AWWA Sustainable Water Management Conference Highlights the Value of Water

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) held its yearly Sustainable Water Management Conference this week in Denver, Colorado.  Participants included representatives from associations (including ASDWA staff), state drinking water programs, utilities, universities, consulting groups, and others.  Presentations during the conference emphasized the importance of:  promoting the value of water; incorporating cost-benefit analysis into decision making; identifying and quantifying the benefits of natural infrastructure (e.g., forested watersheds) for protecting source waters; and developing strategies to improve efficiency and address water scarcity through conservation, infrastructure and resource maintenance and management, and water reuse.