Join us as we discuss solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to business water resilience.
Upcoming Events
UN 2023 Water Conference
The UN 2023 Water Conference—the first since 1977—presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance water on the global sustainable development agenda. The Conference will take place at UN Headquarters in New York, 22-24 March 2023. Formally known as the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028), the conference will be co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands.
The conference will include an opening and closing session, six plenary sessions, and five interactive dialogues, as well as side events. It will result in a summary of proceedings from the UNGA President that will feed into the 2023 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
For more information about the Pacific Institute’s involvement in the conference, click here.
Past Events
March 7-14 | Creating Resilient Water Utilities Webinar Series
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative in collaboration with the Indian Health Service, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Pacific Institute invites you to participate in a series of complimentary webinars focused on increasing tribes’ resilience against the impacts of climate change.
The Pacific Institute is proud to be involved through the leadership of Dr. Shannon McNeeley, Senior Researcher and Water and Climate Equity Lead, who is on the planning team for this series. The sessions will cover climate impacts, adaptation strategies, and financing for tribal water utilities.
Learn more here.
March 5-8 | WateReuse Symposium 2023
The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the premier conference on water recycling — attracting water professionals and water reuse practitioners globally for knowledge-sharing, networking, and collaboration! The event is planned in collaboration with The Water Research Foundation and will include engaging sessions on the latest reuse-related research projects.
Sessions hosted by Pacific Institute Researchers include:
Advances in Interagency Collaboration
When: March 5, 1-3 PM ET
Presenters: Shannon Spurlock (Pacific Institute) and Eric Rosenblum (Water Resource Consultant)
Expanding Water Reuse to Small and Underserved Communities: Lessons Learned (CA, ID, KS)
When: March 6, 11 AM – 12 PM ET
Presenters: Shannon Spurlock (Pacific Institute), Mike McCullough (Monterey One Water), Tressa Nicholas (Idaho Dept of Environmental Quality), and Rogelio Rodriguez (Water Finance Exchange)
Developing Onsite Water Systems to Support Regional Water Resilience
When: March 6, 3:45-4:15 PM ET
Presenter: Cora Snyder (Pacific Institute)
Protecting the Chesapeake Through Reuse: A Regional Collaboration
When: March 6, 4:15-4:45 PM ET
Presenters: Shannon Spurlock (Pacific Institute), Jay Bernas (Hampton Roads Sanitation District), Ryder Bunce (Virginia Dept. of Health), Scott Kudlas (Virgina Dept. of Environmental Quality), Doug Powell (James City Service Authority), and Eric Rosenblum (Water Resource Consultant)
Expanding Water Resiliency in Colorado Through Urban Stormwater Capture and Use
When: March 7, 10:30 AM – 11 AM ET
Presenter: Shannon Spurlock (Pacific Institute)
Learn more here.
February 23 | Salton Sea Salinity
California’s Salton Sea – the state’s largest lake – contains more than 470 million metric tons of dissolved salts. It’s more than twice as salty as the ocean and getting saltier. An unknown amount of additional salt – likely measuring in the hundreds of millions of tons – lies on the lake bottom and along the shore. Some three million tons of salts – enough to cover a square mile of land three feet deep – flow into the Sea every year.
On Thursday, February 23rd at noon PST, please join a distinguished panel of experts for a robust 90-minute conversation about Salton Sea salinity. Michael Cohen of the Pacific Institute will moderate the conversation, joined by Ali Montazar of University of California Cooperative Extension, Chris Holdren, formerly with the Bureau of Reclamation, Elliot Jagniecki of the Utah Geological Survey, and Tom Sephton of EcoMedia Compass.
The objective of the webinar is to improve understanding of the amount and chemistry and fate of the salts entering the Salton Sea and provide an opportunity for discussion among agency staff, stakeholders, and the public generally.
Topics will include:
- Colorado River salts & leaching in Imperial Valley
- Amount and chemistry and fate of salts entering the Salton Sea
- Great Salt Lake salt chemistry & salinity gradients
- Salt chemistry at high concentrations & desalination
February 15 | California Water Commission
Heather Cooley, Director of Research at Pacific Institute, will be presenting at the California Water Commission meeting on February 15th on “Long-term Drought: Expert Panel on Drought Preparedness and Response Strategies.” The panel will present policy perspectives and hands-on practitioner perspectives on implementation of drought preparedness and response strategies.
Join the meeting through the Zoom link.
For those who prefer to watch or listen, the meeting will also be webcast live at: https://www.water-ca.com/.
