Investigating the Potential of Tackling Water Scarcity Related to Climate Change Through Urban Water Leakage Monitoring: Insights from a Greek City
摘要
Integrated urban water management under climate change is one of the biggest challenges. On the one hand, climate change is generally linked to a runoff decrease resulting in surface water resources availability reduction, and may affect groundwater potential as well. On the other hand, water requirements in urban environments increase, as a function of the population growth and the exacerbation of the bioclimatic conditions. To address these challenges, municipalities are adopting new practices such as freshwater leakage detection (FWLD) in internal water networks. This work is presented in the frame of a research project that is implemented for three cities—Argos, Aigio, and Souli—and focuses on preliminary results from developing FWLD monitoring systems in Argos city. The project includes defining the water distribution network, developing hydraulic models, and analyzing scenarios for water requirements and system efficiency under different hydroclimatic conditions and climate change scenarios. The analysis of current and projected seasonal water requirements in relation to local conditions is also performed for each area. The design of remote-control systems for network monitoring and leakage control is also discussed. Overall, this analysis aims to provide valuable insights for rational management of local water resources and supply infrastructures.