Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water Utilities

Water utility personnel can work through this straightforward guide to help them be better prepared and more resilient to drought. The guide presents real-world examples, best practices, and lessons learned in drought response and recovery. Activities in the guide cover

1. Staffing, Response Plans, and Funding
2. Water Supply and Demand Management
3. Communication and Partnerships

To increase esilience to future droughts, the guide recommends that utilities develop and implement an effective year-round Water Conservation Program and Drought Response Plan. Actions taken before a drought occurs, for example implementing a leak detection and repair program, can increase available supplies and be more cost effective in the long term.