Urban water insecurity drivers in the Brazilian semi-arid region

Abstract

The imbalance between water supply and demand highlights the vulnerability of many people and the prospect of an uncertain future for water supply. This work aims to compare the Urban Water Security Index (UWSI) with three other methodologies (percentage flow duration curve, Urban Water Sustainability Indicator, and accumulated data from the Drought Monitor) for the municipality of Guarabira, Paraíba, Brazil. The results show water security based on the amount of water in the study area. However, there is a need for proposals for assessing urban water security to be based on local sustainability. Water-sensitive planning is the solution to maintaining and conserving natural resources for future generations in the face of impacts, particularly climate change and population growth. The methodology applied in this work can contribute to the investigation of probable and specific causes of water insecurity and gives evidence of improvement in the concept of water security based on the urban metabolism of water. HIGHLIGHTS Small cities in the Brazilian semi-arid region present different and peculiar drivers for water insecurity.; The results (using a study case) suggest a close look at water availability, demand, and sustainability.; Even a very well-developed water security index designed for a country faces problems of scale or can mask some local realities and issues.;

Keywords

• brazilian semi-arid
• flow duration curve
• scale issues
• urban water security index
• water supply