Abstract

LAHOR-SILLERICO, Jazmín et al. Rainwater harvesting potential and its impact on water management and risk reduction in the city of La Paz. RevActaNova. [online]. 2025, vol.12, n.1, pp.19-28.  Epub Mar 31, 2025. ISSN 1683-0789.  https://doi.org/10.35319/acta-nova.202535.

The city of La Paz is facing increasing pressure on its potable water supply and stormwater disposal systems, exacerbated by uncontrolled urban expansion and the increased frequency of extreme weather events. This study evaluates, from a theoretical perspective, the potential for rooftop rainwater harvesting as a complementary water management and risk reduction strategy. Using satellite imagery and precipitation data, a theoretical rainwater harvesting potential was estimated under ideal conditions (uniform distribution of rainfall in macrodistricts, homogeneous roof characteristics, and no losses due to runoff, evaporation, filtration, or overflows) of 13.4 million m3 year-1 for the city; and approximately 11.4 million m3 year-1 if losses of up to 15% are considered. This volume potentially represents up to 52% of the total capacity of the dams currently supplying La Paz. In economic terms, potential savings of over 24 million Bs year-1 are estimated, with direct benefits for households, which could facilitate investment in home storage systems. In addition, the proposed system's capacity to mitigate urban runoff during heavy rainfall is analyzed. The results suggest that urban rainwater harvesting is a viable alternative aligned with urban climate resilience principles.

Keywords : Rainwater harvesting; water management; risk management; resilience.

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