Abstract

LOPEZ-VAZQUEZ, Carlos M.; BRJANOVIC, Damir; HOOIJMANS, Christine M.  and  GONZALEZ DIAZ, Orestes A.. Use of secondary quality water for urban sanitation in Cuban conditions. RIHA [online]. 2013, vol.34, n.3, pp. 86-94. ISSN 1680-0338.

Water shortage is increasingly becoming a problem in many coastal cities in both low and high-income countries (with about 60% of world population). Due to rapid urbanization and climate change, traditional (fresh water transfer, rainwater harvesting) and advanced solutions (sea water desalination) become insufficient, non cost-effective and environmentally unsustainable to match the ever growing water demand. Direct use of seawater for toilet flushing, and other non-potable uses, is often forgotten, easily rejected and traditionally perceived as troublesome due to corrosion issues and the requirement for a dual system. However, the benefits are often overlooked and, in general, not well-studied and documented despite its potential and as a means towards sustainable water cycle management, opening a new paradigm towards the use of saline water as secondary quality water in urban environments.

Keywords : saline water; urban environments; water resources management; sustainability.

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