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| | Home | Introduction | Climate | Workshops | Impacts | Adaptation | UKCP09 | Where next? | Links | Contact | Download | |
In this section you will learn about approaches that can be used to adapt the infrastructure and utilities sector to identified impacts of climate change by the 2050s. As on the impacts pages, this section focuses mainly on critical infrastructure, including:
These approaches are intended to build resilience, limit negative impacts, and enable society and organisations to benefit from available opportunities.
Transport In the view of the railway community, ‘short life’ assets like track and electrification, which are renewed every 20-50 years, will tend not to be affected by climate change because design standards will evolve in pace with changing climate, and the assets will be renewed. Of more concern are assets with longer life spans, like for example:
Engineering works can be undertaken to try and prevent extreme weather impacting on the rail and road networks. These are sometimes necessary to permit safe operation and good performance level. Engineering works that could be employed include:
Local road networks, maintained by Unitary/Metropolitan or County Authorities, will need increased resources for monitoring and maintenance of road surfaces and gulleys. Similarly, resources will need to continue to be increased for road-side and rail-side vegetation management. In the main, existing transport networks will need to be managed with minor adaptations, coupled with more resilient re-designs when major capital refurbishments are planned. However, the greatest vulnerability of the transport network to climate change is from the increased risk of flooding, particularly during winter when rainfall will, on average, increase compared to the present day. Due to this vulnerability flood risk management activities, ranging from flood warning and emergency response through to ‘on the ground’ flood defences will continue to be key adaptation responses. These are further described in the ‘Flooding’ section. Water and Waste Water The mechanism for this is a regulated process of medium-term (25 years) business planning, with these plans reviewed over cycles of typically 4 years. The most recent such plans from Yorkshire Water considered climate change projections, using information derived from Hadley Centre models. Future versions will need to incorporate any new and emerging information on climate change. In particular, ongoing understanding of the subtleties in water resource in response to climate changes will require water efficiency and demand management. For example, it will be key to understand whether there will be notable change in present-day rates of groundwater recharge since whilst the winters will be wetter, they will also be warmer. Similarly, the longer, drier and hotter summers means that rivers and reservoirs will need to supply more water for longer durations. These uncertainties need to be acknowledged, monitoring and managed through the medium-term business plans. Yorkshire Water’s investment in the Yorkshire Grid means that all envisaged water resource and water distribution issues anticipated by the company over the foreseeable future should be addressed. Such major capital investment was, in part, an adaptation response to the drought of 1995/96. Indeed, whilst concern was expressed in 2003 about low reservoir levels during what was an exceptionally dry year, supply problems were not manifest. Should extreme or prolonged drought conditions arise, hosepipe bans and drought orders could be used as a response and in a worst-case scenario water would be tankered from neighbouring supply areas, although this is a ‘last-resort’ since the approach is critically dependent on availability of such supplies. Certainly, the Yorkshire Grid will be called upon with increased regularity by the 2050s to balance demand with available resource, and hosepipe bans and drought orders are likely to become more commonplace compared with the present day. In addition, all water companies have statutory drought plans to manage public water supplies during drought and the Environment Agency has drought plans to manage the impacts upon the environment, and all users including direct abstractors for industrial and agricultural purposes, and those who use the water for recreational and navigational purposes. It is envisaged that these plans will be called upon with increased regularity due to the projected climate changes. The emerging system of Water Cycle Studies (WCS) provides an excellent example of adaptation in that it identified the issues between growth proposals and environmental requirements (including climate change) and proposes solutions to address them. In doing so, a WSC provides a single framework for infrastructure and spatial planning that encourages close and effective planning and co-operation between organisations, the optimisation of opportunities for use of green infrastructure, and delivers a sustainable future water environment. A further adaptation approach within a wider context is encouraging improved efficiency of water supply through repairing leakages and reduced wastage by domestic, commercial and industrial customers. This will reduce net demand and enable other users to benefit from these water savings. An example is enabling potential irrigation issues (reduced summer rainfall and increased water demand caused by longer growing seasons and warmer temperatures) to be better managed from existing available river abstractions. Also, restoration of peat moorlands would help increase summer water yield. Due to the vulnerability of many key assets managed by the water and wastewater sector to flooding, flood risk management activities, ranging from flood warning and emergency response through to ‘on the ground’ flood defences will continue to be key adaptation responses. These are further described in the ‘Flooding’ section. There is also a strong need for joined-up working between water companies, local authorities and the Environment Agency to manage pollution risks as well as flood risks. Energy and Telecommunications The principal vulnerability of many key assets managed by the energy and telecommunications sectors is to flooding. Consequently, flood risk management activities, ranging from flood warning and emergency response through to ‘on the ground’ flood defences will continue to be key adaptation responses. These are further described in the ‘Flooding’ section.
