Water Problems in Urban Areas

Let’s have a closer look at each.

Increases Extraction of Water from the Natural Sources

Tap water (the 0.0033% of the total usable water discussed above) is removed from the natural water system, namely from surface water and groundwater.

This depletes the amount of accessible and usable water that can be used as tap water, further depleting this precious resource.

Increases Runoff from Surfaces of Urban Areas

Urbanization increases the amount of impermeable surfaces (concrete, roofs, roads, sidewalks, etc.), which are surfaces that water cannot pass through. This water cannot infiltrate the ground–thus it runs off these impermeable surfaces into lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. 

During a big rainfall, urban runoff usually happens quickly and at large amounts because water is not able to infiltrate into the ground or be absorbed by vegetation.

Therefore, there is an increased chance of flooding (which is also very costly to society). Flooding conditions often cause dangerous peaks and troughs in waterborne contaminant concentrations.

Increases in runoff (peaks contaminant concentration) can stress wastewater and water treatment plants because they are not designed for such conditions. Runoff from urban areas gathers lots of unusual pollutants (e.g. gasoline on streets, trash, etc) which ends up in sewer lines and can eventually impact drinking water sources, further degrading the quality of our finite water resource.

Decreases Vegetation Coverage

Plants and soil are one way nature regulates the flow of water.

Soils allow for water to percolate back into the ground and plants absorb water from the ground through their roots and release water back into the atmosphere through a process called evapotranspiration.

Urban development usually replaces once naturally covered land with impermeable, unnatural surface conditions like roads and buildings. This decreases local vegetation cover and thus decreases evapotranspiration, which can then further increase water runoff.

Decreases Groundwater Recharge

More runoff due to increased impermeable surfaces in urban areas means less water enters the ground, this process is known as “groundwater recharge”.

Groundwater is an important source of tap water, but less groundwater recharge means less groundwater available for tap water and that such groundwater is now often more heavily concentrated with potentially harmful contaminants and pollutants.

Increases Discharges of Sewage into Surface Waters

Once the water is “used” in an urban area, it is discharged as sewage.

Often this water is discharged into an ocean, from which drinking water is expensive and difficult to retrieve back. Other times, sewage is dumped into drinking water sources.

Discharging sewage into drinking water sources like rivers and lakes means the degradation of drinking water sources for local and downstream tap water.

How Often Should You Test Your Tap Water?

Considering the impacts of the urban water cycle on the quality of your tap water, it might be time to test your tap for the first time. SimpleLab offers a variety of Tap Score testing packages for commonly detected heavy metals, pesticides, and even emerging contaminants, like PFAS.

With every Tap Score Report, you will receive everything you need to test your water in a certified laboratory.

Each Tap Score report includes a detailed, quantified breakdown of what’s found in your water, unbiased treatment recommendations tailored to your water’s unique chemistry, local water quality comparisons, and unparalleled support from their team of water quality engineers, chemists, and treatment experts.

Take a look at an example Tap Score Report here. 

For more information, you can contact the Tap Score team of water quality experts, engineers, and chemists at hello@gosimplelab.com.