Water supply, urbanization and climate change

Abstract

Due to urbanization, there is a high influx of people coming from rural areas to urban and so the demand for water also increases. The higher proportion of urbanization is not occurring only in developed nations but also in developing nations. Besides economic growth, there are many environmental impacts and implications regarding urbanization on water supply and are getting worsen because of climate change. Urban water supplies consist of a grid network or reticulate system in accordance with the existing street pattern of the city. In India, the majority of the cities have an intermittent water supply. Some identified water crisis case studies were discussed in this study. The effects due to urbanization are low infiltration rate, rise in water demand, high energy consumption due to more demand of water and climate change, deterioration of water quality and decrease in groundwater level. This study also discussed the climate change impacts which are drought and flood and it has impacts on lakes and rivers. There are very few reviews which give overall glimpse of urbanization and climate change implications on water supply. This chapter discusses the detailed review of the implications of urbanization and climate change on water supply and the adaptation strategies or responses to improve water resilience in the face of climate change and urbanization.