Water 2050 Reports

Water 2050 Reports

Water 2050 is a collaborative initiative led by AWWA to envision the future of water and chart a course for success and sustainability.

In an effort to bring together diverse voices to explore the water community’s long-term challenges and opportunities, AWWA is hosting a series of think tanks with influential thinkers from within and outside the water sector to examine water’s future through the prism of five core drivers: sustainability, technology, economics, governance and social/demographics.


Water 2050 Think Tanks Summary and Path Forward

Water 2050 is a collaborative initiative to envision the future of water and chart a course for future success and sustainability. Under the leadership of the American Water Works Association, diverse voices from within and beyond the water sector explored water’s long-term challenges and opportunities at think tanks focused on five different drivers: Sustainability, Technology, Economics, Governance and Social/Demographics. The Water 2050 Think Tanks Summary and Path Forward identifies common themes that emerged from the events and describes next steps for the initiative.


Water 2050 Sustainability Think Tank

The first of the think tanks convened in September 2022 and focused on sustainability. Participants engaged in facilitated small and large group conversations, private reflection and panel discussions to imagine the future of water and develop a set of recommended actions. The group included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility and consulting community, academia, regulatory agencies and the beverage industry, as well as those with interests in agriculture, climate science, environmental advocacy, and innovation incubators, among others.

Recommended Actions

Participants emerged with 10 recommended actions encompassing four broad categories:

  • Implement a new water utility paradigm
  • Establish a climate resilient water future
  • Define the value of water for a new reality
  • Achieve circularity of water

Water 2050 Technology Think Tank

The second think tank was held in December and focused on technology. Participants included representatives from the water and wastewater utility, manufacturing and consulting communities; innovation incubators, Silicon Valley thought leaders, privacy and cybersecurity experts, regulators and academics, CEOs and an agriculture research hydrologist.

Recommended Actions

The group developed recommended actions grouped into four broad categories:

  • Accelerate innovation
  • Transform water services through next-generation technology
  • Apply technology as the "Great Water Equalizer"
  • Achieve a secure cyber future

Water 2050 Economics Think Tank

A diverse group of influential thinkers from within and outside the water community put forth nine recommendations for an economically sustainable water future in the third think tank report of the Water 2050 initiative.

The 26 participants in the Water 2050 Economics Think Tank, which took place Jan. 23-25, 2023, at the Penn Club in New York City, included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility, manufacturing and consulting community, as well as regulators and academics, CEOs and climate advocates and infrastructure and financial services experts. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into three broad categories:

  • Reimagine the water economy
  • Embrace innovative economic models
  • Mobilize the water community

Water 2050 Governance Think Tank

A diverse group of influential thinkers from within and outside the water community developed nine recommendations for the future of water governance – including core principles frameworks and approaches – to assure a successful and sustainable water future in the fourth think tank report of the Water 2050 initiative.

The 27 participants in the Water 2050 Governance Think Tank, which took place Feb. 27-Mar. 1, 2023, at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington, D.C., included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility community, regulatory agencies, international development agencies, manufacturing and consulting firms, advocates, academics, and CEOs. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into four broad categories:

  • Implement a "One Water" governance approach
  • Optimize utility governance and business models
  • Develop governance that promotes innovation and sustainability
  • Advance collaboration to drive (governance) innovation

Water 2050 Social/Demographics Think Tank

A diverse group of influential thinkers from within and outside the water community developed nine proactive recommendations considering key social and demographic shifts and their impact on the future of water in the fifth think tank report of the Water 2050 initiative.

The 27 participants in the Water 2050 Social Demographics Think Tank, which took place April 26-28, at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility community, international development agencies, academics, demographers, cultural anthropologists, consulting and manufacturing firms and CEOs. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into three broad categories:

  • Community-centric water management approach
  • Sustainable services through collaboration
  • Innovative solutions for equitable water

While the recommended actions are bold, participants acknowledged they are a starting point. They are a promising foundation from which to chisel more detailed actions through future think tanks and other contributions to the Water 2050 initiative.

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Get the report(s) summarizing each of the Water 2050 Think Tanks

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