Preparing Communities of the Northwest Territories for the Impacts of Climate Change on Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems

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Summary

Communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada are likely to experience climate changes such as increasing air temperatures and changes in precipitation. These changes have the potential to lead to permafrost melting and coastal erosion which can negatively impact municipal water and wastewater systems. Ecology North, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting sound environmental decision-making at individual, community, and regional levels, wrote a report assessing the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems in NWT communities, and recommended strategies to increase the capacity of these communities to respond and adapt to these impacts.

Background

The Western Canadian Arctic has recently experienced rapid and intense climate changes and the area is predicted to undergo increasing air temperatures and precipitation changes in the future. These climate-related changes have the potential to lead to permafrost thawing and coastal erosion, which can negatively impact drinking water quality, cause direct damage to water and wastewater facilities, and limit the efficiency of water and wastewater delivery services. Ecology North received funding from the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Climate Change Adaptation Program to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems in NWT communities and recommend actions to increase the capacity of these communities to respond and adapt to these changes.

Implementation

Specific objectives of the Ecology North report Navigating the Waters of Change: Strengthening the Capacity of NWT Communities to Respond to the Impacts of Climate Change on Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems included:

1. Review existing research and knowledge to determine the likely impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems in the NWT;
2. Recommend actions to help communities prepare for the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems;
3. Encourage knowledge-sharing, discussion, and thought on climate change impacts on water provision and wastewater management among citizens and decision makers; and
4. Suggest areas where further research and information gathering are required.

A review of scientific research and existing studies, along with informal interviews with agencies and individuals working in water and wastewater treatment in the NWT were conducted to determine the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems and aquatic ecosystems. Information gathering focused on issues, trends, and recommendations that would be applicable in multiple (possibly all) NWT communities. No specific community case study assessments were completed and the report does not address impacts to industrial sites.

Outcomes and Conclusions

Potential climate change impacts on water and wastewater treatment systems include:

• Source water quality may be affected by changes in turbidity as well as concentrations of trace metals (e.g., mercury, arsenic), organic compounds, and inorganic minerals;
• Changes in permafrost may increase maintenance and construction requirements and costs for water and wastewater infrastructure (e.g., cisterns, pipes, lagoons, buildings and roads, landfill infrastructure);
• Permafrost thaw may modify hydrological conditions (e.g., in wastewater lagoons and wetlands), potentially increasing the impacts of wastewater effluent on the surrounding environment;
• Permafrost thaw may also change leachate flow from solid waste facilities, which could alter the pathway of contaminants into nearby ecosystems and wastewater treatment facilities; and
• Climate change may extend the biological treatment season, possibly improving the quality of wastewater effluent.

Recommended strategies to help build adaptive capacity of NWT communities include:

• Explore options for wastewater treatment;
• Establish a cost-sharing fund for NWT community infrastructure to adapt to climate change impacts;
• Conduct additional research on how climate change may impact mercury dynamics in aquatic ecosystems;
• Increase adaptive capacity of communities by supporting education, training, and professional development opportunities for water and wastewater system operators;
• Control the release of hazardous materials and environmental contaminants from wastewater and solid waste streams by implementing source-control measures and public education campaigns;
• Establish more consistent and comprehensive monitoring programs for source water, water quality, wastewater and landfill leachate;
• Provide funding and support to NWT communities to ensure water licenses are issued and kept up-to-date, including adequate monitoring; and
• Develop and implement a protocol to conduct community-specific assessments of the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems.

Citation

Kershner, J. (2010). Preparing Communities of the Northwest Territories for the Impacts of Climate Change on Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems [Case study on a project of Ecology North]. Product of EcoAdapt's State of Adaptation Program. Retrieved from CAKE: http://www.cakex.org/case-studies/preparing-communities-northwest-territ... (Last updated December 2010)

Project Contacts

Shannon Ripley

Email Address: 

shannon@ecologynorth.ca

Organization: 

Ecology North

Ecology North

Ecology North is a charitable, non-profit organization based in Yellowknife that was formed in 1971 to support sound environmental decision-making on an individual, community and regional level. 

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