Clean Water Groups Collaborate To Shape the “Utility of the Future”

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) have jointly released a pioneering document that defines the evolving environmental, economic, and social roles that clean water utilities are playing in their communities. As outlined in Water Resources Utility of the Future . . [...]

“One Water” Resolution

I’m not keen on New Year’s Resolutions (especially the ephemeral ones that come and go faster than desert rain, which I happen to love) but 2013 deserves at least one good and lasting Resolution. Here’s mine:  I resolve to partner with individuals and organizations like never before to help advance “One Water” – the concept [...]

Weatherizing Water

Hurricane (turned Superstorm, turned painful lesson) Sandy underscores some of the basic challenges in the ever-swirling world of water, weather, and climate change. Through it all, water managers must find practical ways to cope with evolving conditions and increasing energy costs, while politicians and policy makers mud wrestle over climate causation, carbon taxes, and cap [...]

National Leadershp Conference in Cincinnati Expands Upon White House Green Infrastructure Dialogue

(Washington D.C.) On September 19, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and U.S. EPA convened experts from around the country to explore the barriers and solutions to using “more green and less gray” in managing municipal stormwater.  The U.S. Water Alliance will expand the dialogue by presenting the 3rd annual Urban Water Sustainability Leadership [...]

New Name and Network Reflect “One Water” Unity

The Clean Water America Alliance announced a name change to the U.S. Water Alliance and the formation of a One Water Management network, both reflecting the organization’s core mission.  “We’re changing our name but not our game,” explains Alliance President Ben Grumbles.  “The Alliance’s mission–uniting people and policy for “one water” sustainability–remains the same. Our [...]

Sidebars and Roundtables – Where Will You Be?

Cincinnati is the place to be October 15-17 for the 3rd annual Urban Water Sustainability Leadership Conference. The meeting has become the focal point for urban leaders to drive the paradigm shift from gray to green and take the waste out of wastewater with resource recovery.  Different from other more technical workshops on the topic, [...]

Water Blues ~ Green Solutions

The U.S. Water Alliance will convene an Outreach Partner meeting of communications pros later this month to strategize how to effectively promote and leverage a new documentary by Penn State Public Broadcasting called Water Blues ~ Green Solutions.  The nationally distributed public service media project is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2013.  It [...]

New Name and Network Reflect “One Water” Unity

The Clean Water America Alliance announced a name change to the U.S. Water Alliance and the formation of a One Water Management network, both reflecting the organization’s core mission.  “We’re changing our name but not our game,” explains Alliance President Ben Grumbles.  “The Alliance’s mission–uniting people and policy for “one water” sustainability–remains the same. Our [...]

Full Faith & Public Credit

With all the debate over money, profit, and the future, here’s a reminder not to lose sight of today’s public servants behind the scenes and bar screens at our nation’s water and wastewater systems: support them and their missions, locally and nationally, but don’t stop seeking new efficiencies and public-private partnerships that fit local needs [...]

A Call to Farms

As we celebrate the bounty of the season, pitchforks and storm clouds are gathering throughout the country and the nation’s capital over agriculture and water policy and the potential collisions between the two. On the water quantity side, some of the fresh wrangling is over subsidies that distort the real cost of water, ground water [...]