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Focus Areas Click a focus area below to expand Understanding Climate Modeling and Uncertainty Proceedings of the Water Utility Climate Alliance Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) Workshop (2010) CMIP6 FAQ for Water Managers (2025) The Influence of Downscaling on Climate Projections (2024) Improving the Vegetation Representation in Hydrologic Models Alters Hydroclimate Projections (2023) Scaling and Application of Climate Projections to Stormwater and Wastewater Resilience Planning (2022) Co-Producing Actionable Science for Water Utilities (2016) Understanding Climate Risks Planning for Adaptation and Resilience Implementing Climate Projects Training Water Utilities for Climate Readiness Developing Additional Resources and Presentations

Understanding Climate Risks Understanding climate risks and impacts is essential for identifying vulnerabilities, evaluating potential consequences, and making informed adaptation and resilience decisions. The resources on this page are WUCA products designed to provide practical insights and frameworks that can help utilities better understand how climate change may affect their operations, infrastructure, water supplies, customers, and communities. By building a stronger understanding of climate risks and impacts, utilities can establish a solid foundation for prioritizing actions, developing adaptation strategies, and strengthening long-term resilience. IT’S HOT, AND GETTING HOTTER: Implications of Extreme Heat on Water Utility Staff and Infrastructure Water utilities across the country will experience new and enhanced vulnerabilities due to future increases in extreme heat events stemming from climate change. This study analyzes the impact of such extreme temperature events on critical water utility physical infrastructure assets and personnel. Mapping Climate Exposure and Climate Information Needs to Water Utility Business Functions (2021) This project developed a comprehensive, enterprise-level framework for understanding the exposure and sensitivities of water utility business functions to a changing climate in order to accelerate mainstreaming of climate considerations into utility management. Executive Summary ● Research Report ● Appendix ● Framework Guidebook ● Spectrum Enhanced Climate Related Risk and Opportunities Framework and Guidebook (2021) This supplemental guidebook provides further details into the Mapping Climate Exposure and Climate Information Needs to Water Utility Business Functions framework steps, examples of how the framework was implemented by Denver Water and SFPUC, and templates that business function leads can use as they work through the framework. Webcast Slides Insurance, Bond Ratings and Climate Risk - A Primer for Water Utilities (2019) This paper provides a brief overview of how changing perceptions of climate risk are affecting bond rating agencies and the insurance industry. It poses questions for utilities as they consider how climate change impacts creditworthiness, insurance coverage, and municipal bond buyers. Climate Risks to Water Utility Built Assets and Infrastructure (2015) This survey was designed to expand understanding of how climate risks and extreme weather events are likely to affect built assets and infrastructure, and how utilities are responding by building new infrastructure, replacing or repairing assets, and changing operations.

Case Studies Case studies of successfully implemented projects are essential for helping utilities advance climate adaptation and mitigation. A good set of case studies can expand a utility's vision of what is possible, provide practical steps for project implementation, and share valuable insights and lessons learned. Follow the links below to explore sets of case studies that WUCA has produced around specific topic areas. Engineering Case Studies Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Case Studies Heat Impacts Case Studies Stormwater and Wastewater Case Studies Equitable Climate Solutions Case Studies Climate Data Application Case Studies Not finding what you're looking for? Search our Resource Library instead You may also be looking for: Sea Level Rise Adaptation Climate Modeling with CMIP6

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Engineering Case Studies WUCA has developed a suite of engineering case studies that showcase how the water sector is applying climate adaptation in practice, by using climate change information in engineering design and project delivery processes. These case studies were motivated by requests from engineers across WUCA utilities who requested concrete examples of how other water sector professionals are integrating climate change information into on-the-ground projects. Spanning from Seattle, Washington to Miami, Florida and Copenhagen, Denmark, the case studies demonstrate how engineers and water managers are applying climate change data and information to redesign facilities and assets, increase levels of climate resilience, and reduce risks to infrastructure. While climate adaptation best practices continue to mature, these examples offer practical approaches for designing engineering projects for a changing climate. Case studies were developed in partnership with the utilities and operators profiled, and project contacts are provided in each case study to facilitate follow-up and enable interested readers to learn more about implementing similar measures or approaches. Ship Canal Water Quality Project