Report on Residential Water Security Assessment in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report outlines a framework for prospective homeowners to assess the climate vulnerability and long-term security of a property’s water supply. The assessment aligns with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), promoting informed decisions for resilient and sustainable living.

Initial Water Source Identification and Due Diligence

Aligning with SDG 6: Ensuring Access to Safe Water

1. Review real estate listings and confirm the stated water source (municipal or private well) with the property owner or their representative.
2. Request recent water inspection reports from the current owner to gain preliminary insights into water quality and system status.
3. Utilize the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “My Waterway” online portal. By entering the property address, users can access data on drinking water sources, local water authorities, water quality monitoring, and existing restoration plans.
4. Investigate alternative water solutions such as the feasibility of drilling a new well or implementing rainwater harvesting systems, which supports the goal of sustainable water management under SDG 6.

Assessing Climate-Related Risks and Water Scarcity

Aligning with SDG 13: Climate Action and Resilience

• Evaluate the property’s vulnerability to drought, a significant climate-related hazard. High temperatures, a symptom of climate change, exacerbate drought conditions by increasing soil moisture evaporation.
• Consult the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) “Drought.gov” website for current state-level drought data, including the Long-Term Multi-Indicator Drought Index (MIDI).
• Use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Risk Index map. Select the “Drought” layer to visualize the property’s specific risk level, contributing to building resilience as outlined in SDG 11 and SDG 13.
• Engage with local community forums to gather anecdotal evidence and community awareness regarding historical or ongoing water supply issues.

Evaluating Municipal Water Systems and Long-Term Viability

Aligning with SDG 11: Sustainable and Resilient Communities

• Identify the responsible local water authority via the EPA’s “My Waterway” resource.
• Conduct a thorough review of the authority’s official website, focusing on press releases, long-term strategic plans, and infrastructure reports.
• Research local news coverage of the water authority to identify any reported issues concerning water quality, quantity, or management, thereby assessing the sustainability of community infrastructure (SDG 11).

Investigating Water Quality and Contamination Risks

Aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health) and SDG 6 (Water Quality)

• Assess the risk of saltwater incursion for coastal properties. Over-pumping of freshwater aquifers, often worsened by drought, can allow seawater to contaminate the supply, posing a direct threat to water safety (SDG 6) and public health (SDG 3).
• Investigate the proximity of industrial or agricultural operations that could lead to surface or groundwater contamination.
• Determine if hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities are present or planned in the region, as they can be a source of water contamination.

Analyzing Water Resource Depletion and Equitable Access

Aligning with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Identify major water consumers in the vicinity that draw from the same aquifer or water source. This is crucial for integrated water resources management as promoted by SDG 6.
• Recognize that large-scale users, such as agricultural farms, data centers (for cooling), and fracking operations, can significantly deplete shared water resources.
• Investigate state and local regulations regarding water rights, as a lack of protective laws can leave individual homeowners vulnerable if a neighbor’s overuse depletes the shared supply, undermining principles of responsible resource use (SDG 12).

Procedures for Private Well Assessment

Ensuring Safe and Reliable Private Water Sources (SDG 6)

1. Obtain any existing well inspection reports from the property owner but proceed with independent verification.
2. Seek an independent and certified professional for well testing to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Recommendations can be sourced from professional organizations like the American Institute of Hydrology or the National Ground Water Association.
3. Ensure the assessment covers both water quality (for contaminants) and quantity (flow rate and sustainability), which is fundamental to achieving safe water access.

Governance and Regulatory Landscape for Water Security

The Role of Institutions in Achieving SDG 6

• Acknowledge the fragmented and often minimal governmental oversight of water resource depletion, particularly at the federal level.
• Note the reluctance of some local and state agencies to disclose depletion risks due to potential impacts on property values, highlighting a governance challenge in achieving transparent water management.
• Recognize that state-level interventions often occur only after a crisis emerges, as seen in building moratoriums in Utah and Arizona, and interstate legal disputes, underscoring the need for proactive, sustainable water resource management policies to meet SDG 6 targets.

Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The article’s central theme is ensuring access to a safe and reliable water supply for homes, which is the core of SDG 6. It delves into issues of water quality, quantity, scarcity, and management, directly addressing the goal of clean water for all. The text guides potential homebuyers on how to “gauge the climate vulnerability of a property, which includes its water sources.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article connects water security to sustainable living choices. By advising on how to assess a property’s water supply, it promotes the development of resilient and sustainable communities. It mentions how some towns have had to “put a halt on new building when a spring dried up,” linking water availability directly to sustainable urban development and planning.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article explicitly links water issues to climate change, stating the importance of gauging “the climate vulnerability of a property.” It discusses how “high temperatures can cause drought” and advises using tools like FEMA’s “national risk index maps” to assess drought risk, thereby addressing the need to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article highlights significant gaps in water governance, noting that “There is not much governmental regulation” and “The oversight is scattershot, too, as the federal government is barely involved.” It also references an interstate water dispute that reached the Supreme Court (“Mississippi and Tennessee ended up at the Supreme Court over a dispute”), pointing to the need for effective institutions and legal frameworks for water management.

Specific SDG Targets

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

1. Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
   • The article is a practical guide for individuals trying to ensure their own access to safe drinking water when purchasing a home. It discusses how to find out where water comes from, check its quality, and assess the long-term reliability of the supply.
2. Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution…
   • The article raises concerns about water quality, mentioning potential pollution from “industrial or agricultural contamination,” “saltwater incursion,” and “fracking,” all of which degrade water quality.
3. Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency… and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity…
   • The article addresses water scarcity by discussing drought, the depletion of aquifers due to overuse by “farms” and “data centers,” and the risk of neighbors depleting a shared water source.
4. Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels…
   • The text points to a lack of integrated management by describing federal oversight as “scattershot” and “barely involved.” However, it also provides examples of management at the state level, such as Arizona making moves to manage water in Phoenix, and at the local level through “local water authorities.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services…
   • A secure water supply is a fundamental basic service for adequate housing. The entire article is focused on helping individuals secure this service.
2. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of people affected… by disasters, including water-related disasters…
   • The article frames drought as a key risk and a potential disaster. It guides readers to use tools like the “FEMA’s national risk index maps” to assess their vulnerability to the water-related disaster of drought.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The article is a tool for building individual resilience and adaptive capacity. By teaching people how to assess climate-related water risks before buying a home, it empowers them to adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as increased drought frequency.
2. Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change… adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
   • The article itself serves as an educational and awareness-raising tool. It directs readers to resources like “Drought.gov” and the EPA’s “My Waterway” to improve their capacity to understand and act on climate-related water risks.

Implied and Mentioned Indicators

Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Water Quality Reports: The article suggests asking current owners for “recent inspections or reports on the water situation” and hiring professionals to test private wells. These reports are direct indicators of water quality.
• Data on Water Body Health: The EPA’s “My Waterway” website is cited as a resource that provides tabs for “water monitoring, identified issues and plans for restoration,” which serve as indicators for the health of local water bodies (relevant to Target 6.3).
• Drought Indices: The article specifically mentions the “Long-Term MIDI, which stands for ‘multi-indicator drought index’” available on Drought.gov. This is a direct, composite indicator used to measure the level of water stress and scarcity (relevant to Target 6.4).
• Disaster Risk Data: The “national risk index maps” from FEMA, which allow a user to select for “Drought,” are a specific indicator mentioned to measure a property’s risk level regarding water-related disasters (relevant to Target 11.5).
• Presence of Water Regulations and Policies: The article implies that the existence (or lack thereof) of water management policies is a key indicator of institutional strength. It notes the lack of federal regulation but points to specific state-level actions, such as when “A town in Utah put a halt on new building,” as an indicator of responsive governance (relevant to Target 6.5 and SDG 16).
• Rate of Aquifer Depletion: The article discusses the hazard of overuse in areas where “water comes from aquifers underground” and mentions that some officials know when an area “may be depleted in, let’s say, two years.” This rate of depletion is a critical indicator of unsustainable water withdrawal (relevant to Target 6.4).

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: seattletimes.com