IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i23p12986-d686391.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Resilience in Water Infrastructures: A Review of Challenges and Adoption Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Apurva Pamidimukkala

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA)

  • Sharareh Kermanshachi

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA)

  • Nikhitha Adepu

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA)

  • Elnaz Safapour

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA)

Abstract

An increase in the number and strength of natural catastrophes experienced over the past few decades has accelerated the damage sustained by infrastructures. Drinking water and wastewater infrastructure systems are critical aspects of a healthy environment, and their ability to withstand disasters is vital for effective disaster response and recovery. Although numerous studies have been conducted to determine the challenges that natural disasters render to water infrastructures, few extensive examinations of these challenges have been conducted. The goal of this study, therefore, was to identify and categorize the challenges related to the resilience of drinking water and wastewater infrastructures, and to determine the strategies that most effectively minimize their unintended consequences. A comprehensive evaluation of the existing literature was conducted, and 537 publications were collected. After extensive screening, 222 publications were selected for rigorous evaluation and analysis based on the data collection methods and other criteria. A total of fifty-one (51) challenges were determined and classified, within the following five categories: environmental, technical and infrastructure, social, organizational, and financial and economic. The challenges were then ranked within each category according to their frequency of occurrence in previous research. The results reveal that climate change, aging infrastructure, lack of infrastructure capital, population growth, improper maintenance of water infrastructure, and rapid urbanization are the most frequently cited challenges. Next, 30 strategies and approaches were identified and categorized into either preventive or corrective actions, according to their implementation time. The findings of this study will help decision- and policymakers properly allocate their limited funding to enhance the robustness of their water infrastructures before, during, and after natural hazards.

