Building livable cities starts with water resilience
This blog was written by Anton Earle, ICLEI Global Water Coordinator
By 2050, nearly 70% of the world’s population will live in cities, adding 2.5 billion more urban residents, almost 90% of them in Asia and Africa. Many of these cities are already facing severe water stress. Since 2000, the number of urban residents without safely managed drinking water has risen by more than 50%. On a positive note, 86% of people in cities have access to safe drinking water, but only 62% benefit from safely managed sanitation services, leaving major gaps still to be addressed.
Climate change is making the challenge even sharper, with rainfall less predictable, droughts more frequent, and floods more destructive. Local governments are on the frontline of responding to these impacts.
Access to water and sanitation is not only a basic human right, but also a cross-cutting enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate adaptation, and healthy ecosystems. Water is the blue thread running through the three Rio Conventions – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
All of these challenges and opportunities are at the heart of this year’s World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden (24-28 August). Under the theme “Water for Climate Action,”.the Week focuses on addressing the linked emergencies of climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.
At events throughout the Week, ICLEI is highlighting how local and regional governments are driving transformative water action and taking proactive steps towards urban water resilience. Cities are where the water crisis converges with opportunities for innovation, equity, and resilience.
The urban future runs on water
Cities depend on water for drinking, sanitation, food, energy production, and green spaces that improve quality of life. Yet, urban water systems are under mounting pressure. Rapid population growth is straining aging infrastructure, while pollution from industries and households compromises water quality. Climate change compounds these challenges: Droughts limit supply, floods damage infrastructure, and sea-level rise threatens coastal communities.
Water connects directly with urban health, biodiversity, and equity. For low-income residents, poor access to safe water and sanitation exacerbates inequality. Conversely, resilient water systems strengthen food security, safeguard energy supplies, and nurture urban ecosystems.
Nature based solutions such as wetland restoration and constructed runoff infiltration zones add another layer of resilience. They not only help prevent floods but also sustain surface and groundwater flows, keeping urban water cycles alive and healthy.
ICLEI advocates for an integrated approach to urban water management, one that views water not in isolation, but as a vital enabler of social, economic, and environmental systems. This means building connections between urban areas, the catchments that supply their water and the ecosystems that receive their wastewater.
Embedding water resilience into urban planning is not optional; it is essential for building climate-smart, inclusive, and liveable cities.
Speaking at World Water Week, Sibongile Makushe-Mazibuko, Mayor of Mbombela, South Africa, addressed a session convened by ICLEI: “Urban planning is from the ground up and represents the needs of the local population. Water again and again emerges as a priority area for intervention, and we welcome partnerships with the national government as well as the private sector to deliver on this mandate”.
ICLEI is committed to build urban water resilience
ICLEI supports cities and regions worldwide to design and implement water resilience strategies. Our approach is rooted in ecosystem-based adaptation and integrated urban water management, ensuring that water systems are managed holistically from source to tap and back to nature. Examples of some of the urban water resilience work we implement include:
Mainstreaming water into urban agendas
ICLEI supports its 2,600+ Member cities and regions to integrate water across climate and biodiversity strategies. For example, the Morocco Urban Circular Water Resilience Initiative responds to the pressures of rapid population growth and decreased rainfall in a changing climate. The initiative assists urban areas in developing a multi-stakeholder approach to building greater water resilience through circular economy principles and greater alignment between the spatial planning and water sectors. Under this initiative, at World Water Week, a new Compendium was released, highlighting 12 practical solutions and showcasing how even the most water-scarce and flood-prone cities can build resilience to address urban water challenges.
Innovative finance for urban water
Through the African Cities Water Adaptation Platform, ICLEI is helping municipalities in Africa design early-stage water resilience projects and connect them to finance. This includes climate funds, blended finance, and partnerships with private and philanthropic actors. By creating bankable project pipelines, ICLEI ensures that good ideas are not stuck at the concept stage but move into implementation.
Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem protection
ICLEI also advances nature-based solutions that restore wetlands, rivers, and aquifers as natural infrastructure. Projects like INTERACT-Bio and the Urban Natural Assets programme in Africa have shown how urban wetlands reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, and improve water quality while providing habitat for biodiversity. Such measures are often cheaper, more sustainable, and socially inclusive compared to grey infrastructure alone.
Policy influence and global advocacy
ICLEI elevates local voices in global water governance. At the 11th World Water Forum (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2027), ICLEI will support the Local Government Political Track to connect municipal realities with international policy debates for improved multilevel governance. ICLEI also engages with the UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD, ensuring that water-smart urban solutions are reflected in global frameworks and that the voice of cities is heard.
Knowledge exchange and peer learning
Through our collaboration with the World Water Council the CitiesWithWater webinar series lets cities share good practices on addressing the challenges associated with water being either Too Little, Too Much, or Too Dirty. In addition training, webinars, and city-to-city exchanges create communities of practice that accelerate learning across regions.
ICLEI’s work on water includes local stakeholder convening, technical support, financing pathways, and global advocacy. By doing so, ICLEI supports cities to turn water challenges into opportunities for inclusive, climate-smart development.
Cities leading in urban water solutions
eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa
Durban is recognized globally as a pioneer in ecosystem-based adaptation. The municipality has invested heavily in protecting and restoring wetlands, river corridors, and catchments as part of its climate strategy. Through its Transformative Riverine Management Programme, eThekwini is piloting a model where degraded urban rivers are rehabilitated with community participation, reducing flood risks while creating local jobs in invasive plant clearing, solid waste clearance (especially plastics), monitoring, and wetland restoration.
The city also integrates wetlands into its stormwater management system, using natural infrastructure to buffer heavy rainfall and recharge aquifers. These efforts are linked to broader socio-economic development, improving water quality for downstream communities, enhancing biodiversity, and providing green public spaces. As one city official put it in a recent discussion: “Water resilience is not just about engineering – it’s about restoring the ecosystems that sustain our city.”
Suwon, Republic of Korea
Suwon has embraced an holistic approach to urban water, blending high-tech innovation with nature-based solutions. The city invested in advanced wastewater treatment facilities that recycle water for industrial and agricultural use, reducing pressure on freshwater supplies. It is known for its “Smart Rain City Project” that uses rainwater harvesting, infiltration, and recycling systems to improve water self-sufficiency and eco-friendly stream restoration.
In addition, Suwon has created green corridors and restored waterways that link rivers to urban parks, serving both ecological and recreational purposes. These blue-green networks provide natural cooling during heatwaves, improve biodiversity, and enhance quality of life for residents. Suwon has also championed public engagement, encouraging residents to participate in water-saving campaigns and community-based river monitoring. Mayor Lee Jae-jun advocates for “turning urban crises into opportunities through local and global cooperation” (WUF12).
Together, Durban and Suwon illustrate the range of solutions cities are adopting: From nature-based catchment restoration in Africa to circular water technologies and community engagement in Asia. Both show how ICLEI Members are translating global resilience goals into tangible local actions that deliver multiple co-benefits.
As World Water Week concludes, one message is clear: Cities must lead in building local water resilience. The challenges of “Too Little, Too Much, and Too Dirty” water cannot be solved without bold action from local and regional governments. By protecting wetlands, investing in circular water systems, and embedding equity into planning, cities can drive transformative change. We must recognize that although the human right to water and sanitation is enacted by the national government, it is realized primarily through the efforts of local governments.
ICLEI calls on partners, governments, the private sector and communities to join us in shaping a water-secure, climate-resilient future. Together, we can ensure that urban water systems sustain life, livelihoods, and ecosystems for generations to come.
