In 2017, Cape Town’s Responsible Tourism agency distributed dark blue signs reading “Don’t Waste A Drop!” at the city’s airport and in certain hotels.
“[The problem] has to do with understanding the value of natural systems,” Sandford said.
Most city water management systems worldwide require collaboration between local and state governments.
Only at the peak of a severe drought in Connecticut in 2016, Kirchhoff said, did the state’s officials realized its infrastructure wasn’t prepared for such a weather event.
But what about all of the cities and states that have never dealt with natural floods and droughts, that are keeping climate change on the backburner?
When the area was first settled in the 1400s, water management was the very first system of governance, and the rest of its political structure emerged from these water boards.
Twenty-two water boards manage, control, and plan water management practices across the country.
In an area as large as the U.S., successful water management has to involve sharing money, data, and resources between federal and local governments.
If all water management is on a local level, then it’s very difficult to understand the body of water as a whole and plan for long-term changes that are a result of climate change.
But [with climate change], I still think though that there’s not enough consideration.”