Water supply and sanitation (WSS): Strengthening climate-informed project design

This learning note is the first of a 4-note-series developed by the Water Global Practice (GP) Climate Change Team to highlight successful examples of water operations that support climate change–related activities and provide useful lessons and recommendations for project design.

The key lesson from the learning note states that climate-informed projects aimed at boosting water utilities’ performance are likely to succeed in achieving intended results by investing in energy efficiency, nonrevenue water (NRW) reduction, climate resilience, and demand-side water use efficiency. Extending water supply and sanitation (WSS) services, especially to unserved or underserved segments in areas with high climate risks, requires managing water resources efficiently and taking into account climate change–related factors.