Advancing U.S. Drinking Water Security and Resiliency - Fall

Team Members: Christina Theodoridi, Jenna Behrendt, Maria Gracia Aguilar, Mina Guo, James Lin, Anna Loizeaux, Aayushi Mishra, Rachel Patterson, Emily Poorvin, Jingjing Wang  

Community water systems face growing risks from aging infrastructure, climate change, contamination, and cyber threats, highlighting vulnerabilities in the nation’s drinking water supply. The Secure and Resilient Water Systems Act addresses these risks by requiring water utilities to assess vulnerabilities and implement protection plans. Strengthening infrastructure resilience improves public health protection and ensures reliable water access for millions of Americans. Federal funding and technical assistance enable water utilities to modernize infrastructure and reduce exposure to environmental and operational threats.

Implementation planning emphasizes stakeholder engagement and vulnerability-based prioritization to allocate resources effectively. Risk assessment frameworks enable utilities to identify the most critical threats and implement targeted mitigation strategies. Federal support improves the capacity of underfunded utilities to strengthen infrastructure resilience and maintain service reliability. Preventative investment reduces long-term costs associated with infrastructure failure and emergency response. Strengthening water system resilience enhances national infrastructure security, protects public health, and ensures long-term sustainability of drinking water resources.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.