Why You Won’t Want to be Anywhere but Austin this March

We’re just a month away from Tap into Resilience, WaterNow’s sustainable water Summit in Austin, and the excitement is building! They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and our 4^th annual Summit is no exception. We’re taking things to the next level with more sessions, more speakers, and more opportunities to dive deeper into the innovative, equitable, affordable and sustainable strategies coming on line to address our shared water challenges. This year’s theme, Tap into Resilience, is all about exploring untapped and under-appreciated solutions and the potential for onsite, localized programs to provide Texas-sized community benefits nationwide.

I think you’re going to enjoy every element of the Summit, but here’s my Top 5 List of Why You Won’t Want to be Anywhere But Austin on March 27-28:

1. Speakers You’ll Want to Hear from and Connect with: We’re welcoming almost 50 of the nation’s most prominent water innovators, thought leaders, and experts and well as a wide range of local decision makers with exciting stories to tell from around the country. From creative financing to water philanthropy and the direction of our water future to the future of onsite reuse and stormwater, this Summit’s speakers are all breaking through conventional ways of thinking about water to create something new.
2. Water Lessons Learned from Texas… and Elsewhere: We didn’t just pick Texas for the great BBQ. Texas faces extreme water events, from disastrous flooding to extreme droughts; as a result it’s also become ground zero for some of the most creative and interesting water strategies around. We’ll hear from these water heroes and their exciting success stories featuring strategies and innovations you can bring home.
3. Networking Opportunities with Water Leaders: We regularly hear from our attendees that one of the things they value most about WaterNow Summits is the unique opportunity for local leaders to connect with innovators, experts, resources and – especially and – each another. The Summit is a relatively intimate event limited to 150-200 people and designed specifically to maximize engagement. The sessions are highly interactive and we’ve built in ample opportunity for attendees to connect through collaborative brainstorming, coordinated table conversations, and plenty of time to hang out and network.
4. 2019 WaterNow Impact Awards: Every year WaterNow recognizes standout local decision makers for leadership in accelerating innovative and sustainable water solutions in their communities at our (always very fun) Awards Dinner at the Summit. We’ve received some incredible 2019 nominations so far, but it’s not too late to submit a nomination for a local leader deserving of recognition, it might even be you! 
5. NEW THIS YEAR: Optional Morning Programs! We’re excited to introduce some new programming before the Summit officially starts for early-arrivers. Join the WaterNow team and a few expert speakers for Water 101, a crash course specifically for city council members. Whether you’re newly elected or have been around the block a few times, this entertaining, interactive workshop will cover water law, financing, hydrology, and the role of municipal leaders in water decision making. We’re also very pleased to have University of Texas Sustainability Director Jim Walker lead a walking tour of UT’s cutting edge Onsite Reuse system that an innovative campus cooling system that recovers and reuses foundational groundwater, rainwater and even air condensate to cool buildings in the hot Texas sun.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg of all that awaits us in Austin next month. Registration is open now for Tap into Resilience, and some travel funding is still available for WaterNow Members if you act quickly. This Summit is shaping up to be our most engaging and rewarding yet, an opportunity to explore integrated and sustainable water solutions for all. I hope to see you in Austin!

Special thanks to our Summit sponsors and partners: