Urban water infrastructure: A critical review on climate change impacts and adaptation strategies

Abstract

Urban water infrastructure (UWI) plays a critical role in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by providing safe drinking water, sanitation, and wastewater management, and contributing to sustainable cities. However, UWI faces significant challenges, including the high cost of failure in the face of devastating natural disasters increasingly caused by climate change. Many current infrastructures, built years ago, are not adapted to climatic changes, posing a threat to both UWI functions and the SDGs they support. To address these challenges, this study critically reviews recent research on UWI performance under climate change conditions, the impacts of climate change on long-term sustainability, and potential adaptation strategies. The present study suggests that incorporating the effects of climate change and sustainability criteria into UWI is essential. The results also reveal that severe flooding and water shortages are the most significant impacts of climate change on urban water infrastructure. Furthermore, the effects of other climate parameters, such as temperature rise due to the global warming phenomenon, should not be underestimated.