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Tracing urban drinking water sources: global state of the art and insights from an IAEA-Coordinated Research Project
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  • Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo,
  • Lucia Ortega,
  • Polona Vreca,
  • Žagar Klara,
  • Shrestha S,
  • Kgotlaebonywe C,
  • Esquivel-Hernández G,
  • Christian Birkel,
  • Giovanny Mosquera,
  • Patricio Crespo,
  • Dario Zhiña,
  • Aurel Persoiu,
  • Feher R,
  • Artur Ionescu,
  • Bijay Shakya,
  • Malla R,
  • Bissassa M,
  • Bellarbi M,
  • Qurtobi M,
  • Prasanta Sanyal,
  • * Ajay,
  • Kebede S,
  • Gabe Bowen,
  • Jean-Francois Helie,
  • Daniele Pinti,
  • Florent Barbecot,
  • Shrestha Sadhana,
  • Marchesi M,
  • Jared van Rooyen,
  • Jodie Miller
Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo
The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Lucia Ortega
International Atomic Energy Agency Isotope Hydrology Section
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Polona Vreca
Institut Jozef Stefan Knjiznica
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Žagar Klara
Institut Jozef Stefan Knjiznica
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Shrestha S
The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Kgotlaebonywe C
The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Esquivel-Hernández G
Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
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Christian Birkel
Universidad de Costa Rica Escuela de Geografia
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Giovanny Mosquera
Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru
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Patricio Crespo
Universidad de Cuenca
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Dario Zhiña
Universidad de Cuenca
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Aurel Persoiu
Academia Romana Institutul de Speologie Emil Racovita
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Feher R
Universitatea de Vest din Timisoara Departamentul de Geografie
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Artur Ionescu
Universitatea Babes-Bolyai Facultatea de Stiinta si Ingineria Mediului
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Bijay Shakya
Center of Research for Environment Energy and Water
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Malla R
Center of Research for Environment Energy and Water
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Bissassa M
Functional Ecology and Environmental Engineering Faculty of Science and Technology Fez
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Bellarbi M
CNESTEN
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Qurtobi M
CNESTEN
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Prasanta Sanyal
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata
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* Ajay
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata
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Kebede S
University of KwaZulu-Natal School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Gabe Bowen
The University of Utah Department of Geology and Geophysics
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Jean-Francois Helie
Universite du Quebec a Montreal Departement des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphere
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Daniele Pinti
Universite du Quebec a Montreal Departement des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphere
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Florent Barbecot
Universite du Quebec a Montreal Departement des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphere
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Shrestha Sadhana
Center of Research for Environment Energy and Water
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Marchesi M
Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
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Jared van Rooyen
Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag
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Jodie Miller
International Atomic Energy Agency Isotope Hydrology Section
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Abstract

Climate change, inter-annual precipitation variability, recurrent droughts, and flash flooding, coupled with increasing water needs, are shaping the co-evolution of socioeconomic and cultural assemblages, water laws and regulations, and equitable drinking water access and allocation worldwide. Recognizing the need for mitigation strategies for drinking water availability in urban areas, the Isotope Hydrology Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated a state-of-the-art global assessment to evaluate water sources and distribution of drinking water supply in urban centers, an initiative entitled “Use of Isotope Techniques for the Evaluation of Water Sources for Domestic Supply in Urban Areas (2018-2023)”. Here, we report on a) current research trends for studying urban drinking water systems during the last two decades and b) the development, testing, and integration of new methodologies, aiming for a better assessment, mapping, and management of water resources used for drinking water supply in urban settings. Selected examples of water isotope applications (Canada, USA, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Morocco, Botswana, Romania, Slovenia, India, and Nepal) provide context to the insights and recommendations reported and highlight the versatility of water isotopes to underpin seasonal and temporal variations across various environmental and climate scenarios. The study revealed that urban areas depend on a large spectrum of water recharge across mountain ranges, extensive local groundwater extraction, and water transfer from nearby or distant river basins. The latter is reflected in the spatial isotope snapshot variability. High-resolution monitoring (hourly and sub-hourly) isotope sampling revealed large diurnal variations in the wet tropics (Costa Rica) (up to 1.5‰ in δ 18O) and more uniform diurnal variations in urban centers fed by groundwater sources (0.08 ‰ in δ 18O) ([Ljubljana](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=f5a20a2e9138d638&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWIKR6-DvBtjaWqFYRhn6VgnegOa8kg:1717189104058&q=Ljubljana&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLQz9U3SMrNNXnEaMwt8PLHPWEprUlrTl5jVOHiCs7IL3fNK8ksqRQS42KDsnikuLjgmngWsXL6ZJUm5WQl5iUCAAFa64FOAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjMrrz047iGAxWyG9AFHSVwCBgQzIcDKAB6BAgTEAE), Slovenia). Similarly, while d-excess was fairly close to the global mean value (+10 ‰) across all urban centers (10-15‰), reservoir-based drinking water systems show significantly lower values (up to ~ -20 ‰) (Arlington, TX, USA and Gaborone, Botswana), as a result of strong evapoconcentration processes. δ 18O time series and depth-integrated sampling highlighted the influence of the catchment damping ratio in the ultimate intake water composition. By introducing new, traceable spatial and temporal tools that span from the water source to the end-user and are linked to the engineered and socio-economic structure of the water distribution system, governmental, regional, or community-based water operators and practitioners could enhance drinking water treatment strategies (including more accurate surface water blending estimations) and improve urban water management and conservation plans in the light of global warming.
09 Jun 2024Submitted to Hydrological Processes
12 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
17 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Sep 20241st Revision Received
28 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
28 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
28 Sep 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Accept