scope:

Introduction

The world's supply of drinkable fresh water is under increasing pressure. Over a billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and it is anticipated that 2.8 billion people will be in that situation within the next two decades. Most people in the United States have easy access to water-it simply comes out of their tap, and it is clean and plentiful. However, increasingly, a growing number of communities are experiencing periodic water shortages. Some of the challenges contributing to water shortages today include:

• Population growth even though citizens may be using less water per person.

• Over the past five years, many areas of the country have experienced the hottest and driest years on record. According to NASA, the year 2008 was the ninth warmest year since instrumental temperature measurements began in 1880, and all of the nine warmest years have occurred in the past 11 years.

• Water is delivered through an increasingly complex and aging network of distribution systems.

• Water treatment processes have become more sophisticated and costly.

• Energy-related expenses, from transportation to treatment, have increased significantly.

• The environment is taxed to a critical point in numerous key waterways.

• The reliability of water deliveries has diminished as uncertainty and variability increases, as related to climate change, regulatory actions, delivery system security, and other factors.

There are also new opportunities for reducing the impact of water shortages. Widespread use of the Internet allows for information sharing and communication at a level unimagined in previous decades. New technology allows for more efficient use of water, from commercial cooling towers to smart irrigation controllers. Regional alliances have been established to coordinate water supply and demand management efforts.

AWWA Manual M60 Drought Preparedness and Response is designed to help water managers who are facing water shortages. The manual illustrates the use of demonstrated methods of the past as well as the use of new tools and methods. Managing water shortages involves temporarily reducing demand and finding alternate water to temporarily increase supply. Some of these actions will result in permanent changes in water use, such as the installation of efficient toilets. The focus of the manual is to provide a step-by-step process to anticipate and respond to water shortages through a structured planning process.