Small- and Medium-Scale Water Operators’ Barriers and Data Needs to Effectively Manage the Risks of a Changing Climate

Abstract:

Climate change adaptation is increasingly underway across the water sector in the United States and abroad, yet there remain significant data, financial, regulatory and institutional hurdles limiting broad-scale adoption of climate risk reduction measures by water utilities of all sizes. In this project, we are working to identify the climate change information needs of water managers and staff working in small- to medium-scale water utilities (serving populations >200,000) across the northwestern US (WA, OR, ID, AK). Building on similar work completed at the national scale in partnership with the Water Utility Climate Alliance, this project uses surveys, focus groups and an interactive webinar series to gain a deeper understanding of the real-world challenges facing smaller operators in adopting and institutionalizing climate change information. Through this work, we aim to a) better understand the specific regional climate information needs and barriers facing small- and medium-sized water utilities in their efforts to adapt to climate change, b) find concrete ways to better connect science producers and science users and increase regional coordination to advance climate-smart decision-making, and c) map out near-term solutions and build additional regional resources that address the barriers articulated by regional operators to help them further their adaptation efforts. This presentation will summarize our approach and key learnings and will share how collaborative projects can provide more useful, user-inspired data and tools to effectively increase access to, and use of, climate change information in the water sector.