Automatic control to save water in the Northwest of Mexico

The efficient use of water is important in the development of any country. To maintain an ecological behaviour to water saving in any region is necesary install automatic controls system (ACS). The northwest of Mexico, where they are located cities in Sonora as Caborca, Hermosillo, Santa Ana and San Luis Rio Colorado (SLRC) and Mexicali in Baja California, are desertic areas that require water for domestic, industrial and agricultural activities. For this reason, we propose the use of ACS to save water with electronic devices at low costs. This study was performed from 2005 to 2009 to support to people in the cities mentioned above. People of SLRC and Mexicali, is concerned because water levels will be decrease in the next five years by the covering of the All American Canal, that isa source to this region. When people use polluted water as water recycled of agricultural operations to domestic activities generate stomach and respiratory infections. The reduction of water in underground aquifers (UA) in this region, damage the soil and generate enviromentals deteriored and droughts that affect the agricultural and economic operations.

Keywords. Water saving, ACS, environmentals deteriored, desertic areas.

Introduction

Experts in the field of water protection, think that water shortages in some countries have a negative effect in the health of people [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that more than half the world population is victim of water scarcity, which has contributed to climate change in some regions and the generation and propagationof of actual and new diseases [2]. In Mexico some regions has by water shortages and decrease the productivity in agricultural, commercial and industrial operations. The northwest of Mexico is prone to suffer the negative effects of water scarcity [3]. Specialists in this area, consider that the developing of environmental policies and engineering support are good methods to contribute to save water. With water scarcity, decrease the productivity of food vegetables, legumes, fruits, wheat, corn and food for animals that produce food ti people, increase the costs of its, generating economic problems [4]. According to a report of the Comision Nacional del Agua in Mexico (CNA), in this region, water decreased, and declined in UA and wells in the last 20 years and about of 12,000 hectares was damaged and are infertile zones to agricultural activities and to be used for people. Water of this All American Canal comes from the northern of United States, in Wyoming, and is a source to SLRC and Mexicali cities and valleys. This has been reducing the commercial and industrial operations in the last five years.

1.1 Water for life. Water is the key to the survival of life, and is essential for the viability and development of any civilization, in order to respond to the requirements and basic needs of communities. Some difficulties have been analyzed and proposed solutions for the provision of water to small and large populations to agricultural and industrial activities [5]. In the last 30 years water has been scarciting and is not enough to supply to people. A whole range of actions has been important factors to avoid the damage in sources of water used in human activities [6].

1.2 Ecological use of water. Is very important approach the water resource adequality, involving to public and private institutions and the people. Is very significant that government agencies, universities and public and private institutions know about it problem, and make new activities to present and future periods to ensure the sources of water [7]. Is necessary protect our environment to ensure to the present and future generations the sufficient food and water, that are the most important tasks to any society [8].

1.3 Domestic consumption. Many houses in developed countries consume alrededy of 1500 liters of water at week [9]. At the same time more than 1,700 million people not have access to this water. The WHO considers an ideal consumption of 100 liters per day [2]. Two thirds of Mexico have water shortages, while in other zones exist excessive use of this resource [4]. This inequal distribution, generate serious environmental problems, originating climate change and economic and social lack of balance.

1.4 Irrigation programs. Whit low productivity of water, the negative effects are the salinization, desertification and erosion [6]. This result in infertile soils that immediately leads to food shortages that are a serious problematic situation in the world with a population, that growth very fasrt around 90 million people per year. According to the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) since 1950, the water consumption increase at three times in the world. While the consumption was increased in 50% in the last 50 years, the sources have less levels of water. In the agricultural activities water is used at 70%, in industrial plants at 20% and only 10% to people. Today, a quarter of the world's countries have insufficient water in both cases: quantity and quality, by the inappropriate use, increasinge the risks of health in the population, principally of stomach and respiratory infections [7]. Some studies estimate that 80% of all illnesses and 33% of deaths in developing countries are related to the inadequate quality water. According to the United Nations (UN) mentioned in a study called "four of five endemic diseases in developing countries are caused by dirty water or lack of health facilities", health of people is down every day. The WHO reported that water scarcity is responsible for three quarters of the 49 million of deaths that occur on the world each year, and 2500 world half-million people suffer from diseases associated with water pollution and lack of hygiene, indicating a strong correlation between the failure and quality of the resource and the occurrence of diseases [3].