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Transport As much of the transport network comprises long-life infrastructure, it will be important to maximise efficiency of these systems through regular inspection and maintenance. Particularly important is regular clearance of gulleys and blocked drains on highways, particularly connected to forecasts of imminent storm events. This may require additional financial resources for local authorities to undertake such maintenance at a local level. Similarly, additional resources will be required for maintenance of roadside and trackside vegetation. As long-life infrastructure becomes due for renewal or replacement, improved drainage capacity could be built-in. Additionally, with some sections of railway or highway, for example at Sandsend and Filey, it may be necessary to improve the protection offered by flood or coastal defences or alternatively to consider relocating the assets outside of projected zones of impact. Regarding short-life assets, such as rail track, road surfacings, rolling stock, it is easier to ensure that appropriate adaptations, such as improved ventilation in rail carriages, is incorporated in scheduled refurbishment or replacement programmes as these occur more frequently than for longer-life assets. Connected to improved understanding and response to flood risk, forecasts and travel warnings should be issued as appropriate to customers. Water and Waste Water As new capital infrastructure is invested in, consideration should be given to optimum locations and capacities to reduce the risks from a changing climate. However, the nature of some of the key infrastructure means that it needs to be close to water courses (e.g. for intake or discharge of water). In these locations flood-proofing of infrastructure should be implemented. For example, pump houses should have suitable threshold levels or raised platforms to ensure that critical pumping infrastructure is not compromised by flood events. Key to managing the flood risk from the drainage and sewage network is improved development control relating to the connection of new developments to existing networks. The take-up of technologies such as SUDs, soakaways and swales in new developments would also improve the situation, although presently there are perceived to be barriers to improved utilisation of these technologies in new builds, primarily related to ownership and ongoing maintenance issues. Much of the sub-region hosts regionally-important livestock and arable farming. The projected increase in average winter rainfall and reduction in summer average rainfall (the latter coupled with rising temperatures) both could have implications on livestock and crops. An effective adaptation approach to address both the excess of water in winter and the deficit in summer is to encourage the use of winter water storage reservoirs. This will assist with management of flood risk in down-catchment areas and will provide a store of water that can be used in the drier summers for crop irrigation or livestock watering. A further advantage is that this available resource could also be used, if required, to assist with fighting wildfires in remote rural areas; an adaptation response that is also expected to increase by the 2050s due to the projected climate changes and is often constrained in effectiveness by inaccessibility and lack of nearby water supplies. There could also be environmental benefits associated with this approach through the re-introduction of flows to streams or rivers (depending on scale) during periods of low flow. The scale of these storage reservoirs could be at a local farm-holding level or more strategically planned catchment-wide. The above adaptation technology may be particularly relevant in areas where the rivers are subject to heavy abstraction since another adaptation response to the projected reduction in summer average (and annual average) rainfall is the exert stricter licensing control. This will have particular consequences where farming is of water-intensive crops, such as potatoes. Whilst Yorkshire Water does not presently envisage a deficit of water resource, even under the projected climate changes, there would undoubtedly be advantages in continued education of the public in terms of their efficiency of water usage and reduction of wastage, especially as demand is set to increase in the warmer climate. On this theme, ongoing investment from the water companies in optimising efficiency of their own treatment and transfer operations (e.g. incorporating technological advances and reducing leakages) will require continue resource investment and continued investment in Research and Development, including maintaining an awareness of the science of climate change. With the Yorkshire Grid serving the majority of the region, Yorkshire Water does not envisage any problems with supply to customers. However, the water transfer operations are partly dependent on mechanical operations and therefore contingency planning in the event of a power supply failure are required. Importantly, due to the vulnerable nature and location of much of the water and wastewater infrastructure, dialogue and joined up working (potentially including joint capital schemes) between the water companies, the local authorities and the Environment Agency in understanding and managing flood risk from all sources is a critical ongoing adaptation response to ensure optimum resilience of the sub-region. On a similar theme, strong joined-up working is needed between water companies, local authorities and the Environment Agency to manage pollution risks as well as flood risks. Energy and Telecommunications
