Pacific Institute report outlines 130+ strategies for rural water and sanitation resilience

The Pacific Institute has released a new report, Strategies for Resilient Rural Water and Sanitation in the US, outlining more than 130 actionable strategies to help rural communities strengthen the climate resilience of their water and sanitation systems.

Developed in partnership with the Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN) and rural technical assistance providers, the report emphasizes that rural communities often face persistent challenges such as aging infrastructure, limited funding and lack of workforce capacity – issues that are further intensified by climate change impacts like flooding, drought and extreme storms.

“There is no other resource like this specifically tailored for rural communities,” said Dr. Shannon McNeeley, lead author and associate director of water and climate equity at the Pacific Institute, in a press release. “This report fills a recognized knowledge gap about rural water systems.”

The framework organizes strategies into eight categories: built infrastructure, technology and innovation, natural infrastructure, management and planning, funding and financing, knowledge and information, capacity building, and law and policy. Examples include developing emergency response plans, integrating local knowledge into water and sanitation planning, and offering income-qualified assistance programs for infrastructure upgrades.

According to LiKEN Executive Director Betsy Taylor, the report underscores that rural communities are “implementing and creating strategies to strengthen their resilience” despite being historically overlooked in climate and water planning efforts.

The full report is available through the Pacific Institute’s website.