Landscape Architect Articles

8th Annual Orange County Water Summit Discusses "Liquid Motion"05-28-15 | News

8th Annual Orange County Water Summit Discusses "Liquid Motion"

Nearly 400 attendees filled the room for the 8th Annual OC Water Summit, the theme of which was "Liquid Motion." Attendees were reminded that what happens with water in California extends beyond California, and the drought affects us all.
Photo Credits: Orange County Water District

On May 15, a dynamic conference was set into "Liquid Motion"??" the theme of the 8th annual Orange County Water Summit. Hosted in Anaheim by the Orange County Water District, the Municipal Water District of Orange County and the Disneyland Resort, the event attracted nearly 400 stakeholders as California faces one of the most serious droughts on record.

The conference program featured five sessions: Mother of Necessity; What Happens in California Doesn't Stay in California; Ocean Desalination: Moving in the Right Direction; The City of the Future; and A Tale of Two Cities. The first session began with a discussion about the accuracy of weather predictions and what water agencies are doing to prepare for cyclical drought, which led into a panel about what the drought is costing California's agriculture industry and its ripple effects on other U.S. markets. The third panel concentrated on ocean desalination, a sustainable solution to drought, and its costs and benefits. The conference concluded with two sessions about what cities, regions and countries are doing to remain sustainable and resilient to drought.

Summit speakers represented diverse industries including water, business, agriculture, legislative and politics. Key participants included Hurley Vice President of Global Outreach/Sustainability Ben Edwards, The Old Farmer's Almanac Editor Janice Stillman, Global Water Intelligence's weekly Water Desalination Report Editor Tom Pankratz and City of Mendota Mayor Robert Silva, among others.

The O.C. Water Summit was made possible by generous sponsors, expert speakers and interested participants. The Summit empowered attendees to be part of the solution that moves "Liquid Motion" forward to create sustainable solutions that promote water reliability. Everyone was encouraged to take actions that help ensure California's water supplies remain reliable not only for today, but also for years to come.

Presentations and video footage of the event will soon be available at www.ocwatersummit.com.