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For Sustainable Groundwater Management in Asian Citiesfrom Institute for Global Environment Strategies (IGES)

4th World Water Forum17 March 2006

IGES Freshwater Resources Management Project

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World mega-cities (over 5 million population)1950: only 8 cities in the

world

2015： 31 cities in Asia out of 58 cities

2020: 1 billion in Asia

©National Geographic, Nov. 2002

(By courtesy of Dr. Takizawa, The Univ. of Tokyo)

1950

2000

2015

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Detail Distributionof Urban Population (over 100,000)

(drawn by Dr. Ohta, Center for Sustainable Urban Regeneration,The Univ. of Tokyo)

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(Dr. Ohta, Center for Sustainable Urban Regeneration, The Univ. of Tokyo)

Distribution of Urban Population from Africa to Asia

10 million

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Mega-cities in economically developing regions in Asia-Pacific are experiencing mainly five major surges simultaneously:

-Increasing urban population,-Rapid economic growth and centralization,-Unprecedented technological development,-Social and cultural fragmentation, and -Surge of economic globalization

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Urban and peri-urban areas are faced with many kind of threatsto water resources and water environment.

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● case study cities

Sri Lanka● ●

●

●

●

●

Ho Chi Minh

Bandung

Tianjin

Bangkok

Osaka

by Freshwater ResourcesManagement Project,

Institute for Global Environment Sustainability, Japan

International Comparison Study

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Tianjin, China

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Bangkok, Thailand

Dr. Xu He and his team Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University

Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Dan,Ho Chi Min City University of Technology

Dr. Mukand Singh Babel and Ms. Niña Donna Sto. DomingoAsian Institute of Technologies

Dr. Setiawan Wangsaatmaja and his team West Java Environmental Protection Agency

Bandung, Indonesia

Colombo, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Close collaboration with various partners

9(by Mr.A.D. Sutadian)

Bandung, Indonesia

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Groundwater Problems (1) Quantity

Source: UNESCAP, 2002

Total Land Subsidence (1992-2000)

Groundwater Depletion- Water level drawdown- More difficulty in extracting

water

Land Subsidence- Damage to infrastructure- Flooding- Disturb/deteriorate drainage

systems

Bangkok, Thailand

(by courtesy of Dr.Babel, AIT)

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15%

50%

23%

12%

Industrial Water UseAgricultural Water UseDomestic Water UseEcological Water Use

Beneficial Use of GW (2002)

South part = salt water areas

50% of GW use is for agriculture

All GW use for agricultural is not counted = large different from

the actual use volume?

Groundwater Use and shortage of waterTianjin, China

(by courtesy of Dr. Xu He, Nankai Univ.)

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52

59

28

55

0 25 50 75 100

Tianjin

Bandung

Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh City

Recent Dependency on Groundwater

Ho Chi Minh City

Bangkok

Bandung

Tianjin

0 25 50 75 100 %

Groundwater has played an important role in development of cities.

Groundwater use / Total water use

(IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006)

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Tianjin

Bandung

Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh City

15

80

64

57

0 25 50 75 100

(%)

0 25 50 75 100 %

Ho Chi Minh City

Bangkok

Bandung

Tianjin

Industrial Use in Total Groundwater Abstraction

Industrial Use in Total Groundwater Abstraction

Industrial sector consumes the most groundwater in HCMC, Bangkok and Bandung.

(IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006)

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Bandung, Indonesia

Bangkok, Thailand

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

Correlations between regional GDP and groundwater use

(IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006)

Under the continuous industrialization, it is necessary to take action to change groundwater use practices in the industrial sector in Asian cities.

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0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

Dec-78 Jun-81 Dec-83 Jun-86 Dec-88 Jun-91 Dec-93 Jun-96 Dec-98 Jun-01 Dec-03

Date

Gro

undw

ater

Use

Cha

rge

(Bt/

m3 )

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

No.

of W

ells

Groundwater Use ChargeRegistered Private WellsPublic Wells

Groundwater Charge

Private Wells

Chronological changes of number of wells and groundwater use charge(Bangkok, Thailand)

(IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006)

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intensifying abstraction as population and economic growth

reduction of abstraction

introduction of control measures

increasing stress & identification of problems

reducing stress, abatement of problems, rehabilitation of aquifers

stable abstraction with control measures

strict control could cause new problems?(e.g. too much increase of groundwater level)

modest use (no stress)

intensifying abstraction as population and economic growth

reduction of abstraction

introduction of control measures

increasing stress & identification of problems

reducing stress, abatement of problems, rehabilitation of aquifers

stable abstraction with control measures

strict control could cause new problems?(e.g. too much increase of groundwater level)

modest use (no stress)

Industrial Water Supply Works as an alternative water supplier of groundwater(Osaka, Japan)

(IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006)

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Patchwork in Asia-Pacific Region on water resources- Population density- Climate (Rainfall, Temperature, ………)- Sanitary condition- Measures against disasters (Tsunami, Earthquake, Flooding,….)

Pacific Ocean

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Outputs and outreach

Summary report on Sustainable Groundwater Management in Asian Cities-Recommendations

- Situation analysis on groundwater management of case study cities

- case study report on respective cities with challenges and recommendations (by research partners)

IGES Policy Brief #4, March 2006

Posters in World Water Expo of 4thWWF

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IRES special issue Vol.6 No2, 2006

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT IN ASIAN CITIES

Groundwater management in Asian cities should be dynamic and proactive, considering not only the diversity of hydro-geological conditions but also the policy environment that keeps changing in the course of continuous urbanization and industrial development in Asian cities.

1. General Recommendations2. Recommendations for Respective Beneficial Uses3. Recommendations for Overcoming Barriers to Implementation

Site-specific solution is essential.

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1. General Recommendations

1-1. The optimal combination of different policy measures can maximize the effectiveness of groundwater management. The review and adjustment of existing policy measures is crucial in meeting the changes in the crucial-economic and environmental background of the respective cities.

1-2. Groundwater conservation should be an integral part of urban planning.

1-3. Groundwater management should be designed within the framework of a holistic urban water management policy.

1-4. Groundwater abstraction rights should be assigned to the government sector in statutory form to enable effective groundwater control.

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2. Recommendations for Respective Beneficial Uses

For the Industrial Sector

2-1. Available government resources should be allocated more to water reuse and recycling in industry.

2-2. Groundwater usage changes, wastewater treatment charges and other economic disincentives for groundwater usage can effectively control the demand for groundwater.

2-3. Governments should pay prior attention to groundwater pollution by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and take the necessary preventative measures.

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For Domestic and Commercial Sector

2-4. Groundwater abstraction by heavy users should be minimized first in places facing excessive groundwater abstraction associated with negative impacts on society.

2-5. Proper guidance on on-site wastewater treatment should be improved for conservation of groundwater quality and the reduction of health risks.

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For The Agricultural Sector

2-6. Groundwater use by the agricultural sector should be controlled to prevent possible environmental impact due to intensive exploitation.

2-7. Fertilizer inputs should be capped to reduce the nitrate contamination of groundwater.

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3. Recommendation for Overcoming Barrierto Implementation

3-1. Scientific research and monitoring should be promoted by governments and research institutes to obtain reliable information for groundwater policy-making.

3-2. An agency should be established and reinforced to direct the coordination and facilitation of groundwater policy-making and implementation.

3-3. Dialogues among relevant stakeholders should be incorporated in the policy-making and review process as tool for promoting efforts in groundwater conservation.

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GRACIAS / THANK YOU