Building Drought-Proof Cities: The Infrastructure Solutions That Actually Work

Look in your front yard and notice the grass. A little browning is normal, but year after year, if the yearly expected flowers don’t bloom and other plants fail to flourish, drought could be one of the explanations. The persistence of drought has motivated cities to use more creative landscaping and hardscaping tactics to conserve resources and make neighborhoods more resilient to these lengthening dry spells. What infrastructure solutions are actually working based on how drought impacts areas the most?

Programs to Combat Water Scarcity

It may feel uncomfortable and unintuitive to limit your water use. Typically, households don’t have a sense of urgency. However, sometimes governments have to impose mandatory water restrictions to preserve resources, which would cut unnecessary activities, like washing cars. The world’s leaders are calling it a state of water bankruptcy, as regions experience more resource strain. Instituting these rules upsets the public, so cities should try water recycling infrastructure solutions first.

In 2021, Singapore created a program to combat water scarcity. It had long relied on its neighbor, Malaysia, but it created NEWater, a recycled sewage water product and treatment system. An estimated 40% of the nation’s water use is recycled through these systems, and it could be as high as 55% by 2060. It can even facilitate microchip creation, which is a highly resource-intensive industry. The technology is keeping the country’s freshwater sources cleaner, while using less from other nations.

Green Firebreaks to Minimize Risk of Urban Wildfires

Pervasive droughts cause moisture to gradually fade away from habitats, and natural systems no longer are able to find or use the water it gets. This phenomenon causes areas to be extremely dry and prone to wildfires. Your community can take many measures to fend off wildfires, but one option includes green firebreaks.

While some plants catch fire easily, many species like succulents and some evergreens are more hardy. Your neighborhood and city can create green spaces with these plants, strategically placing them to protect areas from wildfire spread. The plants will burn, but it will slow the fire down, giving experts more time to respond. Case studies in Australia have shown green firebreaks offer additional benefits, including improved biodiversity and greater carbon storage potential. 

Preserving Urban Green Spaces

For urbanites, the places that make you feel most alive are green spaces. Parks and gardens are respites for many, and in drought, they are the first places to go. Then, the butterflies and squirrels you used to see on a regular basis don’t visit anymore. Innovative infrastructure solutions are making it easier to preserve these locations.

Xeriscaping is the practice of using drought-resistant plants and low-water design. The technique can create a space just as beautiful as conventional landscaping, especially if you need to save water. It allows people to access green spaces in their town, or in their front yard, while communities replenish their reserves, nourish the soil and establish more conscientious water consumption habits.

One aspect of this is preventing soil erosion. Dry, nutrient-stripped earth moves easily, even in light winds, displacing plants and other landscaping efforts. You can combat this in several ways, such as using compost to enrich the soil or installing soil nails to stabilize slopes and prevent runoff.

Incentive-based conservation and groundwater replenishment programs

Drought-prone areas struggle to maintain economic stability. Everything you know and love runs on water, like the manufacturing plants that create your cars and your favorite restaurants. In the Rio Grande region of Texas, drought could be the reason 11,500 people lose work, and the area bleeds $2.82 billion in income. So, its leaders are designing a water plan. 

Cities and businesses have options to protect their assets and keep their doors open, including incentive-based conservation and groundwater replenishment programs. Many sectors are inherently water-intensive, such as the fashion industry. Sometimes, organizations need a little push to experiment with new business models and technologies, especially those requiring different resource levels than traditional methods.

Public Cooling Centers

From heat exertion to increased pollution, drought can worsen many health conditions. Land activities are responsible for 80% of water pollution, harming aquatic life and straining sanitation systems. If resources can’t be treated as usual, you could consume contaminated water. High temperatures and heat waves only make this more problematic, as increased evaporation takes away more of what could be used.

The best infrastructure solution to fight this is public cooling centers. These government-backed structures provide a local refuge for people who are unable to access consistent air conditioning and water. You could visit one of many in your time of need, and its experts also help residents access funding programs to help weatherize and manage energy costs in their homes. These resources prevent further illness and distress, including dehydration.

Long-Lasting Infrastructure Solutions That Matter

Water is the most important resource on the planet for your household and local wildlife. As the climate crisis deepens in complexity and severity, it becomes harder to access, treat and distribute, leading to some of the driest conditions cities have experienced in their histories. Preventing these circumstances is vital to resilience, and there are many ways to address them with infrastructure, technology and human ingenuity — towns simply need to band together for the common cause.