Impact statement
Objectives
To reduce the uncertainty of long-term climate, hydrological and population increase predictions to calculate water availability under different climate change scenarios and water consumption habits in diverse social sectors.
To propose strategies for water resources management in the Tomebamba river basin that include nature-based solutions.
To propose strategies that reduce water consumption in residential areas in Cuenca through a pilot plan that aims to understand water consumption habits in three neighborhoods supplied by the Tomebamba river basin.
SWACH is formed by researchers from the Civil Engineering, Hydraulics and Geotecnics Department at KU Leuven, Belgium; TRACES research group at Universidad del Azuay, iDRHiCA department at Universidad de Cuenca and the institution that provides drinking water to Cuenca ETAPA EP.
Network
SWACH is formed by researchers from the Civil Engineering, Hydraulics and Geotecnics Department at KU Leuven, Belgium; TRACES research group at Universidad del Azuay, iDRHiCA department at Universidad de Cuenca and the institution that provides drinking water to Cuenca ETAPA EP.
Project Development
PHASE 1
During the first phase of the project, we aim to determine the changes in water availability in the period 2025-2050. This includes quantification of precipitation, temperature, and discharge projections under climate change scenarios together with the prognosis of the evolution in water demand of the city of Cuenca.
PHASE 2
During the second phase the project, we will focus on the design and testing of water management solutions applying integrated modelling approaches that yield the most effective, economic and feasible strategies. In addition, we will test solutions for reducing drinking water consumption as a pilot project in a sector of the city of Cuenca.
STUDY AREA
The study area is the Tomebamba river basin, which is one of the main water sources to supply drinking water to Cuenca city, located in Southern Ecuador at 2600 m a.s.l.
Cuenca is a middle-size city (~ 600 000 inhabitants), the third largest city in Ecuador, recognized for being pioneer in water resource management. SWACH is the achievement of important efforts to monitor and study water resources in the Southern Ecuadorian Andes, during the last decade.
Three neighbourhoods in Cuenca (Villanueva, La Prensa and Casa para todos) were selected for the Pilot Phase. The objective is to understand water consumption habits through surveys, which are currently ongoing during May and June 2023. More than 200 surveys will allow the understanding of patterns and habits from these sectors. As noted in the image, all over Cuenca there are households with a consumption above 30 m³ per month.