Transport As much of the transport network comprises long-life infrastructure, it will be important to maximise efficiency of these systems through regular inspection and maintenance. Particularly important is regular clearance of gulleys and blocked drains on highways, particularly connected to forecasts of imminent storm events. This may require additional financial resources for local authorities to undertake such maintenance at a local level. Similarly, additional resources will be required for maintenance of roadside and trackside vegetation. As long-life infrastructure becomes due for renewal or replacement, improved drainage capacity could be built-in. Regarding short-life assets, such as rail track, road surfacings, rolling stock, it is easier to ensure that appropriate adaptations, such as improved ventilation in rail carriages, is incorporated in scheduled refurbishment or replacement programmes as these occur more frequently than for longer-life assets. Connected to improved understanding and response to flood risk, forecasts and travel warnings should be issued as appropriate to customers. Water and Waste Water As new capital infrastructure is invested in, consideration should be given to optimum locations and capacities to reduce the risks from a changing climate. However, the nature of some of the key infrastructure means that it needs to be close to water courses (e.g. for intake or discharge of water). In these locations flood-proofing of infrastructure should be implemented. For example, pump houses should have suitable threshold levels or raised platforms to ensure that critical pumping infrastructure is not compromised by flood events. Key to managing the flood risk from the drainage and sewage network is improved development control relating to the connection of new developments to existing networks. The take-up of technologies such as SUDs, soakaways and swales in new developments would also improve the situation, although presently there are perceived to be barriers to improved utilisation of these technologies in new builds, primarily related to ownership and ongoing maintenance issues. Whilst Yorkshire Water does not presently envisage a net deficit of water resource, even under the projected climate changes, there would undoubtedly be advantages in continued education of the public in terms of their efficiency of water usage and reduction of wastage, especially as demand is set to increase in the warmer climate. On this theme, ongoing investment from the water companies in optimising efficiency of their own treatment and transfer operations (e.g. incorporating technological advances and reducing leakages) will require continue resource investment and continued investment in Research and Development, including maintaining an awareness of the science of climate change. Furthermore, the sub-region contains some important water surface reservoirs and there may be times when supply needs to be balanced from elsewhere across the Yorkshire Grid to allow individual resources to replenish. With the Yorkshire Grid serving the majority of the region, Yorkshire Water does not envisage any problems with supply to customers. However, the water transfer operations are partly dependent on mechanical operations and therefore contingency planning in the event of a power supply failure are required. Importantly, due to the vulnerable nature and location of much of the water and wastewater infrastructure, dialogue and joined up working (potentially including joint capital schemes) between the water companies, the local authorities and the Environment Agency in understanding and managing flood risk from all sources is a critical ongoing adaptation response to ensure optimum resilience of the sub-region. On a similar theme, strong joined-up working is needed between water companies, local authorities and the Environment Agency to manage pollution risks as well as flood risks. Energy and Telecommunications
Transport At a strategic level, key road and rail organisations are already following climate trends and incorporating subtle adaptations as necessary within their Seasonal Preparedness Plans. Ongoing changes in climate will, however, need further adaptations, both in planning and engineering terms. For example, to counter the expected impacts of a warmer climate, rural roads may require different surface treatments and train rails different pre-stressing conditions before use in construction. As much of the transport network comprises long-life infrastructure, it will be important to maximise efficiency of these systems through regular inspection and maintenance. Particularly important is regular clearance of gulleys and blocked drains on highways, particularly connected to forecasts of imminent storm events. This may require additional financial resources for local authorities to undertake such maintenance at a local level. Similarly, additional resources will be required for maintenance of roadside and trackside vegetation. As long-life infrastructure becomes due for renewal or replacement, improved drainage capacity should be built-in. Additionally, with some sections of railway or highway, for example at Brough, Hessle, Ferriby, Withernsea, Bridlington and between Hornsea and Mappleton, it may be necessary to improve the protection offered by flood or coastal defences or alternatively to consider relocating the assets outside of projected zones of impact. Regarding short-life assets, such as rail track, road surfacings, rolling stock, it is easier to ensure that appropriate adaptations, such as improved ventilation