Water Resources Management in Visitor Attractions - FIT4USE Water Recirculation Technology

Introduction

A significant environmental problem in city zoos is excessive water consumption leading to excessive wastewater treatment needs and impacts on surrounding surface water via runoff. Zoos consume a large amount of drinking water, which is associated with high operating costs. Moreover, zoos face particular challenges at times of water shortage, e.g., the recent drought in the EU, and are not designed with water resilience in mind.

Project Overview

LIFE4ZOO meets two challenges of suboptimal water use and low resilience to water shortages that are faced by zoos. It takes a structured and integrated approach to water management that supports local reuse cycles multiple times, lowers both wastewater treatment demand and surface water risks, and buffers water supply in engineered wetlands.

Design Concept

The project is highly site-specific but built from an overarching central design concept and toolbox of unit processes. The design is based on a diagnosis of opportunities for water reuse and how these cascades within the zoo environment. Its use of nature-based solutions (NBS) and the integration of renewable energy reduces both energy demand and fossil carbon footprint for zoo water supply and treatment.

Climate Resilience

The buffering and multiple cycles of water use vastly improve the climate change resilience of the zoos. WaterSave+ will be prototyped and demonstrated at two zoos in different climatic zones.

Additional Benefits

In addition, there are wider benefits including:

• Improvements for animal welfare (water availability)
• Community well-being through the creation of green lungs in urban heat islands in the centers of EU cities

The location of this project at visitor attractions will be used to create a significant impact on the environmental education of the public.

Wider Importance

This project has wider importance as many zoos use water in a suboptimal way and are particularly vulnerable to changes in water supply, especially if sudden, like the recent drought. LIFE4ZOO will also engage with these sectors so they can benefit from lessons learned as well.