Prioritization of strategies for urban water circular economy using water circularity indicator

Abstract

ABSTRACT Global water scarcity is aggravating with increasing urbanization and inappropriate urban water management. Implementing Circular Economy (CE) strategies in the water sector followed by their assessment can prove to be beneficial. Recently, the Water Circularity Indicator (WCI) has been developed to measure, monitor, improve and promote urban water circularity using the 5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reclaim, Restore). Apprehending the role and scope of each strategy is crucial while planning future water infrastructure, as each strategy has inherent advantages and limitations in application. This study aims to facilitate decision-makers with an approach to prioritize 5Rs CE strategies, which will be helpful in the efficient allocation of funds and resources related to water infrastructure. A methodology is proposed to prioritize and weigh 5Rs based on the effort required to fulfill the application of each strategy. Using weights assigned to each R, WCI is improved to WCI-2.0 and is evaluated for the region under the jurisdiction of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The results from WCI-2.0 suggest which strategy to focus on out of the 5Rs to accelerate water circularity and effective infrastructure planning. Benchmarking of WCI-2.0 and its use to propose policies supporting urban water balance has the potential to change the prospects of the water sector.