Water, Climate Change, and Aridification

This article was recently published in the July Issue of Smart Water Magazine

Having been involved with water-related issues for more than thirty years, one of the changes I have noticed when we discuss water are the terms we use. Years ago, when it came to reducing water consumption, the term most used was “water conservation.” That stayed true until about ten years ago. Then a new term was introduced, “water efficiency.”

So, we are clear, water conservation tends to focus on short-term reductions in water consumption, for instance, during a drought. On the other hand, water efficiency refers to long-term water reductions.

In the past, water efficiency meant installing products, devices, and technologies that use less or no water compared to traditional products. Waterless urinals are a perfect example. They eliminate the need for water, making them a long-term solution to reducing water consumption.

However, today an unfamiliar word is evolving. This one puts more emphasis on climate changes in different regions around the globe and the increasing serious impact they have on water.

That word is aridification.

The term seems to have different definitions based on how, who, and where it is used. But, it means the following:

Aridification is the progression of an area that once experienced regular rainfall events with occasional droughts to one where rainfall events are fewer and further between, and the number of droughts increases and become longer. Eventually, the entire region becomes excessively and irreversibly drier and warmer than in the past. 

Aridification is different from a drought because drought is temporary. Aridification is here to stay. The result: everyone and everything that uses water is going to have less.

A perfect example of aridification is what is happening to the Colorado River in the U.S. This river, which runs from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, provides water for about forty million people. However, it has been subjected to warmer temperatures and received less snow and rainfall for two decades.

Today, it carries far less water than it did 20 years ago, with reductions averaging as much as 19 percent from 2000 to 2014. That is expected to decrease by another 20 percent by mid-century and 35 percent by the end of the century.

If this holds true, the Colorado River may only carry a fraction of the amount of water it did twenty years ago – a permanent change that will impact the lives of millions of people. *

Dealing with the Challenges of Aridification

As we mentioned aridification is a global issue. Many areas around the world are now or soon will be experiencing aridification. This means water utility companies and governments in these areas are going to have to grapple with this issue, one that may be one of the most serious – but fortunately solvable – in the 21st century.

Among the steps we will need to take are the following:

Realizing and accepting the fact that aridification is real and permanent.

Just recently, I was told of a visitor to Southern California who was surprised how much water is still being used for the outdoor irrigation of landscaping. Because Southern California is ground zero for aridification in the U.S., this tells us many citizens and businesses here are still not acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. Acknowledging the reality of aridification is the first step in addressing it.

Incorporating water efficient technologies into all new and existing building projects.

It was during the oil crisis of 1973 that many countries around the world, along with builders and designers, were forced to examine the energy use and efficiency of their buildings. What they realized is that these facilities were built to be very dependent on fossil fuels to heat them in the winter and cool them in the summer. After the oil crisis, buildings were constructed so that they used less energy and used it more efficiently.

Due to aridification, we must do the same, but this time with water. With every restroom fixture and water-using device installed in a facility, we must ensure that it is the most water efficient system available. This will encourage more manufacturers to improve the water efficiency of their products. This is still not at the top of the agenda for many facility managers, builders, and designers, but with aridification, it must be.

Expanding water recycling and reuse programs.

This is the practice of reclaiming water from a variety of sources, treating it, and reusing it for beneficial purposes. This could be for vegetation or human consumption. Some areas of the world have extensive recycling and reuse programs in place, but far too many have few or none. Making matters worse, it is often in these areas that aridification is most acute. To ensure water security around the globe and deal with the many challenges aridification poses, water reuse programs are necessary, and for those countries that already have them, they must be expanded.

 Finally, desalination programs must be expanded.

One of the first countries to successfully use desalination technology, as far back as 1938, was Saudi Arabia. Historically, the concerns about desalination plants are that they are costly to build, operate, and often require enormous amounts of petroleum to operate, negatively impacting the environment and sustainability. Today, those costs are coming down and green power alternatives are being used to power these plants. This is making desalination technology more viable around the world.

We started our discussion about how the terms used to discuss water-related issues have been changing. But one thing that has not changed in all these years is the fact that we should be able to address our water challenges, including those caused by aridification. Technology is on our side. We just must put it to use.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif. Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues. He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com.  

•  Udall, B. and Overpeck, J. (2017), The twenty-first century Colorado River hot drought and implications for the future, Water Resour. Res., 53, 2404– 2418, doi:10.1002/2016WR019638. 

Waterless Co., Inc: Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency