The reliability of water services depends on people, sufficient resources and well-functioning systems. The foresight work carried out in the WaterFall project identified several drivers of change affecting water security that can become interconnected and amplify the impacts of disruptions.
The water sector is simultaneously affected by several drivers of change, including demographic changes, climate change, funding constraints and ageing infrastructure. Demographic changes can increase regional disparities and make it more difficult to secure a skilled workforce. Climate change, in turn, can reduce the quality and availability of raw water.
Risks can also reinforce each other. Ageing infrastructure, limited funding and a shortage of skilled workers can together increase the vulnerability of water services.
Trust in water services is also an important part of reliability. For example, the deliberate spread of false information related to a water quality incident can exaggerate the perceived severity of the disruption and undermine trust in water services.
At worst, combinations of different risks can cause serious disruptions to water distribution and weaken trust in the water supply system for a prolonged period. Strategic foresight can help identify not only individual risks but also the connections between them and explore alternative future developments.
Preparedness requires long-term strategic thinking and collaboration in addition to technical solutions. In this way, foresight supports strategic planning in the water sector and helps strengthen preparedness.
Senior Researcher Johannes Klein discussed these topics in his presentation at the Nordic NORDIWA 2026 Drinking Water Conference in Stockholm in September 2026.
The WaterFall project aims to strengthen water security and the resilience of water services in Finland. The project examines water security across the entire chain from raw water sources to users and develops approaches that can help water utilities anticipate threats and make sustainable long-term decisions.
Further information
Johannes Klein
Senior Researcher
Demos Helsinki
firstname.lastname@demoshelsinki.fi
Vuokko Laukka
Principal Researcher
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
firstname.lastname@syke.fi
Jaana Hyvärinen
Senior Researcher
Demos Helsinki
firstname.lastname@demoshelsinki.fi