A Systematic Literature Review of Solutions for Shrinking Water Systems

This systematic literature review examined potential solutions available to drinking water systems with shrinking populations, focusing on implementation pathways. Previous studies offer few practical solutions tailored to the unique situation wherein a water system is experiencing a declining population. We conducted a systematic literature review and a gray literature review; the systematic review yielded 37 peer-reviewed papers for evaluation, while the gray literature search produced 50 additional resources. The majority of peer-reviewed literature focused on regionalization (8 papers), followed by regulatory and managerial strategies (7 papers), with few examples or studies examining how shrinking systems could transition to other strategies such as shifting to private wells, rainwater harvesting or using point of use or point of entry treatment. Most resources analyzed emphasized the need for system-specific solutions considering the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of the water system. Gray literature results reflected similar trends: regionalization was the most frequently represented strategy (38 resources); while resources related to other strategies are available, they do not specifically address the context of shrinking systems. Our review revealed limited study of shrinking water systems specifically in peer-reviewed literature, although gray literature resources shrinking systems can be used to address water system restructuring.