Cities go through three phases on their development path to deliver improved municipal water and sanitation services to their customers. Globally cities can be found in all three phases, but even cities far along on this development path are rarely prepared for what is coming in the Anthropocene.

Municipal water utilities in many locations are facing water scarcity and will need an improved policy mix to reduce their raw water withdrawals and avoid ‘Day Zeros’. The results of a systems optimisation model illustrate the magnitude of the reductions in raw water withdrawals that are possible in a circular urban water system and the trade-offs between reduced raw water withdrawals and system-wide costs.

Oxford Martin School

Professional Year

'Getting ready for the Anthropocene: overcoming obstacles on the development path for municipal water and sanitation services' with Prof Dale Whittington