population increases. This can lead to the overuse of water resources, as more people use more water than is available.

 

• Over-Exploitation of Water Resources

 

• This occurs when water is taken from a source faster than it can be replenished.
• This is caused due to,
• Unsustainable agricultural practices
• Over-irrigation
• Over-extraction of groundwater

 

• Inefficient Water Use

 

• Inefficient water use is a major cause of water scarcity. This includes water waste due to leaks, inefficient irrigation systems, and inefficient water-use practices. 

The Role of Civil Engineers in Addressing Water Scarcity

• Civil engineers improve the efficiency of existing water systems.
• They are responsible for designing and constructing systems that can help reduce water consumption. These include, 
• Developing water-efficient plumbing systems
• Developing water-saving fixtures, such as,
• low-flow toilets
• Showerheads
• Civil engineers develop new water-saving strategies, such as
• Water reuse, such as greywater systems that reuse wastewater for non-potable uses.
• Water conservation techniques such as drip irrigation save water by directly delivering water to the crops in agricultural fields.  
• Civil engineers use advanced technologies such as smart meters and sensors to monitor water usage, detect leaks, and improve water distribution networks.
• Civil engineers improve wastewater management through wastewater treatment which reuses water for irrigation and industrial uses.
• They improve wastewater treatment plants' design to reduce the energy and resources required for operation.

By using these strategies, civil engineers help reduce water scarcity.  Their efforts ensure that communities have access to safe and reliable water supplies.

Solutions to Water Scarcity Proposed by Civil Engineers

Civil engineers are at the forefront of solving global challenges such as water scarcity. 

Desalination

Desalination removes salt and other contaminants from saltwater and other brackish water sources, making it fit for drinking and other uses.

• Desalination plants are being built in coastal areas providing a reliable source of drinking water for local communities and reducing the effects of ocean acidification. 

A few desalination processes used currently are:

• Reverse osmosis
• It is based on using membranes that are semipermeable to salt but not to water.
• Since these membranes are made of incredibly thin polyamide, the water must be treated because they can get contaminated with germs.

• Electrodialysis
• Obtaining freshwater involves passing the salt water through electrically charged membranes that capture the salt ions dissolved in the water.
• Electrodialysis is available in a variety of forms, including conventional and reverse.

Rainwater Harvesting

The practice of gathering, storing, and utilising rainwater for different purposes is known as rainwater harvesting.  Rainwater harvesting is a cost-effective way that helps reduce the amount of water lost through runoffs and provides an auxiliary water source during a drought. Civil engineers are helping to develop innovative rainwater harvesting systems that can be used in urban and rural areas.

It can be used to,

• Irrigate lawns with the help of rain gardens.
• A rain garden is an ornamental garden positioned in a small depression to store water before it flows away temporarily. Up to 90% of all rain events will result in soil infiltration from water collected in correctly designed rain gardens.
• Provide drinking water
• Variables, such as air pollution, may impact the quality of rainwater. Rainwater collected and treated through a few procedures will be suitable for drinking.

Rainwater harvesting can be applied for various applications, such as

• Residential 
• Commercial 
• Industrial 

Steps of Rainwater Harvesting

• Rainwater is collected and transported using catchment regions (the surface that collects the water) and conduits (pipelines that carry the water). 
• Filtration uses a filter unit, a chamber filled with filtering media, to remove debris and dirt from the water before it enters the storage tank or recharge structure. 
• The harvested water can now be stored in storage tanks for immediate usage, designed according to society's water requirements. 

Greywater reuse

Greywater is wastewater from domestic activities such as,

• Laundry
• Dishwashing
• Bathing

Blackwater is the wastewater from restrooms which contains faecal matter and urine. Greywater is typically considered lower risk than blackwater.  

Recycling Procedure of Greywater

• Appliance wastewater is gathered and fed into a collection device through pumps or gravity.
• The collection device eliminates contaminants with the help of biological, chemical, and physical processes. It is then pumped into a treatment system for ultrafiltration, which stops particles, bacteria, and viruses from moving on to the system's next step.
• Greywater cannot remain in the tank for prolonged periods due to the risk of contamination. Instead, the treated water is stored in a tank before being pumped out for usage.

Greywater reuse systems can provide many benefits.

• They can reduce the amount of water used for non-potable purposes.
• Reducing the strain on local water supplies.
• They can also reduce wastewater treatment costs, as greywater does not need to be treated to the same standards as blackwater.
• Greywater reuse systems can reduce the amount of water discharged into the environment.

Civil Engineers are Key to Solving Global Challenges

From creating efficient water management systems to designing sustainable infrastructure, civil engineers are helping to reduce the impact of water scarcity and ensure access to clean water for all. Governments and organisations can address these global challenges promptly and effectively by investing in civil engineering.

If you want to learn more about civil engineering, check out courses like the PG Program in Construction Project Management offered by Skill-Lync. Talk with our experts and book your free demo session!