Integrated water resource planning in the context of climate uncertainty

In many locations, climate change may significantly reduce urban water supplies and could also affect water demand. With uncertainty around future climate, supply-demand planning needs to adapt. This paper addresses the question: How does climate change alter Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) for urban water? The paper covers the setting of planning objectives in the face of climate change, assessing the impacts of climate change on urban water supply and water demand, and considers the available responses. While climate change represents a major challenge for urban water planning it also reinforces key principles of IRP such as adaptive management, the central role of water conservation and need for public engagement in water planning. © IWA Publishing 2010.