Water in an urbanizing world, 2011. Katalina Engel, et al. World Wildllife Fund.
The following recommendations can be made for future urban planning with regard to water sustainability:
- Cities must protect and restore ecosystems that are important water sources for surface waters and aquifers. The adoption of a multi-sectoral approach to water and wastewater management at the national level is a matter of urgency.
- Successful and sustainable wastewater management that supports peri-urban agriculture is crucial for reducing water consumption.
- In order to better understand their vulnerabilities, prepare for climate change impacts, and make informed political and financial decisions, cities must conduct vulnerability and water risk assessments covering the core urban and peri-urban areas.
- Local stakeholder involvement is key to any vulnerability and risk assessment and adaptation strategy development and implementation.
- Innovative financing of water and wastewater infrastructure should take into account livelihoods, involve the private sector and institutionalize payment and cost recovery systems. An inventory of critical infrastructure at risk to flooding, droughts, or sea level rise is fundamental to inform longer-term planning, construction, funding, and other resiliency goals.
- The incorporation of green infrastructure and low-impact development, such as rain gardens, capture-and-use systems (rain barrels and cisterns) or urban agriculture, should be encouraged in local planning.
