Summit Points To Water As A Catalyst For Building Resiliency In Face Of Climate Change

The 2015 One Water Leadership (OWL) Summit, August 26-28, in San Francisco, arrives at a time when water has begun to assume unprecedented space in the nation’s consciousness. With drought gripping much of our nation’s West and the effects of climate change beginning to manifest their consequences, never has there been more pressure on water leaders to work together in developing the most innovative and effective solutions for resiliency. Organized by the U.S. Water Alliance’s Urban Water Sustainability Council, the OWL Summit aims to drive more and better thinking for water sustainability in a changing climate as it presents integrated and holistic – One Water - strategies.

The Honorable William K. Reilly, former Administrator of the U.S. EPA and Chairman of the Board for the Global Water Challenge, will keynote the OWL Summit. He will share insights on the growing strategic importance of water.

Panels of environmental, business, foundation and water sector leaders will deep dive into urban on-site innovation; energy-water nexus; water quality trading; the promise and challenges of desalinization; green street projects that mitigate pressure on infrastructure; communicating the value of water, to name a few. In addition, the spotlight will be focused on success stories such as award winning models of San Diego and Wichita, Kansas, as well as the remarkable partnership by the World Wildlife Fund for the Rio Grande.

“One Water Futures” talks will inspire and incite big picture thinking. Thought leaders that will present the irvision at the OWL Summit include George Hawkins, CEO and General Manager of DC Water, David St. Pierre, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and Ben Grumbles, Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The OWL Summit’s host sponsor is the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Gold sponsors for special events include CDM Smith and Corvias Solutions. Additional sponsor support is being provided by Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell, Environmental Council of the States, Hazen and Sawyer, LA Sanitation, MWH Global, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and WaterSmart Software. Pennwell Publishing is the media sponsor.

A wide partnership of organizations is supporting the event including: the Alliance for Water Efficiency, American Public Works Association, American Rivers, American Society of Landscape Architects, California Association of Sanitation Agencies, California Water Environment Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association of Water Companies, National Water Quality Trading Alliance, River Network, Sustainable Urban Forest Coalition, The Climate Registry, The Freshwater Trust, The Pacific Institute, WateReuse,Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Associations, and World Wildlife Fund.

Early Bird Fees, good until July 1, are $395 for Alliance members and $445 for non-members. Reduced rates are also offered for non-profits and students. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/OWLS2015.

About The U.S. Water Alliance
The U.S. Water Alliance was formed in 2008 as a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization whose goal is to unite people and policy for “one water” sustainability. The Alliance awards the U.S. Water Prize and organizes the One Water Leadership Summit annually. A broad cross-section of interests has come together through the Alliance to advance holistic, watershed-based solutions to water quality and quantity challenges.