Adapting water asset management for a changing climate

Working with water utilities across the Philippines, I see first-hand how deeply climate change is reshaping our infrastructure with growing intensity. Every typhoon, flood and dry season does more than damaged assets; it places unbearable strain on communities and the systems they rely on.

The numbers tell part of the story. The Philippines is the fourth most affected country in the world by water-related disasters. Between 2022 and 2050, climate-driven water risks are expected to cause up to USD 124 billion in economic losses and reduce GDP by an average of 0.7 percent per year. Yet behind those figures are communities facing disruptions to safe water supply and utilities grappling with maintenance costs they never budgeted for. We can no longer reply on conventional asset management alone.

When I first began working in asset management, the focus was on reliability and efficiency, keeping systems running smoothly, extending asset life and maintaining compliance. Those principles remain essential, but climate change has rewritten the rulebook. Today, uncertainty is the only constant. Floods corrode pipelines, droughts dry up reservoirs and extreme weather damages treatment facilities faster than budgets can recover. Traditional frameworks were never designed for this level of volatility.

So I asked myself, “What if asset management could do more than sustain systems? What if it could regenerate them, making them stronger, fairer and more adaptive after each disruption?”

That’s where the concept of Regenerative Asset Management comes in.

Regenerative Asset Management (RAM) builds on traditional approaches but goes beyond maintenance and compliance. It shifts the focus from managing static assets to delivering value for communities, ecosystems and future generations. RAM reframes infrastructure as a living system that interacts with both the environment and the people it serves. Success is measured not only by asset performance, but by the positive impact of our decisions on resilience, equity and sustainability.

At PhilWater, the idea of regeneration resonated strongly. Many recognised the need for a framework that aligns engineering precision with social and environmental purpose to truly build climate resilience. RAM provides exactly that: a structure for designing water systems that adapt to change rather than resist it.

A useful example comes from a North American municipality that needed to strengthen its stormwater drainage system against climate extremes. The project adopted a regenerative framework build on a structured process, beginning with defining context and gathering data and ending with implementing adaptive monitoring. This approach integrated social, environmental and operational perspectives to understand asset performance and community impact.

Three insights stood out:

• Social lens: Who is most affected when systems fail?
• Environmental lens: What ecosystems are impacted by our infrastructure?
• Operational lens: How well are we performing today and how can we adapt tomorrow?

By asking these questions, the city shifted from reactive maintenance to proactive, data-driven decisions, improving both performance and equity. This same approach can be adapted here in the Philippines, particularly for utilities facing rapid urbanisation, population growth and recurring flood events.

One lesson is clear: Levels of Service (LoS) must evolve beyond compliance.

In the past, utilities measured success through technical indicators such as water pressure, quality or system reliability. These remain important, but they don’t tell the full story. A truly resilient water system must also deliver social outcomes, such as equitable access and affordability, and environmental outcomes, like reducing pollution or protecting natural recharge zones.

Regenerative thinking reframes asset performance as a driver of community wellbeing. When a pump operates efficiently, it’s not just a technical achievement — it’s a step toward better public health, cleaner waterways and stronger local economies.

We now have the digital capability to make regenerative management a reality. Across GHD’s global network and here in the Philippines, we’re using data analytics, GIS mapping and digital twins to bring together information that once lived in silos.

For utilities, this means visualising risk and prioritising investment with precision. Imagine identifying not only which assets are at risk of flooding but also which communities would be most affected. This is the kind of intelligence needed to guide adaptive restoration, repairing and rebuilding systems in ways that make them stronger after each event.

But technology alone isn’t the solution. Real impact comes from the intent behind every decision. The greatest value emerges when we combine data with human context, using digital tools with empathy and purpose.

Regeneration goes beyond sustainability. It’s about restoring balance. It’s the difference between surviving and thriving. As climate pressures intensify, our water infrastructure must evolve with resilience. Every project, investment and dataset is an opportunity to embed adaptability into our systems and equity into our outcomes.

At PhilWater 2025, I witnessed first-hand the passion and innovation driving the sector forward. From smart metering to adaptive drainage systems, the ideas shared demonstrated what is possible. We already have the tools; now we need collective action.

Regenerative Asset Management provides a bridge between technical knowledge, digital intelligence and community purpose. It gives us a pathway to build water systems that adapt and regenerate, delivering lasting benefit for generations.

I’m inspired by how far we’ve come and the potential that still lies ahead. By embracing regenerative thinking, we can shift from reactive response to proactive restoration. We can design infrastructure that not only withstands the climate but works with it to create a cycle of renewal that strengthens our systems and our society.

That’s the future I believe in and the one we’re already building together.