The future of water demands bold action

Without question, the water industry is evolving and facing new – and old – challenges: water scarcity, extreme weather and droughts, water quality and aging infrastructure, to name a few. The industry has a great opportunity to think differently about what the future of water will look like and how we get there.

Black & Veatch’s 2022 Water Report, based on expert analyses of a survey of more than 300 stakeholders in America’s water, wastewater and stormwater sectors, illustrates that water industry decision-makers are embracing change and the opportunity it presents.

A Snapshot of the Industry Today

The challenge of age was a major theme in the report, and it showed up in two main areas: workforce and infrastructure. As workers age out of the water utility industry and retire, taking their institutional knowledge of complex systems with them, there aren’t enough skilled workers to replace them. Aging water and sewer infrastructure, such as leaky pipelines, waste billions of gallons of water annually. Unsurprisingly, workforce-related issues were top of mind in the Black & Veatch survey rankings, with the challenge of hiring qualified staff now climbing to No. 2, behind aging infrastructure.

Another finding from the Black & Veatch report is that sustainability and decarbonization have emerged as pressures the industry no longer can ignore. The need for sustainability – and how decarbonization can and should fit into sustainability goals – is at the forefront of conversations as water and wastewater utility decision-makers are more aware of the need to get greener. Overall, nearly two-thirds of respondents consider sustainability a critical strategic focus in the water sector, and 72% of respondents now say their enterprise has sustainability goals and means to measure them. Slightly more than half say separately they’ve adopted sustainability goals without pressure from community or regulatory forces.

New vision for future of water

Across the U.S. and in many other countries, water issues are becoming more prevalent and are only expected to worsen. Looking at the results of the Black & Veatch survey in light of recent water crisis-related headlines, it is clear the time for bold action is now.

Virtual seminar talks HR mistakes

businesses make

BY MIKE ORTH Guest Columnist

One way to do this is to reuse water and optimize every drop. The concept of wastewater being treated and reused as drinking water, while sometimes met with skepticism, is being employed throughout the world. These are safe and effective processes that leverage cutting-edge digital sensors that provide real-time feedback on water quality. With the right levels of investment and concerted efforts by civic leaders to overcome the public’s misconceptions around water reuse, water reuse practices have the potential to make a significant difference.

Another area to explore is to look for new sources of water. While desalination technology has existed for years, it is getting renewed interest as a response to recent extreme heat and drought. Desalination alone won’t solve the water crisis, but it is a valuable part of the effort to balance supply and demand challenges. Technologies continue to improve to address the environmental impact, costs and energy efficiency of desalination facilities.

While the Black & Veatch survey emphasizes the many challenges facing the water industry today, it also illustrates the opportunity to think in new ways about what is possible in addressing these pain points. With more investment and bold action, we can secure our water future.

Mike Orth is president of Governments & Environments at Black & Veatch, a sponsor of the 35th annual Edison Awards taking place in Fort Myers on April 19, www.edisonawards.com. Contact Mike at (913) 458-2000.

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