Seattle, Major U.S. Water Suppliers Form New
National Climate Alliance

Collaboration and Improved Research Key to
Coping With Climate Change

For immediate release: 2/27/08

For more information, Contact:
Seattle Public Utilities Customer Service, (206) 684-3000

SEATTLE — Mayor Greg Nickels announced today that Seattle will join with seven of the nation’s largest water suppliers in an unprecedented coalition that will work to improve research into the impacts of climate change on water utilities, implement tactics to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and develop strategies for adapting to climate change.

Along with Seattle Public Utilities, the new Water Utilities Climate Alliance (WUCA) will initially be comprised of Denver Water, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Portland Water Bureau, San Diego County Water Authority, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority. All told, WUCA members supply drinking water to more than 36 million people throughout the United States.

“Seattle has developed an international reputation for its work in adapting our water supply to climate change — and partnering with other major water utilities is another way for us to share and expand our knowledge in this vital area,” said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

While other U.S. cities face water shortages within the next five years, Seattle is taking steps to ensure sufficient water to supply its customers through at least the year 2060 — without the need for expensive new sources.

“As new information about climate change becomes available to us, our goal is to be flexible and adaptive in our management of our system, to ensure we have water when we need it,” Nickels said. “The adaptive management techniques we have pioneered, along with the knowledge we’ll gain through our participation in WUCA, will ensure Seattle of a reliable supply of water in an uncertain future.”

“Water utilities are among the first responders to the effects of climate change,” said Susan Leal, general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which spearheaded the effort to form WUCA, and which chairs the new organization. “Our systems are facing risk due to diminishing snowpack, bigger storms, more frequent drought and rising sea levels. We need to be organized to respond to these risks — that’s why we’ve formed this alliance.”

Patricia Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said, “Water agencies throughout the nation will invest hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure over the next 15 years alone, and those investments must be informed by climate projections that are as accurate as possible.”

Emily Lloyd, commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, said, “We need the best possible research to enhance our understanding of how climate change will impact water supplies, precipitation patterns, hydrology and water quality.”

In its first official act, the WUCA provided comment today on the “Summary of Revised Research Plan” prepared by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP).

The WUCA identified several key research needs that would improve the drinking water industry’s ability to develop strategies to cope with potential impacts of climate change. The WUCA is urging the CCSP, as well as all researchers and scientists in the climate-change field, to:

• Reduce the uncertainty in climate change projections by improving and refining global climate models and applying them at the regional or local level.

• Enhance the collection, maintenance and accessibility of information, making the data more useful for decision-making purposes.

• Ensure that water providers worldwide have access to consistent climate data.

• Develop decision-support tools for planning, decision-making and policy-making that can accommodate deep uncertainty and the potential for abrupt climate changes.

• Coordinate international research efforts, particularly with those countries that are already experiencing the effects of climate change, such as Australia.

The CCSP integrates federal research on climate and global change. It is comprised of 13 federal agencies with climate change research responsibilities, including the Departments of Interior, Commerce, and Energy, NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency. View the CCSP’s “Summary of Revised Research Plan”.

Visit San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for more information about the WUCA, or to review comments of the “Summary of Revised Research Plan.”

The Water Utility Climate Alliance is dedicated to providing leadership and collaboration on climate-change issues affecting drinking water utilities by improving research, developing adaptation strategies and creating mitigation approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Water Utility Climate Alliance began meeting in late 2007 and includes the following members and their respective agencies:

• Susan Leal, WUCA chair and general manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

• Chips Barry, general manager, Denver Water.

• Chuck Clarke, director, Seattle Public Utilities.

• Jeff Kightlinger, general manager, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

• Emily Lloyd, commissioner, New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

• Patricia Mulroy, general manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority.

• David Shaff, administrator, Portland Water Bureau.

• Maureen Stapleton, general manager, San Diego County Water Authority.

Visit the mayor’s web site. Get the mayor’s inside view on initiatives to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter.

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Seattle Public Utilities