Nearly 350 people met at the Grand Californian Hotel in the Disneyland Resort of Anaheim on June 16 to attend the 10th annual OC Water Summit, titled “Finding Water”.
Experts discussed the current rush to find new sources of water in California to overcome the challenges caused by cyclical droughts.
Highlights included Master of Ceremonies Fritz Coleman and his “water forecast” for Southern California, which covered a changing climate, continued arid conditions and cyclical droughts. The Fritz Coleman 2017 Water Forecast may be viewed at https://youtu.be/axp2WXvD8Uc.
He colorfully set the scene for six sessions, including the luncheon speaker. Coleman is a celebrated NBC4 weathercaster and standup comedian.
At lunchtime, Seth Siegel, New York Times bestselling author of “Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water Starved World,” described how Israel can serve as a role model to help California and the U.S. solve their water shortages. Even though 60 percent of the country of Israel is made of desert, it has found solutions to its water problems through innovative methods and techniques.
The day was filled with water experts who presented engaging views on the search for new water supplies.
Following introductions by Orange County Water District Director Stephen Sheldon and Municipal Water District of Orange County Director Jeffery Thomas, OC Water Summit sessions delved into topics of desalination, stormwater capture, four water revolutions and if the water industry will reinvent how it manages water after our historic drought, solutions to address aging infrastructure, and females who have been instrumental in reshaping California’s water portfolio.
To see presentations and videos of the 2017 OC Water Summit speakers, see www.ocwatersummit.com