International Industrial Ecology Day 2021

Energy cost of centralized and decentralized water supply: Assessment of energy embodied in water metabolic flows of two cities in Gyeonggi, Korea

Abstract

Korea’s water supply system mainly adopts centralized, hard-path options such as inter-basin transfer and reservoirs. While continuous development and expansion of water supply networks have improved water access of the country, Korea also faces challenges with regard to its network maintenance and resilience to intensified variability in precipitation patterns. This is particularly the case of Gyeonggi Province, the most populous province surrounding the capital that relies on a large-scale water abstraction infrastructure. Among the cities in Gyeonggi Province, Suwon is reported to having the highest water risk in terms of its vulnerability to climate change, and Paju is estimated to experience a shortage of domestic and industrial water by 2025. To explore efficient water management options for these two cities, this study first evaluates the pattern of water metabolism and then energy embodied in these water metabolic flows. By focusing on energy embodied in water flows, we particularly aim to delineate energy cost of supplying water through centralized water infrastructure versus decentralized options such as rainwater harvesting, greywater use, and the use of treated wastewater. The study will help policy decision-makers to identify energy-efficient water supply options for water-scarce cities, and present examples to expand urban metabolism framework considering water-energy nexus.

Author(s)

Name Affiliation
Yiseul Hong Graduate School of Energy and Environment, Korea University
Jooyoung Park Seoul National University

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