US Water Alliance releases report charting new path for managing water across the country

Washington, D.C. — The US Water Alliance released its One Water Roadmap: The Sustainable Management of Life’s Most Essential Resource as a guide for changing the way water is managed in America. The nation saw the devastating water crisis in Flint, Mich. Communities across the country are struggling with aging water infrastructure. Coastal areas are fighting rising sea levels, while many communities alternately struggle with unprecedented flooding and drought.

The roadmap outlines a bold approach for tackling our biggest water challenges. The roadmap outlines six arenas for action where we are making progress:

• Reliable and Resilient Utilities,
• Thriving Cities,
• Competitive Business and Industry,
• Sustainable Agricultural Systems,
• Social and Economic Inclusion, and
• Healthy Waterways.

The roadmap is a comprehensive compendium of innovations that work:

• embracing integrated planning for our water resources;
• diversifying water supplies and transforming wastewater into a renewable resource;
• creating new business models for water management;
• watershed-scale planning;
• a water safety net so water is accessible and affordable;
• sustainably managing groundwater, and
• many more strategies.

Each strategy also includes a real-world case study to highlight where utilities, community groups, and businesses are making tangible progress in smarter water management.

Kevin Shafer, Board Chair of the US Water Alliance and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, said: “Our water challenges are too big for any one entity to solve alone. Success will require collaboration among water utilities, agricultural leaders, businesses, environmental groups, foundations, and more. This roadmap makes a strong case for the one water approach, and clearly demonstrates the progress we can make when diverse stakeholders forge solutions together.”

Radhika Fox, CEO of the US Water Alliance, said: “Creating this roadmap has been an incredible process. We’ve learned so much from our passionate and talented members and supporters of the US Water Alliance. The roadmap provides practical guidance to the innumerable stakeholders across the country who are facing severe water challenges. Water is the most pressing issue of our time. We have to get this right.”

Contributors to the roadmap include water and wastewater utilities, Fortune 500 corporations, major philanthropies, conservation groups, and more. The US Water Alliance thanks its members, who are driving change on the front lines of water management, in particular our One Water Council, for its leadership and insightful feedback.

Download the report at https://uswateralliance.org/sites/uswateralliance.org/files/publications/Roadmap%20FINAL.pdf.