As the summer temperature rises, nothing feels more refreshing than plunging into a cool swimming pool. Yet, what many people may not realize is that their backyard oasis could be contributing to water shortages in their city. Recent research suggests that the pools of the wealthy can make cities thirsty, with implications for urban water management and conservation efforts. This article will explore the findings of these studies and the impact of private pools on water resources in cities.
A new study has found that the urban water crisis is mainly driven by societal inequalities rather than environmental factors such as climate change or increasing urban populations. Researchers found that wealthy elites in urban areas overconsume water for their own personal leisure activities while underprivileged people in the city are left without basic access to water. The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, focuses on Cape Town, South Africa, where many underprivileged people live without taps or toilets and use their limited water for drinking and hygiene. Similar issues were highlighted in 80 cities worldwide, including London, Miami, Barcelona, Beijing, Tokyo, Melbourne, Istanbul, Cairo, Moscow, Bangalore, Chennai, Jakarta, Sydney, Maputo, Harare, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, and Rome.
The research was led by Dr Elisa Savelli at Uppsala University, Sweden, along with co-authors from the University of Reading, UK, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands, and the University of Manchester, UK. They used a model to analyze the domestic water use of urban residents in Cape Town to understand how different social classes consume water. They identified five social groups, ranging from ‘elite’ (people who live in spacious homes with large gardens and swimming pools) to ‘informal dwellers’ (people who tend to live in shacks at the edge of the city). Elite and upper-middle-income households make up less than 14% of Cape Town’s population but use more than half (51%) of the water consumed by the entire city. Informal households and lower-income households account for 62% of the city’s population but consume just 27% of Cape Town’s water.
The study highlights that efforts to manage water supplies in water-scarce cities mostly focus on technical solutions, such as developing more efficient water infrastructure. However, these reactive strategies, which focus on maintaining and increasing water supply, are insufficient and counterproductive, the research team suggests. Instead, a more proactive approach aimed at reducing unsustainable water consumption among elites would be more effective.
Professor Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist at the University of Reading who co-authored the study, said: “Climate change and population growth mean that water is becoming a more precious resource in big cities, but we have shown that social inequality is the biggest problem for poorer people getting access to water for their everyday needs. More than 80 big cities worldwide have suffered from water shortages due to droughts and unsustainable water use over the past 20 years, but our projections show this crisis could get worse still as the gap between the rich and the poor widens in many parts of the world. This shows the close links between social, economic, and environmental inequality. Ultimately, everyone will suffer the consequences unless we develop fairer ways to share water in cities.”
The researchers recommend proactive policies to reduce water consumption, such as introducing water taxes or restrictions on swimming pools and lawns. The study concludes that reducing the disproportionate water consumption of the wealthy could alleviate the urban water crisis, highlighting the close links between social, economic, and environmental inequality.
