Hydro-socio-economic implications for water management strategies: the case of Roussillon coastal aquifer

In many Mediterranean coastal areas, agriculture, drinking water supply, tourism and industry strongly depend on the available groundwater resources. As a result of the significant economic development during the last three decades along the coast, abstractions from coastal aquifers have increased tremendously, frequently leading to overexploitation and saltwater intrusion. Geological, hydrogeological and socio-economical studies as a multidisciplinary approach on a coastal Mediterranean aquifer- the Roussillon - have been carried out in order to design effective water management strategies on areas sensitive to seawater intrusion risk. Geology provides geometry and architecture of the different aquifers, hydrogeology assess the seawater intrusion risk while socio-economic study includes consulting the stakeholders with the aim of suggesting water management and policy option acceptable to the majority of population. This paper then highlights the economic interests at stake, diversity of viewpoints expressed by stakeholders and political dimension of the issue, which are likely to be encountered for all similar situations on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.GESTION DE L'EAU;STRATEGIE;HYDROGEOLOGIE;SOCIOLOGIE;ECONOMIE;MER MEDITERRANEE;ROUSSILLON

A pluridisciplinary methodology for intregrated management of coastal aquifer - Geological, hydrogeological and economic studies of the Roussillon aquifer (Pyrénées-Orientales, France)

In order to study Mediterranean coastal water management, a pluridisciplinarity approach is developed. Reservoir geology and some of its tools, used in oil prospecting, are applied to build a detailed sedimentary model. The analysis of depositional environments and sedimentary process allows the correlation of pre-existing data (outcrop, borehole, and seismic profile) using Genetic stratigraphy (onshore domain) and seismic stratigraphy (offshore domain). The interpretation results in a better knowledge of the sedimentary geometries following correlations between onshore and offshore domains. It is thus possible to differentiate the coastal groundwater aquifers precisely and to establish their relative connections. At the same time, hydrogeological investigations such as hydrochemistry and geophysical prospecting allow us to elaborate the hydrogeological conceptual model of the case studies. Variable-density flow and solute transport simulations constitute the hydrogeological work. Experimental economy constitutes the third part of this integrated methodology. It assesses the effectiveness of institutional arrangements to cope with aquifer overexploitation. Feed-back from these three fields of research will also authenticate our methodology. This approach applied on Roussillon basin (South-west of French Mediterranean coastline) could be exported to many other coastal area

Hydro-socio-economic implications for water management strategies: the case of Roussillon coastal aquifer

In many Mediterranean coastal areas, agriculture, drinking water supply, tourism and industry strongly depend on the available groundwater resources. As a result of the significant economic development during the last three decades along the coast, abstractions from coastal aquifers have increased tremendously, frequently leading to overexploitation and saltwater intrusion. Geological, hydrogeological and socio-economical studies as a multidisciplinary approach on a coastal Mediterranean aquifer- the Roussillon - have been carried out in order to design effective water management strategies on areas sensitive to seawater intrusion risk. Geology provides geometry and architecture of the different aquifers, hydrogeology assess the seawater intrusion risk while socio-economic study includes consulting the stakeholders with the aim of suggesting water management and policy option acceptable to the majority of population. This paper then highlights the economic interests at stake, diversity of viewpoints expressed by stakeholders and political dimension of the issue, which are likely to be encountered for all similar situations on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea

The development of private bore-wells as independent water supplies: challenges for water utilities in France and Australia

International audienceIn developed countries, a number of factors are leading a growing number of households to drill private boreholes as independent water supplies. This chapter describes this phenomenon based on two case studies conducted in Southern France and Western Australia. It shows that, while the development of private wells was encouraged by the authorities in Perth, it is a major source of environmental, public health, economic and social concern for French water utilities. Household's motivations to develop independent supply are then investigated. We finaly discuss how water utilities need to adapt their management practices (setting tariffs, demand forecasting and resource protection) to take into account this phenomenon

Controlling Groundwater Exploitation Through Economic Instruments: Current Practices, Challenges and Innovative Approaches

Groundwater can be considered as a common-pool resource, is often overexploited and, as a result, there are growing management pressures. This chapter starts with a broad presentation of the range of economic instruments that can be used for groundwater management, considering current practices and innovative approaches inspired from the literature on Common Pool Resources management. It then goes on with a detailed presentation of groundwater allocation policies implemented in France, the High Plains aquifer in the USA, and Chile. The chapter concludes with a discussion of social and political difficulties associated with implementing economic instruments for groundwater management

