Readout of White House, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior, and Environmental Protection Agency Roundtable on Enabling Innovation for Water Security and Climate Resilience

Earlier this week, the White House, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior, and Environmental Protection Agency convened a roundtable with key stakeholders from the water security and climate resilience community to discuss innovation in water saving technologies and opportunities to support and uplift implementation of these technologies.

The roundtable brought together agency experts, innovators, manufacturers, investors, and industry leaders. It built on the goals of the White House Freshwater Challenge and the 2023 National Climate Resilience Framework, which set an objective of catalyzing innovation and mobilizing investment to advance equitable climate resilience. Our nation’s lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries, and wetlands are critical to the health, prosperity, and resilience of our communities and are held sacred by many Tribal Nations. They are also economic drivers, supporting jobs and outdoor recreation.

Participants identified and discussed potential opportunities to support innovation, improve incentives, and strengthen workforce development. Administration officials sought feedback on implementation of investments in water security from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Administration officials and participants agreed that to better address water security and resilience, it is critical to support the adoption of water saving technologies, as these tools must be accessible to all communities and water stewards. The discussion also highlighted the connection of water, climate, and resilience. By absorbing and storing carbon, our nation’s waterways and wetlands play a critical role in the fight against climate change. Administration officials closed the roundtable by underscoring the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to clean water for all communities and to continuing to further the shared goals of the participants to protect and enhance our nation’s freshwater resources.

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