Innovation
in urban water systems is required to address drivers
of change across natural, built, and social systems, including climate
change, economic development, and aged infrastructure. Water systems
are complex socio-technical systems that interact with biophysical
systems to supply and reclaim water. We present a vision for enhancing
urban water system resilience through a net zero urban water (NZUW)
approach, which meets the needs of a given community with a locally
available and sustainable water supply, without detriment to interconnected
systems or long-term water supply. NZUW is an integrative approach
with progressive targets assessed using a quantitative framework to
expand adaptive and responsive solutions for urban water self-sufficiency.
Decision makers can use NZUW to understand trade-offs between future
interventions to urban water systems across spatial and temporal scales.
We present the overall NZUW approach, drivers of change, applications,
and research gaps.
Recent extreme climatic events and failing infrastructure have increased awareness of the need for expanded resilience within urban water systems. Architects and engineers are more seriously considering integrating water capture and reuse technologies into projects; yet, the systems necessary to meet net zero water resilience are not currently legal for commercial use. This paper investigates the regulatory changes necessary to accommodate net zero water projects in Arizona. Institutional innovation in three critical systems-making rainwater potable, reusing water on-site, and decentralizing wastewater treatment-is needed to implement existing technology. Extrapolating from the removal of the identified barriers, this article sets forth a regulatory pathway for regenerative water design. For urban water reinvention to occur, institutional innovation will be as important as technological innovation.
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