Operacija se izvaja v okviru Operativnega programa razvoja človeških virov za obdobje 2007-2013, razvojne prioritete 3 : »Razvoj človeških virov in
vseživljenjskega učenja«; prednostne usmeritve 3.3 »Kakovost, konkurenčnost in odzivnost visokega šolstva«.
24
Figure 1: Present water use
This water management system, while providing for the needs of settlements in terms of water and
protection, causes high cost, which only part of the global population can afford, and has other
substantial limitations, comprising the following list:
Water utilities have to produce much more potable water than is really needed
Water infrastructure is inflexible due to
its high cost
It thus has problems to adjust to changing conditions, e.g. climate, population, user
behaviour, security issues or technology
Which means that independently of cost, inefficient technologies are perpetuated, under
the impression that changes would be too expensive but often
to serve private interests
The direct evacuation of stormwater has a negative impact on floods and ground water
recharge
Sealing of surfaces and evapo-transpiration reduction lead to higher local temperatures, i.e.
urban heat islands
Which in turn lead to more energy demand for cooling and more particulate matter form
surrounding agricultural land through convection currents
Quality of life is ultimately reduced through this kind of water management
Operacija se izvaja v okviru Operativnega programa razvoja človeških virov za obdobje 2007-2013, razvojne prioritete 3 : »Razvoj človeških virov in
vseživljenjskega učenja«; prednostne usmeritve 3.3 »Kakovost, konkurenčnost in odzivnost visokega šolstva«.
25
Given this list of shortcomings it can be expected that the way we manage water contributes to the
high footprint we presently have. The list of problems can be turned around
and transformed into a
list of assets. Thus real estate prices immediately respond positively to an open water surface in
the close vicinity, which can be a stormwater storage basin or a wetland for greywater treatment,
attractively designed.
Inverting the list would lead to a higher diversity of systems to achieve more flexibility and
adjustability. Various water sources would be used for different purposes and water would be
retained in cities, to become apparent, a visible part of urban life, both human and non-human.
This would ultimately have to introduce a new water paradigm.
Now high diversity in the kind of systems, and in their size, is a characteristic of nature itself. The
natural water cycle is a very good example reaching from global exchanges to water transport
within the cellule using a variety of mechanisms and all imaginable intermediary scales. Which
other systems can lead to a better understanding of the challenge ahead and potential solutions?
The challenge is clearly an ecological footprint equal to or below what can be supported by the
biosphere and the globe in general over a long period, i.e. sustainability. It can also be postulated
that in a finite environment substances, which are released into that environment are coming
around. There is no such thing as final disposal. For substances released there is only planned or
unplanned reuse.
2
Methods
The search for a new water paradigm can start with nature. Nature on earth, the entire biosphere,
has had a development time of roughly 4.5 billion years. Most of the questions we ask, have
already found several answers during this time and the answers are tested and proven (Benyus).
Humans certainly also had their share in developing appropriate answers. In the search for a new
approach to water, which other human experiences could be helpful, was one question to ask. And
what approach to adopt to develop and test a new paradigm?
The study of changes in other sectors was one basis for the work. The energy sector undergoes a
revolution. From centralised, large systems and heavy infrastructure for the exchange of energy
over long distances it is progressively transformed into a localised, smart but still interconnected
Operacija se izvaja v okviru Operativnega programa razvoja človeških virov za obdobje 2007-2013, razvojne prioritete 3 : »Razvoj človeških virov in
vseživljenjskega učenja«; prednostne usmeritve 3.3 »Kakovost, konkurenčnost in odzivnost visokega šolstva«.
26
set of highly varying entities. Solid waste is another such example. Collecting all waste together,
as is done for wastewater, and then trying to turn it into a resource has proven to allow but the
crudest forms of reuse. Any more sophisticated use of waste materials needs a different approach.
The water sector itself, far from being homogeneous, offers good practice examples, e.g. with
sustainable solutions for developing countries or those developed in industry through the cleaner
production approach.
The energy sector looked at houses and developed passive and than plus energy houses. What
would a water passive house look like or a plus water house, a house actually producing more
clean water than its inhabitants used?
Figure 2: Percentage of sewage components of European households
Another approach was to learn through pilot implementations of own and other initiatives. The
work was carried out in a “project spiral” repeatedly comprising the following steps (see figure 3)
Development of a theoretical approach
Screening of
technology
Development of tools for implementation and operation, i.e. design tools, decision making
processes, regulations
Evaluation and planning of the next cycle