This study indicates that climate change will cause significant impacts on Southeast Florida's water infrastructure, attributable to sea level rise and growing variation in seasonal rainfall patterns with more intense periods of drought alternating with increased torrential rainfall events. The report exemplified that as a consequence of climate change impacts, Southeast Florida water utilities will face a number of challenges, including inundation of low-lying coastal areas; saltwater contamination of well fields; malfunction of septic tanks and drainage systems; reduction in soil capacity to store rainfall; and reduced efficiency of stormwater drainage canals and flood gates, among others. Strategies to manage these challenges would require substantial economic investments as well as the increase of household utility bills to support these improvements.
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