NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 21, 2014

Water Week 2014 Participants Celebrate World Water Day by Spotlighting the Energy-Water Nexus

Upcoming Water Week in Nation’s Capital to Promote New Vision for the Future of Sustainable Water Management

Washington D.C. — In celebration of World Water Day 2014, hundreds of water & wastewater professionals from across the country are preparing to arrive on Capitol Hill in three short weeks to demonstrate the value of water to environmental protection, economic development, and job creation.

The main message of tomorrow’s World Water Day 2014 will focus on the ways water and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent. In 2013, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) released the Water Resources Utility of the Future . . . Blueprint for Action. The document defines evolving environmental, economic, and social roles that clean water utilities are playing in their communities. Across the country, Utilities of the Future (UOTF) are pioneering new technologies and cutting-edge practices to manage valuable resources, spur economic development, create jobs, and improve the environment and public health.

One key UOTF objective is to ensure a sustainable future for the clean water sector by minimizing waste, and maximizing resources. Wastewater treatment plants are not waste disposal facilities but are water resource recovery facilities that produce clean water, recover nutrients (such as phosphorus and nitrogen), and have the potential to reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels through the production and use of renewable energy and the implementation of energy conservation. A number of utilities have already taken the leap towards resource recovery.

Through policy briefings, visits to Capitol Hill, and dialogues with key policymakers, Water Week 2014 participants will advocate for many key components of the UOTF paradigm including maximizing energy resources, spurring economic growth and job creation, and prioritizing investment in our nation’s water infrastructure.

"Public utilities provide vital 24/7 services, jobs and economic stability to the communities they serve. They have shovels in the ground and are working around the clock to improve our nation's crumbling infrastructure” said Tony Parrott, Executive Director, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati. “Water Week will foster a national dialogue about the resources and support needed so utilities can develop innovative, affordable solutions to address these challenges while also providing social, environmental and economic benefits to their communities."

“The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District anticipates spending over $1.2 billion in the next ten years for capital projects primarily driven by increasing regulations,” said Cathy Gerali, District Manager of Metro Wastewater Reclamation District in Denver, CO. “These regulations will require solutions to challenging effluent discharge requirements, some of which are not yet technically feasible with proven technologies. Water Week provides the perfect opportunity for utility owners to share with their Members of Congress and federal regulators the impact of regulations on their ratepayers.”

Scheduled for April 7-11, 2014, Water Week 2014 provides an opportunity for water sector professionals to advocate for clean water issues, showcase innovative approaches to sustainable water management, and educate national leadership about the importance of clean water to public health, the environment and a strong economy. The anchor event of Water Week 2014 is NACWA, WEF and WERF’s jointly-hosted National Water Policy Forum & Fly-In, April 7-9, 2014.

For more information on Water Week and individual events open to the press, visit www.WaterWeek.us. For more information about World Water Day 2014, visit www.unwater.org.

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Water Week Media Contacts

• National Association of Clean Water Agencies: Claire Moser, 202-533-1801,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Water Environment Research Foundation: Carrie W. Capuco, 571-384-2097,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Water Environment Federation: Lori Harrison, 703-216-8565,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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