Disentangling the complexity of groundwater dependent social-ecological systems

Groundwater resources are part of larger social-ecological systems. In this chapter, we review the various dimensions of these complex systems in order to uncover the diversity of elements at stake in the evolution of an aquifer and the loci for possible actions to control its dynamics. Two case studies illustrate how the state of an aquifer is embedded in a web of biophysical and sociopolitical processes. We propose here a holistic view through an IGM-scape that describes the various possible pathways of evolution for a groundwater related social-ecological system. Then we describe the elements of this IGM-scape starting with physical entities and processes, including relations with surface water and quality issues. Interactions with society bring an additional layer of considerations, including decisions on groundwater abstraction, land use changes and even energy related choices. Finally we point out the policy levers for groundwater management and their possible consequences for an aquifer, taking into account the complexity of pathways opened by these levers

Des compteurs d'eau communicants : mirage ou avenir pour une économie de la ressource en eau ? Le cas des services de télé-relève proposés aux ménages. Etude de cas sur une commune de Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole

Le travail présenté ici étudie l'opportunité de déployer un service de télé-relève à l'échelle de l'abonné : cette nouvelle fonctionnalité permet-elle aux abonnés de réagir rapidement aux fuites éventuelles ? Au-delà, modifie-t-elle -durablement ou non- leur comportement de consommation ? Cette étude, centrée ici sur l'abonné domestique (le ménage), s'inscrit dans deux actions de recherche complémentaires : le programme de recherche et développement initié par Montpellier Agglomération (devenue depuis le 1er janvier 2015 Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole) sur l'eau/l'hydraulique « télé-relevé Eco-Cité » (PRD4) et une action de recherche conduite par l'Irstea pour le compte de l'ONEMA « Cibler, mettre en oeuvre et évaluer la lutte contre les pertes des réseaux d'eau potable dans le but de préserver la ressource en eau » (Eddy Renaud et al., 2014)

CARE-S Outils informatique pour la décision de réhabilitation des réseaux d'assainissement. WP5 impacts socio-économiques des stratégies de réhabilitation. Tache 5.1: critères socio économiques d'impact de la rehabilitation

[Departement_IRSTEA]RE [TR1_IRSTEA]GES / USAGESKnowledge and assessment of social and economic external costs can be useful for assisting decision-making in sewer network rehabilitation. External impacts of both failures and rehabilitation works are relevant criteria. Understanding of public perception and tolerance towards failures or works are needed for external communication and public participation. These are the topics addressed by work package 5 socio-economic impacts of rehabilitation strategies in project CARE-S Computer Aided Rehabilitation of Sewer systems, supported by the European Commission under the 5th Framework Program. This report focuses on the definition and assessment of criteria representing social costs due to sewer network failures, to be considered in a multi-criteria procedure for rehabilitation projects ranking.La connaissance et l'évaluation des coûts externes sociaux et économiques peuvent être utiles pour aider à la prise de décision en matière de réhabilitation des réseaux d'assainissement. Les impacts externes des défaillances d'une part, des travaux de réhabilitation d'autre part, constituent des critères pertinents à ce titre. Par ailleurs, il est nécessaire de comprendre la perception par le public et sa tolérance vis-à-vis des défaillances comme des travaux, pour permettre la communication avec le public et sa participation. Ce sont là les aspects abordés dans le « work package » 5, sur les impacts socio-économiques des stratégies de réhabilitation, du projet CARE-S Computer Aided Rehabilitation of Sewer systems, soutenu par la Commission Européenne au titre du 5ème Programme Cadre de Recherche et Développement. Ce rapport se focalise sur la définition et l'évaluation de critères représentant les coûts sociaux engendrés par les défaillances des réseaux d'assainissement, critères destinés à être utilisés dans une procédure multi-critère de classement de priorité entre projets de réhabilitation

Etude et synthèse de résines positives sensibles aux électrons et aux rayons X utilisées dans les procédés de microlithographie

In order to enhance the sensitivity of positive resists, two directions of research have been followed : — the first one concerns the incorporation of fluorine atoms into poly(alkylmethacrylate) ester chain of different length and structure, — in the second one concerns poly(alkyl α-cyanoacrylates). The lithographic characteristics of the different resists under electron and X ray radiations are given here.En vue d'améliorer la sensibilité des résines positives deux directions de recherche ont été poursuivies : — l'une a trait aux poly(méthacrylates d'alcoyle) fluorés sur la chaîne ester avec des structures et des longueurs de chaînes différentes, — l'autre a trait aux poly(α-cyanoacrylates d'alcoyle). Les caractéristiques lithographiques des différentes résines synthétisées et exposées à l'action d'un rayonnement (électrons et RX) font l'objet de ce travail

Etude et synthèse de résines positives sensibles aux électrons et aux rayons X utilisées dans les procédés de microlithographie

En vue d'améliorer la sensibilité des résines positives deux directions de recherche ont été poursuivies : — l'une a trait aux poly(méthacrylates d'alcoyle) fluorés sur la chaîne ester avec des structures et des longueurs de chaînes différentes, — l'autre a trait aux poly(α-cyanoacrylates d'alcoyle). Les caractéristiques lithographiques des différentes résines synthétisées et exposées à l'action d'un rayonnement (électrons et RX) font l'objet de ce travail