The following list is from “Adaptation Actions for Water Utilities” (Environmental Protection Agency. December 10, 2024). The EPA actually lists 49 adaptation actions and includes numerous examples and links. Read it while you can: https://www.epa.gov/arc-x/adaptation-actions-water-utilities.
Build flood barriers to protect infrastructure: Flood barriers to protect critical infrastructure include levees, dikes and seawalls. A related strategy is flood proofing, which involves elevating critical equipment or placing it within waterproof containers or foundation systems.
Build infrastructure needed for aquifer storage and recovery: Increasing the amount of groundwater storage available promotes recharge when surface water flows are in excess of demand, thus increasing climate resilience for seasonal or extended periods of drought, and taking advantage of seasonal variations in surface water runoff. Depending on whether natural or artificial aquifer recharge is employed, the required infrastructure may include percolation basins and injection wells.
Increase water storage capacity: Increased drought can reduce the safe yield of reservoirs. To reduce this risk, increases in available storage can be made. Methods for accomplishing this may include raising a dam, practicing aquifer storage and recovery, removing accumulated sediment in reservoirs or lowering water intake elevation.
Finance and facilitate systems to recycle water: Recycling greywater frees up more finished water for other uses, expanding supply and decreasing the need to discharge into receiving waters. Receiving water quality limitations may increase due to more frequent droughts. Therefore, to limit wastewater discharges, use of reclaimed water in homes and businesses should be encouraged.
Acquire and manage ecosystems: Intact natural ecosystems have many benefits for utilities: reducing sediment and nutrient inputs into source water bodies, regulating runoff and streamflow, buffering against flooding and reducing storm surge impacts and inundation on the coasts (e.g., mangroves, saltwater marshes, wetlands). Utilities can also work with regional floodplain managers and appropriate stakeholders to explore non-structural flood management techniques in the watershed. Protecting, acquiring and managing ecosystems in buffer zones along rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coasts can be cost-effective measures for flood control and water quality management.
Implement watershed management: Watershed management includes a range of policy and technical measures. These generally focus on preserving or restoring vegetated land cover in a watershed and managing stormwater runoff. These changes help mimic natural watershed hydrology, increasing groundwater recharge, reducing runoff and improving the quality of runoff.
Encourage and support practices to reduce water use at local power plants: The electricity sector withdraws the greatest amount of water in the United States, compared with other sectors. Any efforts to reduce water usage by utilities (e.g., closed-loop water circulation systems or dry cooling for the turbines) will increase available water supply. For example, utilities may provide reclaimed water to electric utilities for electricity generation.
Model and reduce agricultural and irrigation water demand: Agriculture represents the second largest user of water in the United States in terms of withdrawals. In order to forecast and plan for future water supply needs, agricultural (irrigation) demand must be projected, particularly in drought-prone areas. For example, to reduce agricultural water demand, utilities can work with farmers to adopt advanced micro-irrigation technology (e.g., drip irrigation).
Develop coastal restoration plans: Coastal restoration plans may protect water utility infrastructure from damaging storm surge by increasing protective habitat of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and wetlands. Restoration plans should consider the impacts of sea-level rise and development on future ecosystem distribution. Successful strategies may also consider rolling easements and other measures identified by EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries program.
Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources: Diversifying sources helps to reduce the risk that water supply will fall below water demand. Examples of diversified source water portfolios include using a varying mix of surface water and groundwater, employing desalination when the need arises and establishing water trading with other utilities in times of water shortages or service disruption.
Reference:
Adaptation Actions for Water Utilities/Environmental Protection Agency. December 10, 2024.