February 10 | Water Equity, Affordability, and Change
Pacific Institute Director of Research, Heather Cooley, will be presenting at SPUR’s Water Equity, Affordability, and Climate Change presentation. The discussion will talk about ways to curb water rate increases and mitigate the disproportionate impact on low income customers.
January 20 | Sustainable Water Markets (SWM) Program Annual Symposium
Pacific Institute Director of Research, Heather Cooley, will be a panelist for the session “Water Resilience and Intersections with Urban Efficiency” at the Sustainable Water Markets (SWM) Program Annual Symposium hosted by the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.
The theme of the symposium is “Building Resilience and Equity in Water Market Strategies.”
January 15-19 | 13th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock presented at the 13th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse to be held from January 15-19 in Chennai, India.
The central theme of the conference was “Water Reuse: Overcoming the Challenges of Growth and Climate Change”. In her two presentations, Shannon will highlight the multi-benefits that can be realized when collaborating to drive and scale water reuse.
January 10 | Salton Sea Hydrology Webinar
On Tuesday, January 10 at noon PST, please join a distinguished panel of experts and practitioners for a robust 90-minute conversation about Salton Sea hydrology. Michael Cohen of the Pacific Institute will moderate the conversation, joined by Sujoy Roy, consultant to the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP), Juan Acero Triana of UC Riverside, Taylor Adams of Hydros Consulting, and Mike Tietze of Formation Environmental. This webinar will be available in English and in Spanish. Topics will include:
– Salton Sea inflows and SSMP project water demands,
– hydrologic drivers in the Salton Sea basin, and
– inflows and project water demands for the Bombay Beach Wetlands project.
Register here for the webinar.
The objective of the webinar is to improve understanding of current and possible future Salton Sea inflows and the water demands of various Salton Sea projects and provide an opportunity for discussion among modelers, agency staff, stakeholders, and the public generally.
The webinar will follow the format of the previous Salton Sea webinars posted on https://pacinst.org/videos/, with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and will be recorded and posted in both English and Spanish.
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El martes 10 de enero al mediodía PST, únase a un distinguido panel de expertos y profesionales para una sólida conversación de 90 minutos sobre la hidrología del Salton Sea. Michael Cohen del Pacific Institute moderará la conversación, junto con Sujoy Roy, consultora del Programa de Gestión del Salton Sea (SSMP), Juan Acero Triana de UC Riverside, Taylor Adams de Hydros Consulting, y Mike Tietze de Formation Environmental. Este seminario web estará disponible en inglés y en español. Los temas incluirán:
– Entradas de Salton Sea y demandas de agua del proyecto SSMP,
– impulsores hidrológicos en la cuenca del Salton Sea, y
– entradas y demandas de agua del proyecto para el proyecto Bombay Beach Wetlands.
Regístrese aquí para el seminario web.
El objetivo del seminario web es mejorar la comprensión de los flujos de entrada actuales y futuros de Salton Sea y las demandas de agua de varios proyectos de Salton Sea y brindar una oportunidad para el debate entre los modeladores, el personal de la agencia, las partes interesadas y el público en general.
El seminario web seguirá el formato de los seminarios web anteriores de Salton Sea publicados en https://pacinst.org/videos/, con interpretación simultánea en español y será grabado y publicado tanto en inglés como en español.
January 15-19 | 13th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock will present at the 13th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse to be held from January 15-19 in Chennai, India.
The central theme of the conference is “Water Reuse: Overcoming the Challenges of Growth and Climate Change”. In her two presentations, Shannon will highlight the multi-benefits that can be realized when collaborating to drive and scale water reuse.
November 7-10 | Localizing California Waters Conference
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Cora Kammeyer will present at the Localizing California Waters Conference in Yosemite on November 7-10.
Cora will be talking about the California Water Action Collaborative and the Water Action Hub.
October 20 | Advancing climate resilience in our Valley and beyond
Pacific Institute Senior Fellow and Co-Founder Dr. Peter Gleick is a guest speaker at the Napa Valley Community Foundation Town Hall on October 20.
Peter will discuss how climate change affects water supply and wildfire risk, and what actions can be taken to preserve the Valley.
October 24 | Bren Seminar: Sonali Abraham on water conservation
Pacific Institute Research Associate Dr. Sonali Abraham will present at UC Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental Science and Management on October 24.
October 25 | 5th National Adaptation Forum
Pacific Institute Senior Researchers Dr. Gregg Brill and Dr. Shannon McNeeley will be participating in the 5th National Adaptation Forum on October 25.
