## 1 Introduction  
Water management in urban areas, particularly in semi-arid climates, faces significant challenges due to the rapid growth of cities and the impacts of climate change. These areas, characterized by a combination of water scarcity and vulnerability to extreme events such as flooding, urgently require a reassessment of their water management strategies [1, 2]. The Global South, consisting of developing countries, is a region where similar conditions are widely shared [3]. One significant issue facing these areas is the pollution of water sources due to urban activities. For instance, in Pakistan [4], common practices include untreated industrial discharges into natural watercourses, outdated water infrastructure, and insufficient maintenance and rehabilitation of pipelines. This problem is prevalent in many countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Moreover, sources of water supply, such as aquifers, are also affected. In Nigeria [5], rapid urbanization has led to groundwater contamination from the infiltration of domestic waste, highlighting inadequate management and poor planning that fails to keep up with urban growth. Particularly in Latin America, these problems are exacerbated by accelerated urbanization, social and economic inequality, and inadequate water infrastructure that contributes to both water shortages and flood risks [6, 7]. In this context, the challenges and opportunities for rapidly growing cities in the Global South lie in adopting innovative and sustainable solutions to address water management issues. The lack of adequate planning and uncontrolled urban development has increased water demand, exerting significant pressure on local resources and deteriorating the quantity and quality of available water [8]. Global organizations such as UNESCO and UN-Habitat have proposed various strategies for integrating urban plans that adapt to climate change [9], implementing resilient water management policies to minimize impervious areas that promote water retention and aquifer recharge, rainwater harvesting, and raising public awareness about efficient water use [10]. These conditions present an opportunity to integrate approaches that combine traditional gray infrastructure with low-impact development (LID) techniques, which have proven effective in enhancing urban resilience to water scarcity and flooding [11; 12]. LID strategies, such as rain gardens, permeable pavements, and green rooftops, have been applied to maximize water infiltration and reduce surface runoff, thereby minimizing flood risks in densely populated urban areas. These interventions have improved the soil's absorption capacity and filtered water quality, benefiting local ecosystems and reducing the load on traditional drainage systems [13; 14]. The multifunctionality of LID has proven effective in various cases. In Mexico City, Philadelphia, and Buenos Aires, the implementation of rain gardens, permeable pavements, and green rooftops has enhanced water infiltration, reduced surface runoff, and facilitated aquifer recharge [11; 15; 16; 17]. Seoul and Sydney have also adopted these techniques to reduce flooding and manage stormwater sustainably, decreasing the demand for traditional potable water sources and improving urban water resilience [14; 18]. In Santiago, Chile, the combination of green rooftops and permeable pavements in residential areas has improved stormwater management and reduced the urban heat island effect, demonstrating the multifunctional benefits of these techniques [19]. Rainwater harvesting is one of the most effective LID strategies when directly addressing population benefits. It mitigates flooding by reducing surface water flow and has become a significant alternative for water management in areas facing water scarcity. It has been integrated into cities such as Berlin and Sydney to reduce runoff and decrease dependency on potable water sources [14; 18].