Location: Seattle, Washington Utility: Seattle Public Utilities Climate impacts: Extreme Rainfall Colorado Dam Safety Program Dam Design Location: State of Colorado Utility: Colorado Department of Natural Resources Climate impacts: Extreme Rainfall Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades Location: Miami, Florida Utility: Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Climate impacts: Sea Level Rise Sea Level Rise Capital Planning Guidance Location: San Francisco, California Utility: City and County of San Francisco Climate impacts: Sea Level Rise Climate Resiliency Standard Operating Procedure Location: New York City, New York Utility: New York Department of Environmental Protection Climate impacts: Sea Level Rise and Extreme Events Drinking Water Cooling System Location: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Utility: Tarrant Regional Water District Climate impacts: Extreme Heat Low Lake Level Pumping Station Location: Southern Nevada Utility: Southern Nevada Water Authority Climate impacts: Drought Cloudburst Management Plan Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Utility: The City of Copenhagen Climate impacts: Extreme Rainfall Case studies were developed with Dr. Heidi Roop, University of Minnesota, and the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group

CMIP6 Frequently Asked Questions: A Resource for Water Managers CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 6) is the most recent organized international "roundup" of global climate projections from several dozen climate models. The models are run using standardized input scenarios (e.g., of greenhouse gas emissions and other climate drivers) to produce thousands of simulations of past and future climate conditions that get widely used in climate research, assessment, and adaptation planning. The WUCA CMIP6 Working Group sought out specialists to develop a CMIP6 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for water managers which would assume little or no previous experience with CMIP6 and other climate-model datasets. The goal was to develop a dozen or so highly relevant questions — and clear responses — to aid in the use and interpretation of CMIP6 datasets, with a focus on the contiguous United States. The FAQs were initially proposed by Working Group members, and then iteratively refined in collaboration with the Working Group, resulting in 13 questions. The document benefited considerably from reviews by the CMIP6 Working Group and by external subject matter experts. Each question has a "short answer" (1–2 paragraphs) and a "long answer" (2–5 pages), including figures where appropriate, recommendations for further reading, and other references. Read the FAQ Excerpt from the FAQ: What studies have already been conducted using CMIP6 byor on behalf of water agencies? What was learned about CMIP6? Short answer As of Fall 2024, a handful of research and assessment efforts using CMIP6 have been conducted by or on behalf of water agencies in Oregon, Colorado, and Florida. More studies will be coming out soon. Long answer Below are short overviews of the studies and assessments to date and their key findings. CMIP6 model performance over the Pacific Northwest (Taylor et al. 2023; Portland Water Bureau). Supported in part by Portland Water Bureau, Taylor et al. (2023) analyzed the raw output of 25 CMIP6 models to evaluate their fidelity in simulating several common, large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns (e.g., low- and high-pressure systems) that drive seasonal precipitation anomalies in the Pacific Northwest. They found that the CMIP6 models are generally able to simulate the range of observed circulation patterns with reasonable fidelity, although model skill varies across the ensemble. This generates confidence that the models, when simulating regional precipitation and temperature anomalies, do so for the correct physical reasons. They did not, however, compare the CMIP6 models’ performance with CMIP5 models. Climate Change in Colorado (Bolinger et al. 2024; Colorado Water Conservation Board) The 3rd edition of the Climate Change in Colorado report (Bolinger et al. 2024), produced in partnership with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, compared raw CMIP5 (36 models) and CMIP6 (37 models) projections of statewide-average change in annual temperature andannual precipitation, under 4.5 emissions scenarios. Figure 13.1. Projected change in Colorado statewide average annual temperatures to 2100,relative to a 1971–2000 baseline, from raw CMIP5 model output (median and range) andraw, unscreened CMIP6 model output (median only) under medium-low emissionsscenarios (RCP4.5, SSP2-4.5), compared to observed temperatures through 2022. Themedian warming seen in CMIP6 diverges from the CMIP5 median after 2020, with thedifference increasing to ~1.0°F by 2070. (Figure 2.7 in Bolinger et al. 2024) The results of this Colorado-focused comparison were consistent with results of the CONUS-wide and regional comparisons described in Q7: The CMIP6 ensemble range was overall shifted warmer (Figure 13.1) and slightly wetter relative to CMIP5, with substantial overlap between the ensemble ranges. Screening out CMIP6 hot models (using Likely TCR) reduced the warming gap between CMIP6 and CMIP5 by ~50%, but had no effect on the CMIP6 precipitation change. After screening, CMIP6 was still slightly warmer and slightly wetter than CMIP5 for Colorado, so modeled hydrologic outcomes using screened CMIP6 CMIP6 vs CMIP5 model performance: Florida precipitation (Wang and Asefa 2024; Tampa Bay Water) Wang and Asefa (both with Tampa Bay Water) assessed the performance of 18 CMIP5 and 27 CMIP6 models in simulating historical monthly precipitation for 24 grid boxes across Florida.They found that the CMIP6 models, overall, were significantly better than the CMI5 models in terms of bias (too much/too little) in simulated monthly average precipitation, simulation of the seasonal cycle of precipitation, and simulation of the onset and end of the summer rainyseason. Spatially, in both CMIP6 and CMIP5, precipitation over the Peninsula was better simulated than precipitation over the Panhandle. Short Answers to FAQs 1. What is CMIP 6? 