CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLANNING FOR WATER RESOURCES AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Climate change poses multiple challenges to water resources and wastewater management. Changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather and even the regular precipitation patterns, as well as sea level rise, are serious issues for water resources, stormwater infrastructure, floodplain development, and wastewater management. Changing weather patterns will impact the way local governments manage water resources, land use, flood control, agriculture, fisheries, disaster planning, and many other issues of economic importance. This paper explores the science available for more proactive resources and infrastructure management, and provides some real-world solutions to these challenges through case studies in climate adaptation planning for water and wastewater management. Three important learning objectives are addressed in this paper: understand the range and significance of challenges to water resources, wastewater management, and infrastructure posed by climate change; become familiar with sources of relevant scientific data to support decision making, planning, and policy development; and learn from examples implemented by local governments how to address these challenges.