in rail carriages, is incorporated in scheduled refurbishment or replacement programmes as these occur more frequently than for longer-life assets. Connected to improved understanding and response to flood risk, forecasts and travel warnings should be issued as appropriate to customers. Water and Waste Water The overall regulatory process is identical, however, ensuring that the effect of, and adaptation to, climate change is an integral part of the strategic business planning and management processes. Existing longer-term plans (25 year horizon) incorporate latest available guidance on the projected climate changes and identify appropriate measures to adapt to them. Furthermore a 4-yearly review cycle means that monitoring of the effectiveness of adaptation (and indeed mitigation) measures can be reviewed and further action prompted if necessary. In order to adapt to the specific water resource impacts that could affect this sub-region, greater emphasis needs to be placed here on improved efficiency, such as public education about wastage, usage, etc. Resources should be made available to optimise efficiency and reduce wastage from the industrial storage, supply and treatment processes too. Ultimately, in parts of the sub-region, there may be need for increased control on water use during particularly severe events, such as through the enforcement of hosepipe bans. Ensuring water supply to customers in the region is, in part, co-ordinated through Yorkshire Water’s Grid, but south of the Humber supply it is the responsibility of Anglian Water. This split responsibility means that cross-organisational dialogue is important to continued supply to the whole sub-region. It may also at times be necessary for pan-regional responses to address wider water shortage issues across this, or neighbouring areas. Also, the Yorkshire Grid is partly dependent on mechanical operations and therefore contingency planning in the event of a power supply failure are required. Much of the sub-region hosts regionally-important livestock and arable farming. The projected increase in average winter rainfall and reduction in summer average rainfall (the latter coupled with rising temperatures) both could have implications on livestock and crops. An effective adaptation approach to address both the excess of water in winter and the deficit in summer is to encourage the use of winter water storage reservoirs. This will assist with management of flood risk in down-catchment areas and will provide a store of water that can be used in the drier summers for crop irrigation or livestock watering. A further advantage is that this available resource could also be used, if required, to assist with fighting wildfires in remote rural areas; an adaptation response that is also expected to increase by the 2050s due to the projected climate changes and is often constrained in effectiveness by inaccessibility and lack of nearby water supplies. There could also be environmental benefits associated with this approach through the re-introduction of flows to streams or rivers (depending on scale) during periods of low flow. The scale of these storage reservoirs could be at a local farm-holding level or more strategically planned catchment-wide. The adaptation technology of winter water storage reservoirs may be particularly relevant in areas where the rivers are subject to heavy abstraction since another adaptation response to the projected reduction in summer average (and annual average) rainfall is the exert stricter licensing control. This will have particular consequences where farming is of water-intensive crops, such as potatoes. As new capital infrastructure is invested in, consideration should be given to optimum locations and capacities to reduce the risks from a changing climate. However, the nature of some of the key infrastructure means that it needs to be close to water courses (e.g. for intake or discharge of water). In these locations flood-proofing of infrastructure should be implemented. For example, pump houses should have suitable threshold levels or raised platforms to ensure that critical pumping infrastructure is not compromised by flood events. Specific to this sub-region is the issue of tide-locking of discharge outfalls, which also needs to be incorporated in future design considerations. Key to managing the flood risk from the drainage and sewage network is improved development control relating to the connection of new developments to existing networks. The take-up of technologies such as SUDs, soakaways and swales in new developments would also improve the situation, although presently there are perceived to be barriers to improved utilisation of these technologies in new builds, primarily related to ownership and ongoing maintenance issues. Importantly, due to the vulnerable nature and location of much of the water and wastewater infrastructure, dialogue and joined up working (potentially including joint capital schemes) between the water companies, the local authorities and the Environment Agency in understanding and managing flood risk from all sources is a critical ongoing adaptation response to ensure optimum resilience of the sub-region. On a similar theme, strong joined-up working is needed between water companies, local authorities and the Environment Agency to manage pollution risks as well as flood risks. Energy and Telecommunications Elsewhere, flood risk management activities, ranging from flood warning and emergency response through to ‘on the ground’ flood defences will continue to be key adaptation responses. These are further described in the ‘Flooding’ section.
