inH2O


Cities of the future will leverage new technologies, infrastructure, design, and planning techniques to create an economically vital and dynamic community. The Infrastructure Network for Water, or inH2O, is a URC collaborative project focused on water infrastructure. It is a pilot to a larger interest in developing a national infrastructure network focused on multiple urban infrastructure systems.

Background
log with a hole through the centerCities of the future will leverage new technologies, infrastructure, design, and planning techniques to create an economically vital and dynamic community. While change can be incremental, currently transformative actions are needed in order to envision and implement a comprehensive and integrated plan for infrastructure modernization.


Summary

The inH2O group held a series of three workshops dedicated to identifying promising models for how Michigan could create a more effective science-to-practice network around national urban infrastructure. Each workshop in this series included public presentations by leading experts the national energy, manufacturing and transportation networks, and working sessions with 30 Water Fellows. The purpose of each workshop was to learn from other successful networks as the inH2O collaborative team seeks to further activate the urban water network.

In November 2017, the group held a two-day colloquium with 75 invited participants from universities, government, nonprofit organizations, and industry, and included the 30 Water Fellows. The gathering produced a series of 22 next steps, including the drafting of a report of the proceedings. 

  

Key Themes and Actions
ideas from planning sessionColloquium participants identified five key themes to address to tackle today’s water infrastructure problems:

  • Sustainability and resilience
  • Equity and environmental justice
  • The food-energy-water nexus
  • Decentralized systems
  • Water reuse

 

For each theme, participants also discussed what actions would make the most difference to improving water infrastructure. Several common actions emerged from these discussions:

  • Promote a holistic, OneWater approach to water management
  • Educate and engage the public around water infrastructure
  • Develop innovative regulations and incentives at the watershed level to promote sustainable, resilient infrastructure
  • Create data information systems and apply new technologies

Organizers continued work on bolstering the network through continued interaction with participants, mapping the existing network, and exploring funding for additional projects. We encourage you to review the list of next steps and do what you can to continue building on the inH2O effort.

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