Sustainable water (sw): a new method for water governance

Abstract

Assuming that the degradation of the water can be objectively measurable, so like its improve of the quality, this work presents a new concept and method that allows the creation of economic tools to water management, it is called Sustainable Water (SW). The simplicity and power this method is based on the calculation of the volume of water necessary to dilute a given mass of contaminant down to the drinking water standard or any other more restrictive ecotoxicological standard. The SW method relies on the principle originally established Grey Water Footprint concept (HOEKSTRA, 2009). Initial application was realized in the Watershed of River Jaguari, the choice of the area was due to large industrialization and urbanization, it contributed to pressure on water resources. The contaminants selected to the calculations of SW are associated with pollutants that can reach surface water and stay it until the dilution, they are BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), Nitrate and Phosphorus. The results showed that there is a surplus load of pollution on the river and the river is incapable of dilute it.