(TLP:CLEAR) Water Utility Climate Alliance Report – Climate Resilient Engineering Design Guidance for the Water Sector

Summary: The Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) published a report, “Climate Resilient Engineering Design Guidance for the Water Sector,” which provides practical strategies to ensure that water sector infrastructure is planned, designed, and built to be resilient to climate change threats. The report is geared towards water utilities and engineering companies to integrate the guidance into their own engineering standards and design processes.

Analyst Note: WaterISAC’s 2025 “Threat Analysis Report” noted that the growth in extreme weather events is stressing aging infrastructure and creating additional challenges for water and wastewater operators around the U.S. and the world. Moreover, it’s important to make investments and implement preparedness and operational resilience for natural hazards, which can lessen the impacts after an emergency. In fact, a 2024 report found every dollar invested in flood protection saves up to $318 in damages, underscoring the business case for investing in resilience efforts.

Accordingly, WUCA’s report offers climate-resilient design guidance for eight specific project types, with a focus on adaptation strategies and approaches to improve resilience to climate change impacts. These projects include:

• Project Type 1: Mitigate impacts to building mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment from extreme heat
• Project Type 2: Adapt power supply sources to improve resilience against power outages
• Project Type 3: Mitigate impacts to building mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment due to extreme cold
• Project Type 4: Adapt wet wells and associated structural components for sea level rise and riverine flooding
• Project Type 5: Mitigate impacts to building mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment due to flooding
• Project Type 6: Adapt stormwater and wastewater outfalls to manage inundation from riverine flooding, sea level rise, and storm surge
• Project Type 7: Adapt wastewater infrastructure to manage increased wet weather flows from extreme precipitation
• Project Type 8: Adapt chemical storage facilities to manage extreme heat

With National Preparedness Month underway, WaterISAC strongly encourages water and wastewater to use this guidance document and begin implementing the recommended adaptation strategies as the risk of extreme weather events grows.

Original Source: Access the WUCA report below.

Additional Reading:

• (TLP:CLEAR) New Reports Help Utilities Prepare for Climate Hazards and other Future Uncertainties
• RAND Report – Assessing Risk to National Critical Functions as a Result of Climate Change 2023 Risk Assessment Update

Related WaterISAC PIRs: 16, 17, & 18