2. How is CMIP6 different from CMIP5, and is CMIP6 better? 3. What is the CMIP6 hot-model issue, and what are its implications for users? 4. What are the emissions scenarios in CMIP6 and how do they differ from CMIP5 scenarios? 5. Which CMIP6 emissions scenarios (SSPs) should be used in an analysis? 6. What are Global Warming Levels (GWLs) and how do they correspond to the CMIP6 emissions scenarios? 7. Does CMIP6 show different future climate outcomes for the U.S. than CMIP5, given comparable emissions scenarios? 8. How does the level of uncertainty in CMIP6 compare with CMIP5? 9. Should CMIP6 or CMIP5 be used in a new analysis? Should existing CMIP5 analyses be updated with CMIP6? 10. What CMIP6 datasets are available for visualization and/or download, and where can they be accessed? 11. What additional CMIP6 downscaling and modeling efforts are in progress? What new capabilities will they provide? 12. How can under-resourced communities and water providers best use CMIP6 (and/or CMIP5)? Are there specific resources that enable easier access to, and interpretation of, local or regional climate projections? 13. What studies have already been conducted using CMIP6 by or on behalf of water agencies? What was learned about CMIP6?

Plan Unfortunately, science will not "solve" climate change in the way we traditionally expect science to solve our challenges. The range of climate projections will stay large and may even grow as more detail and complexity are added to the models used to understand past and future conditions of a naturally chaotic system. As with planning for retirement, practitioners benefit from embracing uncertainty. Faced with unknowns, it is better to move forward with different decision-making techniques and plan for a range of future conditions than spend time and money waiting for the science to become more predictive. Seeking robust, no-regret and low-regret investments that work across a range of future conditions and identifying solutions for future use helps build adaptive capacity within a utility's operations and investments to prepare for whatever the future may bring.Navigating the planning process in the midst of uncertainty is fundamental to climate adaptation success. The leading practices in the PLAN action area, introduced below, highlight how WUCA members are learning to better assess how changes in underlying conditions impact their systems (e.g., infrastructure, financial, ecosystems, and human resources) and how to plan in a climate change context. In the PLAN action area, leading practices include: Connect with ongoing or upcoming planning processes Leverage the power of well-placed climate change screening questions Be prepared to be changed by the processLearn from earlier climate change planning efforts Develop tools that allow information customization Take on climate change as another component of risk management Leverage existing funding mechanisms (also in SUSTAIN) Plan for a range of futures, not a single future Employ decision-making science and deep uncertainty concepts Build and maintain in-house capacity (also in SUSTAIN) PLAN Connect with ongoing or upcoming planning processes Climate adaptation can be most effective when worked into ongoing or upcoming planning within a utility, as opposed to creating a separate, standalone document like a climate adaptation plan. Examples of integrating climate adaptation into existing or planned efforts could include: Making strategic suggestions when planning documents are revised; Adding "consider climate change" to planning checklists; Adding language about exploring/evaluating climate adaptations in RFPs and consultant scoping documents; and Providing new data sets/analysis by which planning options can be evaluated Example: A climate change-focused integrated resource plan Water Forward, Austin Water's integrated water resource plan(Opens another site in new window), which was adopted in 2018, was developed with a focus on addressing climate change impacts, building on regular utility planning such as the state-required five-year water conservation and drought contingency plans. This 100-year plan evaluated future demands in multiple hydrologic scenarios to identify future demand-management and supply strategies to be implemented by the utility and the community. The plan will be updated every five years as part of the utility's ongoing adaptive water resource management approach. Austin Water staff continue to participate in other planning efforts to facilitate strategy implementation, such as development of a City of Austin Climate Equity Plan, green infrastructure plan, watershed master plan, and the state-required Lower Colorado River Basin regional water plan. These planning efforts have provided an opportunity for greater implementation, as