Master Planning Collection Systems in a Time of Uncertainty: Climate Change, Adaptive Management, and Defining New Levels of Service

摘要

Regardless of the cause of climate change, it is occurring and municipalities across thecountry will need to adapt to the changing conditions. The two major impacts of climatechange affecting collection systems are sea level rise (SLR) and changes in precipitationpatterns. Another factor that compounds the effects of SLR is storm surge. Historically,precipitation patterns have exhibited stationarity, meaning the statistical patterns haveinsignificantly deviated over an extended time period. Since the assumption ofstationarity of precipitation patterns in the future may no longer be appropriate, historiccollection system level of service (LOS) metrics, such as design storms, may need to beadjusted in the future. This paper discusses how adaptive management can help indefining new LOS for the next generation of collection system master plans, which areneeded to protect our extensive sewer infrastructure and increase resiliency in a changingclimate. Climate change predictions as well as adaptive measures developed by severalmunicipalities are highlighted.