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An equity approach to building more resilient infrastructure

An equity approach to building more resilient infrastructure

Why we need to collaborate with communities in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Imagine a Day Without Water is a national movement to raise awareness and advocate for water infrastructure investment. It represents an opportunity to affirm our commitment to building equitable and accessible water systems for all.

With the devastating aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton still very much front and center, the urgent need for infrastructure resilience is all too apparent. With millions of Americans losing access to clean water, power, transportation, and housing, the hurricanes exposed the vulnerabilities of our infrastructure to natural disasters and other climate risks – and revealed how existing disparities affected different communities.

We asked Walt Walker, Equity Practice Lead for TYLin, why water equity is essential for building resilience to climate change and protecting the most vulnerable communities.

Q: What does it mean to take an equitable approach to infrastructure?

In brief, it means taking a holistic and community-centered approach to infrastructure investment that maximizes social impact outcomes throughout the planning, design, and implementation phases – and where communities share in the economic, social, and environmental benefits of infrastructural investments. It’s a process where everyone can participate, climate action is prioritized, and the resulting infrastructure provides consistent quality and service regardless of location or social status. For water, all communities need to have access to clean and reliable water. It is a fundamental human right.

Q: Why is infrastructure resiliency so important, and specifically for water infrastructure?

Infrastructure resiliency determines how quickly communities can recover from a disaster. Hurricanes and other extreme climate events disrupt essential services, leaving vulnerable populations without access to basic needs, which can significantly impact recovery.

Water infrastructure, especially, is critical to public health and safety. After a disaster, access to clean water is one of the most immediate concerns. Without it, there’s an increased risk of disease, dehydration, and sanitation issues, making recovery harder on top of the existing challenges in the built environment that some communities already face.

Q: How do disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton reveal disparities between communities?

Not all communities face the same challenges during storm events. This is evident in their availability or accessibility to resources to prepare, capacity to withstand and adapt, and ability to recover from the storm. Areas already underserved or under-resourced, with aging or inadequate infrastructure, are more likely to experience long-term outages or flooding, and low-income neighborhoods often lack the resources to recover quickly. These disparities mean that while some people may regain access to water, power, and transportation in days – or have backup resources to support them while waiting for restoration – others may be waiting weeks or months without any reserves to draw from.

This lack of adequate infrastructure and resources isn’t just an immediate risk to one's health but impacts their family’s livelihood. When you look at what happened in North Carolina, many places are rural, and we know that rural communities often face under-investment in their water infrastructure. They frequently have outdated infrastructure and older technology, making them more vulnerable to storm damage and more challenging to monitor and protect during storm events. These systems could benefit greatly by implementing digital sensors or community-driven regional water partnerships.  

Q: How can we rebuild water infrastructure to be more equitable and resilient?

First, we must remember that this starts with ensuring opportunities are available for our communities to participate in decision-making processes related to water management and climate action. By collaborating with and empowering community members and stakeholders, we understand their specific needs and vulnerabilities to design solutions resilient to climate change and social inequities.

For example, our team is engaged in Tempe, Arizona, to help develop a comprehensive strategy for implementing, maintaining, and funding green infrastructure (such as rain gardens, retention basins, and permeable pavement). This strategy will lead to more equitable urban cooling in a city that experiences extreme heat. The team’s vision is to enable a cooler, more resilient city by incorporating heat vulnerability data and feedback from community members historically underrepresented in city urban planning processes.

Building equitable and resilient infrastructure for the water industry also means working with diverse design and construction teams and building skills and knowledge at a local level. Additionally, we need to advocate for change at a policy and funding level – engaging with policymakers to press for sustainable development, responsible growth, and funding mechanisms to invest in all levels of systems – rural, urban, small, or large.

Lastly, we need to use communication, education, and the power of storytelling to help others understand the impact of water infrastructure investments and how it affects people. Compelling storytelling can inspire people, partners, funders, and community members to envision change and help them see how ideas can be transformed into reality.

Walt Walker
Walt Walker
Vice President and Equity Practice Leader

Walt Walker is Vice President and Equity Practice Leader at TYLin. He has more than 19 years of expertise in managing, planning, and designing water, wastewater, and solid waste infrastructure, as well as experience in climate action and master planning. As TYLin’s Equity Practice Leader, Walt partners with utility leaders to accelerate equitable water management by planning, designing, and implementing programs that focus on community and social impact. Walt is Chair of the New York Water Environment Association’s (NYWEA’s) Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I) Committee, a member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) Board of Trustees DE&I Committee, on the Board of Directors of the Global Water Alliance, and a contributing member of the US Water Alliance’s One Water Council.