described in IMPLEMENT: Be prepared to act when opportunities arise. Example: Strategic planning To recognize climate impacts and the need for adaptation more formally, the Portland Water Bureau included several climate adaptation strategies in the utility's updated strategic plan, described in Example: Concrete impacts of warming temperatures. Example: Enterprise risk management Southern Nevada Water Authority did an organization-wide risk analysis to understand the breadth of climate risk. See PLAN: Take on climate change as another component of risk management for details. ENGAGE SUSTAIN Seek out and support climate champions throughout your utility Progress happens more quickly with the support of motivated individuals who value and prioritize climate adaptation work, including executive-level leaders. It is therefore important to build relationships with and educate champions who can influence climate adaptation actions, then help sustain and strengthen those efforts. Having champions across an organization (in planning, engineering, finance, public relations, and other roles) can contribute diverse expertise and resources and help provide institutional memory as individuals' roles change. This practice is included under both ENGAGE and SUSTAIN climate adaptation actions. Example: Building a cross-functional team of champions The Central Arizona Project (CAP) climate adaptation plan(Opens another site in new window) was developed with an education and engagement mindset, which elevated existing and promoted future climate champions throughout the organization. Key to the development of the plan was the active participation of a cross-functional team of internal experts comprising all of CAP's climate-sensitive functions, including water policy, operations and engineering, maintenance, public affairs, technology, legal services, finance and administration, and employee services. The team collaboratively identified implications of climate change for CAP's functions as well as all components of the CAP climate adaptation plan. This approach helped foster climate champions in each of CAP's organizational functions by actively educating and engaging them in the climate adaptation process. It also gave members of the CAP team ownership in addressing CAP's climate challenges. Example: Interactive climate education with an organization One important way to build climate champions is through interactive climate education sessions within an organization. For example, Denver Water includes a "Climate 101" unit in all orientation sessions for new employees and provides climate science, adaptation, and mitigation information in its new employee onboarding package. As part of the Climate 101 education sessions, new employees are given prompts to brainstorm how climate change could impact various utility business functions (finance, water treatment, construction, etc.). This approach gets employees thinking creatively about climate change from day one of the job and establishes a baseline level of climate knowledge. After a Climate 101 session, a new employee of Denver Water's youth education team was inspired to integrate climate change into the youth education curriculum and has since created an entire climate change and water module that is presented to schools throughout the region. Building on the successful implementation of these Climate 101 sessions for new employees, the climate team began offering the sessions to other sections at the utility, usually in groups of three to five people to allow for more interactive conversation. This small scale and interactive approach to climate education has allowed the climate team to build climate champions throughout the organization, as well as to build relationships and co-produce climate adaptation ideas with subject matter experts from many business functions. Example: A dedicated person to support champions utility-wide Austin Water has a long history of implementing a variety of climate planning and management measures. While these efforts have traditionally been housed in the Environmental Affairs and Conservation Program Area, climate work has also been done across utility program areas—like Operations, Pipeline Engineering, and Water Resources Management—and, to some extent, in different city departments. In 2019, Austin Water established a new staff position, Climate Protection Consultant, to place additional utility-wide focus on climate issues. This includes taking steps to enhance information sharing about climate change across the utility, continuing to better incorporate climate concerns into cross-functional utility planning efforts, and representing Austin Water on city-wide climate planning initiatives. This position reports to the Assistant Director of Environmental, Planning, and Development Services. This reporting structure provides frequent opportunities for sharing climate-related information with utility leadership. In addition, the Office of Sustainability, a department within the City of Austin, is currently evaluating options for creating a new Chief Climate Resilience Officer position to address city-wide climate resilience planning and strategy implementation. ENGAGE Consult expertise throughout your utility regularly and with purpose Adapting to climate change requires diverse expertise and broad participation, both of which can be gained by consulting others throughout your organization. The type of engagement that works best varies depending on an organization's culture, but a