Gregg will host a Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) Tools Workshop and Shannon is on the Steering Committee and the Equity & Climate Justice Working Group.
Gregg’s session “Building the Business Case For Nature-Based Solutions: Introducing the NBS Benefits Explorer Tool” will focus on the implementation of and investment in nature-based solutions (NBS) by the corporate sector. Work like this allows organizations to make informed decisions regarding water security, climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic enhancements.
October 12-13 | Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions Forum on Performance and Metrics
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Dr. Gregg Brill will present at the Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions Forum on Performance and Metrics hosted by the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) in Winnipeg October 12-13.
Gregg will join IISD and strategic leaders working at the interface of natural infrastructure and water issues across the prairies, including Alternative Land Use Services – ALUS Canada, the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative, the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, and many other representatives from academia and municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
October 6 | A Collaborative Approach to Colorado River Management
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Michael Cohen will present on a panel “A Collaborative Approach to Colorado River Management” on October 6.
The Colorado River is in crisis, creating serious challenges for water managers and the communities that rely upon it. This panel of diverse stakeholders will discuss efforts to find collaborative solutions basin-wide and how this could shape the future of Western water for years to come. This is the first in what is anticipated to be a series on the Colorado River.
This session, hosted by the Southern California Water Coalition, is brought to you by San Diego County Water Authority, Imperial Irrigation District, Black & Veatch, and Brady.
October 4-6 | WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition
The Pacific Institute will be featured across three sessions at this year’s WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition from October 4-6 in Las Vegas. At the conference, technical sessions will cover everything from advancing the adoption of efficient products, to alternate water supplies, to marketing and outreach and much more.
Water utilities and systems are increasingly challenged by climate change, emerging contaminants, evolving regulations, aging infrastructure, conservation needs, and much more. New technologies are being invented, new strategies and programs are being developed, new ways to engage customers are arising, and new models for managing and governing systems for drinking water and wastewater are being explored.
Learn more about the conference and take a sneak peek at Pacific Institute sessions below:
- Harnessing the Power of Water to Meet Energy and Climate Goals: Presented by Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute Director of Research
Population growth and climate change are increasing pressure on limited water resources. As conventional water sources become constrained, communities are considering more energy-intensive options, threatening to increase water’s energy and greenhouse gas footprints. Using California as a case study, the Pacific Institute draws on new data and information to quantify the technical potential to expand water efficiency, water reuse, and stormwater capture and develop future scenarios of water supplies and demands to estimate water’s energy and greenhouse gas footprints. While focused on California, the methodology and results are relevant for communities across the western United States.
- The Untapped Potential of California’s Urban Water Supply: Water Efficiency, Water Reuse, and Stormwater Capture: Presented by Dr. Sonali Abraham, Pacific Institute Research Associate
This session will focus on a recent Pacific Institute study that quantified California’s potential for urban water efficiency, water reuse, and stormwater capture to both reduce inefficient and wasteful water uses and expand local water supplies. Previous assessments showed that these options are more cost effective than traditional and increasingly hard to implement options to expand supply. Tapping this potential would help solve California’s long-standing water problems and provide added benefits. This session will provide an overview of current imbalances in water use and supply, and the findings of the analysis.
- Advancing Water Efficiency in Low Income Housing: Southern California Case Study: Presented by Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Cora Kammeyer and Research Associate Dr. Christine DeMyers
This session will share results from a cross-sector project in which corporations, NGOs, and water utilities worked together to install and monitor remote leak detection technology in three low-income apartment buildings in Southern California. The session will cover the water, energy, and money saved from the project; stakeholder perspectives; and how the unique set of partners came together to make the project happen. Speakers will share learnings from project implementation, including the project design and how to effectively partner across sectors.
September 27 | Maximizing Water Resources through Integrating a Multi-benefit Approach into Land Use Planning
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher, Shannon Spurlock, will present ”Maximizing Water Resources through Integrating a Multi-benefit Approach into Land Use Planning” on September 27 in partnership with the American Planning Association’s Water & Planning Network.
Panelists will share how and why they prioritize water projects that incorporate a multi-benefit approach in land use planning. From state-level funding to the economics of project valuations, to working with planners to design and implement environments that are equitable and resilient, this webinar will demonstrate how to integrate and scale a multi-benefit approach for the greatest community benefits.
September 15 | The Future of Natural Infrastructure
Dr. Gregg Brill presented at a virtual event “The Future of Natural Infrastructure” hosted by the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) on September 15.
IISD launched Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS), a 5-year initiative to scale up natural infrastructure in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba for cleaner water and resilient communities.
