Natural Drama

Every drought begins with a sunny day, and for water utilities facing broader changes in precipitation combined with more weather extremes, these forces magnify the challenges of water management. Beyond tracking regional conditions, utilities must fully understand when their water supplies could be reduced past the point where they can support existing demands. Regardless of the cause of water shortages (natural forces, system component failures, or regulatory actions), utilities around the globe must account for larger variability affecting services that rely on an already-fickle Mother Nature.

As this was written at the start of May 2024, the North American Drought Monitor website showed drought areas were mostly in Mexico, while around the globe conditions ranged from wetter than normal to states of severe drought. These conditions will change, though, and water professionals today must be part meteorologist and part climatologist to understand and communicate issues such as changes in groundwater recharge, lake and reservoir levels, runoff, and snowpack.

In North America, July and August are the season of peak water use. Most utilities are busy with regular operations and warm-weather projects, but if water stress is currently low, it's also a good time to evaluate drought and water shortage response plans to ensure they’re ready for drier times. This is the time to consider operational evaluations of local codes, policies, procedures, and programs; use models to better understand local demand management and supply-side options; and connect with other systems to understand how they are promoting efficient use and managing water resources in their communities.

Risk and uncertainty are increasing as a result of forces beyond local control, so utilities need to enhance their resilience and adaptability to remain sustainable. Staff and local stakeholders must understand locally specific characteristics that may prioritize some responses over others. As decision makers consider a widening range of scenarios, they need to coordinate with other agencies to adopt and implement efficient water use practices and land use policies. As stewards of public health and local resources, water professionals must ultimately understand and address any changes in the quantity, quality, and reliability of local and regional water supplies.

Perhaps most critically, communication between utilities and their customers must be timely and transparent. For guidance, AWWA's 2022 report Designing and Evaluating Effective and Ongoing Drought Communication describes how water systems can customize their drought campaigns on the basis of size, resources, audience, purpose, and message. Continuing forward, utilities must help their customers adapt, even as they respond to the challenges of today and address the threats of tomorrow.

Journal AWWA provides examples and guidance to address these areas; thanks for sharing your experiences with other water professionals by contacting me at [email protected].