On March 21, the Columbia Water Center will partner with the U.S. Water Partnership to present “Making the Grade: How to Fix America’s Failing Water Infrastructure,” a live webinar to be held from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. Registration is available online at water.columbia.edu/events. The presentation will include an introduction by the Columbia...
Continue readingEncouraging Our Emerging Water Leaders
IDA recently celebrated our 40th Anniversary as the leading global association focused on desalination and water reuse. That’s an important milestone by any measure. It’s also a time to reflect on what more we can do to equip young water treatment professionals with the tools they will need to address a future where the...
Continue readingGrowing Blue at the American Water Summit
The American Water Summit is one of the most important water-related events of the year for anyone involved with the water sector at a senior level. The event includes many networking opportunities and focuses on making a better future for water in America. It will include engaging panel discussions, covering topics such as emerging...
Continue readingAccelerating Solutions to our Water Challenges
We can’t expect much water infrastructure investment from Washington, D.C., yet we still must find solutions. This was the emerging consensus of the American Water Summit, which started yesterday and assembled American water industry leaders to talk about practical solutions to the country’s water woes. It’s well known that America’s water infrastructure is aging...
Continue readingU.S. Water Infrastructure Trapped in Recurring Cycle of Debt and Rate Hikes, Study Shows
NEW YORK, October 14, 2013 – Water infrastructure in the United States is caught in a recurring cycle of debt and rate increases even as its condition and resilience continues to deteriorate, according to a new study released by the Columbia University Water Center in conjunction with Veolia Environnement and Growing Blue. America’s Water:...
Continue readingWhy aren’t we getting our money’s worth from our water infrastructure?
I’d like to believe our country is very much aware of the threat to our existing water infrastructure resources, especially after our recent report on water stress and climate variability. I’m thoroughly unconvinced, however, that many Americans realize the manner in which we’re planning to fix our water problems may be entirely wrong. Our...
Continue readingDesalination and Energy Efficiency – Bright Prospects for the Future
Desalination is now part of mainstream water resource management in many parts of the world, and a key industry focus has been reducing the amount energy required for various desalination processes. We’ve all heard criticism that desalination consumes a lot of energy. The fact is that desalination is an industrial process – one that,...
Continue readingFour Critical Trends in the Future of Water
A broad-ranging review and assessment of the world water situation reveals four key and underlying themes which seem to appear repeatedly – and which are likely to influence and drive many of the more specific trends and developments that we’re likely to see in the water industry in the future. First, it seems likely...
Continue readingSeptic or Sewer?
Planners, providers, and regulators all weigh in, from time to time, on how to grow and manage waste sustainably. “Paper vs. plastic?” is an important question for consumers to ask but even more important for individual households, communities, and watersheds, is the question of “septic or sewer”? Septics serve a surprisingly large portion of...
Continue readingTapped Out: How Will Cities Secure Their Water Future?
Today, global demands for food, energy, and shelter are putting unprecedented pressure on the resources of the planet. Water is at the heart of this crisis. In fact, more than half of the world’s cities are already experiencing water shortages on a recurring basis – based on findings from a study that I published,...
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