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New Brighton Climate Action Plan 5 -1 <br />Enhancing fiood and stormwater resilience while <br />reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from <br />water usage and wastewater treatment. <br />Climate change adaptation, water, and wastewater <br />management are intertwined in the Midwest. Global <br />warming's effect on temperature and rainfall impacts <br />water availability and quality, necessitating adaptive <br />measures in New Brighton. Water conservation, efflcient <br />irrigation, agriculture techniques, and Xeriscape help <br />address water risks in Minnesota under climate <br />variations, maximizing limited resources. <br /> <br />Increased rainfall can strain wastewater infrastructure, <br />causing sewage overfiow into water bodies. Solutions <br />include reinforcing wastewater facilities, using green <br />infrastructure for stormwater management, and averting <br />contamination. Adapting water treatment plants to <br />changes in water availability and quality may involve <br />advanced technologies or process modiflcations. <br /> <br />Incorporating climate forecasts into planning fosters <br />proactive adaptation, bolstering water and wastewater <br />management's long-term sustainability. By foreseeing <br />climate impacts and prioritizing resilience, New Brighton <br />can ensure safe water, effective wastewater treatment, <br />and overall protection of public health, the economy, and <br />the environment. <br /> <br />Regional Water Stress <br />By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas <br />plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's <br />population living in water-stressed regions. Since 1985 <br />the New Brighton region has had a reduction in water <br />yield of approximately 10%. Through 2050, the City can <br />anticipate an increase in water demand of 20%. <br /> <br />(Sources: “Adaptation to Future Water Shortages in the United States <br />Caused by Population Growth and Climate Change”, World Resources <br />Institute, USGS). <br />Climate Impacts <br />This sector impacts climate change through <br />fossil fuel use to generate the electricity <br />required to process and distribute water and <br />treat wastewater. <br /> <br />Climate Hazards <br />Hazards to the water and wastewater system <br />involve extreme weather and fiood-induced <br />infrastructure damage. Citywide, the potential <br />for intensifled fiooding and fiash fioods has <br />increased. <br />83% <br />of survey respondents are <br />moderately, very, or <br />extremely concerned about <br />potential impacts on water <br />quality. <br />Water and Wastewater <br />Equity Considerations <br />Climate change intensifies water scarcity and <br />quality issues, hitting underserved <br />communities hardest due to limited adaptation <br />resources and flood-prone living conditions, <br />risking untreated sewage exposure. Equitable <br />adaptation demands inclusive strategies, such <br />as investing in resilient infrastructure <br />universally, aiding lower-income households <br />with water-saving technologies, and <br />promoting public engagement in decision- <br />making. <br />Click here to <br />return to TOC