Because every drop counts.
OneWater
Innovations in the industry are advancing our view of water as a complete resource, not separately as stormwater, sewage or drinking water, but as “one water.”
This precious resource is fundamental to agriculture and food production, helps industries function, enables energy generation and allows the consumer goods we rely on to be manufactured. Most important, water is essential for all life to flourish.
Year after year, water demands increase because of population growth and economic development. Recently, we’ve seen additional stresses on the global water supply from climate-related severe weather events, such as hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, bushfires, wildfires, floods and drought. Water availability is intensely connected to weather and climate patterns, and water scarcity and extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, with major impacts to public health, the environment and local economies.
"While we can't create new water, we can manage it better by thinking about it differently, viewing all water as one valuable resource."
– Susan Moisio
The water conundrum — too much water here, not enough there
Water is finite. Although our urban populations have doubled or tripled, water resources haven’t. We know there’s no new water on earth — the same water we have today is what existed for the dinosaurs. In many regions, the rain falling to earth doesn’t end up where people live, so we compensate by taking water from rivers and underground aquifers at unsustainable rates. At the same time, flooding is a growing global concern, with flood frequency predictions showing increases across 42% of the planet by the end of the century.
While we can’t create new water, we can manage it better by thinking about it differently, viewing all water as one valuable resource. That’s our approach at Jacobs and one we take with our clients around the world. Our OneWater focus is on adaptable, resilience-based planning and embracing a more integrated, inclusive approach to water management.
The OneWater lens
Viewing this precious resource through a “OneWater” lens allows us to move beyond traditional thinking, understanding that water issues are entwined and complex, affecting the entire water cycle. This perspective allows us to optimize the planning, implementation and operations of the complete water cycle:
- Surface water
- Groundwater
- Desalination
- Stormwater and flood management
- Conveyance
- Wastewater
- Reuse
- Environmental flows
Years ago, I recognized that OneWater was where we needed to be when I started working on Miami-Dade’s Ocean Outfall Legislation (OOL) Program — a city climate change increasingly affects. With its low, flat geography, climate models predict two feet or more of sea-level rise by 2060. We believe water should be viewed as a whole because each drop impacts the city in a different way. The OneWater approach enabled us to consider all water users and sources to determine how best to live with and manage more water while meeting the statewide OOL directive.
There are three foundational elements of our OneWater approach:
1.
All water has value.
2.
Water challenges are interconnected.
3.
Water solutions must be sustainable, inclusive and equitable.
Social issues are strongly tied to water use, so Jacobs is working with water utilities across the globe to proactively adopt equity and environmental justice initiatives that prioritize community benefits through capital investments in water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. By looking at water through the OneWater lens we move beyond traditional silos to bring an integrated, inclusive approach to a sustainable water future for all. ■
