SWITCH and the Paradigm Shift

Transcription

1 SWITCH and the Paradigm Shift First joint project ever between a UN organization and the European Commission

2 AIMS Sustainable urban Water management In The City of the futures Health Launched at World Water Mexico City March 2006 Proposes a global switch in Integrated Urban Water Management for the city of the future

3 Global Change Drivers 2) Population Growth and Urbanization 1) Climate Change 3) Globalization & Economic Development 9) Increase in the energy costs 8) Risks on Critical Infrastructure Systems Urban Water Systems in the city of the Future 4) Deterioration of Infrastructure Systems 7) Emerging Technology 6) Changes in the Public Behaviours 5) Governance & Privatization

4 The problem Global warming is here There is increasing pressure on our cities Climate induced changes Demographic induced changes This is leading to Water Management issues which Will result in sever problems for our Cities of the future within the life times of our children The role of the Scientist in dialogue with the City Governors (stakeholders) This is what SWITCH is charged with doing

5 Sewer Network The Conventional (Sophisticated) Municipal Water Model Effluent discharge Centralised WWTP Storm water Distribution network

6 What progress have we made in the last 200 years? 1 billion people have no access to safe drinking water 2.4 billion people lack appropriate sanitation About 5 billion people live in conditions where wastewater is discharged untreated into local water bodies Some use too much, others have none

7 Urban Water & Nutrient Management Adapted from Langergraber and Mullegger, 2005 Linear Management Model

8 A Dialogue Needed Robert Watson (who led IPCC now with World Bank) said: The drastic changes in policy-making that are needed to address environmental concerns are unlikely to occur unless the scientists reach out to governments

9 SWITCH? SWITCH seeks to intervene. It is a Demand Led Research Programme Asks the stakeholder what the problems are Lets them shape the research Enables them to define the demonstrations Participate in the shared learning through training and dissemination programmes Looks at soft issues such as gender equality and social inclusion around water issues Examines the way we govern ourselves Works through Active Learning and is a real stakeholder forum

10 Business as Usual v SWITCH. State of the Art/Problem SWITCH Themes Inappropriate 19th Century framework (the conventional urban water cycle) Urban Water Quantity problems (flooding and droughts) Urbanisation and inequality/disparity Low wastewater and sanitation coverage with corresponding ecological and public health damage Limited development of the role and potential use of natural systems and processes for effective Urban Water Management Out of date governance structures and fragmented institutions 1. Urban Water Paradigm Shift 21 st Century paradigm. 2. Storm Water Management 3. Efficient water supply and water use for all 4. Efficient water use in sanitation and waste management 5. Integrating Urban Water environments and the planning processes 6. Appropriate governance and institutional change that recognises the value of water.

11 CURRENT SITUATION Municipal Water Cycle Drinking water Production and distribution Water resource Wastewater Collection and treatment STRATEGY Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Rational water use Treatment for reuse Augmentation of self-purification Modifying the Model Agriculture Aquaculture Energy recovery Eco-technologies Biogas Effluent Sludge Nutrients

12 SWITCH Consortium 32 Partners 17 from EU 12 from Developing countries 3 from other countries 9 Demo-cities 10 Study sites Some 40 PhD studies 17 different countries Project Duration: 5 years ( ) Budget: 26 Million Euro

13 SWITCH Partners

14 Participating Countries Demonstration Cities China Beijing Israel Tel Aviv Egypt Alexandria Ghana Accra Spain Zaragoza Poland Lodz Germany Hamburg UK - Birmingham Brazil Belo Horizonte Supporting Countries The Netherlands Switzerland Greece Palestine Peru Columbia Kenya

15 Theme 1 Programme Themes Models and Decision Support Systems Theme 2 Stormwater Management Theme 3 Water Supply Theme 4 Wastewater and sanitation Theme 5 Use of Natural Systems Theme 6 Learning Alliances

16 The SWITCH Model

17 Sustainable Water & Nutrient Management Adapted from Langergraber and Mullegger, 2005

18 Birmingham Learning Alliance Birmingham City Corporation Planning & Drainage Advantage West Midlands Severn Trent Water Environment Agency British Waterways Consumers Council for Water Making Space for Water DEFRA Pilot representative Regional Climate Change Group - Representative Plus Natural England, developers, insurance companies, etc.

19 LA Support Members University of Birmingham University of Middlesex University of Abertay University of Loughborough International Water and Sanitation Centre UNESC-IHE, Netherlands University of Greenwich ICLEI's International Training Centre - Germany

20 Learning Alliance supported Research in Birmingham Ecology and hydrology of extensive Green Roofs Understanding virus hazards in groundwater exploitation Natural attenuation at the river-aquifer interface A new sustainability assessment modelling system for city water supplies.

21 Challenges with infrastructure projects in UK?? Development concepts tend to take place first and then infrastructure follows on in a sort of plumbing type approach Existing infrastructure influences planning. We want to always try and put the new on top of the old is this a false economy? Regulated Water Companies are not able to plan for individual developments or regeneration projects just growth. So no real master-planning. Commercial arrangements between developers and Utility Co s drives secrecy and a potential lack of openness. Loss of benefit.

22 What could we do about this? Greater need for a vision for our future infrastructure implies much earlier interventions by Urban Planners, Utility Co s and Regulators, etc. Need to look at much more flexible models for infrastructure. enables it to be more resilient to change pressure. Integration with source control/management. Better metrics in order to demonstrate sustainability moving us away from business as usual models. More soft infrastructure, more rational approaches to asset life definitions and probably more de-centralised systems.

23 Thank you.

24 Speakers Prof. Byran Ellis The performance efficiency of SUDS Dr. Adam Bates Integrating the multiple benefits of green roofs Prof. Heiko Seiker SUDS/green roofs/rainwater harvesting, experiences and recent developments in Germany Examples of integrated urban design with sustainable drainage systems