Water Utility Response to Climate Change and Engagement with the EPA Climate Ready Water Utility Initiative

Climate change impacts pose a variety of operational and infrastructure challenges to the water sector; water and wastewater utilities in different regions are responding in different capacities. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has been at the forefront of climate change awareness, greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, and energy efficiency. MWRD has also contributed to adaptation planning across the water sector by participating in a Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC). Through the participation of Assistant Director of Maintenance and Operations, Antonio Quintanilla, MWRD has helped build out the concept of a climate ready water utility and has offered guidance to the EPA in implementing a CRWU initiative. Through the development of an Adaptive Response Framework, the CRWU Working Group has advanced the water sector's ability to prepare for and respond to climate change. MWRD's ongoing efforts towards energy efficiency and their approach towards greenhouse gas monitoring offer a compelling case study for water sector response to climate change.