One Water Summit 2016 is the nation’s premier gathering of utilities, business leaders, policymakers, environmental advocates, community leaders, and researchers—in short, the country’s sharpest minds addressing our nation’s most urgent water challenges to build stronger and more prosperous communities.

Summit attendees will assess how water drives economic growth, environmental sustainability, and opportunity for all in the United States. Through inspiring plenary sessions, interactive panels, mobile workshops, and caucuses, participants will strategize on how to accelerate the adoption of integrated, sustainable, and inclusive approaches to water resource management.

All across the country, one water approaches are progressing on multiple fronts—recovering precious nutrients and energy from wastewater; using green stormwater techniques to address flooding while beautifying neighborhoods; diversifying local water supplies through large scale water reuse and recycling; watershed level collaboration to address pressing water quality and quantity issues; and much more. This year’s Summit will focus on how we can work together to scale promising practices so that one water management becomes the new normal in every urban, suburban, and rural community across America.

The Summit will be organized around the following themes:

• Innovations in Project Delivery & Financing: Summit participants will examine innovations in project delivery and financing that are facilitating the deployment of the one water approach. Summit attendees will deepen their knowledge of how to utilize water investments to maximize economic, environmental, and community benefit and leave with a deeper understanding of effective project delivery and financing models.
• Partnerships for Progress: Advancing more integrated, sustainable, and inclusive approaches to water management requires effective partnerships within the water sector and beyond. From urban and agriculture leaders collaborating for healthy watersheds, to public-private partnerships focused on financing and operating water projects, to how water reliant businesses are advancing sustainable water stewardship practices with utilities, environmental groups, and community leaders—the Summit will spotlight the necessary and effective partnerships to drive a sustainable water future. Attendees will leave the Summit with a solid understanding of the critical success factors for forging partnerships for progress, and develop new collaborations for their own work at home.
• Making the Case: Data, Research, and Community Engagement. What data and information gaps need to be filled to accelerate the adoption of one water management? How do we use strategic communications and engagement strategies to build champions and transform the water mindset in this nation? One Water Summit 2016 will feature some of the latest research to advance one water management, as well as opportunities to caucus on unmet data and research needs. Summit attendees will have an opportunity to learn about and share new ideas for communicating the value of water and engaging water customers as stewards and co-creators of sustainable water solutions.
• Policy, Regulation, and Institutional Change: A supportive policy and regulatory environment is crucial for managing water resources in a holistic, integrated, and inclusive way. How is the current policy and regulatory framework thwarting approaches to one water management? What policy, regulatory, and institutional change must happen to accelerate water infrastructure improvements and sustainable water resource management? Summit attendees will grapple with these questions, share success stories, and develop recommendations to create a more supportive and enabling policy and regulatory environment so that one water innovation can flourish.