Introduction

Global warming, currently one of the most threatening issues, influences ecosystems, industries and people’s activities. One of the less discussed effects it has is manipulation of water resources and water purification system. These systems which are essential for guaranteed safe and clean water stocks are challenged by the changing environmental dynamics at this level. This article discusses the impacts of climate change on water filtration systems and going further to explain the challenges and the respective measures that are required to be taken in order to address the changing situation (Nations, 2020).

Increasing Water Contaminants Due to Extreme Weather Events

A direct effect that has been identified with climate change is effect on extreme weather conditions disturbs water filtration systems. Due to the increase in the occurrence of storms, floods and droughts, sources of water are increasingly being contaminated. Mishandled floods are believed to trans- port humongous quantities of pollutants from the urban areas, agricultural fields and industrial estates into water catchment areas. These are; pesticides, chemicals and sediments and are often too much for normal filtration systems to handle (IPCC, 2020).

Filtration plant in such areas may be faced with challenges in filtering large volumes of water at the same time dealing with enhanced concentrations of pollutants within the water. This leads to degradation of water quality and makes it possible for members of the public to be affected by diseases. After floods, systems may have to overwork just to facilitate the removal of the contaminants; this is costly in terms of energy and resources and challenges the practical capability of filtration systems.

Also, droughts are an example of a phenomenon that has a sort of opposite but similar impact as well. When water is scarce in rivers, lakes or even reservoirs there tends to be a buildup of pollutants and sediments which makes filtration even harder. Decreased water flow also poses a challenge to plants which use water for filtration and they require sophisticated systems that will address the problem of poor quality and a reduction in the amount of water (Organization, 2018).

Rising Temperatures and Algal Blooms

The other problem due to climate change is the increase in global temperatures and this shakes the water filtration systems. Harmful algal blooms in freshwater lakes and reservoirs are known to be influenced by higher temperatures in that their rates of growth will be improved. These blooms are driven by heat and nutrient enrichment which many a times accompany agricultural effluence.

Algal blooms are a big threat to water quality since they secrete neurotoxins that are fatal to human beings and other animals. Most of the conventional filtration systems are compromised during removal of these toxins and extra procedures like activated carbon filtration or advanced water treatment techniques are normally needed. All these measures result in adding to the cost and also complicating the process of water treatment (EPA, 2019).

At certain times, algae pose serious problems as they form a layer that may block filtration equipment, thus, lowering their performance level and shortening service intervals. Also, the decomposition of the algal blooms can liberate materials that are organic and can hinder the filtration process by adding to the creation of bio films on the pipes and filters. Thus, water filtration plants need to have a stronger filtration system, and due to these changes, it becomes mandatory to purchase newer technologies to overcome the problems in algal blooms.

Changes in Water Availability and Quality

Lack of clean water is a big problem throughout the world and it becomes worse where there are droughts or seasonal water shortages. Climate change worsens this problem resulting in irregularity of water sources and consequently has a direct impact on water filter systems. When natural water sources like the rivers, lakes and the ground water sources are depleted, the plant has to source water from other sources, which may not be of equal standards (NOAA, 2018).

In some areas, the brackish water or seawater for instance has become the common source of water owing to the unavailability of the freshwater. Unfortunately, desalination has its own drawbacks: the removal of salts and other materials from water involves the use of large amounts of energy. Advanced membrane filtration system used in desalination plants are costly for installation and or maintaining hence must be integrated in the plant design. Aside from electricity usage, desalination energy requirements are also sources of greenhouse gas emissions, therefore compounding the very problem of climate change.

Further, areas with highly dependent on groundwater resources, overdrawing of water can result in the concentration of contaminants like arsenic, nitrates and heavy metal. This presents a lot of difficulties before filtration systems which now have the extra task of eliminating such compounds as well as the responsibility of making sure that water is still safe for drinking (Bank, 2020).

Impact on Infrastructure and Maintenance

Water filtration plants are constructed with respect to predetermined environmental conditions For example. However, climate change is forcing transitions in these conditions at a very high rate such that some of the existing infrastructure may not be very effective. For example, increasing water levels may effect intrusion of saline waters into fresh water systems, hence requiring some adjustments in the methods of purification. While initially the plants operated solely for the purpose of removing organic contents from the water, they have to handle water salinity problems which are quite sensitive along the coastal areas.

