Microalgae and replicating circular water management in combating water scarcity in Malaysia

The freshwater crisis has become the main concern of the century, impacting even the rural areas of Malaysia that generally have high precipitation year-round. This study aims to tackle these problems by providing optimal solutions in the form of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and tailoring them to the needs of several different Malaysian locations. Most current studies focus on urban sites rather than rural communities; therefore, this thesis aims to fill in the gap left through a feasibility study of a rural water management system with the addition of microalgae/cyanobacteria. This thesis aims to be a framework for future adaptation of NBS in the field. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used in this thesis to test whether microalgae and cyanobacteria could grow in an inexpensive photobioreactor. We chose MCDA because the freshwater crisis encompasses multiple dimensions, including social, legislative, technical, and economic aspects. This thesis is an inductive study that employs mixed methods to obtain data as the research questions in assessing design become its central role. This thesis started through desk study by making a list of places, current water management, and NBS used to deal with a lack of freshwater in rural areas of Malaysia. This was done as secondary data for looking at social and legal issues in the MCDA. Primary data was also used from the lab study on microalgae/cyanobacteria growth and characterization of the chosen site study; these are used for the technical and economic effect of the selected NBS with and without the inclusion of microalgae. Geographical information systems (GIS) were used to get remote data from different sources and use it to make a hydrological map that would help with the technical side of the system and find the right place for its potential construction site. This was followed by rainfall modelling to help with the return period of the system, which was needed. The results showed a promising start and a lot of help for Malaysia's long-term growth, especially for water in rural or inaccessible areas that can't be reached by the current centralised piping system planned for urban living. The results also showed that the addition of inexpensive photobioreactors (PBR) for cyanobacteria cultivation could improve people's lives in the identified rural areas by helping with farming, aquaculture, and communal living, which made them more socially acceptable. This indicates a significant development in improving sustainability through water availability and community building in Malaysia, which may be an applicable example for Southeast Asian countries facing similar problems that often find conventional means of obtaining water expensive. It was recommended that the integration of modified NBS in rural areas be employed in the future to support sustainability.