Transport As much of the transport network comprises long-life infrastructure, it will be important to maximise efficiency of these systems through regular inspection and maintenance. Particularly important is regular clearance of gulleys and blocked drains on highways, particularly connected to forecasts of imminent storm events. This may require additional financial resources for local authorities to undertake such maintenance at a local level. Similarly, additional resources will be required for maintenance of roadside and trackside vegetation. As long-life infrastructure becomes due for renewal or replacement, improved drainage capacity could be built-in. Regarding short-life assets, such as rail track, road surfacings, rolling stock, it is easier to ensure that appropriate adaptations, such as improved ventilation in rail carriages, is incorporated in scheduled refurbishment or replacement programmes as these occur more frequently than for longer-life assets. For example, rolling stock on the Sheffield Supertram system is planned for refurbishment every 15 years, although a ‘refresh’ has been undertaken in advance of this timescale over recent years. This means that improved natural ventilation and/or cooling systems can be incorporated incrementally to address the anticipated changes in temperature. Connected to improved understanding and response to flood risk, forecasts and travel warnings should be issued as appropriate to customers. Water and Waste Water As new capital infrastructure is invested in, consideration should be given to optimum locations and capacities to reduce the risks from a changing climate. However, the nature of some of the key infrastructure means that it needs to be close to water courses (e.g. for intake or discharge of water). In these locations flood-proofing of infrastructure should be implemented. For example, pump houses should have suitable threshold levels or raised platforms to ensure that critical pumping infrastructure is not compromised by flood events. Key to managing the flood risk from the drainage and sewage network is improved development control relating to the connection of new developments to existing networks. The take-up of technologies such as SUDs, soakaways and swales in new developments would also improve the situation, although presently there are perceived to be barriers to improved utilisation of these technologies in new builds, primarily related to ownership and ongoing maintenance issues. Whilst Yorkshire Water does not presently envisage a net deficit of water resource, even under the projected climate changes, there would undoubtedly be advantages in continued education of the public in terms of their efficiency of water usage and reduction of wastage, especially as demand is set to increase in the warmer climate. On this theme, ongoing investment from the water companies in optimising efficiency of their own treatment and transfer operations (e.g. incorporating technological advances and reducing leakages) will require continue resource investment and continued investment in Research and Development, including maintaining an awareness of the science of climate change. Furthermore, the sub-region contains some important water surface reservoirs and there may be times when supply needs to be balanced from elsewhere across the Yorkshire Grid to allow individual resources to replenish. With the Yorkshire Grid serving the majority of the region, Yorkshire Water does not envisage any problems with supply to customers. However, the water transfer operations are partly dependent on mechanical operations and therefore contingency planning in the event of a power supply failure are required. Also, sections of both Doncaster District and Rotherham District are supplied by Severn Trent Water and therefore dialogue and joint contingency planning between these two key organisations is important for the sub-region as a whole. Importantly, due to the vulnerable nature and location of much of the water and wastewater infrastructure, dialogue and joined up working (potentially including joint capital schemes) between the water companies, the local authorities and the Environment Agency in understanding and managing flood risk from all sources is a critical ongoing adaptation response to ensure optimum resilience of the sub-region. On a similar theme, strong joined-up working is needed between water companies, local authorities and the Environment Agency to manage pollution risks as well as flood risks. Energy and Telecommunications Improved and ongoing understanding of the critical interconnectivity between these sectors and other recipient sectors is required to ensure that the vulnerability to network failure is known and adequate contingency plans, e.g. back-up generators, are in place.
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