About Water Matters!

The United Nations Environment Programme appointed Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be North America’s Host for World Environment Day (WED) 2010. This event was part of Pittsburgh’s answer to the call.

Just imagine:

• Having to boil your tap water before drinking or cooking
• Lifeless streams, rivers, oceans
• An economy stalled by problems of access to water of sufficient quantity and quality

In western Pennsylvania, these problems are not as remote as they may seem. Our region has plentiful water supplies — a tremendous economic and quality of life asset — but significant water quality challenges. Other parts of North America and the world have severely limited access to water and/or degraded water quality. Without more attention to protection and restoration of water resources, we may find ourselves scrambling to find abundant and clean water for future generations. Regions that step up to the challenge will have advantages and growth; those that don't will decline.

Keynote speakers and panelists included:

• David Ainsworth, UN Convention on Biological Diversity
• Peter Annin, Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources
• Roberta Bowman, Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, Duke Energy
• Herbert T. Buxton, US Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
• Marla Cone, Environmental Health News
• John Cronin, The Beacon Institute
• Donald L. Correll, American Water
• David Dzombak, Carnegie Mellon University Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research
• Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post
• Marc Edwards, Virginia Tech
• Amy Fraenkel, UNEP Regional Office for North America
• Kate Jackson, Westinghouse Electric Company
• Gregory J. Koch, Global Water Stewardship Program, The Coca-Cola Company
• Mike Magee, healthy-waters.org
• Richard A. Meeusen, Badger Meter Co.
• Kathleen Miller, Ph.D., Climate Science and Applications Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research
• Carl Safina, Ph.D., Blue Ocean Institute
• Peggy Shepard, WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Topics addressed by expert panels:

• Water and Your Health: What's in our water and what does it mean for our health?
• Water and Energy: How do we balance need for energy and clean water?
• Water as an Economic Driver: How do we use this precious asset smartly to enhance quality of life and build our economy?

Participants and attendees gained:

• Inspiration and motivation to take on regional water related challenges.
• First hand knowledge from national and international science, policy, and business leaders.
• Appreciation for the region's capabilities and experience in water science, policy, and business — with insights to opportunities to be found in linkages between water, health, and energy.
• Resolve for personal commitments and collaborations toward solutions.

Water Matters!....to you, the region, the future.