Drought Resilient Water Utilities in the Danube Region

Join us in navigating present and future drought risks for water supply utilities and contributing towards a water-secure and drought-resilient future in the Danube Region: Application of a state-of-the-art platform to identify climate-resilient pathways. 

Please register here to submit your data! 

Why should we proactively tackle water scarcity and drought challenges in the Danube Region?

Prolonged heatwaves and droughts are intensifying in the Danube region. Reflecting on the severe consequences of the 2022 drought and increasingly uncertain and extreme climate events, we recognize the risks that climate change pose to water supply utilities. As key agents in ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable water supply to communities, your insights are crucial. Are you interested in participating in an initiative that aims to learn more about present and future drought challenges? The Water Utility Drought Risk Assessment provides an opportunity to contribute to a novel and forward-looking initiative aimed at navigating the critical issue of water scarcity and droughts for water supply utilities in the Danube region.

What is the central mission of this activity?

The main objective of this activity is to employ a thorough framework for quantifying present-day and future drought risk at a utility scale in the Danube region. Through this assessment, the activity seeks to raise awareness about the challenges posed by water scarcity and explore potential adaptation measures to build resilience. Participating water supply utilities will be analyzed by collecting information on their customer-bases, leakage losses and water sources.

Integrating global experience to refine accuracy for the Danube Region

The activity draws upon an ongoing global drought risk assessment of water supply utilities, which was presented and discussed at the Danube Water Conference in June 2023. In cooperation with Oxford University, this global perspective will be refined to capture the specific context of utilities in the Danube region, providing a more accurate platform for analyzing drought risks and adaptation pathways.

Results that can be expected from the activity

We aim to estimate the annual average drought risk for each participating utility, measured in terms of the number of days that utilities would not be able to supply their full customer base, without needing to draw from non-renewable groundwater. This annual average risk metric will be estimated under present day and three possible future climate change conditions, ranging from pessimistic to optimistic greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. The benefit of alternative adaptation actions (e.g., increasing reservoir storage, reducing leakage and desalination capacity) on reducing risk will be estimated to explore the cost-effectiveness of considered options.

What is the ultimate purpose of the Utility Drought Risk Assessment, and how can it help to shape a water-secure future in the Danube Region?

Ultimately, the Utility Drought Risk Assessment aims to support Danube countries in their water management efforts by providing insights into their exposure and vulnerability to present and future drought-related water shortages. Join us in enhancing awareness around the importance of safeguarding water supply utilities against climate change and paving the way for more detailed utility-level assessments to facilitate adaptation decision-making. Fill out our form now and be a part of this unique and pioneering initiative!

Data protection policy

Data provided by utilities will not be shared publicly. Detailed results for each utility will be shared directly with that utility, but not made publicly available. A high-level summary of results across the region will be provided for illustrative purposes in a summary report that will be shared publicly.

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