Study of water footprint and reuse potential of treated waste water for urban greens: a case of Lucknow

Abstract

The concept of greening the cities is being adopted worldwide to achieve carbon neutrality and to gain numerous other benefits such as recreation, temperature control, emotional and physical well-being, ground water recharge, etc. But, to sustain the greens, there is need of high-water requirement. Therefore, the development of urban greens and water conservation acts as a juxtaposition that needs to be efficiently manage for sustainable development. India experiences water scarcity to an extent that 76 million people don’t have access to safe drinking water. This water crisis is observed due to a combination of climate change and inefficient water use, leading to uncertain precipitation rates, ground water depletion, and calamities like droughts and floods. So, the research tries to investigate a sustainable method by which we can keep the city of Lucknow green all year round while minimizing the inevitable conflict with blue water requirement when there is no rain The thesis aims to neutralize the water footprint of urban greens by initially analyzing the direct water footprint of urban greens within the study area (using remote sensingbased method) for effective water management strategies and solutions. Later, proposing a paradigm shift to treated waste water for offsetting the water demand of urban greens and promote sustainable circular economy. It was observed that most of the urban greens are dependent on ground water sources through borewells which further escalate the level of ground water extraction. Therefore, the potential of treated waste water systems for urban greens was analyzed through comparative and cost benefit analysis via 4 scenarios development in two most vulnerable zones of the city. Thus, the research aims to formulate a successful business model for sustainable water management with respect to urban greens of Lucknow, which is beneficial for both users and the providers i.e., ULBs. It also suggests probable funding sources, implementation framework, action plan and other possible recommendations for neutralizing water footprint pertaining to urban green spaces. This consequently helps reduce pressure on blue water sources in the purview of greening the cities, which is good for human health and well-being!