little forethought and some regularity can go a long way (e.g., begin with listening and ask what matters). Example: Business function conversations Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) climate adaptation staff initiated a process of engagement with internal experts by first sharing results from a region-specific climate change projection study. At early meetings, department heads learned about the types of changes expected in the future and weighed in on how these changes might impact utility business functions. From these initial meetings, a few key business function areas were identified to develop adaptation actions. Then, SNWA set up small group meetings and interviewed each business function area to gather how the organization's experts thought they could address potential impacts. Conversations were summarized, and each small group reviewed the recommended actions and helped develop next steps. The process accomplished several goals: It educated staff about climate change It introduced staff to SNWA's climate leadership so they know whom to contact in the organization with questions Because business function experts were the ones to develop the solutions, it ensures buy-in and increases the likelihood that proposed solutions will be implemented See Example: Business function mapping to learn about a framework for considering climate change across an organization’s business functions. Example: Trash removal as an unexpected adaptation need Adaptation planners at the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) recognized that successful adaptation requires expertise on both climate science and operations. It is not possible for PWD's adaptation planners to possess all of the necessary operational knowledge for the numerous systems PWD operates and maintains across the city (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater). So the PWD Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) prioritized engaging in two-way conversations with utility operators early and often to share information and begin developing meaningful solutions/adaptation strategies. For example, PWD's adaptation planners met with operations staff at one of PWD's wastewater treatment plants. After presenting future projections of precipitation increases, the operators shared that these conditions would likely produce more trash, accumulating at faster rates, during the initial screening stage of the wastewater treatment process. This consequence, which was only identified after consulting with plant operators, has implications for resources—more staff and equipment may be needed to remove and process trash to maintain current levels of service. Example: Utility-wide climate adaptation planning Preparing a Climate Adaptation Plan provides an opportunity to form a cross-functional team with a clear purpose (see ENGAGE: Seek out and support climate champions throughout your utility). Important lessons Have well-organized information for people to react to. However, do not wait for the analysis to be perfect—share what you have along the way. Strike the right balance between reaching out to staff and respecting their time. ENGAGE Tailor the climate adaptation message for the intended audience One key to successful communication is knowing your audience(s) and framing your message so it has meaning and value to them. A climate adaptation message that resonates with one individual or group might not "land" with others. Identifying which messages work best is time well spent. Example: Be clear why climate change matter Over the past 10 years, the Alliance has homed in on messages that resonate with water utilities to demonstrate the impact climate change could have on critical utility operations and functions. Powerful, clear messages that connect climate change to water utility responsibilities include climate change is water change and warming is here and now. Example: Messages that resonate with engineers When the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) was ready to share information and results from analyses internally, success—i.e., whether climate information would eventually be adopted within existing planning, design, and asset management processes—hinged on good communication. For example, when sharing information with engineers who work on long-term infrastructure plans, CCAP first explained how climate change is altering the water cycle and how climate non-stationarity might challenge standard engineering practices, procedures, and tools. Planners and design engineers are used to working with return intervals and other statistical tools and methods that are based on historic data. It was essential to explain that, because of climate change, these traditional tools and methods may no longer be adequate moving forward. It was also important to convey that the CCAP team is available to help PWD staff tackle these challenges. Example: Concrete impacts of warming temperatures Climate change can be an abstract concept for water utility professionals whose daily responsibilities include operating reservoirs, designing and building projects, and managing aging infrastructure. To make climate change concrete, the Portland Water Bureau has identified a spectrum of ways in which climate warming and its impacts affect water utility functions and operations, from engineering and operations groups to finance, communications, and maintenance & construction. For example, climate warming and wildfire smoke directly affect the health and