Publications

407 Resources

Financing Water Supply and Sanitation in a Changing Climate

October 22, 2020 | publication

Human-caused climate change is real and accelerating, creating new challenges for all aspects of freshwater management, including meeting basic human needs for water and sanitation. Important gaps in our understanding of these challenges include both the complications climate change poses for planning, implementing, and sustaining water supply and sanitation systems, especially for the poor; and the links between these systems and the emissions of greenhouse gases that worsen the overall climate problem.

Ensuring One Water Delivers for Healthy Waterways: A Framework for Incorporating Healthy Waterways into One Water Plans and Projects

October 12, 2020 | publication

As forward-thinking cities become increasingly adept at capturing and reusing wastewater, stormwater, and greywater, essential river systems may be at risk. The “One Water” approach to water management emphasizes an integrated planning and implementation approach that acknowledges the finite nature of water resources and prioritizes long-term resilience and reliability.

Op-Ed: The Future Has Arrived. These Explosive Fires Are Our Climate Change Wakeup Call

September 14, 2020 | publication

Like millions of people in the western United States this week, I woke up to deep red, sunless skies, layers of ash coating the streets, gardens, and cars, and the smell of burning forests, lives, homes, and dreams. Not to be too hyperbolic, but on top of the political chaos, the economic collapse, and the worst pandemic in modern times, it seemed more than a little apocalyptic.

Water Recommendations to the Next President

September 13, 2020 | publication

Every human being needs safe and affordable water, but in the United States, tens of millions of people still lack it. As the COVID-19 pandemic revealed, poor water infrastructure and the failure to provide universal access to safe water and sanitation threaten public health. Meanwhile, water shortages, poor management, and antiquated water systems threaten the nation’s food supply, ecosystems, and economy.

Sustainable for Whom? The Impact of Groundwater Sustainability Plans on Domestic Wells

September 5, 2020 | publication

Studies estimate that 1.5 to 2.5 million Californians rely on domestic wells to meet their household water needs, but because domestic wells are often shallow, they are often sensitive to changes in groundwater levels. Thus sustainable groundwater management has an important role to play in safeguarding the health and safety of Californians and the achievement of the state’s recognized human right to water.

Ending Conflicts Over Water: Solutions to Water and Security Challenges

September 2, 2020 | publication

Water-related conflict and political instability are on the rise across the globe. But while intensifying water challenges and the threats they pose to security are well documented, relatively few solutions have been presented. This report fills the gap by exploring several dozen strategies to reduce water-related conflicts in key water-insecure hotspots around the world.

Sustainable Landscapes in California: A Guidebook for Commercial and Industrial Site Managers

August 19, 2020 | publication

Sustainable landscaping offers a solution in balance with the local climate and ecology, and actively contributes to community and watershed health by providing economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Op-Ed: Water Resilience in the Age of COVID-19

August 12, 2020 | publication

In the past few weeks, communities around the country have experienced record-breaking rain, heat, hurricanes, and drought. We have seen flooding from failed dams and levees, as well as fires from unseasonably dry forests and grasslands.

An Assessment of Urban Water Demand Forecasts in California

August 5, 2020 | publication

In California, urban per capita water demand has declined dramatically over the past several decades, driven in part by greater uptake of water-efficient devices.

Benefit Accounting of Nature-Based Solutions for Watersheds Landscape Assessment

August 3, 2020 | publication

Nature-based solution (NBS) can improve degraded ecosystems, help sequester carbon, and manage the effects of climate change, including extreme weather events. Businesses are beginning to recognize the value of NBS for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

Comment Letter on USEPA WaterSense Program

July 29, 2020 | publication

This comment letter submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) expresses strong support for both maintaining and strengthening the WaterSense Program at the USEPA, and includes specific recommendations for improving the program.

Água e a Pandemia da COVID-19: Um Plano Empresarial para Água e COVID-19: Ações Práticas para Conter a Pandemia

July 17, 2020 | publication

Para combater a propagação da COVID-19 e reconstruir nossas economias durante e após a pandemia, uma ação coletiva em relação à água é essencial. Tal ação pode ajudar não apenas a conter o vírus, como também a realizar o direito humano à água e acelerar a economia “azul”, na qual o bem-estar econômico e a resiliência hídrica se reforçam mutuamente. A comunidade empresarial pode desempenhar um papel fundamental no combate à disseminação da COVID-19, bem como reconstruir a economia e reduzir o risco de choques futuros.

Water and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Business Framework for Water & COVID-19: Practical Actions to Contain the Pandemic

July 16, 2020 | publication

To combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus and rebuild our economies during and after the pandemic, collective action on water is essential. Such action can help not only to contain the virus, but also to realize the human right to water and accelerate the “blue” economy, whereby economic well-being and water resilience mutually reinforce one another.

Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context CASE STUDY: Noyyal-Bhavani River Basin, South India

July 14, 2020 | publication

The world’s water resources are under increasing pressure from rising water consumption, pollution, and climate variability. The variety of water challenges companies face, from water governance issues to extreme events like drought, manifest in the river basins where the companies operate. Therefore, setting meaningful targets requires companies to take the local context of their operations into consideration.

Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context CASE STUDY: Upper Vaal River Basin and Berg and Breede River Basins, South Africa