AD3 Task 2: Assess opportunities to reduce risk and improve resilience

Sub tasks

1. Area/Catchment scale: Assess opportunities for strategic water resource development to meet existing and future needs
2. Area/Catchment scale: Assess opportunities to ensure water treatment infrastructure
3. Area/Catchment scale: Assess opportunities to encourage green infrastructure such as sustainable drainage systems in new and existing development
4. Area/Catchment scale: Assess opportunities to maintain and enhance the water quality of rivers and coastal waters
5. All scales: Assess the possibility of achieving water neutrality
6. Neighbourhood/Building scale: assess opportunities to deliver new developments that encourage water efficiency internally and externally

Approach

You should now have an understanding of the probability of water shortages and water quality issues, and the adaptive capacity of people and assets in your area. This stage is about scoping adaptive measures that will encourage sustainable water resource management. The opportunities should be considered according to a spatial scale (see Defining Spatial Scale). Effective water resource management can assist with flood risk management so it is important to consider the overlaps when developing your evidence base.

Section 4.3 of TCPA’s Climate Change Adaptation by Design Guide will help you scope adaptive measures to manage water resources and quality; it provides a number of case studies for reference.

The Environment Agency’s report ‘Managing drought in England and Wales and cribsheet on managing water resources may also be helpful:

Sub-task 3 will overlap with sub-tasks for other policy objectives, including flood risk management and managing high temperatures. In this context, green infrastructure may include permanent or temporary storage ponds which can be used for supply of ‘grey’ water, for example. For guidance on the development of green infrastructure at a strategic and site specific scale please refer to Natural England’s guidance which includes a range of case studies.

For sub-task 5 and 6 you may consider setting a target for water consumption in new development. For residential development you may wish to specify a particular level of the Code for Sustainable Homes standard.

For guidance on how to develop your evidence base into policy see translating evidence into policy. This includes some examples of potential adaptation measures. Below are two case studies for managing water availability and quality. For further resources and examples of good practice please see the case studies section.