Simulation of infrastructure options for urban water management in two urban catchments in Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

Urban areas are currently experiencing rapid growth, which brings with it increases in the population, the expansion of impervious surfaces, and an overall jump in the environmental and hydrological impact. To mitigate such an impact, different strategies proposed to tackle this problem often vary; for example, stormwater tanks, the reuse of wastewater and grey water, the installation of equipment to reduce water consumption, and education-based approaches. Consequently, this article presents the simulation and evaluation of implementing infrastructure options (stormwater harvesting, reuse of industrial waters, water-saving technology in residential sectors, and reuse of water from washing machines) for managing urban water in two urban catchments (Fucha and Tunjuelo) in Bogotá, Colombia, over three periods: baseline, 10 years, and 20 years. The simulation was performed using the software Urban Volume Quality (UVQ) and revealed a possible reduction in drinking water consumption of up to 47% for the Fucha Catchment and 40% for the Tunjuelo Catchment; with respect to wastewater, the reduction was up to 20% for the Fucha Catchment and 25% for the Tunjuelo Catchment. Lastly, two scenarios were evaluated in terms of potential savings related to water supply and sewage fees. The implementation of strategies 3 and 6 insofar as these two strategies impacted the hydric resources. Therefore, there would be a significant reduction in contaminant loads and notable economic benefits attributable to implementing these strategies.