DENVER, CO, Sept. 5, 2007 -- Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF), a nonprofit water research foundation dedicated to advancing the science of drinking water, has announced it is sponsoring a workshop on the potential effects of climate change on water resource availability. The workshop is being held Sept. 19-20 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is co-sponsored by U.K. Water Industry Research (UKWIR).
This workshop will bring together representatives from water utilities, climate-change researchers, and regulators in the United State and Europe to develop a state-of-the-science report on how climate change may impact the availability of source waters used by drinking water suppliers. The participants will also create a research plan for future climate change studies. The workshop is part of a project funded by AwwaRF and UKWIR.
"By working with international partners, we are able to leverage the ideas and resources of our counterparts in other countries," said Robert C. Renner, executive director of AwwaRF. "The report developed in the workshop will identify the high-priority issues drinking water utilities may be dealing with because of climate change. Prioritizing these issues allows AwwaRF to sponsor research that tackles the most pressing needs of the water supply community."
"Although the implications of climate change on any particular water utility aren't known, utility managers need to be prepared for changes in the total amount of water available or the frequency and intensity of precipitation events that feed the world's water-supply systems," Renner said.
The workshop is one of several ongoing studies AwwaRF is currently sponsoring to examine issues related to climate change and drinking water.
The Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) is a member-supported, international, nonprofit organization that sponsors research to enable water utilities, public health agencies, and other professionals to provide safe and affordable drinking water to consumers.
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