미국 경제사회국(UNDESA)의 2006년 인재개발보고서에 따르면 전 세계 인구의 1/5 수준인 약 12만 명이 물이 부족한 지역에 거주하고 있는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 지리정보시스템(GIS)은 수질과 물 관리를 평가하는 것을 포함한 수자원 솔루션을 수립하는 데 비판적인 도구로써 작용한다.

미국 Sentinel 대학교의 GIS 프로그램 의장인 Stephen A. McElroy 박사는 “UNDESA는 2025년까지 약 18억 명의 사람들이 물이 절대적으로 부족한 지역에 거주하게 될 것이라고 설명했다”고 언급하며 “세계 인구의 2/3이 이러한 물 부족 상황에 놓이게 될 것으로 예측되므로, 더욱 효과적으로 수자원 관리의 모든 면을 관리해야 하는 것은 사회적인 책무이다”라고 말했다.

 

 

 

According to the U.S. Department of Economic and Social Affairs' (UNDESA) 2006 Human Development Report, nearly 1.2 billion people -- approximately one-fifth of the world's population -- reside in areas where water is insufficient. As such, geographic information systems (GIS) are a critical tool for establishing water resource solutions, which include assessing water quality and management.

 

 "The UNDESA states that by 2025, some 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity," said Stephen A. McElroy, Ph.D., GIS program chair at American Sentinel University. "There is a social responsibility to become more efficient stewards of all aspects of water resource management, as two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to be under these stress conditions.

 

 "Topics such as rate structures, allocation, consumption, conservation, water harvesting, runoff capture, recharge rates, and storage options have all come under increased scrutiny," he said. "The diversity of water inputs and outputs requires a systematic means of managing water resources, and GIS data provides the mechanism for addressing all aspects of the water management scenario."

 

 

 The spatial location of water infrastructure assets is the starting point. Geospatial professionals with advanced GIS expertise are at the forefront of the water management industry because the ability to manage the infrastructure is predicated on knowing what is where -- from freshwater reservoirs and detention recharge basins to wastewater treatment facilities, water and sewer lines and local points of service, McElroy said.

 

 Water utility companies can manage, share and utilize spatial data through the use of an effective enterprise GIS system. This implementation addresses all aspects of the water delivery, treatment, recharge, and management process. "Enterprise GIS offers a single authoritative data source for all water-related infrastructure and resources that allows for integrated data analysis to monitor climate impacts, determine seasonal surpluses or deficits and manage supply and demand based on historical trends," noted McElroy.

 

 

 Wastewater is a growing concern as water supplies become scarcer. Ongoing developments in the application of the smart grid technology to the water industry include the placement of flow monitors, valve sensors and remote meter readers to quickly pinpoint areas of seepage, water loss or unexpected consumption spikes. The geographic coordinates of all of these sensors allow field crews to isolate the spatial location of the problem.

 

 Repairs are efficiently addressed when crews can plot and monitor water mains and water pipes, which reduce the amount of water that has been wasted. "Plot drainage and a city can collect runoff water, redirecting it to constructive use. Modeling can also shed light on how runoff affects groundwater recharging -- an important factor in availability when needed," McElroy said.

 

 Accordingly, he points out that rather than seeking alternative water sources, GIS can be used more effectively to estimate impervious surface areas to calculate appropriate stormwater runoff tax rates or to identify properties with large lawns that could benefit from a conversion to low water use xeriscaping.

 

 McElroy noted that municipal building codes requiring runoff detention basins adjacent to commercial parking lots or zoning codes that allow for residential rooftop water harvesting are simple strategies to utilize existing water resources more efficiently. "When water supplies get scarce, people will want to know where every drop is, so expect more communities, cities, counties, states, and countries to more actively use GIS to manage their water resources and usage patterns," he explained.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2014년 10월 14일]