TECHNOLOGY TRENDS Water Systems
Water underpins all ecosystem functions and is the lifeblood of our existence. Water is connected with almost everything, and its continued availability is crucial for the sustainability of the planet. Due to its status as a finite resource, water scarcity is the primary way by which many of us are made acutely aware of climate change. Water resources are becoming increasingly scarce and less predictable. In some areas, drought has been exacerbated by higher temperatures affecting the availability and distribution of precipitation, whereas in other areas floods, tsunamis, storms, and waterborne disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent and intense. Water is critical to sustaining agricultural production and its shortage has potentially profound impacts on food security, while water quality is deteriorating in many locations, posing health threats to vulnerable populations.
Important statistics regarding this vital resource:
- Global water demand is projected to increase by 20 to 30% per year by 2050. UNESCO, 2018
- 72% of all water withdrawals are used by agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries. UN-Water 2021
- 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of which 733 million live in high and critically water-stressed countries. UN-Water 2021
- When a territory withdraws 25% or more of its renewable freshwater resources it is said to be ‘water-stressed’. Five out of 11 regions have water stress values above 25%, including two regions with high water stress and one with extreme water stress. UN-Water 2021
- Water-harvesting and water conservation techniques could boost rainfed kilocalorie production by up to 24% and, if combined with irrigation expansion, by more than 40%. FAO 2020
Importantly, the water-food-energy nexus is fundamental to sustainable development, as demand for all three has been driven by rising populations, evolving diets, development, and rapid urbanization. These three sectors are each ‘hubs’ of potential transformation in their own right, and when approached jointly, present an opportunity to maximize transformational outcomes.
The energy and agriculture sectors’ reliance on water and the linkages between these three domains have prompted an increased number of multi-pronged strategies for more sustainable water management. In recent years, requests to the CTCN for technical assistance related to water have increased substantially, comprising a significant portion during the last year. Since its inception, the CTCN has been working to increase countries’ resilience to the impacts of climate change on water resources, and together with Network partners, provides innovative climate adaptation technologies using GIS, capacity building to strengthen vulnerability assessments, increased use of solar PV for irrigation, gravity-driven membrane technology, and rainwater harvesting and groundwater technologies for water storage.
Water Recycling Technologies in Namibia
There is growing concern regarding the sustainability of Namibia’s water resources for a growing population. Indeed, in the face of climate change, countries like Namibia are experiencing greater difficulty in providing adequate water due to its high cost, fluctuating patterns of availability driven by increased drought, and limited number of water recycling technologies.
Water recycling technologies build resilience to drought and help bolster agricultural production under worsening weather conditions. Recycling and storage can provide short-term security against periods of low rainfall and the failure or degradation of other water resources. In Namibia, however, water availability has been determined by rainfall harvested in dams as locally applicable technologies have been scarce. The city of Windhoek’s Goreangab wastewater treatment plant, constructed in 1968, had been considered a pioneering facility in water reclamation. The plant treats wastewater and recycles it as well. However, it could no longer meet the rising demand, and the government ultimately requested assistance in identifying technologies for mass water harvesting.
The CTCN, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, UNEP DTU Partnership and Carbon Trust are conducting a detailed feasibility assessment of water recycling technologies, and developing a technology roadmap and action plan. To support implementation of the plan, the CTCN is also creating financing and business models, as well as a proposal for a financial mechanism to boost technological deployment in households. Importantly, the technical assistance will benefit women and girls, as they usually bear the burden and increased risk of traveling long distances to collect water.
This technology assistance advances:
Namibia’s Nationally Determined Contribution
In its updated NDC, Namibia emphasizes adaptation action, prioritizes water resources, and more specifically outlines priority measures that include providing “full support for integrated water resources management.” Its NDC states that to ensure sustainable long-term access to water and effectively manage and conserve the country’s water resources with the uncertainty of climate change, the following adaptation options are pertinent: promotion of efficient water harvesting techniques, recycling, and re-use of water, use of desalination technologies to increase water supply, and the promotion of integrated water resources management.
Sustainable Development Goals:
