The Influence of Deep Uncertainties in the Design and Performance of Residential Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Gabriela Cristina Ribeiro Pacheco () and Conceição de Maria Albuquerque Alves
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Gabriela Cristina Ribeiro Pacheco: University of Brasília
Conceição de Maria Albuquerque Alves: University of Brasília

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2023, vol. 37, issue 4, No 3, 1499-1517

Abstract: Abstract The Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) have been used as water conservation alternative to guarantee access to water in urban areas facing increasing demand and climate variability. However, the functioning of these systems depends on socio and economic parameters that usually are defined as constant in traditional viability analyses. The variability of these parameters is not well represented by predefined probability functions, being named in the literature as deep uncertainty factors differentiating from well-characterized uncertainties whose probability functions are known. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of uncertainties (deep and well characterized) in the performance of RWHS in three towns in the State of Goiás, Brazil (Rio Verde, Ipameri and Formosa). Technical (Satisfied Demand - SD, Reliability - REL and Rainwater Consumed - RH) and economic (Net Present Value - NPV, Net Present Value Volume - NPVV and Benefit Cost Rate - BCR) performance criteria were evaluated under a set of 1,000 states of the world comprised of climate (rainfall) and deep uncertainty factors (water tariff, discount rate and operational costs). According to selected performance criteria, the RWHS performed well in 50.01%, 46.19% and 38.01% of the scenarios in Rio Verde, Ipameri and Formosa, respectively. It was possible to illustrate the impact of the water tariff and the discount rate in the performance of RWHS in all three cities showing the need to incorporate the variability of these parameters when evaluating RWHS as alternative source of water supply in urban areas. Highlights • Deep Uncertainties had significant influence in the performance of Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) • RWHS configurations (differentiated by system demands and roof areas) perform differently when considering isolated or combined economic and technical criteria • RHWS are more likely to contribute to urban water security when evaluated as an alternative source of water supply • Households with higher levels of demand and larger roof areas are more likely to benefit from RWHS as an alternative source of water supply in future changing scenarios

Keywords: Rainwater harvesting; Deep uncertainty; Feasibility analysis; Urban water supply system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-023-03436-w

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