safety of the outdoor workforce. Also, increased risk of flooding and landslides could damage critical bureau assets. Presenting direct impacts to the day-to-day job of construction field crews and asset management engineers has successfully resonated with these staff. To recognize these impacts and the need for adaptation more formally, the Portland Water Bureau has included several climate adaptation strategies in the utility’s updated strategic plan. The utility also gives many internal and external presentations within the water sector, and most of these communications begin by connecting the physics of a warmer atmosphere to the hydrologic cycle. From there it is easier to illustrate how a changing water cycle will affect a given water utility. PLAN Leverage the power of well-placed climate change screening questions One of the first steps to successful climate adaptation is building awareness that future conditions (e.g., weather, sea levels) will be different. While there is often not a clear answer to how big changes will be, a lot can be done by getting decision makers to pause and consider how they might adjust. This could be as basic as inserting climate change screening questions into key planning processes. PLAN Be prepared to be changed by the process Grappling with climate change and planning for adaptations can inspire new ways of thinking that could alter how you plan within your organization, whether for climate, land use, population, or other significant future changes. PLAN Learn from earlier climate change planning efforts Over the past 10+ years, many utilities have started planning for climate change. Their efforts have resulted in both missteps and innovations worth learning about, such as trainings, case studies, and these leading practices. ENGAGE Include equity from the beginning Effective solutions to climate change challenges depend on many factors, all of which might not be clear at the onset. Engaging and focusing on the needs of communities, particularly those most vulnerable to disruptions caused by climate impacts, is best done at the beginning and throughout a project. By improving conditions for the most vulnerable in your community, you also improve conditions for everyone. ENGAGE SUSTAIN Make the business case for climate adaptation Improving resiliency takes time and resources but can also save time and resources. Transparency about financial elements, including tradeoffs in costs and other triple-bottom-line benefits — social, environmental, and financial — can motivate action and demonstrate how adaptation investments can save money in the long run. This helps engage people from the beginning and sustain the effort. This practice is included under both ENGAGE and SUSTAIN climate adaptation actions. See examples in the SUSTAIN section.

WUCA Resource Library Search Search the website instead Please report broken links via our contact form WUCA Annual Reports Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2025 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2024 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2023 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2022 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2020 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2019 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2018 Water Utility Climate Alliance Annual Report 2017 WUCA Strategic Plans Water Utility Climate Alliance Strategic Plan 2022-2026 Water Utility Climate Alliance Strategic Plan 2017-2021 Water Utility Climate Alliance Strategic Plan 2012-2016 WUCA Guidance Documents A Beginner's Guide to Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty for Water Utilities, 2026 How Do North American Water Agencies Define Water Supply Level of Service, 2025 CMIP6 Frequently Asked Questions: A resource for water managers, 2024 Improving the Vegetation Representation in Hydrologic Models Alters Hydroclimate Projections, A Summary of Impacts in Several Western U.S Basins, 2024 A Summary of Impacts in Several Western U.S Basins Beyond Barriers to Implementation, A Water Sector Perspective on Sea Level Rise Adaptation, 2022 Scaling and Application of Climate Projections to Stormwater and Wastewater Resilience Planning, 2022 An Enhanced Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities Framework and Guidebook for Water Utilities Preparing for a Changing Climate, Project 5056, 2021 Mapping Climate Exposure and Climate Information Needs to Water Utility Business Functions (project 4729), Executive Summary, 2020 Mapping Climate Exposure and Climate Information Needs to Water Utility Business Functions (project 4729), Research Report, 2020 Water Utility Business Risk and Opportunity Framework A Guidebook for Water Utility Business Function Leaders in a Changing Climate, Project 4729, 2020 Insurance, Bond Ratings and Climate Risk - A Primer for Water Utilities (2019) Co-Producing Actionable Science for Water Utilities, 2016 Research Documents Planning for Sea Level Rise: An AGU Talk in the Form of a Co-Production Experiment Exploring Recent Science,2017 Presentations Presentation materials from all WUCA Resilience Trainings, 2018- present Water system resilience in an uncertain climate future, Presentation at AWWA Sustainable Water Management Conference, Portland, Oregon, 2018 Climate Change Resiliency Planning For Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater, Presentation at AWWA Sustainable Water Management Conference, Portland, Oregon, 2018 Successful Coproduction