Exploring factors of wastewater management system resilience for sustaining water reuse during drought: evidence from Iran

Graphical abstract illustrating five key environmental adaptation strategies to enhance wastewater management system (WMS) resilience during drought: adaptive governance and integrated climate planning; implementation of drought response and adaptation plans (DRAPs) and operational adjustment; strategic infrastructure design and upgrading; promotion of drought-tolerant cultivation; and enhanced hydrological management and water storage. The prolonged drought impacts the wastewater management system (WMS) resilience by reducing operational efficiency and violating effluent discharge standards for water reuse. This study aimed to identify and analyze the factors affecting the WMS resilience within sustainable water reuse during drought. Using a qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 36 purposefully sampled experts experienced in drought and wastewater management and continued until data saturation was achieved. Conducted between March and June 2025, the study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist and employed the Graneheim and Lundman framework for data synthesis. The analysis revealed 6 categories and 14 subcategories, including technical factors (operation management and infrastructure resilience); management factors (response preparedness and planning); empowering stakeholders (employee, public, and end-user resilience); socioeconomic factors (economic, social, and cultural); policymaking (legal requirements and monitoring and auditing); and environmental factors (environmental impact and adaptation). These findings indicate the multidimensional components for sustaining WMS resilience during water scarcity. Integrating these diverse factors can strengthen drought preparedness and optimize managerial decision-making, eventually protecting urban water security through comprehensive reuse programs.