SE Valley Times

Water management solutions need to be efficient, affordable, and innovative to support human progress, according to Estelle Brachlianoff. She spoke at the "Water Solutions Summit: From Global Insights to Local Action" on January 23 at Arizona State University. Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, a company that provides water and environmental services in 45 countries, emphasized the link between climate change and water issues. "Because climate change is about too much water, too little water, not at the right time and not the right quality. It’s all interconnected," she said.

In 2024, about 80% of U.S. counties faced water shortages and 50% of water infrastructure had leakage problems. Despite these challenges, Brachlianoff stated that Veolia's approach is simple: "What we try and do is learn from someplace else, push for solutions and deploy them elsewhere."

The summit was attended by approximately 80 people and hosted by ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab Water Institute and Veolia. It addressed global expertise and local insights into water scarcity management strategies.

"Water and energy are primary needs of a sustainable modern society," said Upmanu Lall from ASU's Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. The event featured discussions on innovative approaches applicable to local challenges.

The first panel focused on Western U.S. development trends related to water-energy solutions. Kathryn Sorenson moderated it with participants like Christa McJunkin from Salt River Project who stressed the importance of partnerships in managing water resources.

Glenn Rink from Verano Water Group discussed how Waterkeeper Alliance operates globally without reinventing processes already proven effective elsewhere.

Peoria city manager Henry Darwin explained how his city manages multiple water sources while preparing for future reliability issues with the Colorado River.

Tempe Mayor Cory Woods highlighted efforts to increase drought resilience by reactivating a local water reclamation facility with federal funding support.

The second panel explored university-industry collaborations in delivering large-scale solutions. Participants discussed opportunities for ASU students within companies like TSMC and Intel.

Gary Dirks from ASU’s LightWorks emphasized the relationship between energy flow and practical problem-solving across sectors involved in producing energy.

Upmanu Lall concluded by expressing optimism about young leaders' commitment to making positive changes in sustainability practices worldwide.