18 Sustainable Water Resources and Water Treatment in Haiti (Posters) (GSA Hydrogeology Division)

Wednesday, 20 March 2013
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
San Cristobal Ballroom

USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO MANAGE RISK OF WATER STRESS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE (HAITI)

Paper number: 18-3
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The uncontrolled growth of population allows observing in different regions of the world, since the last decade, a mismatch between available water resources and the needs of the population. Based on this observation, hydrologists have introduced the concept of water stress, which is considered as an indicator of economic development. Information reported in the literature showed that countries which have less is below 1700 cubic meters/year of water per inhabitant, are in water stress situation. With 1000 cubic meters/year, those countries have important problems of economical development. In this context, it seems that several countries, including Haiti, according to population growth are not merely facing a shortage, but tend to settle in a complete lack of 2025.

The Republic of Haiti has a P/W between 1200 and 1400 cubic meters per person. With the potential of renewable water resources estimated at between 12 and 14 billion cubic meters per year, and unevenly divided over the surface of the country, Haiti is already facing a major drought stress. The metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince (MAPP), the largest urban center in the country, finds it difficult to take the drinking water needs of its population. Taking into account economic and environmental dimensions of natural resources in the analysis of choice for the development of MAPP, can eventually lead to the establishment of an information system to better understand the problem of scarcity water due to human activities and the lack of policy planning. The objective of this paper is to analyze, in the light of environmental accounting techniques, urban and environmental risks associated with water scarcity in the MAPP.