Optimizing Household Water Decisions for Managing Intermittent Water Supply in Mexico City

Area of Science:

• Urban water management
• Household water security

Background:

• One billion people globally face intermittent water supply (IWS), necessitating household investments in storage and multiple water sources.
• Household decisions on water purchasing and infrastructure are critical for water access under IWS conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine optimal household water management strategies for maximizing water supply reliability and minimizing costs for households experiencing IWS.
• To analyze the impact of storage infrastructure and multiple water sources on water access in Mexico City.

Main Methods:

• Utilized radial basis function networks, a type of artificial neural network, to model household water management decisions.
• Incorporated data from household interviews and analyzed the use of municipal piped water, trucked water, and rainwater.

Main Results:

• Installing household storage tanks of at least 2500 L significantly enhances water supply reliability for IWS households.
• Scheduling water deliveries on nonconsecutive days reduces overall water supply costs for households with limited storage.
• Rainwater harvesting systems are economically viable for households with restricted water access.

Conclusions:

• Household water management strategies, including storage and diverse sources, are crucial for improving water access in cities with IWS.
• The study highlights the importance of considering integrated water source management and household infrastructure investments.