Placeholder: Water Quality Risks

Placeholder: The primary objective was to evaluate the challenges related to water quality in coastal areas resulting from Climate Change, focusing on a network of desalination plants. With a rising demand for potable water, understanding these risks becomes paramount for ensuring sustainable water supply.

We utilized our expertise in curating climate change risk assessments for water-related infrastructure, delivering a detailed risk profile tailored to desalination technologies.

The assessment was structured into three core activities:

1. Procurement and analysis of high-resolution climate-induced sea-level changes and marine quality data.
2. Development of risk narratives, highlighting water quality challenges for the desalination plants.
3. Compilation and finalization of the Water Quality Risk Assessment (WQRA) report.

Our methodology incorporated:

• Advanced climate model data, readily available via a user-friendly online platform, offering access to detailed time series data from renowned climate model initiatives such as CMIP5 and CMIP6.
• Partnership with AquaMetrix (www.aquametrix.net) to obtain precise coastal water quality data for the targeted locations.
• Robust skills in translating sea-level and water quality changes into actionable risk indices for water infrastructures, notably desalination plants.
• Expertise in customizing our risk solutions for specific projects, ensuring alignment with customer needs, and integrating detailed site and asset data, derived from our past engagements.
• Effective communication capabilities, ensuring comprehensibility of results across a diverse audience, from technical experts to governmental entities.

The risk evaluation encompassed:

• Water Intake & Quality: Changes in water salinity, potential pollutant concentration, and temperature variations affecting desalination processes.
• OPEX: Challenges related to the operation and maintenance of the plants amidst changing marine conditions.
• CAPEX: Infrastructure concerns, especially potential damages due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and increased storm intensity.

Linking the identified hazards with the EU taxonomy and TCFD prerequisites ensures our analysis is aligned with recognized risk disclosure norms.

Risk definitions rely on recommended methodologies, integrating feedback from the client to accurately define varying impact levels.

The culminating WQRA report included:

• A contextual overview based on IPCC reports, shedding light on the climate backdrop affecting water quality.
• Comprehensive summary of Climate Physical Risks for Desalination technologies, using established literature and AquaMetrix's insights.
• Detailed description of our approach, emphasizing the utilization of advanced climate data.
• Hazard analysis focusing on predicted climate shifts.
• Impact evaluations based on the water system risk matrices.
• Risk hotspots identification and assessment for vital locations.
• Exploration of potential cascading challenges.
• Conclusive recommendations and actionable insights.

Note: This study emphasizes the vital intersection of climate science and water security, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future amidst mounting global challenges.

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