LAUSR

Abstract The overexploitation of available water resources across the planet has increased pressure on these limited resources to a critical level, so water has been shifted into the “take-make-use-dispose” linear model. The use of rainwater, a non-conventional water resource, as an approach could promote the alternative model of Circular Economy (CE). Over the past few decades, due to the consecutive droughts, the problem of water scarcity in Iran has reached to the point that its catastrophic effects are visible in the lives of the people. Consequently, the need for sustainable approaches such as rainwater management has gained increasing urgency in order to cover the massive gap between the demand and sustainable supply of water. Accordingly, this study establishes a Low Impact Development (LID) rainwater management scenario -multiple LID design techniques-using the Rainwater + to managing the water in one of the driest regions, Soltan Abad, of Iran. To serve this purpose, the effect of four LID facilities of bioretention, subsurface infiltrating systems, rainwater harvested cisterns, and the porous pavements were evaluated in this study. Results showed that the proposed scenario of LIDs could control 60% of annual village rainfall runoff. Also, the performance of LID devices is effective in decreasing village water stress by storing and reusing rainwater in domestic activities, general uses, and recharging the groundwater. Therefore, the implementation of these LID devices in reusing, returning water to nature will pave the way toward the circular economy.