What is water management? It is the practice of managing, operating, and controlling water resources to ensure sustainable and lower consumption, better reuse and recycling, and of course, improved access for vulnerable populations. The World Bank highlights how 40% of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity, while water-related disasters also contribute to 70% of deaths linked to natural disasters. That is where proper water management is essential to sustainably use water, build climate-based resilience, and boost integrated management functions.
In fact, with the swift growth of the global population, the world may face a shortage of 40% between available water supply and expected demand by 2030 itself. Hydrological uncertainties, pressing shortage of water, and natural calamities like droughts and floods, will undoubtedly be major threats towards global stability and economic growth. Agricultural production will have to go up by 50% to provide for 10 billion individuals by 2050 and this will lead to 15% higher withdrawals of water. By 2040, 1/4 of children will live in an area with a high shortage of water. This is where proper water management is highly necessary.
Why is Water Management Indispensable?
Now that you have an idea about what is water management, know that it is indispensable to prevent scarcity, ensure sustainable usage, and lower consumption in the long run. Some of the key aspects of water management include institutional and governance frameworks with proper tracking and information management. Water pricing, access, incentives, and other policies are required for better regulation and allocation of water resources. Governments should invest in technologies for boosting efficiency, water conservation, stormwater recycling, wastewater recycling, rainwater harvesting, and tapping non-conventional sources of water.
It matters since many people still lack access to water near their homes worldwide. This can be a bigger problem with climate change since flooding pollutes sources of water and springs dry up due to drought. Proper water management helps lower overall wastage and consumption while bringing together communities, entities, and individuals under a common blueprint for responsibly managing water usage. This also helps avoid resource wastage and lowers costs.
Some Other Aspects Worth Noting
Good water management is critical for cities and urban centres with steady population growth to maintain the same in a sustainable manner. With water demand crossing supply in most large cities, there should be water management systems to enable future self-sufficiency for these urban centres. This can include water meters to track consumption, recycling wastewater and stormwater for non-drinking purposes, better sanitation, and stringent provisions to curb water wastage. Integrated urban water management will ensure proper supply more efficiently with collaborative action between all major stakeholders.
One should note that no sustainable development goal or SDG can be achieved without access to running water. Hence, managing the same efficiently is undoubtedly the need of the hour. This brings the need to invest in smart cities and related smart housing projects that are ecologically sustainable. Solutions like those offered by Planet Smart City help new-age housing societies achieve ecological, economic, and social sustainability with tailored digital products. These innovations are required going forward across major cities globally, covering areas like smart water management, waste management, lowering carbon emissions, and so on.
