Case Study of the Day: Water Management in Zaragoza

Zaragoza is a city in northeastern Spain with a population of over 700,000 people. The city is located in a semi-arid region, and water scarcity has been a problem for many years. In the early 2000s, the city was facing a water crisis, with water consumption exceeding the available supply.

Problem

• Insufficient rainfall: The city’s water supply was largely dependent on the Ebro River, which is a seasonal river that flows through the region. In years with low rainfall, the river’s flow would decrease, leading to water shortages in Zaragoza.
• Excessive water use by city inhabitants: City’s residents were using too much water. The average water consumption in Zaragoza was around 180 liters per capita per day, which is much higher than the recommended level of 100 liters per capita per day.
• Lack of effective water management: The city’s water management system was also inefficient. There was a lack of metering, which made it difficult to track water usage. In addition, there was no incentive for residents to conserve water.

Solution

The city of Zaragoza took a number of steps to address the water crisis. These included:

• Increasing the efficiency of the water supply system
• Promoting water conservation among residents
• Raising awareness of the importance of water conservation

The city also implemented a number of financial measures to encourage water conservation. For example, residents who reduced their water consumption by a certain amount were given a discount on their water bill.

Results

The water conservation measures in Zaragoza were very successful. The city’s water consumption decreased by almost 30% in the first 15 years after the start of the initiatives. In 2019, the city’s total water consumption was 58.65 Mm3, which is significantly lower than the peak consumption of 60.95 Mm3 in 2010.

The water conservation measures in Zaragoza also had a positive impact on neighboring cities in Spain. For example, the city of Huesca, which is located about 100 kilometres from Zaragoza, also implemented water conservation measures and saw a decrease in its water consumption.

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