A survey using SNS (Social Networking Services)�on actual usage of well water and water supply stations �at the time of disaster
Third-year student, College of Life, Environment, and Advanced Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University
【Environmental Activity Exercise in Community（In fiscal year 2023）】
Third-year student, College of Sustainable System Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University
Fourth-year student, College of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University
Aoi Matsushita
Takayuki Hiraki
Shuhei Jindai
Survey Background
Groundwater is the most readily available source of water in the event of a disaster, and there are four characteristics of its use.
01
Groundwater is available almost anywhere in Japan
by digging a well and pulling it up with a pump.
Compared to other water resources, well water just requires a small initial investment , such as pumps, and maintenance costs.
Good
water quality
Water temperature is stable throughout the year.
However, people do not always use groundwater or wells on a regular basis due to water supply improvements, and the problem exists that they are not able to utilize them in times of disaster.
We conducted a survey using SNS to understand �the actual use of groundwater and wells in times of disaster.
Ubiquity
Economic
efficiency
Well water is obtained when impurities and microorganisms are filtered out as it flows through the formation over a long period of time.
Thermostability
Purpose of the Survey
02
Research on the impact of �water outages on daily life
Questionnaire surveys in areas where disasters have occurred
Purpose of the Survey 01
Consideration on how we should prepare for disasters before they occur.
Identification of the actual use of wells in times of disaster.
SNS-based survey on wells actually used during disasters
Investigation of the location of water stations/wells at the time of the disaster by searching past posts on SNS.
Purpose of the Survey 02
Utilizing GIS (Geographic Information System), we have created a map of actual usage of water stations/wells in use at the time of the disaster.
Method of the Survey
Among the recent cases of water outages, we investigated cases where information on the use of wells and temporary public water stations remained using SNS. As a result, the "aqueduct collapse accident in Wakayama City (October 2021)," for which a relatively large amount of information remained, was chosen as a theme for our research.
03
Selection of disasters/accidents �to be investigated
Information gathering �and surveys
We conducted SNS research on temporary water stations and wells that were used during the disaster, and also researched official announcements from Wakayama City via their website. And a questinnaire survey was conducted for local residents.
１
2
Disasters that have occurred in recent years
2011
Great East Japan Earthquake
2016
Kumamoto Earthquake
2018
Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake
2018
The Heavy Rain Event �of July 2018
2018
Earthquake with epicenter in northern Osaka Prefecture
2019
Typhoon Faxai
2019
Typhoon Hagibis
2020
The Heavy Rain Event �of July 2020
2021
Aqueduct collapse accident �in Wakayama City
2022
Typhoon Talas
Survey of water stations/wells at the time of the disaster
SNS
( Twitter / Facebook etc. )
Wakayama City website
Survey of residents
Mapping using GIS
Method of the Survey
04
Disasters that have occurred in recent years
2011
Great East Japan Earthquake
2016
Kumamoto Earthquake
2018
Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake
2018
The Heavy Rain Event �of July 2018
2018
Earthquake with epicenter in northern Osaka Prefecture
2019
Typhoon Faxai
2019
Typhoon Hagibis
2020
The Heavy Rain Event �of July 2020
2021
Aqueduct collapse accident �in Wakayama City
2022
Typhoon Talas
Survey of water stations/wells at the time of the disaster
SNS
( Twitter / Facebook etc. )
Wakayama City website
Survey of residents
Mapping using GIS
Mapping using GIS
3
We used GIS to create maps by integrating information on the location of public water stations and wells used at the time of the disaster, as well as other information (such as ownership).
Discussion and Recommendations
4
We have compiled a recommendations on what we should prepare for the upcoming disaster, based on the above information collection and survey results.
Summary of this accident
05
Overview of this disaster
Reason for focusing
At around 4:00 pm on October 3, 2021, Musota Suikan-kyo Water Bridge, the only route for delivering tap water to areas north of Kinokawa in Wakayama City, collapsed. The accident caused water outages to approximately 60,000 households, nearly 40% of all households in Wakayama City, and had a major impact on the lives of approximately 140,000 people.
＊
This accident occurred near Osaka, and there are many students at our university who live in Wakayama or know about the time, so it is easy to feel familiar.
＊
This disaster occurred in recent years, when smartphones became explosively popular among all generations, and information was widely disseminated using SNS and websites.
(This was partly due to the fact that internet lines were functioning normally, unlike in other disasters.)
Overview of areas where water was cut off
06
From the 5th Wakayama City Long-term Comprehensive Plan “Regional Plan” formulated in March 2017
和歌山市（2017）『第5次和歌山市長期総合計画』「地域別計画」を基に作成
Musota Suikan-Kyo
Water Bridge
Water was cut off in about
60,000 homes north of the
Kino-kawa River.
(Area ①, ② and ③)
Kino River
①
②
③
Wakayama City, Japan
Aqueduct collapse accident in Wakayama City
07
Kiso River and collapsed Musota Suikan-Kyo Water Bridge
Research method
08
Survey using SNS and Homepage
survey by questionnaire
Information on available wells on X (Twitter)
The locations of water supply stations and disaster wells used in the disaster were examined from information transmitted on X (Twitter), Facebook, and the Wakayama City website during the month following the occurrence of the disaster.
A questionnaire survey on the water supply during water outage period was conducted for people living/working in the northern part of the Kinokawa River in Wakayama City, utilizing written documents and Microsoft Forms.
Survey by questionnaire with Forms
Survey Results Using SNS/HP ①
09
Distribution of emergency water stations in Wakayama City
Many water stations were opened north of the Kino River, which was hit by water outages.
Kino
River
Open
N/A
Availability
Survey Results Using SNS/HP ②
10
Distribution of emergency water stations in Wakayama City
Water stations using tap water was open in south of the Kino River south of the Kino River.
Municipal water trucks were open in north of Kino River.
Disaster Wells had the largest number among all water supply stations.
Private water stations
Other open wells
Municipal water trucks
Water stations using water supply
Wakayama City Disaster Wells
Classification of water stations
11
Of all water stations, the largest number were privately owned facilities.
Survey Results Using SNS/HP ③
Distribution of emergency water stations in Wakayama City
Privately owned
Park
Public School
Wakayama City
Owner
12
Most of the information was published on both the website and Twitter.
Survey Results Using SNS/HP ④
Distribution of emergency water stations in Wakayama City
Information Source
Questionnaire survey results ①
13
In order to get a detailed picture of the situation at the time of the disaster, we conducted a survey through questionnaires. （N=47）
Questionnaire survey results ②
14
Questionnaire survey results ③
15
Questionnaire survey results ④
16
After experiencing water outage, the following responses were given as things to be prepared for the next disaster.
“The water trucks come, but the water tanks don't.”
The question of how to secure water is also directly related to the question of water storage.
Summary and future issues
Through SNS analysis and questionnaire surveys, we were able to get a more realistic picture of the water supply system at the time of the disaster.
17
Local well was actually used as an emergency measure, while there may not be many examples in other areas.
Even though a water source could easily be found, few had containers to store it. Therefore, we found that many people continued to search for containers for water storage.
SNS
Well
Water storage container
In times of disaster, Information from residents could be transmitted faster than information from government
Many people survived the water shortage by helping each other among neighbors and relatives. It is also important to build relationships to help each other in case of emergency.