Furthermore, severe climatic conditions affect hard structures in one way or the other by leading to repairs and re-establishment of vulnerable structures. Coastal areas are also vulnerable to storm surges and flooding hence disrupting the filtration processes causing disruptions in water supply. This is may mean that some routine check and services schedules may have to be more frequent due to the climate stresses observed. In the same regard, the sedimentation caused by soil erosion that results also in filling the filtration systems makes it even harder to work with them (Council, 2020).

The incurred cost for its maintenance and upgrade of water filtration system will continue to increase in the future due to effects of climate changes; therefore, governments and related organisations should ensure and/or develop sustainable water filtration structures and systems that will be able to withstand the harsh effects of climate changes. This involves developing effective strategies of designing appropriate structures which are capable of responding to both a higher usage of water and variation in water quality.

Solutions and Adaptation Strategies

These challenges are well understood and point to the need to develop an approach that addresses technology, public policy, as well as the public at large in a bid to address impacts of climate change to water filtration systems. The following solutions can help mitigate the effects of climate change on water filtration systems.

Advanced Filtration Technologies

Purchasing membrane filtration systems, UV treatment, and Nano filtration can be a means of enhancing the capacity of water filtration systems to meet new load requirements occasioned by climate change. These technologies provide better filtration and high efficiency rates than traditional types; thus, allow eliminating a wider range of pollutants, such as those that cause algal bloom and chemical spills (Partnership, 2019).

Sustainable Water Management Practices

It’s important that measures are placed to encourage conservation and efficient use and relatively reduced pressure for water resources and filtration. This involves public enlightenment on the use of water through resent farming methods, promotion of controlled agricultural water runoff, water conservation among others. Further, there is a need to announce policies that would focus on preservation of the natural sources of water to reduce on the effects of climate change on water quality.

Infrastructure Resilience

Therefore, to improve on the structures that are to provide for water filtration, the necessary measures to create a resilient infrastructure have to be made. This covers construction of infrastructure that can withstand Year 2000 like climate change, salinity and unstable water supply alternatives. Selection of materials to be used and the manner in which water filtration structures are put up also has to be enhanced to resist corrosion and wear in equal measure; this may help in preventing frequent maintenance of the structures by the engineers (Gleick, 2020).

Energy-Efficient Solutions

He added that as the energy needed for water filtration systems rises, relative usage of energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy resources will assist minimize carbon footprint of water filtration operations. For example, integrating desalination plants with renewable energy such as solar or wind energy eliminates the negative effects attributed to energetic processes in the desalination plants.

Real-time monitoring, with data & analytics

The adoption of Real-time monitoring as well as data analysis technologies are also useful in improving the water filtration system in responding real-time change in water quality. Sensors and analytics can help plants identify contaminant levels at the earliest and take corrective action as well as make required alterations to the filter system. By making these necessary provisions and adjustments regularly, it can be guaranteed that filtration systems shall continue to be most efficient even where some complications arising from changes in climate conditions are conspicuous (EPA, 2019).

Conclusion

You only need to think about climate change as a factor influencing the effectiveness of water filtration systems. With changes in climate, global warming, fluctuations in temperatures as well as water scarcity becoming more and more evident, the problems facing water filtration plants will not decrease; but rather will increase. Ensuring future continuity of safe and clean water supply and demand requires government and industry investment along with commitment to sustainable principles and practice, and utility of technology. Measures need to be adopted currently to mitigate the impact of climate change to the water filtration systems with a view of guaranteeing water supply for future generations (UNICEF, 2021).

References

Bank, W. (2020). Water Quality and Climate Resilience: Preparing for the Future. World Bank Publications. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org.

Council, N. R. (2020). Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater. National Academies Press. Retrieved from https://nap.nationalacademies.org.

EPA, U. E. (2019). Climate Impacts on Water Resources. EPA Research. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov.

Gleick, P. H. (2020). Water, Drought, Climate Change, and Conflict in Syria. Weather, Climate, and Society, 6(3), 331-340. DOI: 10.1175/WCAS-D-13-00059.1.

IPCC, I. P. (2020). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch.

Nations, U. (2020). Water and Climate Change: The Critical Connection. UN Water. Retrieved from https://www.unwater.org.

NOAA, N. O. (2018). The Effects of Climate Change on Water Quality. NOAA Climate Watch. Retrieved from https://www.climate.gov.

Organization, W. H. (2018). Climate Change and Health: Impact on Water Quality and Public Health. WHO Report. Retrieved from https://www.who.int.

Partnership, G. W. (2019). Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. GWP Technical Focus Paper. Retrieved from https://www.gwp.org.

UNICEF. (2021). Water and the Climate Crisis: How Climate Change Is Disrupting Water Access for Children. UNICEF Report. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org.