Revised Policy Statement: Climate Change

AWWA Policy: Climate Change

April 15, 2024

The following revised AWWA Policy Statement on Climate Change has been approved by the Technical and Educational Council for member comment.

Comments on the policy statement will be reviewed by AWWA staff and forwarded to the Executive Committee if the comments are minor, or referred back to the originating body if the comments are substantive. Policies forwarded to the Executive Committee will be reviewed for approval and final action. 

AWWA Policy Statement on Climate Change

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) recognizes that global climate change is impacting and will continue to impact ecosystems, the hydrologic cycle, and the natural and built landscape. Global climate change contributes to changes in water demand, quantity, quality, timing, and reliability. Natural hazards, exacerbated by climate change, have the potential to disrupt the sources, systems, and facilities on which water utilities rely to provide safe and affordable water supplies. AWWA also recognizes that water utilities may have a role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.  

Water utilities who continually work to provide safe and affordable water can also serve a role in enhancing the quality of life of vulnerable communities, who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. To this end and to guide their decision making, water utilities are encouraged to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations. 

AWWA recommends that water utilities collaborate with local stakeholders and regional partners, including academic and scientific institutions, to incorporate climate change considerations into integrated planning efforts and to develop Climate Action Plans. These comprehensive planning efforts should assess climate vulnerability and risk to supplying safe and reliable water by identifying and evaluating potential impacts to water facilities, supplies and source areas from a range of future climate scenarios that reflect climate variability and extremes. Water utilities should plan for and implement proactive adaptation measures, projects and programs and emergency response strategies to reduce vulnerability to identified climate impacts.  Finally, water utilities should evaluate and implement strategies to reduce emissions and sequester greenhouse gases from all water utility activities.

Practices specified in this policy statement are consistent with all other pertinent AWWA policy statements.

Approved by the Board of Directors Jan. 17, 2010. Revised Jan. 19, 2014 and Oct. 24, 2018.

Submit comments by May 15, 2024