Canadian Water Network (CWN) brought together 18 leaders from nine progressive water utilities to kick off a Strategic Sharing Group focused on increasing climate resilience through stormwater management.

CWN’s Strategic Sharing Groups convene thought leaders to share knowledge on emerging issues. As Canada experiences more frequent extreme weather events, municipalities and utilities are struggling to build and maintain infrastructure that can withstand them. It is essential to ensure that our infrastructure, like our stormwater and drainage systems, is resilient to the effects of climate change and can continue to operate in the face of adverse conditions. For this reason, CWN launched a Strategic Sharing Group focused on climate resilience through stormwater management.

During the meeting in November, municipal and utility leaders spent some time getting to know one another and then delved into identifying key priorities for stormwater management in their respective municipalities and utilities. Some of the key topics that emerged from the discussion include watershed management, water reuse, green stormwater infrastructure and asset management. Specific priorities for some of the municipalities and utilities centred around water quality, flooding, infrastructure and funding. The meeting reiterated the importance of peer-to-peer knowledge exchange between municipalities and utilities, particularly when it comes to integrating and implementing stormwater management practices in the face of a changing climate.

CWN’s Stormwater Management Strategic Sharing Group is scheduled to meet again in March 2024. The group will discuss topics related to strategic planning, as well as initiatives water utilities can use to incorporate climate adaptation into water management decisions.

Is your municipality or utility undertaking any innovative stormwater management practices? CWN would like to hear from you! Please contact Jessica Akande at [email protected] to share your insights.