THIRSTY CITIES ATLAS
THIRSTY CITIES
The research results in a THIRSTY CITY ATLAS. An analyses and overview of water
THIRSTY CITIES is a research project initiated by Suzanne Loen.
After analysing the freshwater supply challenges of several water stressed cities typologies are projected and tested on their potential for meeting current and future urban freshwater demand.
I am a landscape researcher and consultant with an expertise on research, design and strategies for green healthy cities and heritage landscapes and a special focus on water systems.
supply typologies from an integrated landscape architectural and hydrological point of view.
From 2015-2016 I studied the water system of the industrial kampungs in Bandung Indonesia in a collaborative design research project ‘Welcome to the Fashion Village’ funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and Dutch Fund for Creative Industries. In Bandung I looked at the relation between thirst and flood. Due to excessive groundwater extraction, for both domestic use and the textile industries, these live and work environments of the urban poor have become more and more subject to water shortages, land subsidence, landslides and flooding.
e world. Even within Asia, Indonesia has been e world. Even within Asia, Indonesia been ween 1970-2010 4,1 percent) followedhas by China ween 1970-2010 4,1 in percent) followed byurban China rbanized countries the world with an rbanized in the worldand withsprawling an urban and ndonesiacountries are de-concentrating ndonesia are de-concentrating sprawling and still considered as two separateand urban areas the still considered asas two separate urbanterritory: areas the etimes considered one large urban etimes considered as one largewhen urban o reaching a mega-city status it territory: grows to a oea. reaching a mega-city status when it grows to a ea.
Alarmed but fascinated by the subject of the growing thirst of cities I initiated THIRSTY CITIES, with the intention of building a body of knowledge on freshwater supply systems and insights how cities deal and have dealt with freshwater supply challenges throughout the course of history. Currently I am looking for collaborations and platforms to develop this project. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.
NDUSTRIAL WATER CONSUMPTION
roundwater extraction and landsubsidence Most textile producing regions in emerging conomies, like Indonesia, still lack adequate asic urban infrastructure like piped water, ewersystems and water treatment plants. specially in the peri-urban context, where most factories are located this infrastructure is sually completely absent. Industries, but also wellers, are therefore ‘forced’ to resort to usually egal extraction of groundwater to meet their ater demand. The amounts of water extracted y the textile industry is becoming increasingly ecoming problematic. and more they BandungMore Metropolitan Areaput a train on the urban water supply.
Bandung Metropolitan Area • Area: 3.392 km2 • Area: 3.392 km2
• thePopulation: 8,2inmillion or instance in city of Cimahi the Bandung • aPopulation: 8,2/km million Density: iver Basin, with very high2.325 concentration • Density: 2.325tables /km have f textile factories, groundwater eclined withBandung 100 meters from 1980 (when the City extile boom really took of) till 2005. From 1920 till Bandung • Area: City 167,67 km2 980 the watertable ‘only’ declined with 4 meters. • Area: 167,672,6 km2 Population: million everal studies have shown a strong correlation • Population: 2,6 million Density: 15.000/km2 etween excessive groundwater extraction, • Density: 15.000/km2 eclining watertables and landsubsidence the textile industry area’s. Some location the Bandung Basin have experienced land ubsidence, with an average rate of about –7.6 m/year and can go up to about –23 cm/year in ertain locations. Landuse change, the conversion
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THIRSTY CITIES
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Growth volume of groundwater abstraction in millions m3 Registered groundwater extraction in Greater Bandung from deep acquifers (-40-250 m. below surface)
Suzanne Loen THIRSTY CITIES
HOW THE THIRST FOR WATER SHAPED AND STILL SHAPES OUR CITIES
2004
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An investigation into the landscape architecture of objects, artefacts, structures and systems for freshwater supply and their potential for water stressed cities
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Cimahi declining groundwater tables Cimahi is a city in Greater Bandung with a high concentration of textile factories 8
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THIRSTY CITIES
WATER SECURE CITIES
(SHARED) WATER HERITAGE
An investigation into the landscape architecture of objects, artefacts, structures and systems for freshwater supply and their potential for water stressed cities
Cities and their hinterland, industries and farmers, are in constant competition to meet their water demand.
Meeting water demand for human activities has been a challenge throughout the course of civilisation.
Especially in cities that are developing at a very fast rate, like in Asia, excessive groundwater abstractions, unsustainable water diversion, land subsidence and severe industrial pollution of the surface water are just a few of the freshwater supply related problems. The numbers for freshwater supply are worrying.
In areas where water was or is scarce ingenious ancient rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge systems can be found. The scale of these systems is divers ranging from small objects like individual wells and ponds for storage to extensive canal- and irrigation systems. Their landscape architectural appearance, shape and expression ranges from adjusted natural depressions to sophisticated architecture like the Venetian wellheads covering the underground cisterns and the ancient Indian stepwell water temples.
The thirst of metropolitan areas and their hinterland is posing a major threat to the liveability in and around cities throughout the world. The numbers for growing freshwater demand and declining supply are alarming. Whither in Asia or the America’s, when an urban population doubles the water demand grows by sixfold, inevitably leading to some degree of regional water stress. This is not a current phenomenon. The quest for freshwater has always been a strong driver behind the development or decline of settlements and has led to the development of smart systems like the rainwater catchment squares with underground filtered cisterns in Venice which were in use from the 9th until the 19th century.
For example China houses 20% of the world population with only 6% of the worlds freshwater supply. In only ten years China’s urban population will grow from 50% to 60% and it’s water demand will grow with it. To meet demand China is now building China’s South-North Water Transfer Project – the world’s largest engineering project. It will eventually pump 45 billion cubic metres of water each year from the Yangtze to the Yellow River to feed the cities and coal fields of northern and western China, which are running out of water. The amount of water diverted every year will be equivalent to a second Yellow River.
Shared water heritage in former Dutch colonies are of special interest. To cope with water demand due to explosive growth of population in cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Medan and Surabaya piped water, reservoirs and water treatment plants were installed. An overview of water supply heritage from a landscape architectural point of view, wither colonial or not, can help understand our past and current water issues.
Analysing the relation between the spatial and local hydrological dimension of freshwater supply systems will provide us with much needed knowledge to develop integrated freshwater supply systems to secure our growing water demand.
Image: Implementation of the Venetian filtered cistern in a European fortified settlement.
Image: China’s largest waterdiversion project to secure Beijing watersupply.
Image: Baori at Nahragardh fort. Stepwells were built to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability