Resilience of Water Supply in Practice: Experiences from the Frontline
Water Resilience in Practice is co-edited by two experienced water sector professionals and reviews resilience in water supply service delivery in the form of a series of case studies from different economic contexts – ranging from low-income and fragile states to upper-income countries. It documents real experiences and reflects on the initiatives different service providers apply to strengthen resilience in practice. It describes how service providers respond, adapt, innovate and learn on an ongoing basis, and how they endeavour to meet challenges and provide water supply to users equitably and sustainably.
In recent years climate resilience in water supply has been a new emerging paradigm. In response it is helpful to document and record some up-to-date experiences, which can be consolidated in one place. However, it is also necessary to recognise the multiple pressures that water resources face, such as: population growth, increased water demands, existing climatic variability as well as climate change. These pressures are having a profound impact on water supply service delivery. In this context service providers and development professionals must take active measures to respond to these risks.
This book is primarily addressed to organisations and practitioners involved in planning, designing, managing and financing water supply programmes in urban and rural settings.
ISBN: 9781789061611 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781789061628 (eBook)
ISBN: 9781789061635 (ePub)
Chapter 5: Water resources east: An integrated water resource management exemplar
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Published:December 2021
Nancy Smith, Robin Price, Steve Moncaster, 2021. "Water resources east: An integrated water resource management exemplar", Resilience of Water Supply in Practice: Experiences from the Frontline, Leslie Morris-Iveson, St John Day
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Abstract
Water Resources East (WRE) is a 180 strong and growing membership organisation established in 2014 to learn from international best practice on how to develop a more collaborative approach to water resource management planning to the 2050s and beyond. This is happening now in a unique region of England under significant pressure due to population growth, economic ambition, the need for enhanced environmental protection, and significant climate change impacts.
The lesson of this chapter is the power of multi-sector water resource planning through collaborative and adaptable mechanisms led by integrated water resource management (IWRM). Through using active project case studies to gain insight into how we work with our members: Future Fenland Adaptation; Regional Natural Capital Planning through Systematic Conservation Planning (Water Resources East is teaming up with Biodiversify and WWF-UK, with financial support from the Coca-Cola Foundation, to develop a natural capital plan for Eastern England through Systematic Conservation Planning); and exploration of multi-sector finance of nature-based solutions through the creation of Water Funds, we hope to provide a strong evidence base for our sustainable and resilient methodologies and approaches that can be used, or be an influence on, other water management systems globally.
Lastly, the WRE team and longest standing contributors reflect on lessons and recommendations from the past seven years of work.