Report Explores Water Security in Water-Scarce U.S. Regions
Water sector leaders need to develop a persuasive story about the potential severity of future water shortages, the consequences of a business-as-usual approach to water supply and demand planning, and the benefits of new water supply options, according to a Charting New Waters report released by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread.
“Ensuring Urban Water Security in Water-Scarce Regions of the United States,” is the product of a meeting convened by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, which brought together a group of experts to examine the implications that water scarcity has for the nation's water infrastructure.
In order to help urban water managers and other decision makers evaluate the available alternatives and invest in those that are most likely to result in a sustainable and resilient water supply, the report recommends a common set of principles for water security that can serve as a filter when evaluating options, including:
- Pursue efficiency and conservation first
- Develop a diverse supply portfolio
- Account for climate variability in long-term planning
- Invest in local water sources
Alongside the report, The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread invited four participants to contribute additional thoughts to its new online dialogue, Inspiring Solutions—an online forum to convene, share ideas, and find innovative solutions with sustained impact. Participants were asked to dive a little deeper into water scarcity. Inspiring Solutions features responses from Dick Luthy, director of ReNUWIt; Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Jay Jensen, associate director of Land and Water at the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Mary Ann Dickinson, president and CEO of Alliance for Water Efficiency; Albert Cho, vice president of strategy and business development at Xylem Inc; and Cynthia Lane, director of engineering & technical services at American Water Works Assn.