Water

A world running
dry: Urban water use in 2050
Water is set to be one of the defining environmental issues of the 21st century. How will cities cope? Fred Pearce explores two scenarios: the continuation of business as usual and a world where we start taking this new limit to our activities seriously.

By Fred Pearce

Why?
In some regions of the world, water is in abundant supply – in others, it has long been a scarcity. Agriculture and urban populations compete for water usage priority – with the result that groundwater levels are sinking rapidly in many places. Water is also being wasted to an increasingly alarming extent; up to 50 per cent of the water in urban systems is lost through leaks. Affluent individuals create golf courses and swimming pools in desert areas, while poor people have no drinking water.

What?
There are two conceivable ‘water scenarios’ for the future: the first is one of scarcity, with rich nations helping themselves out with desalination plants and large-scale canal systems, while in the world’s poorer regions a kind of mafia controls water supplies. The second shows legislation and pricing responding to scarcity: anyone who saves water is rewarded – and anyone who wastes it pays extra.

How?
National laws and international agreements – and technical progress – can improve many things. The key is efficiency and multiple water use. Economical fittings and grey water recycling are just as important as comprehensive refurbishment of urban water infrastructures. Thought must also be given to retained rainwater: water that is stored in the ground is available to the city. Since buildings can be considered ‘water processors’, they will play a crucial role in urban water use everywhere in the world.

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