Water Resources: A New Water Architecture(Challenges in Water Management Series)

Over 7 billion people demand water from resources that the changing climate is making more and more difficult to harness. Water scarcity and shortage are increasingly common and conditions are becoming more extreme. Inadequate and inappropriate management of water is already taking its toll on the environment and on the quality of life of millions of people. Modern water professionals have a duty to develop sound water science and robust evidence to lobby and influence national and regional development policy and investment priorities. We need to be bold and brave to challenge the status quo, argue the case for change, and create a New Water Architecture.

Water Resources: A New Water Architecture takes a unique approach to the challenges of water management. The stress caused by our desire to live, eat, and consume is examined in the context of Governance, the role of policy, and the commercial world. The authors share their nine-step vision for a New Water Architecture.

Written by three industry practitioners, this book provides students, young professionals, policymakers, and those interested in the sustainability of our natural resources with a pragmatic and compelling perspective on how to manage the ultimate resource of our time. 

Series Editor Foreword – Challenges in Water Management xi
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgements xvii
List of Abbreviations xix
Units and Conversion xxi
Glossary xxiii

Part I Setting the Scene 1

1 Water Resources in the Twenty-First Century 3
1.1 A Looming Crisis 3
1.2 Human Interactions with Water in the Biosphere 4
1.3 An Inspiring Challenge 6

2 Fundamentals of Water Management 7
2.1 The Planetary Picture 7
2.2 Evolution of Water Resource Systems 11
2.3 Water, Society and the Biosphere 26

Part II Stresses and Strains 41

3 Key Concepts 43
3.1 Water Fluxes in Space and Time 43
3.2 Mechanisms of Human Interaction with Water Fluxes 45
3.3 Water Stress and Water Scarcity 47
3.4 Virtual Water and the Water Footprint 49
3.5 Live, Eat, Consume: The Conceptual Framework of Water Stress and Virtual Water 58

4 Live 63
4.1 Introduction 63
4.2 Water and Energy 63
4.3 Urbanisation 86

5 Eat 117
5.1 The Hidden Water in Food 118
5.2 An Increasingly Important Problem 124
5.3 How to Respond to the Water/Food Conundrum 135

6 Consume 156
6.1 Impact of Consumerism on Water Management 156
6.2 Water Use in Industry: Which Sectors Use the Most? 158
6.3 Water Use in Industry: Which Activities Use the Most? 161
6.4 Water Risk: Recognising the Magnitude of the Problem 170
6.5 Water Risk: Defining and Quantifying the Risk 173
6.6 Managing Risks and Seizing Opportunities: The Path to Maturity 181

Part III Existing Water Architecture 195

7 Existing Management of Water Resources 197
7.1 Governance 197
7.2 Structure of Water Management 198
7.3 The Role of Policy in Decision Making 201
7.4 Types of Policy and their Development 202
7.5 The Rise of Decentralisation and Consultation 209
7.6 Regulation of Water Management 210
7.7 Regulatory Models 218
7.8 Regulatory Phases: Unregulated versus Highly Regulated 219
7.9 Governance Silos 223
7.10 Breaking the Silos and Integrating Water Supply Policy 224
7.11 Evolution of Integrated Water Resource Management 227
7.12 Traditional Water Planning Responsibilities versus a Corporate-Driven 'Water Risk' Agenda 231
7.13 Summary 231

8 Ownership and Investment 237
8.1 Public versus Private Ownership Models 237
8.2 Investment Models and the Economics of Water Management 241
8.3 Summary 246

Part IV Moving to a New Water Architecture 249

9 Challenges and Opportunities 251
9.1 A New Water Architecture: An Introduction 251
9.2 Challenges 252
9.3 Opportunities 255
9.4 A Systems Approach to Water Management 260

10 Conceptual Integration 266
10.1 Societal View of the Value of Water 267
10.2 Water as an Under-Valued Resource: The Consequences 269
10.3 Moving to Conceptual Integration 270

11 Institutional Integration 273
11.1 Requirements for Delivering Integrated Solutions 273
11.2 The Challenges of Delivering Integrated Solutions 276
11.3 The Role of Governments 277
11.4 The Importance of Education 281
11.5 The Role of Private Organisations 283
11.6 The Importance of Knowledge Transfer and the Benefits of the Digital Revolution 285
11.7 The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations 287
11.8 How to Finance Change 287
11.9 Conclusions: Institutional Enablers 289

12 Physical Integration 293
12.1 The Need for Change 294
12.2 Integrating Green and Grey Infrastructure to Slow Down Water 299
12.3 The Storage Continuum 301
12.4 Creating Hybrid Water Management Systems 305
12.5 Circular Systems that Transform 'Wastes' to 'Resources' 308
12.6 Conclusions 312
References 313

13 A Way Forward 316
13.1 Conceptual Integration 316
13.2 Institutional Integration 318
13.3 Physical Integration 319
13.4 Summary 320

Index 321

The Authors
Alexander Lane specialises in the development of water strategy and planning that acknowledges the interrelationships between water, other natural resources and human interests. As a consultant in the UK and Australia, Alex has advised a diverse range of public bodies and global companies on the preparation and implementation of robust and sustainable approaches to the management of water that deliver not just immediate gains, but also long-term and mutually beneficial outcomes.

Michael Norton is an expert in water engineering and management, has contributed to over 100 studies and projects in 20 countries, and was awarded an MBE for his outstanding services to water and international trade. With experience in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, Michael's technical interests include water security, water footprint, sustainable wastewater treatment, urban drainage and the water-food-energy system. He now provides consultancy to private sector, public sector, government and non-government organisations on a regional, national and international scale.

Sandra Ryan specialises in strategic water resource planning, focusing on finding traditional and alternative solutions in situations where demand for water exceeds the resource available for supply. With a career background in water utility based water resource planning and regulation in the UK, Sandra is transferring these technical principles to clients in the industrial and commercial sectors battling water risks, and national and local governments seeking to build resilience.