Water Conservation and Green Infrastructure Adaptations to Reduce Water Scarcity for Residential Areas with Semi-Arid Climate: Mineral de la Reforma, Mexico

• Published in: Water (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Bigurra-Alzati, Carlos Alfredo, Ortiz-Gómez, Ruperto, Vázquez-Rodríguez, Gabriela A., López-León, Luis D., Lizárraga-Mendiola, Liliana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Adaptation; Annual rainfall; Aquifers; Arid climates; Arid zones; Blue-green infrastructure; Cities; Climate; Climate change; domestic demand; Drinking water; Floods; Hydrology; Infrastructure; Inhabitants; Interception; Mitigation; Natural resources; Neighborhoods; Population growth; Precipitation; Rain; Rain water; rainwater harvesting; Residential areas; Residential development; resilient cities; Roofing; Roofs; Semiarid climates; Stormwater management; Surface runoff; sustainable infrastructure; Urban areas; Urban drainage; Urban sprawl; Urbanization; Water conservation; Water harvesting; Water scarcity; Water shortages; Watershed management; Watersheds; Mexico
• ISSN: 2073-4441; 2073-4441
• DOI: 10.3390/w13010045

The increasing population and urban sprawl will continue to add significant pressure to natural resources in arid and semi-arid zones. This study evaluates the theoretical effectiveness of adapting resilient strategies such as water conservation and green infrastructure to mitigate the water scarcity faced by the inhabitants of a residential area with a semi-arid climate. Three scenarios were analyzed at a micro-basin level to determine the mitigation of surface runoff and the volume that can be theoretically intercepted for further use: (a) unaltered natural watershed (scenario 1), (b) currently urbanized watershed (scenario 2), and (c) watershed adapted with resilient strategies (scenario 3). For this last scenario, the annual usable volume of rainwater intercepted on the dwelling rooftops was obtained. The runoff and peak flow in the natural watershed were lower than in the other two scenarios. In contrast, a decrease in the runoff was observed in scenario 3 concerning scenario 2, which indicates that the interception of rainwater on house roofs and the adoption of green infrastructure solutions would significantly reduce the diameter of urban drainage pipes required in new developments, as well as the dependency of inhabitants on potable water services. In sites with semi-arid climates, it is possible to take advantage of the rainwater harvested on rooftops and the runoff intercepted through green infrastructure to mitigate local water scarcity problems, which should be considered and adopted in new residential developments.