WATER SUPPLY , USE

MANAGEMENT

Prepared by:
ARLENE D. GARCIA Pmaj III
 WATER

 is one of the most abundant resources on earth

 to understand water as necessity, as a resource

and as a factor in the pollution problem, we must
understand its characteristics, its role in
sustaining life.
UNIQUENESS of WATER
 Water has a high capacity to absorb and store heat
1. Solar energy warms the ocean
2. Heat transferred to the atmosphere

 Water is a universal solvent

- many natural water are slightly acidic
- also reacts with complex organic compounds
- water has a high surface tension
 Water is the only common compound where solid
form is lighter than its liquid form

 Sunlight penetrates water to variable depths,

permitting photosynthetic organisms to live below the
surface.
 A BRIEF GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE

Hydrologic cycle,
main process in the
cycle is the global
transfer of water
from the
atmosphere to the
land and oceans and
back to the
atmosphere
97% of earth’s water is in the ocean * both unsuitable
2% ice caps and glaciers for human use
99% total water in the ocean because of
SALINITY

 Only about 0.001% of the total water on earth is in the

atmosphere, freshwater through precipitation.
 Water can be found in either liquid, solid or gaseous form

 World’s population and industrial production increases, the

use of water will also accelerate
- In 1975,global per capita use of water was about
700 𝑚3 per year or 2,000 gallons per day
1015 gallon per year --- total human use
TODAY: World use--- 1.58x1015 gallons per year

 Compared with other resources, water is used in very large

quantities
- total weigh water used is approximately 1,000 times the
world’s total production of minerals including
petroleum and coal
GROUNDWATER

STREAMS
 GROUNDWATER
 Water below the water table, where saturated
conditions exist
 Rain that falls on the land, runs off the surface, or moves
below the surface and is transported underground.
 Locations where surface waters move (infiltrate) into
the ground are known as recharge zone

 Places where
groundwater
flows out at the
surface are
known as
discharge zone
 Aquifer
is an underground
zone or body of
earth material from
which groundwater
can be obtained
(from a well) at a
useful rate.

 When water is pumped from an aquifer, the water table is

depressed around the well forming a cone of depression
 STREAMS
 may be classified as effluent or influent
 Effluent Stream- the flow is maintained during the dry
season

 A stream that
flows all year
is called
perennial
stream
  Influent Stream – is entirely above the water table
and flows only in direct response to precipitation

 An influent
stream is called
ephemeral
stream because it
does not flow all
year
 Intermittent – combination of influent and
effluent flow
 INTERACTIONS
between
SURFACE WATER
and
GROUNDWATER
 For example, pumping groundwater from wells may
reduce stream flow, lower lake levels, or change the
quality of surface , reducing the effluent stream flow

 Diverting surface waters may increase concentration of

dissolved chemicals in the groundwater because dissolved
chemicals in the groundwater will no longer be diluted by
infiltrated surface water

RESULT IN POLLUTION of GROUNDWATER

 WATER SUPPLY
 The water supply at any particular point on the land
surface depends on several factors in the hydrologic
cycle

(rates of precipitation, evaporation, transpiration

, stream flow, subsurface flow)

 Water budget- a concept useful in understanding

water supply
- a model that balances the inputs,
outputs and storage of water in a
system
 Simple Annual Water Budgets

Precipitation - Evaporation = Runoff

 The total average annual water yield from Earth’s river is

approximately 47,000 𝑘𝑚3
DROUGHT
GROUNDWATER USE and
PROBLEMS

 Overdraft
Can lead to variety of Problems:
- damage to river ecosystems
- land subsidence
DESALINATION as a WATER SOURCE

 Desalination
– a technology for removing salt from water , is being used at
several hundred plants around the world to produce water reduced salt

 Sea water is about 3.5% salt; each cubic meter of seawater contains
about 40 kg of salt

 To be used as a freshwater resource, salt content must be reduced to

about 0.05%

 Large desalination plants produce 5-8 million gal/day

 Today about 15,000 desalination plants in over 100 countries are in

operation
DESALINATION PLANTS
 Desalination also has environmental impacts .
Discharge of very salty water from a
desalination plant into another body of water
such as bay, many locally increase salinity and
kill some plants and animals.
 WATER USE
Distinguish: Off-stream and In-stream

 Off-stream use -- refers to water removed from its source (rivers

reservoir) for use
- Much of this water is returned to the source after use
* Consumptive use--- is an off-stream use I n which water is consumed
by plants and animals

 In-stream use--- includes the use of rivers for navigation, hydroelectric

power generation

One problem for off-stream use is how much water can be removed from a
system or river without damaging the stream’s ecosystem
CONSERVATION
 AGRICULTURAL USE:
 Use used or covered canals that reduce evaporation

 Use computer monitoring and schedule release of water

 Integrate the use of surface water and groundwater

 Irrigate when evaporation is minimal

 Improve land preparation for water application

 Encourage the development of crops that require less

water
PUBLIC SUPPLY and
DOMESTIC USE
 Flush only when necessary

 Turn off water when not absolutely needed for washing,

brushing teeth, shaving and so on

 Fix all leaks quickly

 Purchase dishwashers and laundry machines that

minimize water use
 Take a long bath rather than a long shower

 Don’t hose sidewalks and driveways ; sweep

them

 Consider using gray water

 Water plants in the early morning, late afternoon

or at night

 Learn how to read water meter

 SUSTAINABILITY

WATER MANAGEMENT
WATER FOOTPRINT
Total volume of freshwater used to produce the product and
services by an individual , community, country or region
(Volume of water used/year)

Three Components:

1. Green Water – precipitation that contributes to water stored

in soils
( this is the water consumed by crops )

2. Blue Water – surface and groundwater

( used to produce our goods and services )

3. Gray Water – water polluted by the production of goods

and services
WETLANDS
Areas inundated by water or saturated to a depth of a few
centimeters for at least a few days per year

Major Characteristics:
o Hydrology/ Wetness

o Vegetation

o Type of soil
 NATURAL SERVICE
FUNCTIONS of WETLAND
 Freshwater wetlands are a natural sponge for water, as
the river flow increases, they store water, following a
flood, they slowly released the stored water

 Wetlands are one of the primary nursery grounds for fish,

aquatic birds and other animals

 Wetland are natural filters that help purify water; plants in

wetlands trap sediment and toxins

 Wetlands are often highly productive and are places

where may nutrients and chemicals are naturally cycle
 DAMS and the ENVIRONMENT

 Dams and their

reservoirs generally
are designed to be
multifunctional.
People who propose
the constructions of
dams and reservoirs
point out that they
may be used for
recreational activities,
and for generating
electricity
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING! 
SUSTAINABLE WATER USE
Use of water resources in a way that allows society to develop
and flourish without degrading the various components of
hydrologic cycle

 Develop enough water resources to maintain human health

and well-being

 Ensure basic standards of water quality for the various

users of water resources

 Ensure that people do not damage or reduce the long term

renewability of water resources

 Promote the use of water-efficient technology and practice

 SOME TRENDS in WATER USE
 The major uses of water were for irrigation and the
thermoelectric industry

 The use of water for irrigation by agriculture increased

about 68% from 1950 to 1980, decreased and leveled
off from about 1895 to 2005

 Water use by the thermoelectric industry decreased

slightly, electrical generation from power plants
increased by more than 10 times

 Use of water for public and rural supplies continued to

increased due to the increase in human population