A Stakeholder Oriented Modelling Framework for the Early Detection of Shortage in Water Supply Systems

Abstract

Management of water supply systems under shortage conditions due to drought requires computational tools able to relate the past precipitation regime over different time scales to future water resources availability. This work proposes a modelling framework to address the occurrence of shortage for water supply systems whose resource is constituted by natural or artificial reservoirs. The proposed methodology aims at identifying "management triggers" for possible mitigation measures. Emphasis is given on the use of standardized indices to promote information sharing. The implemented tool is structured into five modules: "hydrological" module; "scenarios" module; "reservoir" module; a module for the evaluation of "indices of shortage"; and a "support to early-warning" module. The whole procedure has been applied to three Italian reservoirs. For each water body, a case specific shortage early-warning system, based on standardized precipitation indices has been identified, allowing the implementation of efficient local mitigation measures.

Integration of In Situ and Remote Sensing Measurements for the Management of Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms. A Lesson from a Strategic Multiple-Uses Reservoir (Lake Occhito, South Italy)

“…The problem is particularly stringent in drought areas with limited rainfall, such as south Italy [71]. In these zones, reservoirs are often strategic and precious resources of water [72]. One of the main threats affecting reservoirs is the proliferation of harmful cyanobacteria (HCBs), whose presence can compromise the water usages and the delivery of ecosystem services [11][12][13].…”

Method for Determining the Probability of a Lack of Water Supply to Consumers

“…Many undesirable events that may occur at any stage of water production and distribution pose a threat to the safety of water consumers. The impact of these events on consumer health varies, from harmless deterioration of organoleptic parameters to loss of health, which should be reflected in the risk analysis [12][13][14]. It should take into account all potential undesirable events, from the intake to the consumer (catchment, intake, treatment, storage, and distribution of water), which is justified and even necessary, especially in terms of increasing the health protection of water consumers.…”

“…Due to the extensiveness and complexity, the water supply network is the most emergency element of the entire WSS. Improper technical condition of the pipes and adverse hydraulic conditions may cause the formation of a biofilm, which is a sanitary threat to water consumers, intensifies microbiological corrosion, and creates operational problems [14,20]. Water supply network failures often result in a reduced or suspended water supply to consumers.…”

A Technical Note on the Application of a Water Budget Model at Regional Scale: A Water Manager’s Approach towards a Sustainable Water Resources Management

“…It is essential to implement studies with a long-term duration and a wide spatial perspective. In fact, in order to perform appropriate monitoring of water resources and in particular to intercept potential drought events in advance, it is necessary, on one hand, according to the traditional methodological approach, to determine the frequency, duration, and spatial domain over which the phenomena extend [44]; on the other hand, it must be considered that the climate processes tend to propagate through the hydrological cycle [22,24], gradually influencing the different components (i.e., precipitation, soil moisture, infiltration, groundwater recharge, and spring flows). In this regard, several authors ( [23,45] among others) argue that the propagation of the drought signal reaches the groundwater components often slowly or not at all, but when this occurs, drought produces severe and long-lasting consequences.…”