Urban Water Supply: From Safe and Reliable to Green and Healthy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Urban water supply systems have traditionally focused on ensuring safe and reliable water delivery to support public health and urban development. This paradigm, built on centralized treatment and disinfection, has effectively controlled microbial risks but is increasingly challenged by concerns over chemical exposure, ecological impacts, and long-term sustainability. Consequently, urban water supply is undergoing a transition from a safety-oriented framework toward a green and healthy paradigm that emphasizes reduced chemical dependence, preservation of natural water characteristics, and enhanced system resilience. This transformation calls for rethinking both technological pathways and system integration. Nature-based processes and membrane-based separations are emerging as key approaches to support this shift. Overall, the evolution toward green and healthy water supply reflects an advancing move toward adaptive, integrated, and sustainability-oriented urban water management.
Source: Global Environment Science
Authors: Hesong Wang, Heng Liang
Institution: Harbin Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7127996874
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: