Agroaldea
Among the measures, implement technologies to prevent water leakage, improve the efficiency of irrigation and water harvesting sea or artificial groundwater recharge.
A research project commissioned by Canaragua in 2014 and directed by José Jaime Sadhwani, Director of Sustainability of the ULPGC, base is strategy document presented at the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.
Water is a limited resource whose availability, beyond natural resources, It depends on the technological capacity. Now we are in the highlight of the current water plan and we need to exploit the situation, resumió Sadhwani.
The researcher warned of the risks of over-exploitation of water resources a demand that tends to grow in all sectors except agriculture, It remains constant.
Given this situation and in order to preserve natural resources, coming from the surface and groundwaters, and they are conditioned by low and erratic rainfall in Gran Canaria (punctual but intense phenomena), It has opted for unconventional, desalination plants and sewage treatment plants, which do not depend on weather conditions, but they involve a higher cost in terms of production and energy consumption.
The study proposes the implementation of two technologies, called microsectorización dynamics and remote reading, to reduce water unregistered, this is, the difference between the supply system and registration on the meters of customers.
Sadhwani explained that the microsectorización allows leak detection system in a short time interval and counting them, which would allow water to recover quickly. The average estimated savings would be 15%, although in some municipalities the percentage could rise to 29%.
Improve the efficiency of irrigation is another of the objectives set out in the document. The study highlights the need for more sustainable management of irrigation communities by controlling consumption, the calculation of water needs, endowments irrigation and crop advice.
Also advocates reduce energy costs, conducting audits, analyzing historical consumption to optimize performance or negotiating with companies rates, and implementing technological improvements in facilities. With all that, It estimated that irrigation communities could save up to 6,5% water consumption 2027.
In order to increase resources, The document suggests improvements in the uptake of seawater, controlling water salinity and improving conversion rate one desalination plants 0,5%.
Sadhwani considera more effective so-called beach wells (polls sea water intake) that open sockets, “They are generating greater biofouling and have performance problems”. Gran Canaria has today 20 desalination of seawater and other 118 treatment brackish groundwater. “We must establish a protocol for monitoring wells and transfer to plants”, holds.
The Sustainability of the ULPGC has also been proposed as a solution artificial recharge by injecting treated water (with a degree of utilization 30% in the scenario envisaged in the original investigation for 2015 and 60% in 2027) or recovery of runoff discharged into the sea (with use of 4% in 2015 and 8% in 2027).
these actions “would increase the availability and improve the quality of groundwater”, ha apuntado Sadhwani, you mentioned as examples of successful experiences cases of California, Arizona, Australia or Spain, the Llobregat Delta and Upper Guadiana.
According to the analysis published by Acuorum, with the four measures described water deficit be reduced 2027 of the 58,5 hectometres year alos provided 27,6, which means a reduction of 53%.
Acuorum, foundation established in Las Palmas in March 2015, has presented Wednesday the first issue of its magazine AcuaMag, It is including this study prepared in cooperation with companies and Suez Canaragua WaterEurope, the University of Las Palmas (ULPGC) and the Cabildo, through the Island Water Council.
energy efficiency and renewables
In addition to the proposals with a direct impact on reducing the water deficit, The study includes other approaches aimed at improving efficiency and waste management. Like this, in line with the objectives of energy savings embodied in the document Europe 2020, Acuorum commitment to conducting energy audits in wastewater treatment plants to undertake a series of actions that result in reduced 29% consumption and 31% in electricity costs.
Sadhwani has stressed that water-energy pair is crucial in this model of sustainable development and, thus, calls for the generation of electricity through turbines and renewable energy installations. The study includes an economic estimates made from data provided by the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands to the conclusion that Gran Canaria has a production potential “very high” plants for the implementation of renewable energy generation, especially wind and solar, but also small hydro.