The event looked at how to ensure that the case for more natural infrastructure is backed by evidence, adopted, financed, and built into policy, and how local municipalities can take part in this work.
September 11-15 | World Water Congress & Exhibition
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock presented three sessions at the World Water Congress & Exhibition between September 11 and 15.
- The Art of Collaboration: Crossing Borders to Solve Systems-Based Problems
- Multi-agency Water Reuse Programs: Lessons for Successful Collaboration
- Water Efficiency: The Fastest, Cheapest, Largest Source of New Water
Shannon highlighted the role of a multi-benefit approach in advancing regional collaboration among water utilities. She also discussed water efficiency as it relates to a multi-benefit approach, water-energy nexus, and research from the recent Pacific Institute report, “The Untapped Potential of California’s Urban Water Supply: Water Efficiency, Water Reuse, and Stormwater Capture.”
Click here to learn more about the World Water Congress and Shannon’s presentations
September 9 | 2022 Energy & Water Nexus
Pacific Institute Director of Research Heather Cooley was a panelist at the 2022 Energy & Water Nexus Event hosted by the Bay Planning Coalition on Friday, September 9. The panel presentation “Alternative Water Sources for Drought Resilience” is more relevant than ever—with nearly 100% of California facing severe drought.
The annual Energy & Water Nexus Event brings together leading thinkers on water and energy to discuss solutions to pressing climate issues.
June 28 I Best Practices for Community Engagement webinar
28 de junio I Las mejores prácticas para la participación comunitaria
(Ver español abajo)
On Tuesday, June 28 at noon PDT, please join a distinguished panel of experts and practitioners for a robust 90-minute conversation about best practices for community engagement. Prof. Chris Benner of UC Santa Cruz will moderate the conversation, joined by Miguel Hernandez of the Salton Sea Management Program, Mariela Loera of Leadership Counsel, Silvia Paz of Alianza ECV, Christian Rodgriguez of KDI, and Frank Ruiz of Audubon. This webinar will be available in English and in Spanish. Topics will include:
- articulation of how community input is integrated into project objectives and design,
- requirements for contractors to maintain community engagement throughout project design and construction,
- differences between public relations and community engagement, and
- developing a strong framework for responding to community input in a timely and clear manner.
Register here for the webinar.
Unase a un distinguido panel de expertos y profesionales para una sólida conversación de 90 minutos sobre las mejores prácticas para la participación comunitaria. El profesor Chris Benner de UC Santa Cruz moderará la conversación, junto con Miguel Hernandez del Programa de Gestión del Salton Sea, Mariela Loera de Leadership Counsel, Silvia Paz de Alianza ECV, Christian Rodríguez de KDI, y Frank Ruiz de Audubon. Este seminario web estará disponible en inglés y en español.
Los temas incluirán:
- articulación de cómo se integran los aportes de la comunidad en los objetivos y el diseño del proyecto,
- requisitos para que los contratistas mantengan la participación de la comunidad durante el diseño y la construcción del proyecto,
- diferencias entre las relaciones públicas y la participación comunitaria, y
- desarrollar un marco sólido para responder a los aportes de la comunidad de manera oportuna y clara.
Registrarse aquí
Date/Fecha: June 28/28 de junio
Time/Hora: 12:00pm PT
Language/Idioma: English/español
Learn more and register here.
Obtenga más información y regístrese aquí
June 28-29 I GreenFin
Water: A Rising Tade on the Corporate Agenda. The global water crisis is both an economic and humanitarian crisis — an unmitigated risk to global supply chains, profits and the well-being of communities and populations around the world. Through the U.N. Global Compact, CEO Water Mandate and the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC), a growing cohort of corporations recognize that philanthropy alone won’t suffice to solve the global water crisis. They see themselves as playing an increasingly material role in the innovation, collaboration and delivery of investment capital needed to solve the escalating crisis. Leading voices tackle the increased role corporate water investments have in driving meaningful collective action toward a water-positive future.
Speakers include:
- Mai-Lan Ha, Deputy Head, CEO Water Mandate, UN Global Compact
- Emilio Tenuta, SVP & CSO, Ecolab
- Vedika Bhandarkar, COO, Water.org
- Jackie VanderBrug, Head of Sustainable & Impact Investment Strategy, Bank of America
- Una Hrnjak-Hadziahmetovic, Head of Sustainability Strategy & Programs, Starbucks
Date: June 29
Time: 9:00am ET
Language: English
Learn more and register here.
View information about more past events the Pacific Institute has participated in here.
