Water has been in the news lately ranging from the deadly Hurricane Sandy that brought devastation to the eastern coastal cities of United States to the prolong drought that destroyed the crop fields of Taxes. The problem about water in the States is that, it always plays a back role and is never in anyone’s list. However, everyone who is still alive will know that water is essential to living and being consider a human right makes water all that more important. Current water systems including infrastructure, policy, regulation, cost, operation, treatment, disposal, reuse, recycle, and others are in need of more attention.Last Friday, Feb 8th 2013. Goldman Sachs, GE Power and Water, and World Resources Institute held a summit: Water: Emerging Risks and Opportunities Summit with an A list of individuals who’s names are celebrity status in the water industry.
- US Congressman William Pascrell, D-NJ
- Leigh Abramson – Managing Director, MetalMark Capital
- David Arison – Director of Global Business Relations, Miya
- Don Correll – CEO and Co-Founder, Water Capital Partners
- Matthew J. Diserio – Co-Founder and President, Water Asset Management
- Paul Goodfellow – VP US Unconventionals, Shell
- Virginia Grebbien – President of Water and Infrastructure, Parsons Corporation
- Jud Hill – Operating Partner, NGP Global Adaptation Partners
- Cas Holloway – Deputy Mayor for Operations NYC
- Jeff Kightlinger – General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Ken Kopocis – Senior Advisor, Nominated EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Water
- Heiner Markhoff – President & CEO, GE Power & Water, Water & Process Technologies
- Gretchen McClain – President & CEO, Xylem Inc
- Pat Mulroy – General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Sandy Stash – Global SVP, Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Operational Assurance, Talisman Energy
- Andrew Steer – President & CEO, World Resources Institute
- David Sunding – Professor, College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley / Co-Director, Berkeley Water Center
The purpose of the summit is not only to bring everyone up to date on current problems and problem solving but also to induce networking to help the different fields of the water industry connect with each other.
Some key points that were mentioned in the summit included:
Overview of water industry, debunking the myths of water
Policy making in terms of water
Water and Energy Nexus
Pricing of Water in terms of efficiency and need
Risk management tools
New technologies and techniques in water source
Capital Flow in terms of investment in water
Water Infrastructure of NY and Southern California
For the next few days and weeks, I will detail the individual talks from the summit including my personal takeaway.
The Second Quarter 