1.5 Water scarcity and global economy. Simultaneously with the environmental degradation, the economic conditions of the population in most developing countries have stagnated or decayed with the reduction of water [8]. While in the 60's, water was enough to cities and towns, in the 21th century, populations were immigrated to new regions by water scarcity. This produces problems in the economy and social factors. At this time, developed countries, with 20% of world population, poor countries have the 80% of population that around 60% have water shortages. Currently, more than one billion people live below the poverty line, with a dollar at day [10]. The reconfiguration process involves a strong economy and continued polarization in the distribution of water to have good life and avoid economic problems. Will it be possible to have life of high quality and can control the natural resources of this world?,

Methodology

The method used in this study was a examination of use of water in the cities mentioned above and propose the use of ACS to save water, to be used in agricultural, industrial, commercial and domestic activities. The analysis has four steps:

a). Sonora-Baja California analysis in the use of water. According to the CNA of Sonora and Baja California, some areas of this region have an inapropiate use of water and estimates that can extend the problematic situation of lack of water in the next five years. For reason this public institution consider that is very important this study.

b). Covering of All American Canal and the negative effects in SLRC and Mexicali. It is of great concern, knowing that the precipitation of water into the subsoil and therefore in some parts of the valley of SLRC and Mexicali will reduce the water levels andis necessary to care water and decrease the food production.

c) Microscopic soil evaluation. Evaluation of different areas of this region, where was applied and nor used the ACS, with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in various areas of the cities evaluated. d). Manufacture the ACS. In some areas of SLRC and Mexicali, is estimated that about in five years, will be a reduction of up to 80% of the water soruces. For this reason is important use this electronic equipment to save water, at low cost with an efficiency of 100%, tested for five years in the cities.

2.1 Proposed water conservation. In this study, there is a proposal of the use of ACS, which operates with solar energy, at low cost (around $50 dlls) and maintains the high levels of the sources of water. The first step involved an analysis of polluted water by solid residues in the cities evaluated with values of 43% in Mexicali, 39% in SLRC, 28% in Hermosillo, 21% in Caborca and 11% in Santa Ana. The second step was developed to manufacture an ACS andt he third step to probe the operation of the ACS.

2.2. Analysis in domextic activities. The ACS was probed in domestic activitieswith an efficiency of 100% in the five years of the study. There were some tests to develop with the 100% of efiency of ACS (Figure 1), such as:

•Evaluation of water consumption in agricultural, commercial, domestic and industrial activities.

•Use a methodology for developing the ACS to promote the environmental awareness.

•Analysis of electronic devices with an efficient design at low cost.

•Proposal to be applied in domestic and educational activities to experimental testings.

Figure 1. Steps of operation of the ACS to save water.

Figure 2. ACS equipment

The ACS for water saving consists of four parts that generate the process of the operation: (a) with a power supply that generates the necessary energy to activate (b) the electronic devices (Integrated Circuits, IC) and activated, according to a timer device with the (c) electronic components to control the operation, and generated by electrical actuators. Automatic IC timer programmed is good to use to this activity, but is very expensive and not easy to program, only by specialists. Finally we have the signal indicators on and off, controlled by a device that identifies the periods in which automated equipment is activated and not activated. With this automatic system ensures a savings of approximately 80% of water in domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural activities in the cities mentioned above from 2005 to 2009.

Results

The ACS contributed to saving water for five years in the Sonora-Baja California region,. This prevents water shortages, as they are proven to perform an ecological awareness in the society of this zone of Mexico. Table 1 shows percentages of efficiency of use or not of ACS from 2000 to 2009, indicating the ncesity of use the ACS that probed a saving process of water at 55% aproximality. The water saving percentage was 55% in Caborca wit a population in 2009 of 300,000 and Santa Ana with 50.000, while in Hermosillo was at 50% with 1.000, 000 residents and 45% in San Luis Rio Colorado with a population of 350,000 and Mexicali with 1.000, 000 [11]. These populations required the use of ACS, which decreased by use of water in order of average of 50%. The populations of Santa Ana and Caborca have good environmental awareness of water consumption. Water supply varies depending on the activities in each city in this arid region, where the consumption was evaluated in domestic activities, increase the water saving. Table 2 represents the use of water in industrial activities, where the consumption was high. Table 3 indicates the use of water in agricultural operations,that is the second activity that consume a lot quantities of water, lessthan industrial and more than commercial and domestic areas. In all tables show in Santa Ana, Sonora, that is a small city, their population in the domestic use of water was with very conscious of appropriate use, and the cities Caborca and Hermosillo in the same environmental awareness. The cities of SLRC and Mexicali were the cities where people have inadequate use of water. Water consumption is a bit higher than diagnosed by WHO for use right, which is 1000 m3 per week on average for each person. The values were obtained by a process of study and statistical estimation in the five cities evaluated, and 50 colonies in each city, with data from 2005 to 2009.

Table 1. Consumption of water (%, m3) in domestic activities with ACS (*) and without ACS(**).

+ July periodo of análisis (at high temperatures).

Table 2. Consumption of water (%, m3) in industrial activities with ACS (*) and without ACS(**).

+ July periodo of análisis (at high temperatures).

Table 3. Consumption of water (%, m3) in agricultural activities with ACS (*) and without ACS(**).

+ July periodo of análisis (at high temperatures).

Table 4. Consumption of water (%, m3) in comercial activities with ACS (*) and without ACS(**).