and Collaboration, Presentation at AWWA Sustainable Water Management Conference, Denver, Colorado, 2018 WUCA Leading Practices Water Utility Climate Alliance Leading Practices Report 2021 Water Utility Climate Alliance Leading Practices Worksheet 2021 Water Utility Climate Alliance Leading Practices Overview 2021 Heat Impacts Case Studies Heat Impacts Case Study, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Nevada Heat Impacts Case Study, Portland Water Bureau, Oregon Heat Impacts Case Study, Oklahoma City Utilities Department, Oklahoma Heat Impacts Case Study, Miami, Florida Heat Impacts Case Study, Denver Water Equitable Climate Solutions Case Studies Equitable Climate Solutions Case Study, Leveraging Data for Equitable Climate Outcomes Equitable Climate Solutions Case Study, Equity and Affordability in Water Conservation Equitable Climate Solutions Case Study, Equitable Community Engagement for Climate Action Climate Risk Disclosure for Equitable Climate Action, 2025 Climate Investments that Support Underserved Communities, 2025 Engineering Case Studies Engineering Case Study, Tarrant Regional Water District, Pump Station Cooling Solutions, Extreme Heat Adaptation, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Engineering Case Study, Seattle Public Utilities & King County, Ship Canal Water Quality Project, Seattle, Washington Engineering Case Study, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Low Lake Level Pumping Station, Drought Adaptation, Las Vegas, Nevada Engineering Case Study, City and County of San Francisco, Sea Level Rise Capital Planning and Guidance, California Engineering Case Study, Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department, Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades for Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge, Florida Engineering Case Study, Copenhagen Cloudburst Management Plan for Extreme Rainfall, Denmark Engineering Case Study, Colorado Dept of Natural Resources Dam Safety Design for Extreme Rainfall, Colorado Engineering Case Study, New York City Dept of Environmental Protection Climate Resilience Standard Operating Procedure for Sea Level Rise and Extreme Weather Events, New York Greenhouse Gas Case Studies Greenhouse Gas Case Study: The Water Energy Nexus (WEN) protocol, California Department of Water Resources, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Sustainable Water Treatment Plant, Denver Water, Colorado Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Pumping efficiencies, MWRA, Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Biogas to Local Natural Gas, NYC DEP, New York Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Inline Micro-Hydro, Portland Water Bureau, Oregon Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Energy Recovery System for the Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Plant, Poseidon Water, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Pumping Optimization, City of Lakewood, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Solar Panels, San Diego County Water Authority, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Wind power, solar, and battery storage, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Carbon Free Water, Sonoma Water, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Floating Solar, Lake County Special District, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Reducing Fleet Emissions, East Bay Municipal Utility District, California Greenhouse Gas Case Study: Smart Building Cooling, Waternet Amsterdam, Netherlands Purpose-Driven Climate Data Selection and Application Case Studies Climate Data Application Case Studies, Austin Water, 2026 Climate Data Application Case Studies, Philadelphia Water Department, 2026 Climate Data Application Case Studies, Portland Water Bureau, 2026 Climate Data Application Case Studies, San Diego County Water Authority, 2026 Climate Data Application Case Studies: Full package featuring four case studies, 2026

Privacy Policy A legal disclaimer The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of a Privacy Policy. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific privacy policies you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Privacy Policy. Privacy Policy - the basics Having said that, a privacy policy is a statement that discloses some or all of the ways a website collects, uses, discloses, processes, and manages the data of its visitors and customers. It usually also includes a statement regarding the website’s commitment to protecting its visitors’ or customers’ privacy, and an explanation about the different mechanisms the website is implementing in order to protect privacy. Different jurisdictions have different legal obligations of what must be included in a Privacy Policy. You are responsible to make sure you are following the relevant legislation to your activities and location. What to include in the Privacy Policy Generally speaking, a Privacy Policy often addresses these types of issues: the types of information the website is collecting and the manner in which it collects the data; an explanation about why is the website collecting these types of information; what are the website’s practices on sharing the information with third parties; ways in which your visitors and customers can exercise their rights according to the relevant privacy legislation; the specific practices regarding minors’ data collection; and much, much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Privacy Policy ”.

