Policy Options to Support Climate-Conscious Urban Water Planning

Abstract

Urban water systems are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Traditional planning, often based on past conditions, fails to address these new challenges. We suggest policy options for integrating climate scenarios into urban water planning, which will enhance the resilience of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. The policy options are (1) requiring climate scenario analysis in planning processes, (2) developing climate-resilient infrastructure standards, (3) promoting low-impact development and nature-based solutions, (4) creating regional planning bodies, (5) educating professionals for climate-responsive planning, and (6) securing funding for climate adaptation. We discuss our experience in the state of Utah, USA, and summarize case studies in Copenhagen, New York, and Melbourne. The policy options align with Sustainable Development Goals and offer a roadmap for building adaptable, sustainable urban water systems.