WRRC Water Webinar: Capacity, Performance, and Collaborative Planning in Water Governance

WATCH THE RECORDED WEBINAR

Public water systems (PWSs)—facing pressures from climate and land-use changes—must adapt to ensure continued safe and secure supply to customers. The ability to provide consistent and safe water supply is determined by PWSs’ internal capacity and the collaborative approaches used to address water resource challenges that span service area boundaries. Quality collaboration needs to reflect diverse representation and interests. This WRRC Water Webinar presentation will discuss what motivates actors to come “to the table” before examining tools that can be used to evaluate representation in decision-making, as well as the capacity and performance of PWSs. The discussion will conclude with considerations for Arizona’s water supply future as this relates to agriculture, urbanization, and energy. 

Emily Bell is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia, with affiliations at the University’s River Basin Center, and the Center for International Trade and Security. Her interest lies in understanding—and supporting—collaborative approaches to conservation and climate adaptation. Bell’s research and community engagement focuses on the performance of public water utilities and regional water resource management. Specifically, her work involves assessing and advancing water utility capacity and performance, and representation of diverse beliefs, interests, and needs in collaborative water planning in the US and Latin America.