Water Systems and Regional Resilience
Overview
The Pittsburgh region is surrounded by an abundance of water, a resource growing increasingly scarce in other parts of the United States. Waterways, lakes and streams create tranquil spaces to enjoy the outdoors and provide abundant drinking water sources. Yet, the region’s aging water infrastructure has raised deep concerns about water quality, both for recreational purposes, and for daily consumption.
Pittsburgh is not alone in this regard; the American Society of Civil Engineers gives nationwide drinking water infrastructure a grade of ‘D’, with wastewater infrastructure faring slightly better at ‘D+’. It is estimated that drinking water infrastructure alone will require an investment of $1 trillion over the next 25 years. Participants joined this workshop to learn how multiple stakeholders are working together to protect and repair Pittsburgh’s water resources.
Featured Presenters:
Jordan R. Fischbach, Ph.D., Co-Director, Water and Climate Resilience Center and Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation
Rebecca Kiernan, Senior Resilience Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh, Office of Sustainability and Resilience
Eric R. Merriam, Ph.D., Plan Formulator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District
Tim Prevost, Manager of Wet Weather Programs, ALCOSAN
Greg Scott, Professional Engineer, Buchart Horn, Inc., and advisor to the 2018 PA ASCE Infrastructure Report Card
Date
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Time
8:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast and Registration
9:00 am - 11:30 am Program
Location
Energy Innovation Center, Room 115
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Agenda
8:30 am – 9:00 am Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
9:00 am – 9:05 am Welcome and Opening Remarks
Autumn Secrest, Sustainable Business Program Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh
9:05 am – 9:25 am Infrastructure Report Card: National and Statewide Overview of the State of Our Infrastructure
Greg Scott, Professional Engineer, Buchart Horn, Inc. and Advisor to the 2018 PA ASCE Infrastructure Report Card
9:25 am – 9:30 am Infrastructure Report Card Q&A
9:30 am – 9:45 am The Pittsburgh District: Planning for Success in an Uncertain Future
Eric R. Merriam, Ph.D., Plan Formulator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District
9:45 am – 9:50 am Pittsburgh District Q&A
9:50 am – 10:05 am A Fresh Look at Infrastructure Investment: Green Infrastructure and the ALCOSAN GROW Program
Tim Prevost, Manager of Wet Weather Programs, ALCOSAN
10:05 am – 10:10 am Green Infrastructure Q&A
10:10 am – 10:20 am Break
10:20 am – 10:35 am Informing Pittsburgh’s Options to Address Lead in Drinking Water: One Year Later
Jordan R. Fischbach, Ph.D., Co-Director, Water and Climate Resilience Center and Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation
10:35 am – 10:40 am Options to Address Lead Q&A
10:40 am – 10:55 am Pittsburgh’s Resilience Strategy: Water Infrastructure
Rebecca Kiernan, Senior Resilience Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh
10:55 am – 11:00 am Pittsburgh’s Resilience Q&A
11:20 am – 11:30 am Closing Remarks, Program End
Autumn Secrest, Sustainable Business Program Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh
SP Challenge Actions
Participants in this workshop may gain sufficient information to complete the following actions in the 2018 Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge:
W21: Create stormwater management landscaping (1 to 5 points)
W22: Use rain barrels (1 point)
W24: Use porous paving to reduce stormwater impacts (3 points)
W25: Create “no-mow” zones (1 point)
W26: Install a water filter that removes lead (3 points)
EA9: Advocate for sustainable policy locally and regionally (4 to 20 points)
EA11: Apply for sustainability-focused grants (1 to 3 points)
Attendees can receive points for their organization by attending this workshop, with action:
EA30: Attend SP Challenge Workshops (1 to 50 points)
About the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
A yearlong, friendly competition for businesses, nonprofits, universities, and local governments, the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge engages employees and measures improvements in the areas of energy, water, waste, transportation, social equity and more.