We all know water is a vital part of our world and an extremely important resource to humans and other living species. Although many areas have an abundant source of water, there are issues and problems water faces. Water itself doe not create many issues but other environments and species that depend on water has to deal with water-related stresses. Over the years many water-related stresses stem from natural disasters, climate change, and potential global warming. Some of the largest water-related stresses are in urban areas, like cities. Many of these issues develop from water management and many cities, now a day, have looked toward a greener way of managing their water system. “Worldwide, urban water managers are grappling with the challenge of managing water resources more sustainably. Numerous commentators have highlighted significant social and technological barriers to the uptake of new approaches and some are calling for a major sociotechnical transition in urban water management.”
Across the country there is a growing recognition that cities and regions need to find new, more sustainable approaches to urban water management. Many cities are still operating within the traditional “big pipes in, big pipes out” management system, however this model is now not widely accepted and addresses current and future sustainability changes. Australia recently has found an interest in new water systems and finding a greener way to manage water not only in their cities but their country as well. They have found a new concept for a hybrid solar water purification and photovoltaic system. “The purified water and power (PWAP) receiver comprises two devices fully integrates into a single unit, using two functionally discrete sub-modules. These two sub-modules can be assembled in to different physical arrangements: (a) one inside the other, whereby the encapsulated photovoltaic cells are embedded into the photo-catalytic reactor; or (b) one above the other, whereby the photovoltaic cells are attached to the photo-catalytic reactor by means of a common encapsulation.” Although I struggle to understand what this means, I know that Australia and other urban cities, like Philadelphia, has spent lots of time and money to make better water systems, preventing the old systems from creating stress upon the water. “In this hybrid system, it has to be remarked that the photovoltaic power output is reduced to the benefit of the water purification process, as only part of the spectrum is used for photovoltaic conversion due to the selective absorption in the different materials.” Hopefully this new water system can be used in other cities in the United States. Not only does it save energy and make the cities system better overall but also it lowers the risks systems have that impact the stress on water. When you have a domino effect, like a bad water system that causes stresses upon water it doesn’t help when you’re also dealing with a changing climate. The one water stress that is difficult to prevent is natural disasters, however one can hope that with a new water system, it won’t be affected like it would if it were old.
As climate change as been a big water-related stress, water systems and scientist are finding ways to lower the stress. Hopefully these issues can be solved before stresses upon water start to affect the mechanisms that depend on water.
Brown, Rebekah, and Nina Keath. "Drawing on social theory for transitioning to sustainable urban water management: turning the institutional super-tanker." Australian Journal of Water Resources 12.2 (2008): 73+. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.
Vivar, M., I. Skryabin, V. Everett, and A. Blakers. "A Concept for a Hybrid Solar Water Purification and Photovoltaic System." Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 94.10 (2010): 1772-782. EBSCO Host. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.
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