Understanding Climate Modeling and Uncertainty Understanding climate modeling and uncertainty is crucial for making informed decisions to plan for a range of potential climate futures and impacts. The resources are WUCA products that provide valuable insights and practical tools to help navigate this complex field so you can feel better prepared to access and interpret climate modeling results, assess their uncertainties effectively, and develop a concrete strategy for utilizing climate modeling results to guide utility decisions. CMIP6 FAQ for Water Managers (2025) CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 6) is the most recent organized international "roundup" of global climate projections from several dozen climate models. This resource for water managers provides a dozen or so highly relevant questions — and clear responses — to aid in the use and interpretation of CMIP6 datasets The Influence of Downscaling on Climate Projections (2024) There are a wide variety of downscaling methods in use, and while most reproduce the historical climate accurately, there can be significant differences in projected climate change. This document highlights differences between three downscaling methods. Improving the Vegetation Representation in Hydrologic Models Alters Hydroclimate Projections (2023) Accurately modeling evapotranspiration, which is directly related to temperature, is crucial to adequately capture the impact of warming on streamflow. This document illustrates the impact of recent changes to representation of vegetation over the Western U.S. Scaling and Application of Climate Projections to Stormwater and Wastewater Resilience Planning (2022) Wastewater and stormwater utilities must consider how to adapt to changing performance standards, regulatory drivers, and flooding impacts as extreme storms become more intense and back-to-back or compound events become more frequent under a warming climate. Other Resources Planning for Sea Level Rise: An AGU Talk in the Form of a Co-Production Experiment Exploring Recent Science (2017) Co-Producing Actionable Science for Water Utilities (2016) Proceedings of the Water Utility Climate Alliance Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) Workshop (2010)

Climate-resilient water utilities are an essential part of strong communities. WUCA strives to advance water utility climate adaptation so that communities can thrive in a changing world Collaboratively advancing water utility climate change adaptation Mission Climate-resilient water utilities supporting thriving communities Vision Contact Us Latest reports from WUCA Help your utility prepare for climate change Warming is here and now. Climate adaptation planning is not just about the future. Water utilities are experiencing the effects of a changing climate on their water resources today. Know your system and explore its vulnerabilities. Assess your water system to identify vulnerabilities. Risks can only be reduced if they are identified. Plan for multiple futures. Predicting the future is not feasible but anticipating plausible warmer future climates is. Prepare to face a variety of scenarios. Capacity building and assessment are part of the adaptation equation. Developing the technical and managerial expertise to identify and assess climate risks to a system is as much a part of adaptation as the steps taken to implement risk reduction measures. Sign up for email updates We'll keep you in the loop about upcoming webinars, case studies, and opportunities to participate Name Organization Email Sign Me Up Thanks for submitting! We'll be in touch.

Adaptation and Resilience Planning Adaptation and resilience planning is essential for translating climate information into practical actions that advance water utility climate adaptation and strengthen long-term utility resilience. The resources on this page are WUCA products designed to help utilities move from understanding climate projections and risks to identifying, evaluating, and implementing adaptation planning strategies. A Beginner's Guide to Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty for Water Utilities (2026) Water utilities must balance numerous, often conflicting, objectives and projections of future conditions when making adaptation decisions. Decision Making under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU) methods are specifically designed for these conditions. This report provides an accessible introduction to DMDU by highlighting the types of insights DMDU can offer, and outlining the core components of a DMDU approach. Defining Levels of Service (2025) The concept of Level of Service (LOS) is widely used in water supply planning to define systemwide performance goals and evaluate the need for new infrastructure investment. This report presents a framework for water supply LOS evaluation using five core elements – system dynamics, future scenarios, performance indicators, risk tolerance, and equity. Representing Climate Change Impacts in Water Demand Modeling (2022) WUCA conducted an informal water demand assessment in 2022 to learn more about how its member agencies address and model projected climate change impacts on future water demands. This report describes demand impacts including higher evapotranspiration rates, increased evaporation demand for cooling, longer growing seasons, increased conservation program implementation and population shifts. Other Resources Webinar: Helping Small- and Medium-Sized Water Utilities Plan and Design for A Changing Climate (2021) Water system resilience in an uncertain climate future (2018) Climate Change Resiliency Planning For Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater (2018) Successful Coproduction and Collaboration (2018) Embracing Uncertainty: A Case Study Examination of How Climate Change is Shifting Water Utility Planning (2015) Decision support planning methods: Incorporating climate change uncertainties into water planning (2010)