Suggested Citation

  • Apurva Pamidimukkala & Sharareh Kermanshachi & Nikhitha Adepu & Elnaz Safapour, 2021. "Resilience in Water Infrastructures: A Review of Challenges and Adoption Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:12986-:d:686391
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/23/12986/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/23/12986/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beatriz Azevedo de Almeida & Ali Mostafavi, 2016. "Resilience of Infrastructure Systems to Sea-Level Rise in Coastal Areas: Impacts, Adaptation Measures, and Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-28, November.
    2. Zhang, Jing, 2012. "The impact of water quality on health: Evidence from the drinking water infrastructure program in rural China," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 122-134.
    3. Alessandro Pagano & Raffaele Giordano & Ivan Portoghese & Umberto Fratino & Michele Vurro, 2014. "A Bayesian vulnerability assessment tool for drinking water mains under extreme events," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 74(3), pages 2193-2227, December.
    4. S. H. A. Koop & C. J. Leeuwen, 2017. "The challenges of water, waste and climate change in cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 385-418, April.
    5. Ritsche Anne Kloosterman & Wijnand Veeneman & Jan Peter van der Hoek, 2020. "Sustainable Societal Infrastructures: A Resilient Approach to Prevent Conflicting Claims of Drinking Water and Other Infrastructures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, January.
    6. M. A. Hoque & P. F. D. Scheelbeek & P. Vineis & A. E. Khan & K. M. Ahmed & A. P. Butler, 2016. "Drinking water vulnerability to climate change and alternatives for adaptation in coastal South and South East Asia," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 247-263, May.
    7. Jui-Sheng Chou & Jia-Huei Wu, 2014. "Success factors of enhanced disaster resilience in urban community," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 74(2), pages 661-686, November.
    8. Raéf Bahrini & Alaa A. Qaffas, 2019. "Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Economic Growth: Evidence from Developing Countries," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Krishna R. Reddy & Valeria Kandou & Rachel Havrelock & Ahmed Rachid El-Khattabi & Teresa Cordova & Matthew D. Wilson & Braeden Nelson & Citlalli Trujillo, 2023. "Reuse of Treated Wastewater: Drivers, Regulations, Technologies, Case Studies, and Greater Chicago Area Experiences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-68, May.
    2. Giada Felisa & Giulio Panini & Pietro Pedrazzoli & Vittorio Di Federico, 2022. "Combined Management of Groundwater Resources and Water Supply Systems at Basin Scale Under Climate Change," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(3), pages 915-930, February.
    3. Fatemeh Asghari & Farzad Piadeh & Daniel Egyir & Hossein Yousefi & Joseph P. Rizzuto & Luiza C. Campos & Kourosh Behzadian, 2023. "Resilience Assessment in Urban Water Infrastructure: A Critical Review of Approaches, Strategies and Applications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.
    4. Xian Liu, 2022. "Analysis of Crop Sustainability Production Potential in Northwest China: Water Resources Perspective," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Keya Sengupta, 2016. "Water and health for sustainable development," African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1), pages 66-101.
    2. Wuliyasu Bai & Liang Yan & Jingbo Liang & Long Zhang, 2022. "Mapping Knowledge Domain on Economic Growth and Water Sustainability: A Scientometric Analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(11), pages 4137-4159, September.
    3. Cesar Casiano Flores & Joep Crompvoets & Maria Eugenia Ibarraran Viniegra & Megan Farrelly, 2019. "Governance Assessment of the Flood’s Infrastructure Policy in San Pedro Cholula, Mexico: Potential for a Leapfrog to Water Sensitive," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Jeroen van der Heijden, 2021. "When opportunity backfires: exploring the implementation of urban climate governance alternatives in three major US cities [Are LEED-Certified Buildings Energy-Efficient in Practice?]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 40(1), pages 116-135.
    5. Mohammad Soltani Delgosha & Tahereh Saheb & Nastaran Hajiheydari, 0. "Modelling the Asymmetrical Relationships between Digitalisation and Sustainable Competitiveness: A Cross-Country Configurational Analysis," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-21.
    6. Paul Drummond, 2021. "Assessing City Governance for Low-Carbon Mobility in London," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, February.
    7. ZHONG, Hai, 2015. "An over time analysis on the mechanisms behind the education–health gradients in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 135-149.
    8. Xu, Jinying & Lu, Weisheng, 2022. "Developing a human-organization-technology fit model for information technology adoption in organizations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    9. Zhixing Ma & Shili Guo & Xin Deng & Dingde Xu, 2021. "Community resilience and resident's disaster preparedness: evidence from China's earthquake-stricken areas," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 108(1), pages 567-591, August.
    10. Md. Mahfuzul Islam & A. Aldrie Amir & Rawshan Ara Begum, 2021. "Community awareness towards coastal hazard and adaptation strategies in Pahang coast of Malaysia," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 107(2), pages 1593-1620, June.
    11. André Luis Azevedo Guedes & Jeferson Carvalho Alvarenga & Maurício Dos Santos Sgarbi Goulart & Martius Vicente Rodriguez y Rodriguez & Carlos Alberto Pereira Soares, 2018. "Smart Cities: The Main Drivers for Increasing the Intelligence of Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-19, August.
    12. Natalia Sajnóg & Katarzyna Sobolewska-Mikulska & Justyna Wójcik-Leń, 2019. "Methodology of Determination of the Range of Restrictions Related to the Existence of Transmission Devices on Private Land—Case Study of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-21, July.
    13. Koketso Phale & Fanglin Li & Isaac Adjei Mensah & Akoto Yaw Omari-Sasu & Mohammed Musah, 2021. "Knowledge-Based Economy Capacity Building for Developing Countries: A Panel Analysis in Southern African Development Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-28, March.
    14. Lovo, Stefania & Veronesi, Marcella, 2019. "Crop Diversification and Child Health: Empirical Evidence From Tanzania," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 168-179.
    15. Kamrani, Kazem & Roozbahani, Abbas & Hashemy Shahdany, Seied Mehdy, 2020. "Using Bayesian networks to evaluate how agricultural water distribution systems handle the water-food-energy nexus," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    16. Ajoy Ketan Sarangi & Rudra Prakash Pradhan, 2020. "ICT infrastructure and economic growth: a critical assessment and some policy implications," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 47(4), pages 363-383, December.
    17. Wu, Haoyi & Guo, Huanxiu & Zhang, Bing & Bu, Maoliang, 2017. "Westward movement of new polluting firms in China: Pollution reduction mandates and location choice," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 119-138.
    18. Fritz-Julius Grafe & Harald A. Mieg, 2021. "Precaution and Innovation in the Context of Wastewater Regulation: An Examination of Financial Innovation under UWWTD Disputes in London and Milan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-10, August.
    19. Rachit Saxena & Sai Kranthi Vanga & Jin Wang & Valérie Orsat & Vijaya Raghavan, 2018. "Millets for Food Security in the Context of Climate Change: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-31, June.
    20. Khurram Shehzad & Umer Zaman & Ana Ercília José & Emrah Koçak & Paulo Ferreira, 2021. "An Officious Impact of Financial Innovations and ICT on Economic Evolution in China: Revealing the Substantial Role of BRI," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-17, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:12986-:d:686391. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.