1、The future of water in the USNavigating toward resilience20262ContentsIntroduction:The rising tide of urgency 4Embracing uncertainty to build strategic advantage 5A sector under strain but on the brink of transformation 6Two critical uncertainties 9Future scenarios:Four theoretical paths for the US

2、Water sector in 2040 10Smart Bets:Building resilience no matter the future 15Conclusion:Moving forward 16Contacts 17Endnotes 18The future of water in the US|Navigating toward resilience23The future of water in the US|Navigating toward resilience34The water sector in the United States(US)is at an inf

3、lection point.The converging challenges of aging infrastructure1,constrained supply,and accelerating demand are straining a fragmented network of more than 50,000 community water systems2 that are responsible for consistently supplying over 320 million customers,or approximately 95%of the US populat

4、ion,with safe and clean water.3 The frequency and severity of extreme weather events,exacerbates water supply stress.4 At the same time,contaminants such as lead,polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS),and contaminants of emerging concern(CECs),such as pharmaceuticals,increasingly threaten water quality.5,

5、6,7 Public trust is continually tested by both legacy issues(e.g.,chronic underinvestment)and emerging risks(e.g.,cybersecurity).8,9,10The public can view water as both easily accessible and inexpensive,which often does not align with reality water utilities are facing.11 Unlike roads and highways,w

6、ater infrastructure is mostly underground,and its age and deterioration are not visible to public.Utilities face obstacles in establishing rates that fully reflect the full cost of service,which in turn hinders efforts to invest adequately in ongoing system maintenance and improvements12 The persist