Identify wastewater treatment system vulnerabilities, develop site specific adaptation strategies, and secure funding for improvement or replacement. Sea level rise will likely increase saltwater inflow into the wastewater conveyance system, thereby increasing the volume of wastewater that must be transported and treated, increasing energy use and subsequent treatments cost, and increasing maintenance necessary to replace worn or corroded equipment. Reducing the impacts of sea level rise on critical infrastructure requires a proactive approach that begins with identifying potential problems, developing site-specific adaptation strategies, securing funding for improvement or replacement, and implementing changes over time. For instance, the Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District (LTSWD) has identified Pump Station No. 5 along Lummi Shore Drive as the station most vulnerable to storm surge and high tides and is now seeking funding for improvements (Anderson 2014). In addition, to mitigate the impacts of prolonged power outages that can result due to more severe storm events, the LTSWD has installed back-up generators for all of their wastewater pump stations along Lummi Shore Road and for other stations along their wastewater collection system.
Tribe: Lummi Indian Nation
View Source Document: Lummi Nation Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan: 2016-2026
Year: 2016
