Climate-resilient water safety plans

Overview

Long-term planning for an adequate and safe supply of drinking-water should be set in the context of growing external uncertainties arising from changes in the climate and environment. The water safety plan (WSP) process offers a systematic framework to manage these risks by considering the implications of climate variability and change. 

This document is intended to help water suppliers and WSP teams who have already committed to using the WSP approach and are developing and implementing WSPs to gain greater understanding of climate change and how it can be considered and addressed in the WSP process. This document will also be useful to other stakeholders, particularly health and environment agencies who are supporting WSP implementation. It discusses how to take into consideration the broader issues of climate change, regional climate vulnerability assessments, disaster risk reduction and integrated water resources management within the WSP process.

The details of how this is done for any particular WSP depend upon local circumstances. The document identifies opportunities to enhance the WSP process and outcomes by considering the provision of safe water in sufficient quantity under changed future conditions and extreme weather events that may become more frequent and severe as the climate changes.

 

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