Initially, they resorted to awareness campaigns and news related to the subject to find out the bases on which they were starting: “Reading some publications and data from international institutions such as the UN and the WHO, we realized that the problem was much more global and profound than what we thought. what we thought”, say the students. Then they began to search for more specific data on water consumption from various sources and to carry out measurements in their own homes.

unequal territories

To understand the water problem, it is necessary to start from the fact that not all people have the same opportunities, living conditions and level of basic services. The higher the consumption, losses and waste of water in the most central areas of the city and consolidated neighborhoods (which are also those with the highest population density), the worse the pressure and flow conditions will be in the other neighborhoods.

Produced within the framework of the Barrios Program of the Faculty of Exact Sciences, Engineering and Surveying, in the research work a differentiation of three areas of the city was made according to INDEC parameters: infrastructure, overcrowding, among others.

From the survey it emerged that the amount of water consumed by Rosario and Rosario differs according to the area. The center is the territory where it is used the most, be it for drinking, cleaning the house or watering the plants, becoming twice as much as recommended. On the other hand, it is observed that the neighborhoods of the Southwest and West of the city are the most affected. In these peripheral sectors, the amount of water consumed is significantly less than in the center, where almost twice as much is used.

"Since access to drinking water service is unequal, we understand that we cannot demand the same savings from people who have a high quality of life as from others who do not even have their basic needs covered," emphasize Lucía Pairetti and Delfina Soljan. The report proposes different volumes to save according to the area and the estimates at the city level: from this it emerges that the center, delimited by zone 1, has a greater saving capacity than the neighborhoods and the periphery.

Taking care of water is key

Becoming aware of the use we make of drinking water is the first step to achieve greater equity in the availability of this resource. Within the framework of the decrease in the level of the Paraná River and with the probability that the situation will continue in the coming months (according to different scenarios proposed by the National Water Institute), there is an urgent need to modify habits and regulations to minimize the waste.

The study reveals a series of recommendations to save water through small actions that can be carried out every day:

Take shorter showers. For example, if instead of twenty minutes they are reduced to ten, the saving is 100 liters per capita. If the indicated intake per person is 2 liters of water per day, this small action would impact in such a way that 50 people could be hydrated.

Toilet flushes also involve wasting water, especially in those that are older or that work with a valve. In these cases, it is suggested to place a bottle with water and sand inside the toilet backpack to reduce the volume of water in it.

As for the washing machine, two valid options to reduce water consumption are to minimize the number of washes per week and to use short wash cycles.

Every minute counts when it comes to an open tap, since it is estimated that every 60 seconds 6 liters of water are wasted. The solution is simple: close the faucet when we are not using it, for example, when washing teeth, hands or dishes, etc.

This last scenario is accelerated with regard to the use of hoses, where every 6 seconds that the water is allowed to run, 1 liter is wasted. The suggestion is to use devices that make it possible to cut off the water when we are not using it, but for particular cases of washing sidewalks or cars, the use of buckets is advisable. For watering plants, on the other hand, it is convenient to collect rainwater and use it for several days.

Be part of the solution

Although the research is a contribution to the water crisis that our region is going through, the problem of water scarcity is a worldwide reality that has been in force for many years and with the prospect of continuing over time.

Among the final reflections, the fact stands out that for every 1 million inhabitants who practice responsible consumption, the equivalent of a Baigorria Water Treatment Plant can be built. This is even more significant if one takes into account that the largest percentage of water used in homes is used for consumption that could be carried out with non-potable water.

“It is important that society take notice of the waste it makes regarding drinking water”, conclude the Civil Engineering students, Lucía Pairetti and Delfina Soljan. “This resource is used by the population for different purposes, but we must be clear about the most important one: consumption. Human life cannot exist without sources of safe drinking water, and these sources are few and limited. We must become aware and change habits so that the world water crisis does not continue to deepen”. In this sense, they maintain that "the first step to achieve a change in habits is to avoid ignorance about some issues that are so essential for society."

Meanwhile, the researcher Virginia Pacini reflects on the need to work collaboratively with all the actors in society: "The resolution of complex problems requires a multiplicity of perspectives, knowledge, and experiences," she closes.

Becoming aware of the condition that we are going through and how our actions affect the rest of the people and vice versa, is key to laying the foundations for a real change that contributes to the construction of a more equitable, sustainable and environmentally friendly society. .

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By Science Communication