Circular Water Management 2: Closing the H20 loop

Course Overview

Author: Dr. Hernan Ruiz Ocampo

Climate change dramatically impacts urban areas, exposing cities on floodplains to extreme cloudbursts, and rising sea levels also threaten coastal cities. 

The course attempts to provide knowledge for proper water management in urban areas by applying the circular economy principles related to the regeneration of natural resources using a holistic approach based on Integrated Water Management for urban areas to create a collaborative ecosystem.

The course also provides information about various alternative water sources for supply in urban areas. Different examples show the possibility of implementing various strategies to prolong water use, such as reusing wastewater and rainwater to conserve water in basins and receiving bodies and the growth of desalination process applications to secure water supply while preserving the environment. 

This approach explores the role of digital technologies and circular business models and strategies as enablers of the circular economy in the water sector. Implementing digital technologies for water and wastewater treatment is becoming necessary to face the increasing risks related to demand growth, water scarcity, quality, security, and cost-effective water-related services.

There are many opportunities to create value from water streams, and implementing circular business models creates an ecosystem where water becomes a source of nutrients, minerals, and metals. Applying appropriate circular design strategies can allow the development of circular business models to create value from water to slow, close, narrow, and regenerate resources present in water streams.