Currently, businesses have access to robust information on physical water risk through resources such as the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas — but there is no similar resource to assess the conditions around public water management. World Resources Institute, Pacific Institute, and the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate are working with businesses to develop a database on public water management in the U.S. and Mexico. Learn more: https://www.wri.org/events/2020/04/webinar-public-water-management-forum-apr-02

1. Mapping Public Water Management
March 2020
Colin Strong
World Resources Institute
Tien Shiao
Pacific Institute,
CEO Water Mandate
Julian Kölbel
University of Zurich,
MIT Sloan Affiliate

2. Table of Contents
 Project Overview
 Better Information for Businesses
 Desired Outcomes
 Our Ask
 Open Discussion

3. The Project in a Nutshell
Industrial
Water UsersDecision Makers
Public Water Management
Information | Infrastructure | Regulations | Crisis Response
IMPROVE
INFORM
OBSERVE
CROWDSOURCE
Agricultural
Water Users
Domestic
Water Users
Open Source Global
Geodatabase + Data + API

4. Data Collection Mechanism
Open Source Global
Geodatabase + Data + API
Information on
Public Water Management
Crowdsource
Information

5. Pilot Study
 6 multinational companies
 41 locations
 14 countries
Proof of Concept

6. Water Management Index Map

7. Hidden Risk

8. MIT Master’s student interviewed 25+ stakeholders in Southern California and India. We heard:
From companies
 Willing to share non-sensitive knowledge
 Not an unreasonable burden
From water agencies and regulators
 Data can be trusted
 Helpful feedback of customer experience
From investors
 Fills an important data gap
What We Heard

9. Desired Outcomes
Scale Desired Outcome
Watershed-scale
Collective action efforts to improve public water management and
drive long-term water security in priority watersheds with local utilities,
companies, and government.
Industry-scale
Industry standards, guidance and tools to drive engagement in public
water policy in priority water stressed regions in the West and Southwest of the
United States, as well as Northern Mexico
Company-scale
(industry and investors)
Companies and investors to develop effective corporate water stewardship
programs targeted at improving public water management and
advancing water security water stressed regions in the West and Southwest of
the United States, as well as Northern Mexico.

10. Funding
Secured
Collect
Information
Develop
Dataset
Dynamic
Geodatabase
Report on
Key Findings
Q1 – Q2 Q3 – Q4
Next Steps in 2020

11. To companies:
 Send our standard question set to facilities in
the US and Mexico.
 Average response time of 20 minutes,
depending on the complexity of water
sources.
Our Ask
To companies:
 Your facility data, back to you – highlighting
the management issues you face.
 Anonymized database on the state of water
management in the US and Mexico.
 Report highlighting the management-related
issues industrial water users face.
Our Return

12. Open Discussion
Primary Contact:
Colin Strong
colin.strong@wri.org
Additional Contact:
Tien Shiao
tshiao@pacinst.org

13. Water Management Profile at the Site Level

14. Country-Level
Variation