Our mission: Advancing the science of water.

We work to achieve the mission in three ways:

By sponsoring research.  The Water Research Foundation sponsors an anticipatory and scientifically credible research program that is responsive to the needs of the water supply community.
By developing knowledge.  The Water Research Foundation identifies the practical benefits of research findings and delivers this knowledge to stakeholders throughout the water supply community.
By promoting collaboration.  The Water Research Foundation cultivates partnerships with organizations around the world to leverage funding and share expertise.

The Foundation was established in 1966 to provide a centralized, practical research program for the drinking water community. Its research program, which is highly respected as being one of the most scientifically credible and best-coordinated in the world, focuses on four main goal areas:

• Water Quality
• Management and Customer Relations
• Infrastructure
• Water Resources and Environmental Sustainability

Specific research projects focus on the following:

• Treatment
• Distribution
• Resources
• Monitoring & Analysis
• Management
• Health Effects

Audience for the WaterRF Climate Change Clearinghouse Site  

The WaterRF Climate Change Clearinghouse site was specifically designed to meet the needs of the water utility community. Anticipated users include water utility general managers, water resource planners, forecasters and modelers, maintenance engineers, and utility and public works leadership. Many of the resources available through the Clearinghouse will be helpful for water utility employees engaging in public education and outreach activities.

Purpose of the WaterRF Climate Change Clearinghouse Site  

Climate change will introduce additional uncertainty into the management and planning activities of water utilities. This uncertainty is due to a range of climate change impacts that will alter global, regional, and local climate and hydrology. Changes in hydrological conditions will likely force water utility managers to assess and adapt their planning and investment activities to a new hydrological baseline.

The WaterRF Climate Change Clearinghouse provides numerous resources to water supply utility managers with key information about climate change impacts and how these impacts will affect utility operations. These resources, which range from national level examinations of impacts to regional analyses of utility operations, provide water resource managers with the information and tools they need to successfully adapt both their short-term and long-term planning activities to climate change.

The Clearinghouse is intended to serve the following roles:

• Inform and guide water utility long- and short-term planning
• Inform water utility operational decisions
• Provide case studies on how other utilities have addressed climate change issues and challenges
• Provide access to relevant reports, journal articles, datasets, and analytical tools
• Inform water utility efforts to provide outreach, public communications, and education pertaining to climate change
• Inform water utilities regarding the status of climate change research

All of the materials provided in this Clearinghouse were selected to meet the climate change information needs of the water utility community. These needs were assessed during a series of interviews with leading utility and water resource managers.

The Clearinghouse provides access to information and tools by means of multiple pathways, including geographic locations, specific utility operations, and climate change impacts. This will allow users with various perspectives on climate change issues to find the most relevant and specific resources for their needs.