+ July periodo of análisis (at high temperatures).

Tables 1, 2 3 and 4 showing the differences of the use and not use of ACS, the great consumption of water with out the ACS from 200o to 2004 and from 2005 to 2009, the water saving using the ACS. The approach in the consumption of water is very important to have hig quality of life. In figures 3 and 4, we can observe the porcentual analysis with ACS and without ACS, showing in the figure 3 the levels of approachaing from 30% to 70% witout use the ACS and the figure 4, from 35% to 85%, using the ACS.

Figure 4. Consumption of water (%) without the ACS.

Figure 4. Consumption of water (%) with the ACS

3.1 SEM evaluation. The advantage to use the ACS for saving water allowed having more fertile soils in agricultural, green areas in industrial, commercial anddomestic zones and reduces at low percentage the high temperatures in summer. We can see that when not use the ACS, can damage the soil cracking (Figure 5), and change with the use of ACS observed in the figure 6, that remains wet the soil and this require less water to irrigate.

Figure 5. Microphotography (100µm) of soil before use the ACS

Figure 6. Microphotography (100µm) of soil after six months using the ACS.

3.2 Numerical analysis. This analysis was made to know the relation between the enviromental concientization and the use of water (liters / week by person) in each city. Mexicali was the city with more use of hidraulic resources with more than 2500, that was the highest value, follows by San Luis with a range of 2000 to 2500, then Hermosillo with 1500 to 2000, Caborca with 1000 to 1500 and Santa Ana with 500 to 1000. As Mexicali is a big city with around 800,000 people and San Luis with 300,000 were cities with people with low good behaviour to care water. Hermosillo with 800,000people, Caborca with 100,000 and Santa Ana with 50,000 were the cities with high enviromental concientization to care the water (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Analysis of water consumption by people in each city (2005-2009).

Conclusions

The water saving systems are very important in the care of water. It must be realized in the use of water because it is a nonrenewable resource, and in certain regions of the world have the problem of water scarcity. It begins to have serious social problems, and could be a possible cause of a war between countries, by the vital fluid. The water in Mexicali is consumed with a great lack of awareness, in some activities such as irrigation in fertile zones and green areas.There were two important reasons to develop this study:

•Create an enciromental assessment in the use of water, in cities evaluated and principally in SLRC and Mexicali, where will be problems in the next years for the covering of tha All American Canal.

•The design and the cost of ACS is very accessible.

Bibliography

1. Arévalo Germán; Conciencia en el uso del recurso hidráulico del siglo XXI; Editorial Trillas, 2000.

2. World Heatlh Organization, WHO; Use of water in the World, 2004.

3. Romero A. & González R.. Efectos del revestimiento del Canal All American en los valles de San Luis y Mexicali, XX, 2005.

4. Sánchez P., Páez A. & Flores R., Evaluación zonas de cultivo sustentables y el uso adecuado del agua, Editorial Panamericana, 2006.

5. Rueda S. & Domínguez B., Niveles de concientización del uso adecuado del agua, Editorial Trillas, 2002.

6. Beltrán H. & Leyva C., Deterioro del suelo por el mal uso del agua, Editorial Oceánica, 2001.

7. Herrera Martín & Sánchez Raúl; Uso de la electrónica con sistemas solares para el cuidado del agua y medio ambiente; Editorial Panamericana; 1998.

8. Soriano Gonzalo, Torres Armando & Zamudio Joaquín; Aspectos para el cuidado del uso del agua y la economía de cada región mundial; Editorial McGraw-Hill;1996.

9. Zarate Oscar; Uso básico de dispositivos electrónicos en la industria; Editorial Oceánica; 2000.

10. La economía y el desarrollo sustentable, Editorial Oceánica.

11. Consejo Nacional de Población (CONAPO), Sonora y Baja California, 2009.

Autor:

Gustavo Lopez Badillaa1 C1

Daniel Espinoza Gonzaleza2,

Arturo Nuneza2

a1Researcher-Academic of Engineering, Environment and Materials Academy

CETYS UNIVERSIDAD, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Calz. CETYS s/n Col. Rivera, Mexicali, B.C. México C.P. 21259

UNIVER, Plantel Oriente, Calzada Manuel Gomez Morin No. 2000,

Col. Rancho la Bodega Mexicali, Baja California, 21379, Mexico.

a2Students of Industrial Engineering, UNIVER, Plantel Oriente,

Calzada Manuel Gomez Morin No. 2000

Col. Rancho la Bodega Mexicali, Baja California, 21379, Mexico

Armando Gutierrez Oropezaa3,

Rogelio Hernández Martineza4,

Maria G. Torres Enríqueza4. a3Researcher-Academic of Center for Science and Technology High School

(CECYTE), Santa Ana, Sonora, 84600, Mexico.

a4AStudents of Center for Science and Technology High School

(CECYTE), Santa Ana, Sonora, 84600, Mexico. c1