The Pacific Institute has a new report offering over 130 strategies to help rural communities build water resilience. Persistent challenges such as aging infrastructure, limited funding, and capacity issues are increasingly common and climate change impacts further intensify these hurdles. This report provides a playbook for rural water resilience, offering tangible solutions to bolster systems against these threats.
The report was developed in partnership with technical experts and fills a recognized knowledge gap. Its framework organizes strategies into eight categories:
- Built Infrastructure: New or improved physical structures (e.g., dams, treatment plants) to enhance resilience.
- Natural Infrastructure: Using nature and natural processes (e.g., wetlands, restored watersheds) to protect water systems.
- Technology and Innovation: Implementing innovative technologies to improve access, efficiency, and resilience.
- Management and Planning: Centering equity in source water protection, community input, financial sustainability, and disaster preparedness.
- Funding and Financing: Ensuring adequate, sustainable, and equitable financial resources for infrastructure, maintenance, and disaster recovery.
- Knowledge and Information: Equitable integration and application of technical data and local/community knowledges.
- Capacity Building: Providing training, skills, and support to water professionals, communities, and households.
- Law and Policy: Developing and enforcing laws that enable more equitable and climate-resilient construction, operation, and management.
The report recognizes that rural communities already implement and create strategies to strengthen their systems, despite being historically overlooked.
This unique and actionable resource highlights the strengths and creativity of rural communities, equipping them with tools to strengthen rural water resilience and build a secure water future.
Explore the full report from the Pacific Institute to learn more about the actionable strategies.
